Peter Hook’s The Light return to The Factory on May 18th 20011 for the first ever performance of Joy Division’s starkly passionate, seminal second album, “Closer” live and in its entirety at the club’s intimate downstairs gig floor, a year to the day since The Light first performed “Unknown Pleasures” at the venue.
As an album, “Closer’s history is forever associated with Ian Curtis’ death, its recording sessions seeing his condition worsen, and was released two months post in July 1980. The Peter Saville chosen cover of a Bernard Pierre Wolf, Appiani Tomb portrait has served to enhance its myth although Saville had never heard Closer when he chose the image prior to Ian’s passing.
With Martin Hannett’s incandescent production permeating the record allied with a band that had developed in stature and confidence since their debut “Unknown Pleasures”, the album came to yield many classic Joy Division tracks, “Atrocity Exhibition, “Heart And Soul” and “Twenty Four Hours”.
With a much greater use of keyboards than its predecessor, Closer also contained many references to New Order’s future direction, which the Joy Division’s remaining band members were to move on with, almost immediately at the time of the release of “Closer”, studiously ignoring the album at the time.
The Light’s performance of “Closer” on the evening is also being recorded by Ronnie Lane’s mobile recording studio for a vinyl only release later in 2011.
Peter Hook’s The Light feat. Rowetta - “1102 / 2011” 4 Track EP
Released digitally Monday 2nd May 2011 on Hacienda Records.
1 “Pictures In My Mind” (vocals by Peter Hook)
2“Insight”, (vocals by Rowetta)
3.“New Dawn Fades” (vocals by Rowetta)
4.“Atmosphere” (vocals by Rowetta)
www.fac51thehacienda.com / www.peterhook.co.uk
After much rumour and speculation, Hacienda Records can announce the release of The Lights debut EP “1102 / 2011” on Monday 2nd May 2011. Billed as “Peter Hook’s The Light feat Rowetta”, the four track EP takes its name from the palindromic recording date of 11th February 2011 at Blueprint Studio, Salford.
“Pictures In My Mind” was an unfinished Joy Division track which was unearthed by the band’s “bootleg society” from a rehearsal tape stolen in 1977, setting it between Warsaw and Unknown Pleasures. The track was first performed by The Light at the opening night of The Factory in February 2011 with Hooky mindful of Ian Curtis’ maxim that one started a song should always, he takes the vocal himself to finish up the track.
Having performed with the band consistently since 2007 at events such as Versus Cancer, 1234 Festival, Vintage and The Factory gigs, The EP features The Light’s habitual guest vocalist Rowetta, across three of the classic Joy Division tracks which she has been consistently singing live with the band, “Insight, “New Dawn Fades” and “Atmosphere”.
Having received great reviews for her vocal performances from Joy Division fans, Factory aficianados and her own fan base, Hooky decided to record Rowetta’s unique renditions of these tracks late last year, and she joined the band at Blueprint to lay down the vocals in February 2011.
More information and the design for the release by James Chadderton will be made available early in April 2011.
Exclusive video footage of The Light performing “Disorder” and “New Dawn Fades” from The Factory last May will be released on Monday March 7th via Peter Hook & The Light’s facebook at www.facebook.com/peterhookandthelight and at www.peterhook.co.uk.
Peter Hook’s The Light features Peter Hook on vocals and bass, Jack Bates on bass, Nat Wason on guitar, Andy Poole on keyboards and Paul Kehoe on drums. Rowetta performs as guest vocalist at selected gigs.
www.fac51thehacienda.com / www.peterhook.co.uk
Peter Hook’s The Light Tour Dates To June 2011
All dates apart from May 18th at The Factory Manchester see The Light perform Unknown Pleasures
09/03/11 La Carene, Brest, France
10/03/11 Le Trabendo, Paris, France
11/03/11 Big Band Cafe, Caen, France
17/03/11 Astro Hall, Tokyo Japan
18/03/11 Zepp, Tokyo, Japan
19/03/11 Creative Centre, Osaka, Japan
25/03/11 Helsinki, Finland
27/03/11 Oslo, Norway
30/03/11 Rosso, Manchester (Nordoff Robins Charity Event)
23/04/11 Scala, London
30/04/11 Liquid, Edinburgh
07/05/11 Festival Donorte, Pontevedra, Spain
18/05/11 The Factory, Manchester (Performing Closer)
28/05/11 Den Haag, Holland
29/05/11 Eindhoven, Holland
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