Peter Hook defends Unknown Pleasures tour

Joy Division bassist Peter Hook doesn't understand why he has been criticised for playing the group's famous tracks with his new band.

The British musician has been performing the band's debut album 'Unknown Pleasures' around the world with his own band The Light and former Happy Mondays backing singer Rowetta Idah for the past year but revealed he has been hurt by the animosity towards his endeavour.

He said: "I think in over 30 years of being a musician I'm used to it to be honest, because even in any group I've been in from Joy Division to New Order you get used to criticism.

"It never stops it hurting but you do get used to it and a very wise man once said to me that the people who come to see you will decide whether you live or die."

However Peter - who went on to form the band New Order with the other members of Joy Division, Bernard Sumner and Steve Morris after singer Ian Curtis committed suicide in 1980 - said he is pleased with the reaction from the audiences.

He explained to BBC Radio 6 Music: "People have come to see us, no one has asked for their money back, nobody has thrown a bottle at me, nobody maybe has had the balls to come up to me and say 'you absolutely slaughtered that' or whatever.

"I think people are enjoying it judging by the reaction and the comments on the internet, I don't think that we're selling it short in any way."