Martin Hannett (31st May 1948 to 18th April 1991)

Whenever I visit Southern Cemetery I usually park in the same place and have a coffee in the car. While sitting there I’ve noticed the grave of Factory Records/Hacienda nightclub co-owner Tony Wilson receives a few visitors. I get chatting to folk and ask if they’ve visited the other two “Factory Records” graves. “No,” is the usual answer, “can you show us please?” Rob Gretton is nearby but you have to walk across the road to the new cemetery to see Martin Hannett's headstone. Here I am by his grave. All three men died far too young (that record label was jinxed) and they should be alive now. Tony Wilson died at 57 of cancer, Rob Gretton died at 46 of heart attack and Martin Hannett died at 42 also of a heart attack.

Martin was a record producer and also one of the original directors of Factory Records. He’s famous for producing albums by northern bands and artists like Joy Division, Magazine, John Cooper Clarke, New Order, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and Happy Mondays. He’s know for using techniques that infected the records with a sparse spatial dungeon feel.

He was born and raised not far from this grave and aged 19 attended the Manchester University. He got a degree in chemistry but it was a waste of time for he was music-mad and pursued a life therein. He’d played bass from being a teenager but somehow he got diverted into production, working with northern bands. Aged 29 he produced the first independent punk record Buzzcocks' Spiral Scratch record and worked on early records by Salford punk poet John Cooper Clarke. The first well-known hit he worked on was the novelty hit Jilted John (I remember it well.) He’s best known for working with Joy Division and Happy Mondays using filters, echoes, spaces and delays to engender a certain noise. Some people say he wasn't interested in music but in experimenting with sounds.

He was a director of Factory Records but fell out with the other directors and faced them in court over - what else? - money (it was settled out of court). Afterwards he continued to work as a freelance producer and lived not far from this grave in Didsbury with his wife and kids.

Factory Records collapsed and Martin’s career and health followed. He ballooned to 26 stone (165 kilograms) and died aged 42 of a heart attack from heavy drinking and heroin consumption. There’s a DVD documentary film about him and three books (so far anyway.) He was played by Andy Serkis in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People and Ben Naylor in the 2007 film Control - both about Factory Records and The Haçienda nightclub.

I passed this grave a few times and some coins have started appearing on it. Years ago there was a single 20p on the top but now there’re a few coins on the base. I had no money and all I could offer was the usual salute.