Tony Wilson on The Smiths and Oasis
posted by davidt on Monday April 08 2002, @08:15AM

Warren writes:

From the Metro a couple of weeks ago (a free commuter paper in London).

Source: 60 Second Interview with Tony Wilson, Metro, Tuesday, March 19, 2002.

Question: Do you regret missing out on The Smiths and Oasis?
Answer (Tony Wilson): One of my biggest mistakes was going round to Morrissey's house, sitting in the bedroom and hearing him announce he'd decided to become a pop star. I thought he'd be our greatest novelist, but pop star? As for Oasis - I feel sorry for Phil Saxe, who was our A&R man and was desperate to sign them and Pulp. There he was in 1992 with two great bands, and we were too busy going bankrupt. He went to London to get some backing and all the majors told him to f**k off. The arrogant answer to both though is the Smiths and Oasis are brilliant but they didn't change music - my bands did.

 
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    Tony Wilson on The Smiths and Oasis | Log in/Create an Account | Top | 39 comments | Search Discussion
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    The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
    read these lines: Truly dissapointed (Score:1)
    Clearly this is a comment of a bitter and dissapointed man. I mean, you have to be if you're gonna say that the Smiths and Oasis (though to a lesser extent) did not change the face of music.
    This guy's either really frustrated or really stupid.
    Troubled Jomo -- Monday April 08 2002, @08:37AM (#27642)
    (User #4183 Info)
    Tony who? (Score:0)
    excuse my ignorance, but who is Tony Wilson? What were his bands?
    Anonymous -- Monday April 08 2002, @09:55AM (#27647)
      Tony & Factory (Score:2, Informative)
      Tony Wilson was the head of Factory Records, and ran the Hacienda nightclub, both based in Manchester. Joy Division were possibly his label's most influential band, but Factory had a number of very good bands. From what I understand, they ceased operation sometime after putting out New Order's "Technique," but I could be wrong about that. Someone please refresh me with names of other good Factory bands...
      arthur gentileschi <gsvitil@hotmail.com> -- Monday April 08 2002, @10:19AM (#27650)
      (User #2965 Info)
      give me surgery.
      [ Parent ]
        Re:Tony & Factory (Score:2, Interesting)
        caberet voltaire, a certain ratio, and the durutti column (vini reilly's band) come to mind. and i believe OMD started out with factory.

        that withstanding, however, tony's hook at the end is only 3/4 right, i think. he's completely incorrect about the smiths having no impact on the future of music. as for oasis, as much as i hate them, they had an impact on future british bands (although, a many will say that they simply carried on a style greatly revamped the stone roses and the (shortlived) la's.)
        state of emergency -- Monday April 08 2002, @10:39AM (#27652)
        (User #837 Info)
        "others conquered love, but i ran..."
        [ Parent ]
      • Re:Tony & Factory by Medvedev (Score:1) Wednesday April 10 2002, @10:30PM
      • Muso Stuff: there's a few Smiths links to Factory by spentspentspent (Score:1) Monday April 08 2002, @05:08PM
        anthony H wilson! (Score:1)
        Tony Wilson is an amusing guy, despite coming across as arogant, sometimes you can catch him in reflective mood, and he becomes very humble when talking about Joy Division. He said in a radio interview about the Smiths once "that every now and again a band comes along that is truly beautiful but doesnt change anything" Morrissey naturaly has a slightly different view point saying until the Smiths came along Big branch names such as Woolies and W H Smiths didnt stock indie releases, and that this all changed after The Smiths. Nice to see he's still proud of his indie roots.
        rallen <kiing_rallen@yahoo.co.uk> -- Monday April 08 2002, @02:31PM (#27660)
        (User #4753 Info)
        the best form of revenge is to live well.
          Tony Wilson saved the world for a few years (Score:1)
          Tony Wilson is a great man who has accomplished great feats. If we had a hundred more Tony Wilsons then the music world would not be the cesspool it is now. He has an inner vision that directs him to the future and to greatness. Some people catch on, some people don't, but he broke ground with his selection of acts. I could literally write a book on how much I appreciate just what he did for Joy Division let alone the other great acts he had on his roster. My recommendation of two great books to learn more about this music legend:
          http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0753506386/ qid=1018316929/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-1703920-78911 01

          http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0571174450/ qid%3D1018316990/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F0%5F1/104-1703920 -7891101
          MOZ IS GOD -- Monday April 08 2002, @05:51PM (#27668)
          (User #3249 Info | http://www.myspace.com/coldwarspies )
            tony wilson (Score:0)
            Well,he would say that having missed out on them.
            The Smiths really put Manchester on the map and he knows that.
            Anonymous -- Tuesday April 09 2002, @04:09AM (#27684)
              The biggest prick in Manchester (Score:1)
              Having watched 24 Hour Party People at the weekend reading Wilson's comment about the Smiths doesn't come to any surprise. I just love reading what Ian Curtis first said to Wilson, 'You're a cunt you are'. So true...
              jammystressfordpoet -- Tuesday April 09 2002, @07:32AM (#27692)
              (User #1727 Info)
              "I'm alone. I'm not lonely"
                Tony Wilson (Score:1)
                I never did care much for New Order, and after hearing this statement my resentment for them continues to grow.
                boy shankley -- Tuesday April 09 2002, @02:09PM (#27710)
                (User #4022 Info)
                There is no life i know, to compare with pure imagination.
                • Bang out of Order! by spentspentspent (Score:1) Tuesday April 09 2002, @02:39PM
                  • Re:Oh by boy shankley (Score:1) Wednesday April 10 2002, @02:12PM
                  • Re:Tony Wilson by pixieboy (Score:1) Saturday April 13 2002, @05:00PM
                    Ask him... (Score:1)
                    I wonder:Is Marr's compositions and style more influential than any of the Joy Division's/New Order's members?? Do Oasis still hold the record for the fastest selling debut album (Definately Maybe) AND the record for the second highest sales for one album (What's the Story...)??

                    Please Mr.Wilson!!!
                    LaD_from_FalloWfieLD -- Wednesday April 10 2002, @06:27AM (#27721)
                    (User #3771 Info)
                    LaD_from_FalloWFieLD
                    • Re:Ask him... by Johnny Marr (Score:1) Monday April 15 2002, @12:09PM
                      Top of the Pops (Score:1)
                      And let us not forget, had Morrissey not told Top of the Pops where to go, then The Happy Mondays would not have had their "Madchester" moment on the programme ( with Manchesters most overated act The Stone Roses ).

                      It was good to see Shaun Ryder looking so well on Channel 4 recently. Look out kids!
                      Jacques Brel -- Wednesday April 10 2002, @02:05PM (#27764)
                      (User #4128 Info)
                      Travel, trouble, music and art.
                      Wilson (Score:0)
                      Wilson is, and always has been the biggest tosser around. Morrissey once said of him, "Tony has to be the biggest pop star in Manchester".

                      He has a strange knack of never really connecting with people and also with coming out with serious comments that are frankly, comical.

                      Joy Division, were brilliant, influential and legendary, but they were not HIS band. New Order have been average at best.

                      Wilson would have cut his balls off to sign The Smiths and everybody knows it.
                      Anonymous -- Friday April 12 2002, @06:38AM (#27886)
                        24 Hour Party Pooping People IS........ (Score:1)
                        in terms of pop culture documentary drama film, the biggest 24 Carat crock of shit ever made!
                        It is just marginally more palatable than the equally execrable 'Velvet Goldmine' that was produced by the lyrically and follically challenged Mickel Stoope of Rapid Eye Movement.

                        Posted elsewhere in this site, it says how sad that the Morrissey's "cameo" was cut from the film. Sad! Well I'm not sad, I'm bloody relieved that Morrissey and The Smiths have absolutely no link whatsoever with this terrible film whatsoever. The Smiths were in a completely different class of their of own, and certainly well outside Shaun 'smackhead/methadone' Ryder eternal orbit of gun toting, charlie sniffing party pooping people. Although they were in the same provincial locality, Morrissey and Ryder&Co are worlds apart in practically everyway.

                        This film is worth a look if only to realize that Morrissey was a brave soul not to get involved with the sleezy drug&guns culture of the 80's Manchester. Fortunately for us, he never quite fitted in with the scuzzball smack heads like Bez and the Ryder brothers, nor with the run of the cotton mill averageness of Tony Wilson's Factory Records (thank Christ The Smiths signed with Rough Trade!) and the New Order/Hacienda 'E' gang.

                        Like a REAl man, it was freshly cut gladioli, daffodils, violets and camellias, the poetry of Elizabeth Smart, and of couse endless cups of Gold Blend tea, along with regular visits to the local cemetery with Linder Sterling that our Steven Patrick got all into a lather about. He was the Prince amidst the peasant swine of Manchester at the start of the 80's. If that sounds harsh well that's how I see it after seeing this film.

                        Morrissey was just too inteligent, too cultured and ultimately too dignified and dare I say monkish for these self loathing, musically challenged artless drug fuelled bastards. I cannot think of one song by the Happy Mondays that will be remembered for eternity. Objectively speaking New Order will always be remembered for at least 'Blue Monday'. Joy Division will be remembered for being at least original with their outdoor snare sound and for Ian Curtis, a modern day John the Baptist type, who was fit to tie Morrissey's sandals.

                        The Mondays just made music as a crap soundtrack to their hedonistic filthy debauchery. The music was dated as soon as it was played on the DAT machine. They have absolutely no worth whatsoever in terms of popular music culture. After this film ends up in the bargain basement video basket, they will soon be forgotten forever.

                        Furthermore, we also realize that the easy temptation of drugs/sex/debauchery was too much for Johnny Marr, and that's why he went off to make muzak with Bernard Summers and Matt Johnson et all. Ditto Andy Rourke. At least Joyce and Rourke admired and respected Morrissey's unique take on life and enjoyed working with him in The Smiths.

                        Joy Division were reasonably interesting, but its totally embarassing to see a film milk a great song like 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' for all its worth. Its repeated at least six times in the film.

                        If you're at all curious about this rubbish just wait for it to go straight to video. Ultimately this film will make you cherish everything by the Smiths (what an irony after the "cameo" was cut), and make you love Morrissey a little more than you do already!
                        Lazy Sunbather -- Friday April 12 2002, @08:49AM (#27894)
                        (User #843 Info)
                        "Pourquoi ne veux tu pas de moi."
                        Tony H Wilson (Score:1)
                        I was reading an interview today from Ian Brown, he was talking about the Manchester scene and Tony Wilsons effect on it and he was basicly saying that although the Smiths had broken through, they still had to appease Wilson because he was so dominate a person in Manchester at the time.
                        rallen <kiing_rallen@yahoo.co.uk> -- Friday April 12 2002, @09:00AM (#27896)
                        (User #4753 Info)
                        the best form of revenge is to live well.
                          Short-lived (Score:1)
                          It comes as a surprise that after all that heavy promoting its impossible to watch '24hPartyPeople' anywhere in West London a mere week after its release. Was it not so good, after all?
                          Vinnie -- Sunday April 14 2002, @10:46AM (#27985)
                          (User #4783 Info)


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