Tony Wilson : 1950-2007
All of us at Juicy were gutted to hear that the one and only Anthony H Wilson (nicknamed Mr. Manchester), died on Friday night on a heart attack, after suffering recently from lung cancer. We've been to the Hacienda exhibition at Urbis a few times recently and have been nothing short of inspired by the power of how one man with a vision can change a city. The things he did for Manchester and the North West generally were simply amazing.
What struck me most, was that even though he often called himself an idiot for lacking business sense, with the collapse of the Hacienda night club and Factory records, none of that matters now.
Up until recently, friends of mine critisized him for letting great commercial opportunities slip through his fingers. But when you read the books of condolence and tributes that thousands are leaving from him, it makes you realise that none of that stuff matters. Like Jesus said, "You can't take all that stuff with you when you go". I know when I move on, I'd rather leave a legacy and a list of tributes of lives I've inspired, rather than a large inheritance to someone. It's an oft used cliche that someone is 'one of a kind'', but Tony really was the king of original thought. Genius. Poet. Visionary. Journalist. Presenter. Media guru.... It's a sad week for Manchester.
By Jeremy Waite
Designer Peter Saville leads tributes for Tony Wilson
Wife Yvette honoured to know such an extraordinary guy
Celebrity tributes to Tony Wilson
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