TWENTY-FIVE years may have ebbed away since New Order’s phoenix-like rise from the ashes of Joy Division, yet they appear more focused than ever.

Whether it be through sheer stubbornness or a refusal to bow to corporate trends, they have steadfastly survived against the odds.

Their contribution is already firmly assured after inspiring a generation of fans and guitar bands alike with their heart-achingly gorgeous melodies.

Such is their often weary manner you may won’t find them cracking too many smiles, but deep down you know they appreciate their fans.

Peter Hook for one appears in fine form as they take on their latest in a long-line of typically minimal tours. While the low-slung bass magician may have just hit the big 5-0 he is facing it with admirable stoicism.

"Since I stopped drinking things have been pretty surreal, you look at things in a different way. But I think I am having the best time I’ve ever had with the band as I have my head together," he explained from his Newcastle hotel room on having kicked his old demon.

Musically, they are still bang on form and have gained deserved recognition for last year’s Waiting for the Sirens call album that he says proved a difficult if rewarding experience.

With many of their contemporaries having long since bitten the dust there remains a certain aura around their music. Can he shed any light on what the key to the group’s longevity has been?

"I have no idea how we have lasted so long but we do just enough gigs for it always to feel quite fresh, that’s what Barney always says makes us special anyway, it give the shows an edge.

"I may not have always enjoyed being in the band with everyone and they would probably say the same of me, but I’ve never been bored of playing the music. That makes all the rubbish that goes with it worthwhile. I still adore it."

Like the best of survivors he appears to be a man with fingers in many musical pies.

The latest of these is far from an ordinary project, Freebass, with none other than former Stone Roses bass-player Mani (for whom he was a producer) and fellow bass star Andy Rourke of the Smiths.

Not content with this trio, he can also be spotted behind the decks doing some DJ’ing which he’s become quite enamoured with.

"Mani and Clint Boon set up this celeb DJ circuit which was originally done with people like Shaun Ryder as a come and have a laugh at the old guys who used to be in a band type night. Because it’s a celebrity thing people normally think you’re going to be useless at it so they are quite open minded.

"I don’t do all the Manchester stuff people expect me to and I have to have some different mixes of Blue Monday as I am sick to death of playing the original. Since that TV ad I can’t buy a Mars Bar anywhere now!"

Were you to tell them at the time of its release in the early 80s that it would become the biggest selling 12 inch record of all time then the most likely reaction would have been one of complete laughter, though they undoubtedly recognised its quality.

If there were a spiritual home of New Order then it would have to be the infamous Hacienda Nightclub which they ran during Manchester’s boom rave years with TV music journalist Tony Wilson.

There could be few more appropriate than Hook to commit its history to print than himself and he is now well into the intriguing task of unravelling its checkered tangle of events.

The venue was given an affectionate tribute in Steve Coogan’s 24 Hour Party people which painted an admittedly hilarious rose-tinted picture of the chaos which would eventually engulf this most decadent of nightspots.

"I started the book approaching it like someone who does not know how to make music saying I am going to make an LP! But I am getting into it now and it has made me do quite a lot of research.

"The thing that amuses me most is that it does not even exist any more. We ran it as a costly error, that place was just like somewhere where you were putting on a party for your mates every night until your money ran dry.

"It was a pretty wild time but it was all good apart from when Factory Records went bust, that was horrendous but we were so messed up we didn’t really notice."

Recalling his early days kicking around Manchester, he says it was seeing the Sex Pistols in 76 at the Free Trade Hall with Bernard Sumner that proved to be the catalyst for forming their group.

"I didn’t like the Pistol’s music, just their attitude, they gave us something to rebel against, before that we were just rebelling against our parents. It was amazing that we were thinking of forming the band and had no idea about music!"

Despite having no more than three O levels between them, the pair had found work- Hooky grafting as a labourer at the local dockyards and Barney gained work in a cartoon production firm. Both sensed a means of escape was required and placed an ad for a vocalist for their as yet un-named group.

One of the last people to audition was a certain Ian Curtis, a wiry yet musically astute character who was known to them from the local gig scene. After two early candidates for the drumming slot fell by the wayside, Stephen Morris who like their frontman was from Macclesfield, completed the definitive line-up.

His inventive rhythms ability would swiftly become one of their unmistakable hallmarks.

Their first tentative steps were taken under the name Stiff Kittens, which none of them rated and ditched before going on stage supporting The Buzzcocks for their first gig in favour of the moniker Warsaw.

This was most likely after their penchant for European fashion and imagery. With Ian’s rasping vocals they were a raw, potent force but lacked the focus they were later to hone. But under Curtis’s brooding yet brilliant stewardship they won them credibility on the North West’s alternative scene.

Following much wrangling over potential record releases, they evolved yet again into Joy Division. The name’s gruesome origins relate to the name given in a 50s novel called The House Of Dolls to a Nazi prostitute concentration camp. They were aware of its sensitivity, but felt the tag summed them up well, perhaps feeling as if they were prostitutes and outsiders in a system they could not control.

Though they went to some lengths to deny any link to Nazi smypathisers in the form of the ant-Nazi track Walked In Line, they were unable to shake lingering suspicions of their political persuasions.

This mattered little in the end, for they built up a strong following on the live circuit, enough to impress RCA to offer them a deal to record their debut album. Sadly relations with the company turned sour, so much so that they had to buy out their master tapes.

This prompted them to completely rethink their gameplan and were aided by the charismatic TV music journalist Tony Wilson who devised the hugely revered, yet ultimately doomed Factory Records.

With him at the helm it seemed anything was possible. There were no contracts, only shady, if well intentioned dealings in the shadows. Wilson was to sink a total of £10,000 of his own savings into the recording, such was immense his faith in it.

In a rich creative vein, they took just one week to complete their first album in 79, Unknown Pleasures under the watchful eye of veteran producer Martin Hannett, who leant their sound an added intensity with deftly placed studio effects.

Acknowledged as a true classic, it unleashed a level of raw frustration, paranoia and pessimism which few, if any bands had hitherto explored.

Despite their grim demeanour, it was clear there was a strong bond between Joy Division’s members. There were no-doubt plenty of cherished memories for Hooky of those early days.

"I look back on that time fondly, it seems strange how current the music now seems even though we were done by about 81. People are still talking about the music and there will be a film on it soon. Our manger Rob always said that Joy Division would big in 10 or 20 years time and he was right."

As the band gained momentum it became ever-more evident that Ian began to struggle under the pressure of events. Suffering from epilepsy, the only way that he could perform was if venue’s ensured that lighting rigs were sensitively placed, which many clubs failed to take on board.

The band did not want to lose its figure-head and main writing driving force, but as Hooky recalled the situation began to spiral out of their hands. During a European tour in 1980, Ian was believed to have met a Dutch woman with whom he fell in love with, leaving his existing marriage in tatters.

This affair provided the basis for their finest, yet saddest hour, Love Will Tear Us Apart, the only one of their singles to make the top 20. Unable to bear the scrutiny of the limelight and disturbed by his affair, Curtis took his own life in April of that year.

"I was as close to Ian as musical associates could be. He was not well but we were all living the dream, but it turned into a nightmare after a few years. Ian would be ill and just get up keep on going.

"That would not have happened today, we would have said go and get yourself fit. I did not know at the time about his depression, but I have learned a lot more about that kind of illness now. I am sure he is looking down on us saying it won’t be long now Hooky before you joining me.

"He would have wanted us to carry on and it’s something we wanted to do, but finding that way forward was difficult as he spotted the music for us- we played and he listened."

As the figurehead of the group, Ian’s loss was felt hugely within the band, who were tragically only just beginning to reach their creative peak.

Just weeks after their singer’s death Love Will Tear Us Apart was released to unanimous acclaim as was their second and final album featuring their departed friend, Closer, later on that summer.

This most potent of music had dared to explore the depths of despair which led to its being hailed as pioneering influence on 80s Goth music.

You would have bet heavily against the shell-shocked remaining members continuing, but to their credit they were back in the saddle within months with Barney on vocals.

It would take the guitarist some time to feel truly comfortable in this role and their apparent unease at gigs left fans feeling strongly disappointed.

Their revival as New Order supposedly came from a book of essays from the Situationist Political Movement, which contained a phrase, the new order of architecture which caught manager Rob Gretton’s attention.

There were also yet more potential Nazi overtones with Hitler’s vision of a New Order of society which could leave yet more problems for them. But it was a name they were all clearly fascinated with and it stuck.

The addition of Stephen Morris’s girlfriend Gillian Gilbert to their ranks on keyboards certainly softened the mood and she quickly had an impact in infusing some much-needed positivity.

By 1982 they were beginning to break free of the shackles of Joy Division and began to be influenced in a very different direction from the sounds of New York’s rap and hip-hop scene.

Though Hooky’s feelings on playing their defining hit, Blue Monday are clear-enough, it was to totally revive their fortunes.

The track’s insistent disco beats made it an instant hit, as did its mysteriously anonymous packaging.

This was courtesy of design guru Peter Saville who had worked with them to great effect since their earliest days. But the forthright bass-player admits it was a major "beginner's mistake" to invest so heavily in its packaging. Remarkably, such was its cost to produce that it actually lost 10p per every copy produced.

Showing how far they had come creatively, they were not afraid to address controversial social issues, namely with the single Perfect Kiss which brought up the extremely topical AIDS epidemic and gay relationships.

Several years in, by the mid 80s they hit their stride with two classic albums Brotherhood and its follow up Substance which between them contained some of their finest work including Bizarre Love Triangle, Thieves Like Us, True Faith and Temptation.

Though Barney’s musical and lyrical abilities quickly progressed, they were not adverse to seeking inspiration from some of their favourite acts.

"We just listened to records that we liked, like Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, and tried to emulate them. I guess it’s just as simple as that. There is definitely some skill in finding something that no-one would guess you’ve nicked it from," added Hooky.

As the decade rolled on, Sumner felt the need to break away for a spell and linked up with Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop boys and Smith’s silky guitarist Johnny Marr to form Electronic.

When New Order re-emerged with football anthem World In Motion, this was simply too much for some who felt they had gone too far in a commercial direction. That said, the record, featuring the memorably "deadly John Barnes rap," has been consistently voted as one of best footy anthems of all time.

They were to return to the studio in 1993 for Republic which once again divided fans, but contained some superb material including the wistful Ruined in A Day, and Regret- for which they filmed a video surrounded by Bay Watch beauties.

A long hiatus was to follow into the 90s, though they returned in 2001 with Get Ready and it seemed like they’d never been away. Though all the band had dabbled in their side-projects, they would never tire of their home city which had given them so many memories both good and bad.

"Manchester has changed a lot from the 90s onwards, everywhere is starting to look the same. But at least we have always kept some really good bands in the city, I don’t know how the place does it, it must be on a lay line or something!"

As for events outside the ‘day job’, Hooky says that his life pretty much revolves around making and producing music. With a weary sigh he reveals that walking round airports has become one of his most frequent pass-times with all their touring commitments. But surely he can’t complain too much?

"Things are going well for me and my family now. My son is musical and at that age now where he is listening to all the things I hate. So I am shouting up the stairs to him turn that rubbish off and he’s doing the same to me with my music," he laughed.

Though he says they will not be producing a New Order album any time soon, there are always other projects in the pipeline. With enthusiasm the bass-veteran explains they have just accepted the offer of recording music for an upcoming film on Ian Curtis, Control directed by life-long fan of the band, rock photographer Anton Corbijn.

As for the band’s present tour, they may be older and a little-more frayed around the edges, but they still have plenty of passion for the music.

They may not always have been respected as a live act by the music press in particular, but there is no doubting the loyalty of their supporters. They will surely not be disappointed with the latest round of dates including Wembley which promises to be a hit-packed, blistering Best Of set.

"Playing Wembley couldn’t be as messy as the last time I think we played there back in 89 with Primal Scream. It was a complete disaster as everyone was completely off it that night. But it’s a decent venue and I am sure it will be a good night."

With interest in their music always showing no signs of dwindling any time soon, if you’ve never caught them live now is surely a fine time to do so.

- New Order play Wembley Arena on Friday, October 27. Tickets £30-35. Box office 0870 380 0017. See www.neworderonline.co.uk.