Manchester legend Wilson unbowed by tough times

By Lars Brandle

LONDON (Billboard) - Tony Wilson is difficult to pigeonhole. The veteran music man -- whose Factory Records spearheaded the career of Joy Division, among other bands -- is a raconteur, an A&R exec, a scene-builder, a businessman and a celebrity.

Wilson can now add "fighter" to his list. The man whose unconventional career was the subject of 2002 feature film "24 Hour Party People" is battling cancer. But the illness hasn't curbed his zest for music and his commitment to bringing new artists to the fore.

Wilson is bringing his long-running Manchester music conference In the City to New York June 13-14. In signature fashion, Wilson promises hot artist showcases by night and equally hot panel discussions by day. The Happy Mondays, originally signed to Factory, the post-punk label that is now synonymous with the rise of Manchester as a creative hotbed, are confirmed to perform.

On the eve of In the City of New York, Billboard sat down with Wilson, who, after all these years and recent health hardships, remains one incredibly colourful music industry vet.

Q: First, I'm sorry to hear you've been ill. How have you been responding to the treatment?

A: I'm on new medication, and I'm not going to know for sure for another three or four weeks, but I think it's doing well. Certainly, I'm well compared to what I was on before, which was terrifying. I went through a few weeks in February when I came out of the hospital and thought, "Well, that's it." It was f***ing awful. But I'm not lying in bed, I'm not shaking like an idiot, and I'm not vomiting all the time. So I'm all right. I've been groggy every day, but I get through most of my day's work.

Q: Why did you feel the need to take In the City to New York?

A: Originally, it was (AEG Live senior VP) Rob Hallett's idea. About two years ago, we ran into each other at Coachella and we talked about the declining special relationship between British music and the U.S., which occasionally has blips like it has in the last two months. He said, "Why don't you A&R a British Invasion-type event? Why don't we construct something?" We've always thought a lot of money in the British industry is wasted on taking two dozen bands to South by Southwest and watching them get lost, by and large, in a sea of 1,500 bands. It seemed to be an interesting idea to have a focused new British talent event. I thought it would be nice to do it in New York and return to our spiritual home.