Poet Mike Garry on his Tony Wilson tribute

Earlier this week, we brought you the star-studded video, including everyone from Steve Coogan to Iggy Pop, that shows the esteem in which the late Tony Wilson is still held, and today you can purchase the single.
'St Anthony: An Ode To Anthony H Wilson', penned by acclaimed Manchester poet Mike Garry with musical backing from the in-demand composer Joe Duddell, arrives to mark the eight anniversary of the sad passing of Wilson, the Factory Records boss and broadcaster who was a huge figure on the Manchester music scene for many decades and immortalised by Steve Coogan in 24 Hour Party People. It is paired with a nine minute remix by Andrew Weatherall and with artwork from Peter Saville. As Wilson died in Manchester’s Christie Cancer Hospital, all profits from the single will go to The Christie Charitable Fund.
Recently, Garry spoke to Hot Press about the genesis of his original poem.
"Soon after he died, Terry Christian was making a BBC radio programme about him," Garry said. "Terry contacted me, because he knows me personally and he's a big fan, and he said 'Mike would you write a poem for Tony?' Being a good catholic boy, my mother always thought me if I ever lose anything to say a prayer to Saint Anthony. And I felt like I'd lost something very special in my life so I wrote a prayer to Saint Anthony."
The work took on another dimension three years ago when Dudell, who's worked with Elbow, Richard Hawley and New Order, got involved.
"He heard it and said: 'would you mind if I made some music not go around it?' Now I've had this loads in the past and I've always hated it to be honest. I like my voice on its own. But this is the first time it's worked. He created this amazing, amazing piece of music [an orchestral piece based on New Order's 'Your Silent Face']."
The official single release has been two years in the making, as has the video, which features a long list of iconic Manchester artists and a number of musical luminaries.
"It's hard to explain: 'I've written a poem about Tony Wilson.' Right, so what? And then you hear the track and see what effect it has. Now take that effect of the track and multiply it by about 1000 for the video, because it is that compelling.
"It's one of the most important things I've ever been involved in in my life. I keep telling people I've bought my ticket to heaven with this!"

As for the Weatherall remix?
"I didn't know him," Garry admits of the famous, hugely influential producer. "My kids had to tell me who he was!"
Luckily, Dudell was more clued in when Weatherall approached the pair about putting his stamp on the song.
"Joe just immediately went 'yes'!
"What Andrew does is slip it into his set at times, very suitably at the end of the night. And he said that because he's watched 2,000 people dancing to a tune in the way that they've danced to this tune that they've never heard before in their lives – and weeping – he knows how special this is."
While the song honours Tony Wilson, it is about more than that.
"It's knowing how Tony tied in with so many other things. How he influenced so many things. In lots of ways, he invented the acid house movement. A lot of the music we're listening to today is massively influenced by Tony. A new generation of people have come around that don't know who Tony is, and that's part of our role.
"There's a fun bit to it in that he was a bit of a dick as well! That's what humanises him. All these people who think they're so fucking cool? No, they're not! They fuck up. We all do. That's something I believe in."
Garry, whose father is from Westmeath and mother from Armagh, is keen for his message to travel across the Irish Sea.
"It's really important that Ireland are involved in this to me, in loads of ways. One, because I'm Irish and I've spent loads of time here. I'm here now, sat looking across Carlingford Lough!
"Plus, the Irish proper get Manchester. The Irish proper get Tony Wilson. I've toured Ireland three times now with John Cooper Clarke and every time I do it, they love and enjoy what I'm doing. And also, the Irish get cancer. They understand cancer. They're up there on a list of cancer sufferers. They're up there on a list of cool people as well."
Go to [link]saint-anthony.co.uk[/link] for more information.
Buy the physical release here and the digital here