Tony Wilson passed this earth on Friday 8.10 and strangely enough, I was in a club that night when one of my favorite Joy Division songs started playing over the stereo system and I couldn’t help but think how great the song still sounded this many years after its original release, and how much of an impact those guys have had over the years. In addition to managing Joy Division/New Order and The Happy Mondays, the scene that he created with those bands and his other contributions such as the Factory Label and the “In The City” music festival have had a lasting impact that is still very evident in the current modern music scene. I just recently watched 24 Hour Party People, which is loosely based on the scene that he was a part of and responsible for creating, and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in some entertaining and partially historical representation of his contributions to that popular Manchester scene in the 80′s.

Tony unfortunately succumbed to deteriorating health conditions as a result of his battle with cancer of the kidneys, and I’m sure that I am in one in many that are saying, “Mr Manchester” will be missed.

Mp3►►Joy Divisions ‘Shadow Play’

Trailer for 24 Hour Party People

Interview with Tony Wilson

Being as there is a lag in live shows that I’m wanting to cover these days, as the summer Festival season gets into full swing and the fact that I would think that most bands in their right mind would avoid Texas during the months of July and August because of the heat, I’ll be creating new avenues for writing posts. This being the first edition of Not Quite Forgotten, which I will be focusing on bands that I have a past with, that were great in their own time either with one great record or multiple, but didn’t have the luxury of the blog ‘o’ sphere to grant them their deserved attention.

Really not expecting this band to be the first to be chosen for this column, Idaho caught my attention quickly as I perused my CD collection for material. I really own only one of the bands recordings which is Three Sheets To The Wind, but each time I revisit it, I can’t help but to find myself engaging each song with a reunited interest, anticipating the appearance of the next song on the record.

Formed by Jeff Martin and John K. Berry in 1992, the comparisons to Red House Painters and American Music Club really didn’t touch on the slowcore sound that mingles with indie rock and emo before emo was cool, that these guys were great at producing. Jeff Martin has been the core of the group, while being the principal songwriter and singer since conception, and still to this day is recording and playing live as Idaho. Look for some new material in 2008, and let’s hope that this work of Jeff doesn’t fall completely by the wayside, and a few more listeners will take notice to the talent he posses.

Idaho myspace

mp3s»

‘Shame’

‘Stare At The Sky’

‘No Ones Watching’