Slate does a nice tribute to Tony Wilson, the man who first put the Sex Pistols on TV and was the inspiration for the amazing movie, 24 Hour Party People. I find this mediological because of his unique combination of talents that superseded commercialism, and because of his connection to the history of punk, which is very relevant to my world view.
How Tony Wilson changed the face of pop culture. - By Jody Rosen - Slate Magazine:
Wilson was a strange mix of carnival barker, hack journalist, and intellectual. He was forever bloviating about punk’s links to the Situationists and other philosophical movements. No one who has seen Factory’s gorgeous, über-sleek LP cover designs could doubt that Wilson was a man of certain tastes and pretensions. It was Wilson’s dedication to his aesthetic and sense of propriety, regardless of how the numbers crunched, that led to the repeated implosion of his entrepreneurial ventures. When the Haçienda was at its late-’80s apotheosis, one of the most famous clubs in the world, it still charged less for door fees and drinks than many Manchester dives. (While Wilson and his partners were hemorrhaging cash, the drug dealers at the Haçienda were raking it in.) The most famous story involves the 12-inch single of New Order’s “Blue Monday,” a huge best-seller, which Factory managed to lose money on because the label had shelled out so much on the sleeve art design. These days, you can pick up a copy cheap on eBay, a keepsake to remind you of Tony Wilson’s terrible head for business and great head for the other stuff—awesome album covers, all-night parties, art, joy, mischief—that mattered more.
Technorati Tags: Tony Wilson, Sex Pistols
0 Responses to “Another great impresario enters the dustbin of history”