24 - WILSON TO BE REMEMBERED AT 24-HOUR CONVERSATION BASH

British music mogul TONY WILSON will be honoured with a 24-hour party of "intelligent conversation" in June (08). The Factory Records founder, who was responsible for signing bands including Joy Division and Happy Mondays, died at the age of 57 in August 2007 after losing his battle with cancer. Actor Steve Coogan, who played Wilson in the 2002 movie 24 Hour Party People, will team up with Factory artwork designer Peter Saville, among others, for The Tony Wilson Experience - Reification event in Manchester, England on 21 June. The day and night event, due to take place at the city's Cathedral Gardens, will see representatives from the design and creative industries, the media and the arts join 200 students to debate how best to shape Manchester over the next generation. Manchester City Council boss Sir Richard Leese says, "Tony gave a lot to Manchester and was fiercely proud both of his northern roots and the talent that came out of the city. "This is going to be literally one of the most talked about, unmissable, creative 24 hours in the history of Manchester." As WENN previously reported, Wilson will also have a street named after him in the city.