New Order say making music without Peter Hook has been a more "pleasant" experience.
The group’s original members, singer Bernard Sumner, drummer Stephen Morris and keyboard player Gillian Gilbert, are currently being sued by ex-bassist Peter, who claims they owe him £2.3 million since setting up a new company to handle the band’s income from 2011 even though he left in 2007.
The band – also now comprised of Phil Cunningham and Tom Chapman – released their first LP, ‘Music Complete, without Hook this year and they admit it was a lot more relaxed in the studio.
When asked if it was easier to lay down the tracks without Peter around, Gillian admitted: "I must admit, yes. I feel like everybody’s on an equal footing. I don’t know why. I think with the Hooky thing, as you go on you build up your own little, not resentments, but we’d been together for so long. It was a lot more pleasant for me.
"I think we are a new entity in a way, the past is gone a bit. we decided to call it ‘Music Complete’ because that’s what it was, we just thought that’s it, that’s our music. Complete."
Drummer Stephen insists replacing Peter with Tom has resulted in a change in the band’s music.
Stephen told Mojo magazine: "Straight away it was different. When you take something out of the equation and put something else in, you’ve got to do it differently whether you want to or not."
Since it was ruled that Peter’s lawsuit will be heard in court, New Order released a statement on the matter on their official website.
It read: "Obviously the band are disappointed that Peter is pursuing this claim in this particular way. The reports so far take a number of things out of context. Peter still, for instance, receives his full share of all back catalogue royalties. This dispute relates only to the share of income he takes from our work without him since 2011.
"Not much more we can say as nothing has been decided by the Court on the facts other than he has a right to proceed with the claim, so this matter is still in play."
New Order: Making music without Peter Hook is pleasant
