If I had a dog I'd kick it

[DBA_bloke]

Ask most a locals over the age of 30 and you will realise the Tony Wilson myth. Os course he opened a dance club to make money, otherwise he'd have opened a live music club to support the local bands.

Bagpuss: Soooooooo wrong that it defies belief! TW was on his uppers for nearly every minute of his "impressario" career. Fact. He never made any sort of big bucks from the music or the club. Fact.The club was there, 100%, because he wanted one - he was a big show-off. The music was the first priority to him, not the dosh. Hence the famous written-in-his-own-blood "mission statement", that, in effect, meant that the bands got 99% of anything.

And as for opening a live music venue, rather than a club... The Happy Mondays and loads of others made their name in the Hacienda.

0/10 Must try harder.

[Bagpuss]

Bagpuss: Soooooooo wrong that it defies belief! TW was on his uppers for nearly every minute of his "impressario" career. Fact. He never made any sort of big bucks from the muic or the club. Fact.The club was there, 100%, because he wanted one - he was a big show-off. The music was the first priority to him, not the dosh. Hence the famous written-in-his-own-blood "mission statement", that, in effect, meant that the bands got 99% of anything.

0/10 Must try harder.

That's why he had a big house in cheshire that one of my mates had a summer job cleaning.

Some bands did play there to a handfull of people on a rainy Tuesday night. Friday and Saturday it was a dance venue, because that was where the money was at. He could have done more with that venue for 'proper' music but he chose not to.

[DBA_bloke]

That's why he had a big house in cheshire that one of my mates had a summer job cleaning.

Tee hee! So he had a big house. Probably from his TV work, which he continued to do, in spite of eventually hating it. He was potless. Hence, he couldn't even afford the medicine for his cancer; his showbiz pals had to chip-in to get it for him.

Tip-toe quietly away now while there's still a chance that nobody will notice that you gobbed-off with no knowledge AT ALL of the subject.

The Hacienda WAS a dance venue AND a live music venue.

[sasguru]

Tee hee! So he had a big house. Probably from his TV work, which he continued to do, in spite of eventually hating it. He was potless. Hence, he couldn't even afford the medicine for his cancer; his showbiz pals had to chip-in to get it for him.

Tip-toe quietly away now while there's still a chance that nobody will notice that you gobbed-off with no knowledge AT ALL of the subject.

The Hacienda WAS a dance venue AND a live music venue.

I think he lost it when he equated the Hacienda (at it's peak, don't know how it changed later) with the Ministry of Sound. Two venues more different would be hard to imagine.

[Bagpuss]

Tee hee! So he had a big house. Probably from his TV work, which he continued to do, in spite of eventually hating it. He was potless. Hence, he couldn't even afford the medicine for his cancer; his showbiz pals had to chip-in to get it for him.

Tip-toe quietly away now while there's still a chance that nobody will notice that you gobbed-off with no knowledge AT ALL of the subject.

The Hacienda WAS a dance venue AND a live music venue.

I know more than you do, I've actually met him. He had a fortune and lost it, mainly because his ego was more monumental than that of SASguru, most of the money was lost near the end. That's not to say he didn't say some funny things and help make a scene, but there is a lot of tripe written about him.

Still haven't told me why the king of live music opened a techno/dance club?

[DBA_bloke]

I think he lost it when he equated the Hacienda (at it's peak, don't know how it changed later) with the Ministry of Sound. Two venues more different would be hard to imagine.

But... for about a year or so it was THE place to be seen, etc.

TW was, as he would tell anyone willing to submit to his lengthy and often dull ramblings, a man with a lot of civic pride. He loved Manchester, and eschewed the ususal trappings that his fame and endeavours could have secured for him.

[DBA_bloke]

I know more than you do, I've actually met him. He had a fortune and lost it, mainly because his ego was more monumental than that of SASguru, most of the money was lost near the end. That's not to say he didn't say some funny things and help make a scene, but there is a lot of tripe written about him.

Still haven't told me why the king of live music opened a techno/dance club?

See this. And as for meeting him... every fooker in Manchester met him! Including me. And I wasn't even that bothered about meeting him!

[EDIT] By meeting, I mean saying "Hello, Tony" and TW saying "**** off!" but I like to think a connection was made!

[Bagpuss]

I think he lost it when he equated the Hacienda (at it's peak, don't know how it changed later) with the Ministry of Sound. Two venues more different would be hard to imagine.

The Hacienda was opened in a former boat showroom in 1982 and by the end of the decade had achieved cult status as the acid house craze took off

You haven't been have you or you would know that the Hacienda is synomous with dance music. Maybe for 6 months in 1982 it wasn't, or maybe on a Monday band night, when the trendies had no money left. There were numerous venues that did far more for the Manchester music scene.

[DBA_bloke]

The Hacienda was opened in a former boat showroom in 1982 and by the end of the decade had achieved cult status as the acid house craze took off

You haven't been have you or you would know that the Hacienda is synomous with dance music. Maybe for 6 months in 1982 it wasn't, or maybe on a Monday band night, when the trendies had no money left. There were numerous venues that did far more for the Manchester music scene.

Nope. The Hacienda launched The Happy Mondays, had live music, but, yes, mainly DJs.

I have been there.

The Hacienda launched the whole Madchester thing - and so did waaaayyy more for the Manchester music scene than any other club. Proof: almost nobody outside Manchester, then or now, could name any other Manchester club from that era.

[Bagpuss]

Nope. The Hacienda launched The Happy Mondays, had live music, but, yes, mainly DJs.

I have been there.

The Hacienda launched the whole Madchester thing - and so did waaaayyy more for the Manchester music scene than any other club. Proof: almost nobody outside Manchester, then or now, could name any other Manchester club from that era.

i almost agree with you, it was famous for dance music when dance music was popular. The real music was going on elsewhere. While the hacienda crowd were parking their XR3i cabrioles. This was the time of Jive bunny don't forget. I don't think TW started Madchester, that was already rolling along before he got involved.