Mani: 'We owe Tony Wilson a debt of gratitude'
Bobby & Mani from Primal Scream Photo by Dean Chalkley
Former Stone Roses bassist pays tribute to Factory Records legend
Current Primal Scream and ex- bassist Mani has paid tribute to Factory Records founder Tony Wilson, who died on Friday (August 10).
Mani explained how he met Wilson through attending his Factory band nights in Manchester, where the likes of Joy Division and New Order played live shows, and that he used to love his TV programme, 'So It Goes'.
“Everyone in the indie music world owes Tony a debt of gratitude,” Mani said. “He put us [The Stone Roses] on his TV show even though we were in direct competition with the Happy Mondays, who were on his label. He just loved the fact that we were Manchester musicians.”
“It’s a crying shame that he’s gone, I only saw him a few weeks ago,” Mani revealed. “Tony showed that anyone can start their own thing up.
“A lot of peple from the indie world learned a hell of a lot from Factory. Including a hell of a lot about how not to do things, ‘cos Factory was less than perfect, but Tony was out there having a go!”
The bassist went on to criticise the NHS for failing to provide Wilson with cancer treatment drugs.
The NHS refused to fund a £3,500-a-month treatment programme for Wilson after chemotherapy failed to tackle his kidney cancer.
“It’s a fucking disgrace,” said Mani, “especially when you consider how much money he must have given the taxman.
"He worked his life, paid his taxes, and the NHS treat him like that. It’s another indication of what a shithole we’re currently living in.”
You can read Tony Wilson’s obituary along with a host of tributes led by New Order and Alan McGee on NME.COM now.
See the NME Office Blog for our Tony Wilson comment and tribute, then 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.
Mani explained how he met Wilson through attending his Factory band nights in Manchester, where the likes of Joy Division and New Order played live shows, and that he used to love his TV programme, 'So It Goes'.
“Everyone in the indie music world owes Tony a debt of gratitude,” Mani said. “He put us [The Stone Roses] on his TV show even though we were in direct competition with the Happy Mondays, who were on his label. He just loved the fact that we were Manchester musicians.”
“It’s a crying shame that he’s gone, I only saw him a few weeks ago,” Mani revealed. “Tony showed that anyone can start their own thing up.
“A lot of peple from the indie world learned a hell of a lot from Factory. Including a hell of a lot about how not to do things, ‘cos Factory was less than perfect, but Tony was out there having a go!”
The bassist went on to criticise the NHS for failing to provide Wilson with cancer treatment drugs.
The NHS refused to fund a £3,500-a-month treatment programme for Wilson after chemotherapy failed to tackle his kidney cancer.
“It’s a fucking disgrace,” said Mani, “especially when you consider how much money he must have given the taxman.
"He worked his life, paid his taxes, and the NHS treat him like that. It’s another indication of what a shithole we’re currently living in.”
You can read Tony Wilson’s obituary along with a host of tributes led by New Order and Alan McGee on NME.COM now.
See the NME Office Blog for our Tony Wilson comment and tribute, then 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.
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