Peter Hook this morning called New Order’s surprise decision to reunite without him ‘very sad,’ saying ‘the other three’ didn’t tell him they’d decided to play two October concerts — and that, ultimately, ‘everyone knows New Order without Peter Hook is like Queen without Freddie Mercury, U2 without The Edge, Sooty without Sweep!’

Five years after splitting up, New Order will reunite — with a lineup featuring keyboardist Gillian Gilbert, but not bassist Peter Hook — for a pair of live shows this October in Paris and Brussels to benefit ailing artist and film producer Michael Shamberg.

The members of New Order have agreed to release the seven songs left over from the sessions for the band’s 2005 swan song ‘Waiting for the Sirens’ Call,’ bassist Peter Hook tells Slicing Up Eyeballs, saying the move should help make the group’s acrimonious split ‘a little cleaner’ and finally ‘draw the line’ under the break-up.

A four-song EP of Joy Division re-recordings that Peter Hook had planned to release this week has been delayed by unspecified legal issues, the bassist said today in an announcement that suggests the release may never see the light of day.

The classic second album from New Order — 1983’s ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’ — was released exactly 28 years ago today, and to commemorate that release, here’s an equally classic five-song performance by the band filmed 18 months later, on Aug. 25, 1984, in the BBC Basement Studio.

Slicing Up Eyeballs recently chatted with Peter Hook about his upcoming tour of the U.S., during which he’ll perform Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’; the acrimonious split of Freebass; and his plans to re-record classic Joy Division tracks for a new EP.