When invited to guest edit cerysmatic I hit on the idea of proactively contacting various ex-Factory people - both obscure and well-known - to find out what they are up to nowadays and to ask a few questions. I thought it would make a nice feature - a one-per-day 'where are they now file'. So popular was this idea that nobody replied to any of my emails.

Except one person: A heavily jet-lagged Hooky, in between dj-ing and touring, replied at 4am Friday morning.

Cheers H - trooper as ever! If this guilt-trips other interviewees into replying I will pass them on to John for publication. Otherwise, adios, and I leave you with news of another set of bloody cassette tapes...

M: What are you up to nowadays?
H: DJing, playing in the group occasionally, writing the hacienda book, doing my first mix cd as a dj, quite a lot really. Then tryin to juggle that with looking after my family.

M: How different is stockbroker belt to Moston?
H: I don't think you have to ask that do you? It's nicer surroundings. I suppose the nice thing about success is you can give yourself more space. People aren't as near you so hence don't bug you as much. It's a lovely place to live but my mates wont eat round here. 5 quid for fish and chips!

M: Best Factory moment?
H: Release of Unknown Pleasures.

M: Worst?
H: Never being accounted to for any record sales.

M: I hear you're doing some of the soundtrack to 'Control', but you're not doing covers. Are you looking at something similar to the Peter Saville soundtrack?
H: Yes.

M: I was recently played a bit of Joy Division with someone playing sax. Was that you (there was no bass playing at the time)?
H: Send me a copy of that - maybe the bastards were tryin to get rid of me!

M: Have you got the Lavolta Lakota master tapes?
H: No master tapes but I have the master cassettes. Do you want them?

M: Do I owe you any money for them?
H: Thousands.

M: Mars Bars?
H: Yes. The small ones are better and I have great fondness after using b.m. for the advert!

M: Any plans to do anything with the Hacienda Classics website?
H: Not at the moment i've not got the time.

M: Finally, Factory Classical. Any regrets?
H: Add it to the list: the factory boat, the factory car, the factory buildings, ikon, all the foreign factorys: benelux, usa, zimbabwe, australia, poland, they all lost thousands!

But the most important thing is we're still here!

Peace an love hooky.

Ditto moist.

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda, Factory_Benelux, Factory_Classical, Joy_Division, labels, Peter_Hook

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