"IF he hadn't been cruelly snatched from us, Tony Wilson would likely have gone on to become Emperor of the north west," says pal and former Joy Division drummer Stephen Morris.

"He was becoming a bit of an industrialist as the years went on," Stephen adds.

"He never really changed much from those early days when we would travel round together to gigs and try to flog as many records as we could from the back of a van - he just became more Tony Wilson."

Stephen and wife Gillian Gilbert - New Order's keyboard player - are both taking part in the weekend's big debate.

"We don't get out much these days," he says. "But this should be fun. I'll be the only drummer on the panel as far as I'm aware so I hope I get asked a few of those type of questions.

"I'm hoping to inject a bit of common sense, albeit lowbrow, into the proceedings," he jokes. "Tony would love the fact that all this was going on. It's interesting that it's all about conversation too - because if there was one thing Tony was good at it was talking."

As for what will be debated by the great and the good, the media commentators, the bands, the artists, the designers - all Tony's pal - Stephen says he has absolutely no idea.

"I guess the agenda will be set by those good people asking us on the panel questions. We could talk about the fuel crisis or something like that couldn't we," he says, giggling at the idea.

Stephen, who still lives just outside Macclesfield with Gillian and their daughters Tilly and Grace, says he won't be bringing his collection of military vehicles to the Experience however.

Army

"I've got a few. I keep them at home," he says. "They're just a few military vehicles I bought from the army that they didn't want any more. If someone asks me about them I'll answer them but it's all a bit boring to discuss to be honest. I will however get them out at the next sign of public insurrection."

He may be more happy to talk about his relationship with US-based hardcore-metal band Nine Inch Nails though. Last year, he and Gillian remixed two of the notorious outfit's tunes for a new album.

"No one was more shocked than me," Stephen says. "I'd never really thought about working with Nine Inch Nails before and then I get asked by their people in America to remix a couple of their songs. It was very different but lots of fun."

Stephen hopes that the next generation of musicians and artists and media types may find something in the Tony Wilson Experience to take into their future careers.

"I hope they find some inspiration from it," he says. "Things are very different now to be honest - certainly in the music business.

"It won't be long before CDs are as rare an antiquated as vinyl from the way things are progressing. If I was starting out now I wouldn't even bother with a record company.

"It's incredible that you can record in your own house and then put your work up on the internet where millions of people can access it immediately.

"The only downside is that that filter the record companies provided no longer exists - so you have to sift through a lot of rubbish to find a golden nugget or two."

I'm guessing Tony Wilson would know exactly how that feels.

Stephen Morris will be speaking at 11pm on the Saturday and 11am on the Sunday. Tweet