Tony Wilson 1 year on

Musicians pay tribute on anniversary

10 August 2008 - It's exactly one year since music mogul and Factory Records boss Tony Wilson passed away from cancer, aged 57.

Norman Cook remembers

To remember the anniversary, we have been asking musicians about his influence on them. DJ and producer Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, shared one particular memory with us: "Bumping into him in the street in London, he just gave me a bit of a hug and goes 'Dear boy!' 

And I said, 'You remembered me from the last time we met?' He said, 'Of course I do'. I said, 'Do you remember last time we met you named all the records I've made?', and he said, 'Of course I do, dear boy!'" Cook laughed as he continued: "He was a founder, you know, post punk he was a founder of what we do now. And that transition from me being a punk rocker to being into dance music, he was kind of right there in the middle of it."

Ida Maria salutes

The television journalist-turned entrepreneur was a huge figure in the Manchester music scene over some 20 years. Wilson was famous for launching the Factory record label, the infamous Hacienda nightclub, and the signing, in his own blood, of Joy Division, New Order and the Happy Mondays.

No one else liked The Happy Mondays when they were trying to get signed - Andy Pettitt, Shortwave Set

Better When You're Naked songwriter Ida Maria says Tony has been a huge inspiration for her, not least with his unconventional way of running a record label: "I love everything he has been involved in. I once wanted to do my own label like that with signing the contract in blood and just... I don't know. I love Tony Wilson and everything he has done, Martin Hannett, Joy Divison, a fantastic explosion in music."

His priorities were in making records

Shortwave Set frontman Andy Pettitt says it was Tony Wilson's openness that made him such a well loved icon: "Well when I look at people in the music business or musicians, I always look at their motives. Some people's motives are really transparent and it's often not appealing. But I think with Tony Wilson, his motives were just like... he just wanted to get some great records out, if other people like it then fine. Fortunately for him, those records are still classics.

"His priorities were in making records," he continued, "Great records by great bands he believed in. He didn’t surround himself with a tribe of A&R men, he knew what he liked even if no one else liked it. No one else liked The Happy Mondays when they were trying to get signed but they were a great band and he stuck his neck out."


Ruth Barnes