August 17, 2007 10:00

Paul Morley pays tribute to Factory Records' Tony Wilson

You can read the former NME man's piece in full

Former NME journalist Paul Morley has written his first piece in the magazine for years, paying tribute to his old friend Tony Wilson.

The journalist was pivotal in introducing the rest of the UK to Wilson’s label Factory and bands such as Joy Division in the late 70s/early 80s as NME’s Manchester correspondent. But he admitted his relationship with Wilson, who died last week, (August 10), wasn’t always perfect.

He admitted: “I had a few fights with Tony, especially when he considered I was not using my growing role at the NME in proper service of Manchester and Factory.

“He stopped talking to me for a while when I moved to London to take a full-time job at the paper, livid at my betrayal of Manchester, and the north, and its future soul. Gradually, he started to call me again, usually when he wanted a mention of a Factory release, or a Factory event.”

You can read Paul Morley’s tribute in full here.

See this week’s issue of NME for a special look back at Tony Wilson’s life and musical legacy.

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.