Died On This Date (April 18, 1991) Martin Hannett / Producer; Factory Records
themusicsover Martin Hannett (aka Martin Zero)
May 13, 1948 – April 18, 1991
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.
What You Should Own
Zombies founding member and guitarist Paul Atkinson passed away from liver and kidney disease on April 1, 2004. He was 58. While the Zombies failed to take off like so many other British Invasion bands of the early 1960s, their songs like “She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No,” and “Time Of The Season” will forever be remembered as key moments in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. And no worthy collection of psychedelic rock song is complete without “Time Of The Season,” which didn’t even become popular until long after the band had broken up in 1967. Atkinson went on to work for RCA Records as an A&R Rep where he was credited for signing Abba, Mr. Mister, Judas Priest and Bruce Hornsby.
