After his death, what a shame AND what a triumph . . .
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I can assure you that you should own this book if you wish to learn about the relevance and importance of the ownership of culture that Wilson helped Manchester garner. I would however warn you that Wilson was aware of myth building. He has left much out and embellished much left in. I would point out that Mick Middles journalistic style is worth being checking out for the truth (in partic, From Joy Division to New Order), and the most amazing story of Manchester, the U.K's most revolutionary and cultural city. Maybe an annotated version should now be released?
I write this a week after Wilsons shocking death. The last time I felt as affected was at the death of John Peel. You dont realise the wonder of anything/body until it has gone. Truly, Wilson was a man who knew his roots. Loved his roots. Loved his music and his fellow man/c.
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How much of it is actually true?
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The front cover declares "what the sleeve notes never tell you", as if the book blows the cover on the secrets of Factory Records and the Hacienda. Nothing could really be further from the truth. Here we have Tony Wilson writing a novelisation of the film of the same name, in which he was the main character (played by Steve Coogan). He did not write the film, someone else did. So why write this book? Why does the only man who can tell us real truth choose to write something like this? Had this book been written to accompany the film, it might have been great. The novel could have read just the same, but in the style of George Macdonald Fraser's "Flashman" books, a series of endnotes pointing out the truths and lies would have worked wonders. In its present form it is pointless, and it leaves a whole generation of clubbers and dance music fans wondering what really happened.
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It's Manchester (Enough Said)
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As a wannabee Manc, New Order fan, I've read almost everything I can get my hands on about Joy Division, New Order, or Factory (Ideal for Living, Unknown Pleasures & Wayward Distractions, Touching from a Distance), but this book goes down as one of the best ever written about the subject. Though the book is presented as a novelisation of the movie of the same name (and features little outtakes where Wilson sets the record straight in scenes), it becomes apparent late on in the book that probably most of what is written happened in some shape or form. The book is written almost as a series of anecdotes, and that's fine because each anecdote is not easily forgotten: Peter Saville's inability to do any project on time; Rob Gretton meeting Mike Pickering as they hide from Manchester United supporters; Rob Gretton trying to beat the pulp out of Wilson for his financial excesses; Shaun Ryder stealing everything in Eddy Grant's Barbados studio to buy crack... But this book is more about just Factory or its bands. It's about the regeneration of Manchester. In this way, it's a perfect compliment to Dave Haslam's "Manchester: Story of a Pop Cult City." Somehow, through all the bad business acumen, Wilson, Gretton, New Order, and others somehow had enough artistic and aesthetic sense to kick start a complete change in attitude in the city and its people. Though the Hacienda is now gone, like the Big Bang, the cosmic radiation it set off is still there to be felt.
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The work of a genius.
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...This book acts as a counterbalance to the rather splendid film. Which is good because there were some terrible elements to the film (the Ian Curtis suicide,the stupid town crier scene ,the film version of joy division miming to the studio versions & forgetting about new order for the most part after 'Blue Monday'- when it was that band that basically run Factory/Hacienda etc). Plus lots of things were simplified for todays target audience, reared on drivel like 'Human Traffic' & 'Trainspotting'. As with the film, Wilson's "novelisation" of the screeenplay takes a postmodern look at 'Wilson'- which makes this very enjoyable to read. I felt a lot better about the film having read it (the soundtrack is still severely average though- no 'Think About the Future'? Doh!!!). Wilson convincingly tells us about his love for Manchester & his co-partners Alan Erasmus & the late Rob Gretton are presented with affection... The Ian Curtis bits are very good and together with 'Nothing', the sleevenotes to 'Heart & Soul' & 'Touching from a Distance' gives us another of the multiplicity of truths. There is more of the humour surrounding JD here than the photos & records & final act suggest- pity the film couldn't have undercut the serious performance with the bin on head or the Liverpool punk p***ing in a sink. Wilson was integral to Manchester's renaissance-captured for the middle classes in 'Cold Feet' and the development of Madchester... Martin Hannett comes out of this better than the film- though the records he produced were genius (during reading i got out me battered 7" of 'Everything's Gone Green', Durutti's 'LC', 'Heart & Soul', 'Power,Corruption & Lies' & 'Substance'). It's a quick read-but you'll want to read it again (soon). Only a few quibbles- John Cale's production of the 1st Mondays album is looked over- as is The Stone Roses (who Hooky produced). I'd have liked a longer version- mixing up the recording of 'Technique' & 'Yes Please!' is as irritating as in the film. And while 'Getting Away With It' is a great pop song, it's also a pretty obvious rip-off of 'Love My Way' by the Psychedelic Furs. I do buy Barney Sumner as great producer though- 'Thieves Like Us' is the best song ever. So, this is what happens with philosophy & pop collide- we get lots of silly decisions & great mistakes... And Wilson gives a knowing nod to Daniel Miller & Depeche Mode- who were as important as New Order in influencing American-house & techno (derrick may etc.) It's a great book, one that is set to a backdrop of music I love & have grown up with, there are quite a few laugh-out loud moments (the Nazi connotations of ACR's Scout get-up cut down by their drummer-Donald Johnson- being black. Very absurd & silly!!). Good to see the misquote from 'The Face' put right-though I would have liked to have seen the NME-hack who coined the "Ian Curtis died for you" ribbed a little. Yes, Fac424 is a must-purchase & Tony Wilson is on of those great British figures - the missing link between Richard Madeley & Raymond Williams (perhaps). And he should have signed The Smiths!!
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Pretentious, but fun too
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As a Little Hultoner (home of the Happy Mondays), whose mother now uses one of the Hacienda's Alvar Aaalto stools when she does her decorating (see chapter 34), this 'novelisation' has a particular resonance for me and I suspect many others in the 30-45 age group. I found it unputdownable and frequently hilarious. Each chapter is brief so you can rattle through it at a fair old pace. Even though Wilson says its very much an unreliable memoir what does come through is a curious kind of integrity. I say curious because everyone I've met who's worked with Wilson says he's a slippery SOB - but, as the book often illustrates, part of that could be typical Manc deprecation. Anyhow, in spite of all that, well done Wilson, Erasmus, Gretton, New Order et al for doing something for your own city and defying London and the barbarous forces of capitalism. Unfortunately, capitalism caught up with them in the end, as it usually does.
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