New Order, Happy Mondays Pay Tribute To Tony Wilson

New Order and the Happy Mondays are among those who have been paying tribute to the late Tony Wilson.

Wilson, who was the co-founder of Factory Records, died tragically yesterday of a heart attack at the age of 57.

Wilson was responsible for signing both New Order and the Happy Mondays to his record label and the man heralded by many as the person most responsible for Joy Division.

New Order’s Stephen Morris told the BBC’s Newsnight programme: “There would be no Joy Division or New Order without Tony, he really believed in us and he was smart enough to start a label and put our records out."

Morris continued: "He was so enthusiastic, he was always 'we'll just go ahead and do it and figure out why we did it afterwards. It was his spirit of enthusiasm that steam-rollered things through and it's why we put up with him for so long. You could have an argument with Tony and walk out hating him and the next time you saw him it was all forgotten. You just love him."

Meanwhile, the Happy Mondays’ ex-manager, Phil Saxe, told the BBC: "Part of me, part of Manchester, part of modern British music has died tonight,” explained Saxe. “He was a visionary in that he helped bands, who otherwise wouldn't have made it, who were a bit out of the ordinary."

Saxe – who was involved with Wilson at Factory Records – added: "He helped them realise their dreams and through that probably realised himself to be Mr Manchester."