24 Hour Party People: What the Sleeve Notes Never Tell You [Paperback]

Tony Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2002

"The musicians own everything. The company owns nothing. All our bands have the freedom to f**k off" Written in blood, The Factory non-contract set out the manifesto for one of the most influential and progressive record labels of our time...Manchester, 1976: Anthony Wilson, Granada TV presenter, is at an early Sex Pistols gig. Inspired by this pivotal moment in music history, he and his friends set up Factory Records. They go on to conquer the world with Joy Division (who become New Order) then again with the Happy Mondays. Riding high on their success and just about keeping the business afloat, the Factory directors decide to give something back to their city, to open a club - The Hacienda. Packed on opening night but losing money hand over fist for the first five years, The Hacienda and the Happy Mondays take their unique brand of hedonism to breaking point. From the dawn of punk to the death of acid house, Anthony Wilson was at the centre of it all. Love him or hate him, you can't possibly ignore him.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tony Wilson is the legendary founder of Factory Records and erstwhile owner of the Hacienda. He began his extraordinary career as a Granada TV weatherman and continues to work in journalism, television and the media industry.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Trans-Atlantic Pubns (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075222025X
• ISBN-13: 978-0752220253
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #818,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't separate fact from fiction, March 22, 2003

By 

mindtpi (Christchurch, New Zealand) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 24 Hour Party People: What the Sleeve Notes Never Tell You (Paperback)

Anyone who has seen the excellent movie that this novelisation is based on will know that the film script took quite a few liberties (i.e., made up) a number of events in the movie. While this (and changing the timing of events) has, undoubtably, improved the narrative flow of the movie from the film-makers point of view it is slightly disappointing to those of us who want to know the true story. Unfortunately, you're not going to find it here as - which is a pity as it really is an interesting story.

Tony Wilson has essentially rewritten the movie script, adding a few small snippets here and there, expanding on other aspects and, very occasionally, replacing the movie version with the truth. Having said that, it is still an enjoyable read, but if you have seen the DVD and have watched the directors' and Tony Wilsons commentaries you won't learn much new here.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tony Wilson RIP, September 1, 2007

By 

Lovblad (Geneva, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 24 Hour Party People: What the Sleeve Notes Never Tell You (Paperback)

Factory records was one of the more important post-punk labels. It provided us with JoyDivision, New Order, Happy Mondays and quite a few more (ACR, The Durutti Column). This book retraces parts of this history in a very special and very incomplete but also very entertainning way. Indeed, it was written by the founder Tony Wilson himself, who was quite a figure in Manchester. The bok will retrace the initial inspiration by punk which led to the foundation of the record label, the opening of the famous Hacienda club and finally to bancrupcy.It does make a quite sensational read even if it does not allways make complete sense but you do get a sense of the athmosphere and enthusiasm of Tony Wilson for the music scene he helped create. The movie is not bad as a companion to it but you should really try and listen to the wonderful Palatine box set while you read: indeed, JoyDivision/new Order were only a very small part of why his record label was such a success back then. Tony Wilson regretfully passed away a few days ago but he has left a wonderful legacy that still lives on.