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Artist News
Freebass split acrimoniously ahead of album release
By CMU Editorial | Published on Friday 10 September 2010
Freebass, the collaboration between Manchester bassists Peter Hook, Mani, Andy Rourke and lesser known vocalist Gary Briggs, has split just under two weeks before the release of their debut album, ‘It’s A Beautiful Life’.
Rourke already announced he was no longer part of the group last month, but in a statement this week, the group said: “Recent events have made Freebass entirely unviable as a band, and with this in mind, it has been decided that the project should be shelved, rather than placed on hiatus while members pursue their other interests”.
Less diplomatically, Primal Scream and ex-Stone Roses bassist Mani accused former Joy Division and New Order man Hook of having a “wallet stuffed with [Joy Division frontman] Ian Curtis’s blood money”.
Referring to Hook’s recent live performances of Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’ album and the opening of a new Factory Records-inspired club, Mani also referred to him as “the vulture who is ravenously devouring the last morsels of putrid flesh from Wilson/Curtis bones”.
As for the Freebass album, he told one fan: “It’s where it belongs mate… In the fuckin bargain bin before it’s even released”.
‘It’s A Beautiful Life’ due out via Hacienda Records on 20 Sep.
