A man of many hats, Tony Wilson is best remembered as co-owner of Factory Records, home the one-time home of Joy Division, New Order and OMD. He also owned The Hacienda, which became the epicenter of the Manchester music scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s. Before his foray into music, Wilson was a journalist and BBC television peronaility, most notably hosting So It Goes and After Dark. Suffering from advance stages of renal cancer, Wilson, age 57, died of a heart attack in a Manchester hospital.
Martin Hannett (aka Martin Zero)
May 13, 1948 – April 18, 1991
Martin Hannett at right
Martin Hannett was an English musician, producer and label head. He has been recognized for producing (as Martin Zero) the first ever independent punk record, the Buzzcocks’ Spiral Scratch, released in January of 1977. But it was his groundbreaking production work with Joy Division that earned him (and the band) his most acclaim. In 1978 he co-founded the highly influential Factory Records with Tony Wilson. Factory was home to such acts as Joy Division, New Order and The Durutti Column. By the early ’80s, Hannett’s career was being hindered by his exsessive abuse of alcohol and heroin. He died of heart failure on April 18, 1991 at the age of 42.
Larry Cassidy was the front man of influential post punk band, Section 25. Formed with his brother in 1978, Section 25 quickly signed with legendary Manchester, England label, Factory Records. Along with such label mates as Joy Division and New Order, the group provided the blue print for future generations of techno and electronic acts. Section 25’s first single, “Girls Don’t Count” was produced by Ian Curtis of Joy Division. The band released three albums before calling it quits in 1986. Those records spawned such popular singles as “Crazy Wisdom,” and their biggest hit, 1984’s “Looking From a Hilltop.” Factory released a fourth Section 25 album in 1988. After the group’s break up, Cassidy, who was married to band mate, Jenny Ross, went to school to become a teacher. They reformed Section 25 in 2001, but tragedy struck with Ross died of cancer in 2004. Cassidy soldiered on and continued to release music with the band. On February 27, 2010, while working on a release of re-mixes, Larry Cassidy died at the age of 56. Cause of not was not initially released.