If you're thinking of prominent Northern Tonys, the Wilson variety inevitably crops up and maybe a Warren too. But there was another, someone I'm indebted to, whose influence on the Eighties independent music scene is huge and often overlooked. Tony Kostrzewa or Tony K as he was more easily known sadly died on 1 May.
Tony ran York-based Red Rhino who gave me the manufacturing and distribution deal to make Medium Cool happen. He was also instrumental in the setting up of The Cartel, the independent distribution network of record shops that stocked the kind of stuff you wouldn't really see in Virgin, Tower or HMV. Many of the shops also ran their own record companies and occasionally had the money to help up and coming labels. This is how it worked for me.
Red Rhino took a box load of Enormous Room flexis and supplied the shops that wanted it in return for taking a small percentage for shifting them around. On the back of some positive press and airplay on Peel, the flexis sold out in a week and I made enough money to do it all over again with The Raw Herbs.
Tony and his label manager Pete Thompson liked what I was doing and subsequently offered a deal where Red Rhino paid Medium Cool's bills and recouped the outlay from sales with a split on any profits. We never actually made any but it was Tony's faith alongside his ability to take such a financial risk that allowed me to put groups into the studio and release records. That and all the cash they were making from The Wedding Present.
More recently I came back into contact with Tony as he offered help and advice for my new label. By his own admission he wasn't well but he was fighting back and his passion for music was as strong as ever. True passion and fast-paced enthusiasm, that's what I'll remember.
Here's the obituary from The Independent and a transcript of a lecture Tony gave on record labels and distribution. You'll see what I mean.
