New Order 'Disappointed' By Peter Hook Lawsuit

The three remaining New Order bandmates have said they are "disappointed" bassist Peter Hook is suing them for millions in unpaid royalties.

The musician claims he is around £2.3m out of pocket after Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert set up a new company to control the New Order trademark without him.

The High Court heard New Order Limited has generated an income of £7.8m since 2011, but Hook says he has received only a tiny fraction of that.

His lawyer Mark Wyeth told the court: "It was as though George Harrison and Ringo Starr had got together at George’s house one Friday night and had acted together to divest Paul McCartney of his shareholding in the Beatles, and didn't tell Yoko about it either."

Hook is receiving 1.25% of the band's royalties and other income but says he should be getting up to 12.5%.

Sumner, Morris and Gilbert say they have treated Hook fairly and that his stake in the royalties is reasonable.

Hook has not played with the band since 2007 and relations with his former bandmates have become very strained.

In a statement on the New Order website, the trio said: "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.

"We’re getting on with life and concentrating on touring and promoting our new album."

Hook, Sumner and Morris first played together in Joy Division but created New Order in 1980 after the death of their lead singer Ian Curtis.

Hook now tours with a band called Peter Hook And The Light.