Did you ever see "Twenty Four Hour Party People?" It's a great, funny, inspiring movie. It was made in 2002. It stars Steve Coogan, (a role of a lifetime), who plays Tony Wilson, music mogul, impressario, and as a line from the movies says, "genius, poet, twat." The movie is a somewhat fictionalized account of the Manchester music scene in the 70's and 80's, about Factory Records and the marvelous characters who inhabited the strange little pop sub-culture that sprouted there. Manchester is a sort of dark, industrial city, a port city, that has spawned an amazing amount of innovative and cool music. Wilson was at the center of much of it, as founder of Factory Records and owner of the great, ridiculous dance club, the Hacienda.
Anyway, the movie is a real treat, a must see. It's one of those films I can see over and over, for the funny lines, the great music and Coogan's mad inspiring, embodiment of Wilson's unbelievable, unflagging creative spirit. This morning, I click on Yahoo and see that Wilson has died from kidney cancer at the age of 57. Fire up the cd player and let the sounds of the Durrutti Column, Joy Divison, Happy Mondays, and New Order wash over you. These bands would not have existed without Wilson and Factory Records. Wilson was truly one of the greats, he will be missed. Cheers to you Tony Wilson!
NOTE: Tonight my little theater group, Black Forest will be at the Peter Jones Gallery doing the Flaming Eyeball scenes (something we'll also be doing next week at the Abbie Hoffman Died for Your Sins Fest). Also both of the rock bands I'm in, the Telepaths and White Wolf/Sonic Princess and the Enthusiastikatz will be performing. There's also an art show going on, there will be a keg a beer, it will be ungodly hot with no A/C, and well, we are expecting a cast of thousands. Just the kind of wacky event Tony Wilson might have put on. I will be trying to channel that indomitable Wilson panache & brio in every last living moment!