Creative Times

Dear Editor,

One of the cruelest ironies in life is that we don’t fully appreciate people until they’re gone. Looking back at the life of Mr Anthony H Wilson, you get a sense of what a truly original character he was and the real impact he made as a creative force in Manchester and the UK music scene with his amazing ability for spotting talent and helping Manchester’s Culture celebrate itself.

Not only did he help bring to light some of the greatest bands of the last 30 years which continues to provide the soundtrack to the lives of people all over the world but he helped revolutionise the music industry, providing a template for independent record labels, combining a cock-sure DIY mantra and a compulsive commitment fueled by a genuine love of outsider music.

It also reaffirms the loss in recent years of Britain’s most loved radio DJs - John Peel, whose own uncompromising, simple philosophy of just wanting ”…to hear something that I’ve not heard before” continues to be an inspiration. So too, the late, great Ahmet Ertegun - the enigmatic founder of Atlantic Records and his guiding wisdom that “If you do have a love, try to pursue that. Because then, work is no longer work… And there is nothing you would rather do. That is ideal. It is not always possible. But it is what you should strive for.” What becomes clear is the hole left behind when these personalities go and how much the music industry needs these ‘larger than life’ characters to continually shake things up. The type of people who significantly change things during their time, driven by what they believe, they may not always know what they’re doing but the sheer enthusiasm and genuine love of music compels them to make their vision a reality. And as long as people continue to listen and obsess over music, these characters, bands and their stories will live on.

By his own admission, Tony Wilson was never financially successful and you could question some of the naïve business decisions but as he said himself; “Some make money, some make history”. Well Tony, you certainly did.

Yours sincerely,

John Dyer
Director, Domino Recordings

W: www.dominorecordco.com