neworder-1985

Peter Hook suing New Order over royalties

Hook with New Order in 1985
IMAGE

Former New Order bassist Peter Hook‘s quarrels with his former bandmates continue. He’s now sued New Order, claiming he’s lost £2.3m since the other three members of the band set up a new company in 2011 to handle New Order’s income. From the BBC:

Hook parted company with the band in 2007, but the other members carried on without him and continued to use the New Order name.

Hook owns 25% of Vitalturn but was absent when the other three – who own 75% – set up a new company, New Order Ltd, in 2011.

They granted the new company worldwide exclusive rights to the New Order name and the related sources of income for 10 years.

Hook’s barrister Mark Wyeth QC said the “clandestine, premeditated and deliberate” move had cost the bassist £2.3m by October last year and his losses were continuing.

Mr Wyeth said: “It was as though George Harrison and Ringo Starr had got together at George’s house one Friday night and had acted together to divest Paul McCartney of his shareholding in the Beatles, and didn’t tell Yoko about it either.”

New Order Ltd has generated £7.8m income over four years, the court heard. Hook is receiving 1.25% of the band’s royalties and other income from merchandising and performances. But he wants up to 12.5%.

New Order released Music Complete, their first album without Hook, earlier this year.

Hook, meanwhile, continues to play New Order and Joy Division songs with his band The Light. After touring New Order’s Low-Life and Brotherhood in 2015, they’re currently performing both New Order and Joy Division’s Substance compilations in full. No North American dates at the moment.