Video: Peter Hook schools interviewer on how to play ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ on bass

Here’s a great clip for any aspiring bassists out there: Journalist Hobey Echlin took advantage of his face time with New Order during a 2001 interview to grab Peter Hook’s four-string and play the bassline to Joy Division’s immortal classic “Love Will Tear Us Apart” in front of the man who wrote it — only to be told he was doing it wrong. So Hook took the bass back, threw it on his knee and showed Echlin how it’s done.

Echlin posted footage of the encounter to YouTube this week, writing:

“I was lucky enough to get to go to Manchester UK in summer ’01 to interview New Order in advance of their ‘Get Ready’ album. I was the last interview, and the band was preparing to tour with Moby’s Area 2 festival, so instead of doing the interview at a hotel in Manchester, I got to drive out to the countryside where Stephen, the drummer, lived with family — and where the band, I discerned from the thump thump thumpa thumpa thump through the farmhouse walls as we rolled up past the grandpa in wellies and the sheepdog — rehearsing for the tour. Full interview clips to follow, but I did get a chance to play Hooky’s bass and my favorite bassline — only to get schooled that I was in fact playing it wrong. Galaxy 500 had the same experience when they covered ‘Ceremony.'”

If you watch carefully, there are several notable things in this clip:

1. Bernard Sumner makes a brief cameo during the bass hand-over
2. Hook has a record company publicity photo of Samantha Fox taped to his amp
3. Hook’s bass is played above the waist, a rare position for an instrument far more accustomed to being in the neighborhood of this bassist’s kneecaps

Thanks to Mike Halloran for bringing this footage to our attention.

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

• Peter Hook to publish ‘Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division’ memoir this fall
• Peter Hook to perform Joy Division’s ‘Still’ in Manchester, recreate band’s final concert
• Video: New Order reunites in Brussels with Gillian Gilbert, without Peter Hook (setlist)
• Peter Hook: ‘New Order without Peter Hook is like Queen without Freddie Mercury’
• Q&A: Peter Hook on bringing Joy Division’s ‘Closer’ to U.S.; may perform ‘Still’ next
• New Order to reunite — without Peter Hook — for October concerts in Paris, Brussels
• Q&A: Peter Hook talks ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour, re-recording Joy Division