(AH Wilson photographed by Kevin Cummins) Yesterday (10.08.07) a small earthquake, with its epicentre in Didsbury, made Manchester shake slightly, but not enough to cause any greater ripples. The big shake came just past 7pm when the news that Tony Wilson had died from a heart attack after a long battle against kidney cancer in Christie's Hospital (also in Didsbury). The tremors from this will have a much more devastating effect on the city and its people. Tony's influence on Manchester music is impossible to measure, and the city will be left reeling from his loss. He was a force of nature and a true pop visionary who was, in part, responsible for the placing Manchester music on the global stage and turning the city itself into a truly modern centre of culture. Always controversial, flamboyant and seemingly impervious to criticism, Tony inspired adoration and irritation in equal measure. In an interview for Newsnight broadcast last night he remarked, 'People have treated me with contempt, quite rightly, I'm a TV presenter, I'm a bighead. Suddenly, I'm dying of cancer and everyone loves me!' He was described by Paul Morley on the same show as 'a poetic hustler, a history-maker and a very positive and generous man.' As Mark Lamar said this morning on his BBC Radio 2 show, "Britain wouldn't be the place it is today without Tony's 'Wilsonicity'." Tosh Ryan said "It's the end of an era, really". In May of this year, MDMArchive won a Big Chip award for this website, which was presented by Tony Wilson. It was a wonderful night and will remain a treasured memory for years to come. We will all miss Tony, and our thoughts are with his friends and family.