NEW ORDER - PETER HOOK'S FREEBASS FAVOURS

PETER HOOK'S FREEBASS FAVOURS

When Peter Hook struggled to find someone to front his new band Freebass, he asked his celebrity friends to take it in turns singing for them.

Peter Hook couldn't find a singer for Freebass so asked his famous friends to take it in turns.

When the former New Order bassist - who has teamed up with Stone Roses bassist Mani and Andy Rourke for his latest musical project - couldn't find a frontman for the group he enlisted the help of his celebrity pals until the right person showed up.

He explained: "Mani said 'We know everyone don't we? Liam Gallagher, Kele Okereke, Tim Burgess - let's ask them'. So we asked a lot of people, and to be honest, I'm a bit busy, so most of them are really busy too, and the only three that delivered were Howard Marks - Mr Nice - who's done a fantastic state of the world rap, which is mega. Pete Wylie did a fantastic track for us, Tim Burgess did one, and I sing the other."

Although he was thankful for their help, the bassist was relieved when the men finally settled on Haven frontman Gary Briggs.

He explained: "Then Gary appeared, which was a relief so then I didn't have to deal with them other idiots! Going from one difficult lead singer to nine, you know...! Mani said 'Let's get someone who's just starting out and then we can persecute him!' So that's what we're doing, but don't tell him!"

Meanwhile, the 53-year-old rocker has called singer Morrissey - who fronted New Order's rival band The Smiths during the 80s - a "t**t".

He quipped: "There's no way I could have liked The Smiths as they were our competition. Morrisey's a t**t anyway!

"What I do love about him though, is that any time anyone has any legal problem with him, the only person you can speak to about [it] is his mother! That's true. So if you have a problem you have to deal with Morrissey's mother. And the first thing she says is, 'Our Steven wouldn't do that!'."

Freebass are working to release an LP featuring a series of guest singer before working on an album with Gary.