UK rave pioneer Peter Hook ‘sad’ as London’s Fabric meets the same fate as New Order’s legendary Hacienda
Shuttering of iconic venue after drug deaths mirrored end of Manchester's Hacienda, funded by his band
NEW Order legend Peter Hook has spoken of his sadness at the closure of London’s Fabric nightclub - because it mirrored his own experience with Manchester’s Hacienda.
Fabric’s licence was revoked by Islington council last month following the drug deaths of two 18-year-olds. The decision sparked uproar among London clubbers and a campaign was launched to save the world-famous venue.
The Hacienda, funded by New Order and credited with starting rave culture in Britain, closed down in 1997 after years of run-ins with police and licensing authorities which began after Britain’s first ecstasy-related death there in 1989.
Hooky, 60, told The Sun: “What happened to Fabric is a great shame. And there are parallels with what happened at the Hacienda.
“But I have to say - the main thing that ultimately did for the Hacienda was the violence and poor security. Things are very different at clubs now and that can only be a good thing.
“Fabric was criticised over its door policy but it was far better than ours 20 years ago. I much prefer the way they do security at clubs now to how it was back then - it’s much safer.”
The Hacienda brought Acid House music from Ibiza to Britain, and that sound was given a reboot last Spring with the ambitious Hacienda Classical concerts, where club anthems like Voodoo Ray, Ride On Time and You Got The Love were performed by the Manchester Camerata Orchestra while DJs Mike Pickering and Graeme Park manned the decks.
The sold-out gigs at London’s Royal Albert Hall and Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall - featuring Happy Mondays vocalist Rowetta and an impromptu stage invasion by Bez - are the subject of a new Channel 4 documentary to accompany the release of a live album.
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Hooky, who sings and plays bass on the classical interpretation of New Order’s Blue Monday, was initially dubious about the idea.
“I’m a rocker and a raver, I just couldn’t see it,” he said, “but Graeme Park dispelled any scepticism and I respect him greatly.
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, there are 120 instruments involved.
“But the English love to see songs being performed - songs that have been there through their whole lives, from adolescence, to marriage, to divorce, to mid-life crisis.
“The gigs were ravey and dreamy, quite a spectacle, and people got to experience the Hacienca even if they weren’t there in the first place. It’s not just for us old ravers.”
And what’s Hooky’s message to anyone who didn’t get to the Hacienda during the glory years?
With a knowing wink, he chuckled: “You didn’t miss much!”
Hacienda House Orchestra is on Channel 4 on Thursday 20th October / Early Friday 21st October at 00:05
Full album of Hacienda Classical Set Released By Sony Classical On Friday 21st October