Charlatans frontman remembers Tony Wilson

The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess paid tribute to Factory Records legend Tony Wilson today (August 11), saying, "He was my real hero when I was a kid."

Speaking to NME.COM from his home in Los Angeles, Burgess recalled when Wilson arranged for The Charlatans to perform on television for the very first time in 1990.

He said: "He gave our band exposure. It was amazing because he always brought music into my television - he was the guy."

The Charlatans also performed at Wilson's Hacienda nightclub in Manchester during its heyday, and became an integral part of the Madchester scene that Wilson helped spawn.

"(Wilson) put out records by my favourite bands - Joy Division and New Order - which made me believe I could be in a band and put out records," Burgess said.

"I feel like I felt when Joe Strummer died. It's like losing a musical dad."

Wilson died yesterday in Manchester, from a heart attack following complications from cancer.

You can read Tony Wilson's obituary along with a host of tributes led by New Order and Alan McGee on NME.COM now.

Now NME.COM wants your thoughts. Send your tributes, stories and photos to tonywilsonnme@hotmail.co.uk and we'll publish them.

See the NME Office Blog for our Tony Wilson comment and tribute, and leave a comment with your own.

Plus see next week's NME - on UK newsstands from August 15 - for our special tribute issue to Tony Wilson.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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