May 1999: Rob Gretton Remembered

New Order’s manager died from a heart attack on 15 May 1999. This tribute to him was for the 26 May edition of Manchester’s City Life magazine.

Of all the people I came across during my time in Manchester as a music journalist and then editor of City Life magazine, Rob Gretton left the biggest impression — and that wasn’t just because he was the manager of my favourite band.

I think my first encounter with Rob was in 1993 when I was doing a six-month stint as a freelance music researcher at the BBC on Oxford Road.

I was working on the Hit The North radio programme, which for its final six months prior to big changes at Radio 5 was presented by Rhys Hughes, after previous presenters Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley — Mark and Lard — had moved to Radio 1.

I seem to remember that the programme was still produced by the pair’s company, and we were based in the same office (actually a portacabin at the back of the main BBC building).

In my role as researcher, I suggested we get Rob on the show to talk about his label, Robs Records.

I wasn’t hugely hopeful when I put the call in to him, but he accepted the invitation without hesitation.