"Mr. Manchester" passes away

AUGUST 11, 2007

Tonywilson English record label owner, manager and music maven Tony Wilson died Friday, Aug. 10 in Manchester. Wilson, 57, had been battling kidney cancer.

Wilson was best known to fans of the 80s as the mogul behind Factory Records, which signed bands such as New Order and Joy Division. As a TV journalist in the late 70s, he gave the Sex Pistols their first appearance on television in 1976. Later, he founded the infamous Hacienda Nightclub in Manchester, which became the British center for the 80s music revolution. (Madonna made her U.K. debut at the club.)

"New Order wouldn't have came to be what they are without Tony and the Factory Record label because he was very passionate about music and he believed the band should have total freedom," Stephen Morris (Joy Division, New Order) told the BBC.

Posted by Steve Spears at 9:38:34 am on August 11, 2007 in

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