30 SLEEPS TO GO! (With a Nod To Old Milwaukee Beer)

5/5/2026

30 SLEEPS TO GO! (With a Nod To Old Milwaukee Beer)

Old Milwaukee is a brand of American beer. More than its mostly unremarkable taste, I remember it for their 1980’s ad campaign. In this series, men would be out hunting, fishing or doing outdoor activities and would be inspired by that activity to have a cold Old Milwaukee Beer because “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Well, in keeping with that spirit, in just 30 more sleeps (or partial sleeps as I type this at 4:15 am) I will be attending my gig of gigs!

And, while I won’t be quaffing an Old Milwaukee Beer at the Manchester Academy on June 4, 2026, I guarantee you I will be saying, “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

You see, 50 years earlier, on June 4, 1976 about 50 punters attended a gig at The Manchester Free Trade Hall. An upstart young Manchester band called THE BUZZCOCKS had promoted this gig. They were the opening act. The headliner was the becoming ever more notorious punk icons THE SEX PISTOLS!

SEX PISTOLS – Johnny Rotten, Glen Matlock, Steve Jones and Paul Cook Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall June 4, 1976. (Note- Sid Vicious didn’t join the band until 1977.)

Among that small crowd were some disenfranchised young men who would go on to become notable musicians in their own right. These included Mick Hucknall (SIMPLY RED), Mark E. Smith (THE FALL) and Steven Morrissey (THE SMITHS.)

Also in the mosh pit were school pals Bernard Sumner and PETER HOOK. Peter was so inspired by this gig that he went out the next day (after borrowing some money from his step father) and purchased his first bass guitar. He and Sumner then started to form a band that quickly evolved from STIFF KITTENS to WARSAW into my favourite outfit of all time – JOY DIVISION.

[Ed. Note- For more details than we can fit in this post, watch two excellent movies –

First is “Control” a 2007 movie directed by Anton Corbijn starring Sam Riley and Samantha Morton . This tells the story of the band as written by DEBORAH CURTIS, the widow of IAN CURTIS, the lead singer of JOY DIVISION who took his own life on May 18, 1980.

The second flick is “24 Hour Party People.” This 2002 film was directed by Michael Winterbottom and starred Steve Coogan as Factory Records founder Tony Wilson.]

Anyway, on June 4th, I will be in attendance with a few great friends as PETER HOOK celebrates 50 years since that life defining gig.

He will be playing with his band THE LIGHT.

The opening act will be- as it was then- BUZZCOCKS. Sadly, they will be without lead singer PETE SHELLEY who passed in 2018. The band are still active under the leadership of Steve Diggle. They recently released the LP “Attitude Adjustment.”

BUZZCOCKS- “Attitude Adjustment” (Cherry Red- 2026)

It will be an emotional event for me. HOOK has titled it 76//26/50 and will feature tracks from the various outfits he has recorded as – Warsaw. Joy Division, New Order, Revenge, Monaco and Freebass.

The music of JOY DIVISION and NEW ORDER as well as his other projects has been inspirational to me for 46 years now.

The kindness and friendship of PETER HOOK has been the cherry on top!

rex. PETER HOOK, HAYDRN KING Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, London, July 6, 2019

rex, DJ DREW, PETER HOOK Electric City, Buffalo, Nee York May 24, 2025

[Ed. Note- Heaven forbid where rex’s head will spin to if there are appearances by BUZZCOCKS co- founder HOWARD DEVOTO, and/ or JOHN LYDON (the artist formerly known as JOHNNY ROTTEN.)

Anyway, for a song today I am opting for a track by BUZZCOCKS because they promoted the gig than set the path for HOOKY.

Here is “Breakdown” from their infamous “Spiral Scratch” EP with DEVOTO on lyrics.