Goodbye, Tony Wilson.

Anyone who loves great music, whether they know it or not, should be grateful for a man named Tony Wilson. He was instrumental in getting British punk bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Buzzcocks, and the Clash recognition in the genre's infancy. He also founded Factory Records which gave us the Happy Mondays and the legendary Joy Division which became New Order after the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis in 1980. New Order is still going strong today and if you've listened to modern rock at all over the past five years it's clear that the Joy Division/New Order legacy is alive and well. He passed away on Friday at the age of 57. The great 2002 film "24 Hour Party People" tells Wilson's story. Highly recommended if you haven't seen it. Steve Coogan gives a brilliant performance as Wilson and the man himself even makes a brief appearance. R.I.P., Tony. Thanks for the music.