Tony Wilson
Encyclopedia
Anthony Howard Wilson, commonly known as Tony Wilson (20 February 1950 – 10 August 2007), was an English record label
owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub
manager, impresario
and journalist
for Granada Television
and the BBC
.
Wilson was the music mogul behind some of Manchester
's most successful bands. He was the founder and manager of The Haçienda
nightclub, and was one of the five co-founders of Factory Records
. Wilson was also known as Mr. Manchester, dubbed as such for his work in promoting the greater cultural status of Manchester
throughout his career. He was portrayed by actor Steve Coogan
in Michael Winterbottom
's 2002 film 24 Hour Party People
, and by Craig Parkinson
in Anton Corbijn
's 2007 film Control.
, Salford, Lancashire
to Sydney Wilson and Doris Knupfer (who was 20 years her husband's senior), and moved to Marple
, Stockport
at the age of 5. His maternal grandfather was German. After passing his Eleven plus exam, Wilson attended the De La Salle Grammar School in Weaste Lane, Pendleton
, Salford. He developed a love of literature and language, ignited by a performance of Hamlet
at Stratford upon Avon. Wilson started his professional career in 1968 at the age of 17, working as an English and Drama teacher at Blue Coat School in Oldham
. He later graduated with a degree in English
from Jesus College
, Cambridge
.
After his graduation in 1971, Wilson began as a trainee news reporter for ITN, before moving to Manchester in 1973, where he secured a post at Granada Television
. He went on to present Granada's culture, music and events programme, So It Goes
. Through the 1970s and 1980s he was one of the main anchors on Granada Reports
, a regional evening news programme, where he worked with Richard and Judy
among others. He continued in this line of work even at the height of his success in the music industry.
In 1989, Wilson hosted The Other Side of Midnight, another Granada weekly regional culture slot, covering music, literature and the arts in general. Its Sunday night slot made it one of the UK's first experiments in late night weekend TV
. He reported for ITV
's celebrated current affairs series, World in Action
in the early 1980s and also hosted Channel 4
's After Dark, the UK's first open-ended, late night chat show, in which he chaired loose discussions in a darkened studio between intellectuals and celebrities of various descriptions, often in various stages of inebriation. Wilson co-anchored the BBC's coverage of the Freddie Mercury
Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium
in 1992. He hosted the short-lived TV quiz shows Topranko! and MTV Europe
's Remote Control
in the 1990s, as well as the Manchester United
themed quiz, Masterfan, for MUTV
.
In 2006 he became the regional political presenter for the BBC
's The Politics Show
. He presented a weekly radio show on Xfm Manchester
- Sunday Roast - and a show on BBC Radio Manchester
. In October he joined Blur bassist Alex James
, Blue Peter
presenter Konnie Huq
and previously unknown presenter Emily Rose
to host the 21st century version of the iconic 80s music programme, "The Tube
", for Channel 4 Radio
which ran until 2 March 2007. His final music TV show was filmed in December 2006 for Manchester's Channel M. Only one episode of the programme - entitled 'The New Friday' - was recorded before Wilson became ill.
. Wilson, who intensely disliked the music scene of the mid 1970s, saw the Sex Pistols
at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall
, in June 1976, an experience which he described as "nothing short of an epiphany". He booked them for the last episode of the first series, probably the first television
showing of the then-revolutionary British strand of punk rock
.
He was the manager of many bands, including A Certain Ratio
and The Durutti Column
, and was part owner and manager of Factory Records
, home of the Happy Mondays
, Joy Division
, and New Order
- the band managed by friend and business partner Rob Gretton
. He also founded and managed The Haçienda
nightclub and Dry bar, together forming a central part of the music and cultural scene of Manchester. The scene was termed "Madchester
".
He made little money from Factory Records or the Haçienda, despite the enormous popularity and cultural significance of both endeavours. Both Factory Records and the Haçienda came to an abrupt end in the late 1990s.
A semi-fictionalised version of his life and of the surrounding era was made into the 2002 film, 24 Hour Party People
, which stars the comedian
Steve Coogan
as Wilson. After the film was produced, Wilson wrote a novel
ization based on the screenplay. He played a minor role (playing himself) in the 2005 film, A Cock and Bull Story
, in which his character interviews Steve Coogan. Wilson also co-produced the 2007 Ian Curtis
biopic, Control (his character this time being played by Craig Parkinson
). He died a few months before its release.
Wilson was a partner in the annual "In The City
" music festival and industry conference, and also F4 Records, the fourth version of Factory Records, which was set up to be an online distributor for Wilson's long term protégé Vini Reilly
, of The Durutti Column. F4 also released music by Manchester based bands RaW-T and The Young Offenders Institute.
. Along with others including Ruth Turner
, he started a campaign for North West England
to be allowed a referendum on the creation of a regional assembly, called "The Necessary Group" after a line in the United States Declaration of Independence
. Although his campaign was successful, with the Government announcing that a vote would take place, this was later abandoned when North East England
voted against the introduction of a regional tier of government. Wilson later spoke at several political events on this subject. He was also known for using Situationist ideas.
and Miss UK, who was his girlfriend until his death in 2007
Livesey has since co-operated with a biography of Wilson's life – called You're Entitled To An Opinion ... – written by David Nolan
and published in 2009.
(aka Sutent), the £3,500 per month cost of which was not funded by the Manchester Primary Care Trust. He was turned down by the NHS, while patients being treated alongside him at the Christie Hospital
and living just a few miles away in Cheshire
received funding for the medication, for other conditions.
A number of Wilson's music industry friends, including former Happy Mondays
manager Nathan McGough and their current manager, Elliot Rashman and TV stars Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan, formed a fund to help pay for Wilson's medical treatment.
Wilson said: "This [Sutent] is my only real option. It is not a cure but can hold the cancer back, so I will probably be on it until I die. When they said I would have to pay £3,500 for the drugs each month, I thought where am I going to find the money? I'm the one person in this industry who famously has never made any money. I used to say some people make money and some make history, which is very funny until you find you can't afford to keep yourself alive. I've never paid for private healthcare because I'm a socialist. Now I find you can get tummy tucks and cosmetic surgery on the NHS but not the drugs I need to stay alive. It is a scandal."
festival. Despite the surgery, the cancer progressed and a course of chemotherapy
was not effective. Wilson died of a heart attack
in Manchester's Christie Hospital
on 10 August 2007 aged 57. Following the news of his death, the Union Flag
on Manchester Town Hall
was lowered to half mast as a mark of respect.
As with everything else in the Factory empire, Tony Wilson's coffin was also given a Factory catalogue number - FAC 501. He is buried at the Southern Cemetery
in Chorlton-cum-Hardy
, Manchester. His black granite headstone, erected in October 2010, was designed by Peter Saville and Ben Kelly of Factory Records and features a quotation, chosen by Wilson's family, from G Linnaeus Banks
's 1876 novel The Manchester Man, set in Rotis font.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
manager, impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
for Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Wilson was the music mogul behind some of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's most successful bands. He was the founder and manager of The Haçienda
The Haçienda
Fac 51 Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, England. It became most famous during the "Madchester" years of the late 1980s and early 1990s, during the 1990s it was labelled the most famous club in the world by Newsweek magazine...
nightclub, and was one of the five co-founders of Factory Records
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
. Wilson was also known as Mr. Manchester, dubbed as such for his work in promoting the greater cultural status of Manchester
Culture of Manchester
The Culture of Manchester is notable artistically, architecturally, theatrically and to some extent musically. Despite being the 6th largest city in the United Kingdom by population, Manchester has been ranked as the second city of the United Kingdom in numerous polls since the 2000s with culture...
throughout his career. He was portrayed by actor Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
in Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom is a prolific English filmmaker who has directed seventeen feature films in the past fifteen years. He began his career working in British television before moving into features...
's 2002 film 24 Hour Party People
24 Hour Party People
24 Hour Party People is a 2002 British film about Manchester's popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records. It was written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Winterbottom...
, and by Craig Parkinson
Craig Parkinson
Craig Parkinson is a British actor known for playing the twins Jimmy and Johnny Kray in the 2010 ITV drama Whitechapel.Parkinson first came to notice with his portrayal of English music mogul Tony Wilson in director Anton Corbijn's film Control .His film and television appearances include People...
in Anton Corbijn
Anton Corbijn
Anton Corbijn is a Dutch photographer, music video and film director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2, having handled the principal promotion and sleeve photography for both for more than a decade...
's 2007 film Control.
Early life
Wilson was born 20 February 1950 in Hope HospitalHope Hospital
Salford Royal is a large hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, England, managed by the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust...
, Salford, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
to Sydney Wilson and Doris Knupfer (who was 20 years her husband's senior), and moved to Marple
Marple, Greater Manchester
Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
, Stockport
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...
at the age of 5. His maternal grandfather was German. After passing his Eleven plus exam, Wilson attended the De La Salle Grammar School in Weaste Lane, Pendleton
Pendleton
-Places:United States*Pendleton, Indiana*Pendleton, Missouri*Pendleton, New York*Pendleton, Oregon*Pendleton, South Carolina*Pendleton County, Kentucky*Pendleton, Texas*Pendleton County, West Virginia*Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California...
, Salford. He developed a love of literature and language, ignited by a performance of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
at Stratford upon Avon. Wilson started his professional career in 1968 at the age of 17, working as an English and Drama teacher at Blue Coat School in Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
. He later graduated with a degree in English
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
from Jesus College
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Broadcasting career
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
. He went on to present Granada's culture, music and events programme, So It Goes
So It Goes (TV series)
So It Goes was a British TV music show presented by Tony Wilson on Granada Television between 1976 and 1977. It is most famous for showcasing the then burgeoning Punk rock movement...
. Through the 1970s and 1980s he was one of the main anchors on Granada Reports
Granada Reports
Granada Reports is the flagship regional news programme of ITV franchisee Granada, presented by Tony Morris and Lucy Meacock, and serving the North West of England and the Isle of Man....
, a regional evening news programme, where he worked with Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy is the name informally given to Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, a married couple who are both British television presenters and columnists. Since their marriage, their television appearances have been largely made as a couple. They are best known for presenting This Morning and...
among others. He continued in this line of work even at the height of his success in the music industry.
In 1989, Wilson hosted The Other Side of Midnight, another Granada weekly regional culture slot, covering music, literature and the arts in general. Its Sunday night slot made it one of the UK's first experiments in late night weekend TV
Night Network
Night Network, Night Time and Night Shift were names given to the overnight schedule of the ITV network in the United Kingdom. The first ITV company began 24 hour broadcasting in 1986, with all of the companies broadcasting through the night by 1988...
. He reported for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's celebrated current affairs series, World in Action
World in Action
World in Action was a British investigative current affairs programme made by Granada Television from 1963 until 1998. Its campaigning journalism frequently had a major impact on events of the day. Its production teams often took audacious risks and gained a solid reputation for its often...
in the early 1980s and also hosted Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's After Dark, the UK's first open-ended, late night chat show, in which he chaired loose discussions in a darkened studio between intellectuals and celebrities of various descriptions, often in various stages of inebriation. Wilson co-anchored the BBC's coverage of the Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in 1992. He hosted the short-lived TV quiz shows Topranko! and MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
's Remote Control
Remote Control (game show)
Remote Control is a TV game show that ran on MTV for three seasons from 1987 until 1990. It was MTV's first original non-musical program. New episodes were made for first-run syndication in 1989 which were distributed by Viacom...
in the 1990s, as well as the Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
themed quiz, Masterfan, for MUTV
Manchester United TV
MUTV is an English subscription based television channel, operated by Manchester United FC. The channel first broadcast on 10 September 1998....
.
In 2006 he became the regional political presenter for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's The Politics Show
The Politics Show
The Politics Show is an hour long BBC One television political programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sundays. The programme usually starts at midday, but is often earlier or later when sporting events clash in the schedules. It was launched in 2003 and was originally presented by Jeremy...
. He presented a weekly radio show on Xfm Manchester
Xfm Manchester
Xfm Manchester is a commercial radio station broadcasting alternative and indie music to Manchester in North West England.It builds on the brand and format established by Xfm London. The majority of programming is shared but some is produced specifically for Manchester...
- Sunday Roast - and a show on BBC Radio Manchester
BBC Radio Manchester
BBC Radio Manchester is a BBC Local Radio station broadcasting to Greater Manchester in North West England. It broadcasts 24 hours a day from studios at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays via a transmitter at Holme Moss, with a small repeater at Saddleworth covering Tameside and Saddleworth...
. In October he joined Blur bassist Alex James
Alex James (musician)
Professionally known as Alex James is an English musician, songwriter, journalist and cheesemaker. He is best known as the bass player and occasional vocalist of band Blur...
, Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
presenter Konnie Huq
Konnie Huq
Kanak Asha "Konnie" Huq is a British television presenter, who is best known for being the longest-serving female presenter of Blue Peter, having presented it from 1 December 1997 until 23 January 2008...
and previously unknown presenter Emily Rose
Emily Rose
Emily Rose may refer to:* Emily Rose , American television actress/voice actor* Emily Rose Everhard, American child actress* The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a 2005 horror film about demonic possession...
to host the 21st century version of the iconic 80s music programme, "The Tube
The Tube (radio series)
"The Tube " was resurrected in 2006 by Manchester based production company UK One Productions for Channel 4 Radio and produced by Tom Smetham and Stephen Chapman, founders of GNA Trading, the company behind Versus Cancer. It ran monthly from October 2006 to March 2007 always broadcasting on the 1st...
", for Channel 4 Radio
Channel 4 Radio
Channel 4 Radio was a radio brand launched by Channel 4 in January 2007. On October 11, 2008 the closure was announced. It incorporated Oneword, in which Channel 4 purchased a 51% share in 2005, although it relinquished this share to co-owner UBS Media in January 2008.Listeners were required to...
which ran until 2 March 2007. His final music TV show was filmed in December 2006 for Manchester's Channel M. Only one episode of the programme - entitled 'The New Friday' - was recorded before Wilson became ill.
Music career
Wilson's involvement in popular music stemmed from hosting Granada's culture and music programme "So It Goes"So It Goes (TV series)
So It Goes was a British TV music show presented by Tony Wilson on Granada Television between 1976 and 1977. It is most famous for showcasing the then burgeoning Punk rock movement...
. Wilson, who intensely disliked the music scene of the mid 1970s, saw the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall
Free Trade Hall
The Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, was a public hall constructed in 1853–6 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre and is now a hotel. The hall was built to commemorate the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The architect was Edward Walters The hall subsequently was...
, in June 1976, an experience which he described as "nothing short of an epiphany". He booked them for the last episode of the first series, probably the first television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
showing of the then-revolutionary British strand of punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
.
He was the manager of many bands, including A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio are a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Manchester, England. While originally part of the punk rock movement, they soon added funk and dance elements to their sound. They are sometimes referred to as "post punk funk"...
and The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is an ongoing project of guitarist Vini Reilly who is often accompanied by drummer Bruce Mitchell. Other current members are Keir Stewart and Reilly's girlfriend Poppy Morgan...
, and was part owner and manager of Factory Records
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
, home of the Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
, Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, and New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
- the band managed by friend and business partner Rob Gretton
Rob Gretton
Rob Gretton was the manager of Joy Division and New Order. He was also a partner in Factory Records, proprietor of the Rob's Records label and a co-founder along with Tony Wilson of The Haçienda nightclub in Manchester, England. In 1977, Gretton became a leading figure in the Manchester punk...
. He also founded and managed The Haçienda
The Haçienda
Fac 51 Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, England. It became most famous during the "Madchester" years of the late 1980s and early 1990s, during the 1990s it was labelled the most famous club in the world by Newsweek magazine...
nightclub and Dry bar, together forming a central part of the music and cultural scene of Manchester. The scene was termed "Madchester
Madchester
Madchester was a music scene that developed in Manchester, England, towards the end of the 1980s and into the early 1990s. The music that emerged from the scene mixed alternative rock, psychedelic rock and dance music...
".
He made little money from Factory Records or the Haçienda, despite the enormous popularity and cultural significance of both endeavours. Both Factory Records and the Haçienda came to an abrupt end in the late 1990s.
A semi-fictionalised version of his life and of the surrounding era was made into the 2002 film, 24 Hour Party People
24 Hour Party People
24 Hour Party People is a 2002 British film about Manchester's popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records. It was written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Winterbottom...
, which stars the comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
as Wilson. After the film was produced, Wilson wrote a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ization based on the screenplay. He played a minor role (playing himself) in the 2005 film, A Cock and Bull Story
A Cock and Bull Story
A Cock and Bull Story is a 2006 British comedy film directed by Michael Winterbottom...
, in which his character interviews Steve Coogan. Wilson also co-produced the 2007 Ian Curtis
Ian Curtis
Ian Kevin Curtis was an English singer and lyricist, famous for leading the post-punk band Joy Division. Joy Division released their debut album, Unknown Pleasures, in 1979 and recorded their follow-up, Closer, in 1980...
biopic, Control (his character this time being played by Craig Parkinson
Craig Parkinson
Craig Parkinson is a British actor known for playing the twins Jimmy and Johnny Kray in the 2010 ITV drama Whitechapel.Parkinson first came to notice with his portrayal of English music mogul Tony Wilson in director Anton Corbijn's film Control .His film and television appearances include People...
). He died a few months before its release.
Wilson was a partner in the annual "In The City
In The City (festival)
In The City is an annual music industry conference and festival founded by the late Tony Wilson, formerly of Factory Records and Granada Television, and his partner Yvette Livesey....
" music festival and industry conference, and also F4 Records, the fourth version of Factory Records, which was set up to be an online distributor for Wilson's long term protégé Vini Reilly
Vini Reilly
Vincent "Vini" Gerard Reilly is an English musician and leader of the post-punk group The Durutti Column.-Biography:...
, of The Durutti Column. F4 also released music by Manchester based bands RaW-T and The Young Offenders Institute.
Politics
Wilson was an outspoken supporter of regionalismRegional Assemblies in England
The Regional Assemblies of England were a group of indirectly elected regional bodies established originally under the name Regional Chambers by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. They were abolished on 31 March 2010 and replaced by Local Authority Leaders’ Boards...
. Along with others including Ruth Turner
Ruth Turner (political advisor)
Ruth Turner , was formerly Director of Government Relations within Tony Blair's Downing Street office.-Biography:...
, he started a campaign for North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
to be allowed a referendum on the creation of a regional assembly, called "The Necessary Group" after a line in the United States Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
. Although his campaign was successful, with the Government announcing that a vote would take place, this was later abandoned when North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
voted against the introduction of a regional tier of government. Wilson later spoke at several political events on this subject. He was also known for using Situationist ideas.
Relationships
Wilson was married twice, first to Lindsay Reade and then to Hilary, with whom he had a son, Oliver, and a daughter, Isabel. In 1990 he started a relationship with Yvette Livesey, a former Miss EnglandMiss England
The Miss England competition is an annual beauty pageant targeted at young females aged 17–24 years living in England. Entrants must hold a British passport to enter....
and Miss UK, who was his girlfriend until his death in 2007
Livesey has since co-operated with a biography of Wilson's life – called You're Entitled To An Opinion ... – written by David Nolan
David Nolan
David Nolan may refer to:* David Nolan , co-founder of the United States Libertarian Party* David Nolan , American author* David Nolan , British author of I Swear I Was There: The Gig That Changed The World...
and published in 2009.
Illness
After developing renal cancer, and having one kidney removed in 2007, Wilson wished to take the drug sunitinibSunitinib
Sunitinib is an oral, small-molecule, multi-targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor that was approved by the FDA for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumor on January 26, 2006...
(aka Sutent), the £3,500 per month cost of which was not funded by the Manchester Primary Care Trust. He was turned down by the NHS, while patients being treated alongside him at the Christie Hospital
Christie Hospital
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is located in Withington, Manchester, and is one of the largest cancer treatment centres in Europe. The Christie became a NHS Foundation Trust in April 2007 and is also an international leader in cancer research and development, and home to the Paterson Institute...
and living just a few miles away in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
received funding for the medication, for other conditions.
A number of Wilson's music industry friends, including former Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
manager Nathan McGough and their current manager, Elliot Rashman and TV stars Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan, formed a fund to help pay for Wilson's medical treatment.
Wilson said: "This [Sutent] is my only real option. It is not a cure but can hold the cancer back, so I will probably be on it until I die. When they said I would have to pay £3,500 for the drugs each month, I thought where am I going to find the money? I'm the one person in this industry who famously has never made any money. I used to say some people make money and some make history, which is very funny until you find you can't afford to keep yourself alive. I've never paid for private healthcare because I'm a socialist. Now I find you can get tummy tucks and cosmetic surgery on the NHS but not the drugs I need to stay alive. It is a scandal."
Death
In early 2007 emergency surgery was performed to remove one of his kidneys. This forced the postponement of plans to create a southern hemisphere version of the In The CityIn The City (festival)
In The City is an annual music industry conference and festival founded by the late Tony Wilson, formerly of Factory Records and Granada Television, and his partner Yvette Livesey....
festival. Despite the surgery, the cancer progressed and a course of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
was not effective. Wilson died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Manchester's Christie Hospital
Christie Hospital
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is located in Withington, Manchester, and is one of the largest cancer treatment centres in Europe. The Christie became a NHS Foundation Trust in April 2007 and is also an international leader in cancer research and development, and home to the Paterson Institute...
on 10 August 2007 aged 57. Following the news of his death, the Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
on Manchester Town Hall
Manchester Town Hall
Manchester Town Hall is a Victorian-era, Neo-gothic municipal building in Manchester, England. The building functions as the ceremonial headquarters of Manchester City Council and houses a number of local government departments....
was lowered to half mast as a mark of respect.
As with everything else in the Factory empire, Tony Wilson's coffin was also given a Factory catalogue number - FAC 501. He is buried at the Southern Cemetery
Southern Cemetery, Manchester
Southern Cemetery, Manchester is a large municipal cemetery in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Greater Manchester, England, three miles south of Manchester city centre: it was opened in 1879...
in Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a suburban area of the city of Manchester, England. It is known locally as Chorlton. It is situated about four miles southwest of Manchester city centre. Pronunciation varies: and are both common....
, Manchester. His black granite headstone, erected in October 2010, was designed by Peter Saville and Ben Kelly of Factory Records and features a quotation, chosen by Wilson's family, from G Linnaeus Banks
Isabella Banks
Isabella Varley Banks , also known as Mrs G. Linnaeus Banks or Isabella Varley, was a 19th-century writer of English poetry and novels, born in Manchester, England...
's 1876 novel The Manchester Man, set in Rotis font.
External links
- Story of his death
- Tony Wilson hosting "After Dark" on television
- Return to the Hacienda - BBC News article, dated Friday, 5 April 2002
- Fourth Time Lucky - Spike Magazine interview with Tony Wilson about F4, the latest incarnation of Factory Records
- Tony Wilson's "love letter" to the National Health Service
- Anthony H Wilson - Excerpts from the Interview with Eyewitness in Manchester 30 April 1998
- Oliver Wood's Factory Page.
- The Other Side of Midnight
- Obituary and Public Tributes
- "Anthony Wilson: The Last Interview" by Gareth Grundy, The Q DailyQ (magazine)Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
, 13 August 2007. - http://www.tonywilsonexperience.com - 24 Hours of Lectures and workshops dedicated to Tony Wilson organized by Manchester City Council.