Music mogul Tony Wilson dies of cancer aged 57

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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Tony Wilson has died aged 57

Tony Wilson, the music mogul behind some of Britain's most successful bands, died of cancer in hospital last night. He was 57.

The entrepreneur, who managed Manchester bands such as New Order, Joy Division and the Happy Mondays and was the driving force behind the 'Madchester' scene, was diagnosed last year during a routine visit to the doctor.

Anthony H Wilson was famous for many things - record label owner, broadcaster, journalist, pop impresario and nightclub founder - but he was perhaps best known for being a self-styled professional Mancunian.

After reading English at Cambridge, he went to work for Granada Television in the 1970s, where he fronted programmes including current affairs magazine World In Action. He later went on to be long-time host of the early evening Granada Reports.

He achieved national recognition as the founder of Factory Records in the late 1970s and then, in 1982, setting up the Hacienda, for a time one of the most famous clubs in the world.

The club became the heart of the 'Madchester' scene, playing host to New Order, The Smiths, The Stone Roses and Oasis. Madonna played her first British gig there in 1983.

Despite its worldwide renown, the club was blighted by cash flow problems and it closed in 1997.

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The Happy Mondays

It was a typical outcome for Wilson, who became notorious for failing to make money from his musical ventures.

He famously rued sanctioning an artistic sleeve design for the New Order single Blue Monday that was so expensive that he actually lost money for each copy sold.

The semi-fictional story of the Hacienda, the music and his life was documented in the 2002 film, 24 Hour Party People, where Wilson's character was played by comedian Steve Coogan.

Wilson later went on to set up the annual Manchester music conference, In The City, with long-term partner and former Miss England Yvette Livesey.

But it was not just in the music world that he made his mark. He was also a key player in local politics and supported a campaign for a regional assembly for the North West.

Friends and colleagues, music fans and Mancunians spoke of a man who had "total belief" in himself and "made history, not money".

The old Hasienda nightclub in Manchester

Alan McGee, who launched the career of Manchester bands Oasis and Primal Scream through his Creation record label, said he was indebted to Wilson's groundbreaking musical work.

He told NME.com: "He was a complete inspiration. He was one of the great spotters of music talent and it's a complete shame for him to go so very young.

"Factory Records was the template for every indie label with its 50-50 deals [between artist and label] and I can honestly say without Factory there would have been no Creation. In fact, if it wasn't for his talk to us in 1985 I might have quit music altogether."

The BBC, also an employer of Wilson during his long broadcasting career, paid its own tribute.

Joy Division

A spokesman said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Tony Wilson. There will never be anyone quite like Tony.

"Tony had a fantastic broadcasting career, latterly with the BBC, and everyone in the industry will share our deep sense of loss today."

Wilson was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year and had been in hospital receiving treatment.

He had an operation to remove a kidney and had undergone chemotherapy which did not work. He was being treated with the life-prolonging drug Sutent.

After being diagnosed, he was denied Sutent - which is a new drug - on the NHS and his friends set up a fund to start paying for the £3,500-a-month treatment.

New Order

Despite receiving the drug himself he called for others who were not so fortunate to receive the medication. His family were too upset to talk last night.

Dave Haslam, who Wilson gave a job DJ-ing at the Hacienda, said, "I'm just one of the many, many people, he opened doors for people like me.

"He gave people like me an opportunity. He was not a rich man. Towards the end of his life he used to use that quote, 'Some men make money, some people make history'."

TV host Richard Madeley, who first met Wilson at Granada in 1982, said he had a "northern chippiness".

The Happy Mondays

"He just really did not care what his colleagues or viewers thought about him because he had total belief in himself. He would get the abuse and it would amuse him," he said.

Madeley, speaking on BBC Newsnight, added: "He was intensely loveable - and hateable."

Tributes also came in from music fans and Mancunians on the Manchester Confidential entertainment website.

A user called "Benford" said: "A legend, pure and simple. I might not always have agreed with what he had to say, but at least he had his own opinions and they were always worth listening to. RIP Anthony H."

Others said Wilson had changed Britain - its nightlife, culture and music - and put his beloved Manchester on the map.

Tony Wilson with Steve Coogan, who played him in a film about the Madchester scene

Jay McCreary, who worked with Wilson at the BBC, told the website: "He was a true gent, one of the finest and most sincere people who remained in broadcasting. I will always remember him for that. He fought the fight of Manchester and made us stand out.

"As he said at the end of almost every show, we should 'keep the faith'. My thoughts go out to Yvette and his two children who I only know as 'Olly' and 'Izzy'. You are lucky to have had such a great and generous man in your lives."

The deputy leader of Manchester City Council, Jim Battle, called Wilson a "truly great" Mancunian. Cllr Battle said: "Anthony Wilson placed Manchester on the world stage at the leading edge of music and culture.

He generated pride in Manchester not only within our city, but across the world.

"Truly a great Mancunian. Anthony Wilson will be missed by many but only forgotten by a few." Peter Saville from Factory Records BBC Newsnight Wilson was good at spotting things that become important.

He said: "Tony to me was an intellectual in popular culture. So whether it was television or music Tony brought a kind of gravitas to it and a sense of importance to it."

Steve Coogan as Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People

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