Anthony Wilson R.I.P.

This post has nothing to do with beer. It's vaguely related to the usually ignored "Beats" portion of this blog's name. But mainly, it's just my small tribute to a man who changed my life, even though I never met him.

His name was Anthony Wilson, he co-founded Factory Records, and he died today.

During it's relatively short and infamously volatile existence, Factory was the home of a number of artists whose work I enjoy - Section 25, A Certain Ratio, Happy Mondays, Durutti Column, OMD - but most importantly, there was Joy Division and, following the death of singer Ian Curtis, New Order.

Very few bands had as much of an influence on my musical tastes as they did, and if the stories are to be believed (and if you've seen 24 Hour Party People, you'll know that often they are not...), it was Wilson's encouragement that kept Joy Division together in the first place.

So for that, and all the great music and ideas that he presented to the world via Factory and his other undertakings, I simply say: "Thanks, Tony."