10 August 2007

Music legend Tony Wilson dies: an EAR FARM tribute

From the Guardian:

The music mogul Tony Wilson has died aged 57 following a heart attack.

The former Factory Records boss had been diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, and had been undergoing treatment in hospital in Manchester.

Professor Robert Hawkins, his doctor at Christie hospital, said: "It's very sad. He died as a result of something unrelated to his cancer. His cancer was responding well to treatment but obviously did contribute to his poor health".
Those familiar with EAR FARM already know that Tony Wilson was one of my personal heroes for the massive mark he left upon the world of music. He was an influential reporter on Granada TV (during which time he presented the groundbreaking So It Goes TV series - see above photo), one of the founders of Factory Records (whose roster included artists such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, and many more), and was a founder of the legendary Haçienda. Wilson's impact and influence upon the world of independent music can not be overstated.

In memory of Anthony H. Wilson, EAR FARM has put together a mini-mix of some favorite songs from Factory Records artists.

Listen:
1. "Electricity" by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - originally released as Fac 6 - buy The OMD Singles HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes
2. "Wrote For Luck" by Happy Mondays - originally released as Fac 212 - buy Double Easy: The U.S. Singles HERE on Amazon
3. "Drinking Song" by The Durutti Column - originally released on the Factory Too label - buy Time Was Gigantic HERE on Amazon
4. "No Love Lost" by Joy Division - original release info HERE - buy Heart And Soul HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes
5. "Chosen Time" by New Order - originally released as Fac 50 - buy Movement HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes

Find more music blog posts about Tony Wilson HERE on Elbo.ws.

Previous EAR FARM posts relating to Factory Records artists:

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

how did i know i'd be seeing something here regarding this news?

RIP Tony

Smith said...

RIP Tony.

If any one deserves a statue in manchester its you.

Anonymous said...

Tony aka [Anthony H] Wilson was indeed a tremendous champion for good music and the Manchester scene in particular but he could also be a dickhead. In 1979 I was on the door [entry £1] at the old West Indian Centre on Carmoor Road, Manchester at an Anti-Nazi League fundraiser. The headline band were Manchester legends The Naughty Boys with support from The Worms, whose leader Wayne seemed to have caught Tony’s ear [or eyes]. Tony arrived during the Worms’ set and asked me how long much longer they’d be playing. I told him I didn’t know and he paid the entrance and went in during what turned out to be their last song. He was back at the end of the song highly agitated and demanding his entrance money back – a measly pound! I just said to him “You need a pound?” and he left sheepishly…………