Rob Gretton

Robert Leo Gretton (15 January 1953 – 15 May 1999), was the manager of Joy Division and New Order. He was partner in and co-director of Factory Records and a founding partner of The Haçienda.

Rob Gretton
Born(1953-01-15)15 January 1953
Wythenshawe, Manchester
Died15 May 1999(1999-05-15) (aged 46)
GenresNew wave, post-punk
Occupation(s)Promoter, Manager
Years active1977–1999
LabelsFactory
Associated actsJoy Division, New Order

Life and career

In 1977, Gretton became a leading figure in the Manchester punk scene with his involvement with Slaughter & The Dogs. He was DJ in Rafters club and manager of The Panik.[1]

Gretton's involvement with the Manchester scene began when he contributed £200 to co-finance Slaughter & the Dogs' first single, the punk classic "Cranked Up Really High". After joining Factory Records in 1979 Gretton brought many new bands to the label, including Section 25, X-O-Dus, Crispy Ambulance, Stockholm Monsters, Minny Pops, The Names, Quando Quango, The Wake, 52nd Street and Happy Mondays.

Gretton was proprietor of the Rob's Records label and a co-founder of The Haçienda nightclub in Manchester. In 1995, he founded Manchester Records, signing Gabrielle's Wish and Liverpool band Kill Laura, whose lead singer was Jane Weaver.

He was a supporter of Manchester City F.C..[2]

He died in May 1999 at the age of 46 as the result of a heart attack.[3]

Portrayal in the media

Gretton was portrayed by Paddy Considine in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People, which dramatized the rise and fall of Factory Records, and by Toby Kebbell in the 2007 film Control, a biopic of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.

References
  1. "Our history". Jilly's Rockworld - home of Manchester's rock & alternative community. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  2. "Rob Gretton". 2009-08-12. Archived from the original on August 12, 2009. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  3. Dickinson, Bob. "Rob Gretton". The Guardian, 21 May 1999. Retrieved on 8 February 2009.


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