Legendary British Broadcaster and Factory Records Owner Tony Wilson Dies

Tony Wilson was a driving force behind the rise of electronic and alternative music in the 80's. He was a famous TV personality in England and brought many band that would later become legendary alternative bands onto his TV show, So it Goes, in England . Born in Manchester, his knowledge of industrial England and his passion for music gave him an easy charm and a true interest in the bands that he propelled to stardom through his TV show and through his Factory Records label, one of the most influential alternative record labels of all time and his famous Hacienda nightclub. Tony was battling kidney cancer, and died from complications related to his cancer, a spokesman from the hospital where he died said. The hospital spokesman also said that Tony died surrounded by loved ones.

Broadcasting
Tony Wilson had an Oxford education in broadcasting and even after the fall of Factory Records and the Hacienda he continued to have a strong broadcasting career. During the 80's he created and hosted a TV show on Sunday nights called The Other Side of Midnight, a show that spotlighted music, literature, and the arts in general. The Other Side of Midnight was one of the first shows that BBC ever ran on a weekend. He reported for ITV's famous World In Action program in the early 1980s but he was most famous for his program on Channel 4, After Dark, the UK's first late night show, to which he invited musicians, intellectuals, authors and other artists on to discuss their work and other cultural topics. In 2006 Tony Wilson was named as the presenter for the BBC's Politics Show. He stayed involved in music by Djing a weekly radio show on XFM and on BBC Radio.

Factory Records
Tony Wilson started Factory Records in 1978 and had no idea that Factory Records would go on to become the most influential alternative record label in history. Tony Wilson signed legendary 80s electro and alternative bands Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, and OMD,among other artists. With producer Martin Hannett and designer Peter Saville Factory Records was instrumental in the creation of 80's alternative electronic music and went on to the driving force behind the creation of House and Techno music.

The Hacienda
in 1981 Tony Wilson and members of New Order decided to open a nightclub in Manchester. They opened the Hacienda in 1982 but the club lost money almost from the beginning even though it was an extremely popular place. The owners refused to charge high cover prices for fans to come and dance or see bands so the high operating costs, sometimes as much as $10,000 or more per month, far exceeded the club's income. The club stayed open though, thanks to the success of two of Factory Records most successful artists New Order and the Happy Mondays. The money generated by these two bands helped keep the Hacienda open. The Haçienda became the incubator for Techno and Acid House music, and without the Hacienda and Factory Records those genres of music probably wouldn't exist today. By 1992 Factory Records and the Hacienda were slipping, and despite attempts to revive them the evolution of music meant that Factory Records had to evolve.

The story of Tony Wilson's career and the meteoric rise of Factory Records and the Hacienda can be seen in the pseudo documentary 24 Hour Party People directed by Michael Winterbottom. The name is taken from a popular Happy Mondays song and the movie has an amazing soundtrack consisting of songs by Factory Records bands including Joy Division, New Order, and the Happy Mondays.

Tony Wilson's influence on alternative music cannot be overstated, and in his illustrious career he managed to change the musical landscape which not many people manage to do in their lifetimes. Tony Wilson was a musical pioneer and his achievements in broadcasting and in alternative music will always be celebrated.