Review of 24 Hour Party People (2002) by Robert C — 10 Jul 2008

It's funny...even if you are like me and your teen / early adult life was immersed in much of the music of this period and over the years you've heard about 'Factory Records" and 'The Hacienda'...you can't really appreciate ANY of it until you see a film like this and get a true feeling for everything and everyone that was involved.

Some say Tony Wilson was a fool...while others say he was brilliant. I tend to think he was a little of both (aren't most geniuses?).

The thing that CAN NOT be denied is Tony Wilson's innovative and vital role, not only in the "Manchester Music Scene" but in the music industry as a whole.

I can not help but think of how amazing the music industry might have become, if his "vision" had not been tainted by the harsh reality of human nature.

Now-a-days it takes an artist "breaking free" and doing it ALL themselves (see NIN, Radiohead) to have true creative freedom. Tony was offering that years ago at Factory Records, but ironically it was one of his "artists" (and bad money management in general) that ultimately ended it all.

But his "vision" was pure and his passion for music was genuine. A truely great story about a really amazing man.