Tony Wilson, the man who created the template from which indie record labels could exist and the real subject of Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People, passed away this week.
There are very few films (much less biopics) that I'm interested in enough to follow from greenlight, through cast selections, production, etc. breathlessly waiting for its release date, but the story of the founder of Factory Records, the man who fostered the careers of Joy Division, New Order and the Happy Mondays had my attention from the getgo. Winterbottom seemed like an oddball choice to direct (at the time) because he was mostly associated with war films but 'seemed like an oddball choice' has since become Winterbottom's calling card of sorts.
The weekend the film finally to the little burg I was living in in western Massachusetts I had a bout of food poisoning... and I still went. Much to the embarrassment of my friends as I kept getting up every three minutes to throw up and beg for death. But I knew I'd made the right choice when I saw the hilarious opening scene when Tony Wilson, as a publicity stunt for his public access music show in Manchester circa late 70s hang gliding (with no training or experience) down a grassy embankment and comparing the experience to that of Icarus.
And here's a oddly edited but fascinating clip of the real Tony Wilson interviewing Sonic Youth (circa 1986, I'm guessing) about hip hop and disco music.
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