New Order legend Peter Hook – who featured in our Oldest DJs Still In The Game feature last week – recently spoke to Skrufff about his upcoming Hacienda worldwide DJing tour and revealed that he’s open to following in Sex Pistol John Lydon’s footsteps and appearing on reality TV. “I turned down Celebrity Big Brother and gave it to Bez (from the Happy Mondays), you know,” said Peter. “I think I would definitely consider doing it now I’m sober, yeah, why not? They could do with someone properly jumping on that Ant n’ Dec! I’m yer man!” he laughed.

He also addressed the huge amount of online criticism he received after he was filmed miming to a mix CD at Exit Festival in 2006, which still today draws over 21,000 Google links for a search of “peter hook fake DJ”. “I was playing two tracks that somebody had taken from a Pete Tong CD given to me by my supposed mate,” he sighed. “He said ‘Play this, it’ll go down a storm?’ It did but the filming concentrated on my terrified EQ-ing/posing and so I was stitched up proper – thanks there, Roger,” he said. “Those two tracks were eight minutes long in total but the fact that I DJed for over two and a half hours normally doesn’t seem to matter. But ‘hey ho’ as my mate Dave Dee (RIP) used to say: ‘Fuck ‘Em’. If anyone still believes it they can stand in the box with me anytime,” Peter added. “That’s an invitation”.

Opportunities to check him out live on the decks will be plentiful in the coming months as he headlines a Hacienda global party tour, marking 27 years since the seminal Manchester club first opened. He also publishes a book about the club ‘How Not To Run A Club’ in October and revealed he’s happy to have revived the brand some 12 years after the club closed in 1997. “When we began doing the Hacienda nights three years ago I was very worried about the flogging the past too much bit but the people that come to the parties seem to still have a very healthy regard for the music, the memories of the club and the DJs,” said Peter.

“Plus they seem to have a genuine affection for the people that built it, people like Rob Gretton and Tony Wilson,” he added. “To be honest, it’s become a great pleasure to promote anything to do with the club. We haven’t had one single bad party yet. It’s also nice to enjoy it all without the financial worry that huge building on Whitworth Street gave us. The three biggest elements of the nights are the music, the DJs and the people: we provide the first two the people bring the vibe, the buzz the good feelings and themselves,” he added.

He also said he’s comfortable with the towering reputation he’s earned from playing bass in Joy Division then New Order, with both bands now justifiably recognised as figureheads of post punk and electronic music culture. “No I’ve never felt trapped by people’s expectations, it’s my job and a small price to pay, whether people regard me as a living legend or not!” he chuckled. “I worked hard at what we achieved and remain really proud of it.”

Admitting he still misses Factory Records boss Tony Wilson, who died of cancer in 2007, he hinted at the possibility of a New Order reunion, though not in the near or even medium term future. “Not at the moment, no,” he said. “Too much remains unsaid.”