Tony Wilson
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Morrissey describes Tony via Autobiography:
"‘You must call your next album Steven,’ says Manchester luvvie Tony Wilson, and I stare back at him – wondering if he had ever actually had a good idea in his life. Wilson repeatedly turns up at Morrissey concerts and then automatically lambasts me in print or on radio almost as if he enjoys his hatreds more than he enjoys his joys. ‘Let’s face it,’ he says on Australian radio, ‘Morrissey really IS a horrible person.’ Weeks later I am behind the wheel of my sky-blue Jag in Los Angeles, stalled at traffic lights. I spot whom I think to be Jerry Springer walking across the street in front of me (Miller Drive, should you care), but of course it is Urmston’s answer to nothing, and Wilson bows his head towards me and offers a smile – as three-faced as ever he was."
Speaking to FACT Magazine (originally in 2003), Wilson stated:
What band do you wish you had signed to your record label?
The Music and Cat on Form. Thank God I missed The Smiths ‘cause Gretton, my late partner who hailed them as the new Beatles, told Johnny the demo was shit and he wouldn’t sign them till they gave him a good demo. Fuck Morrissey. Great talent, but treats other human beings like shit, which isn’t right."
Wikipedia Information
Anthony Howard Wilson (20 February 1950 – 10 August 2007) was a British record label owner, radio and television presenter, nightclub manager and impresario, and a journalist for Granada Television, the BBC and Channel 4. As a co-founder of the independent label Factory Records and founder-manager of the Haçienda nightclub, Wilson was behind some of Manchester's most successful bands, including Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays. Wilson was known as "Mr Manchester", dubbed as such for his work in promoting the culture of Manchester throughout his career. Wilson was portrayed by Steve Coogan in Michael Winterbottom's film 24 Hour Party People (2002), and by Craig Parkinson in Anton Corbijn's film Control (2007).
