Alan Wills, founder of Deltasonic records, dies aged 52

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/may/12/deltasonic-founder-alan-wills-dies-cycling-accident

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Alan Wills, the former Shack drummer who set up the record label Deltasonic, has died at the age of 52 after a cycling accident in Liverpool.

A popular figure on the Liverpool music scene, Wills signed bands the Coral and the Zutons to Deltasonic, as well as the Rascals, the Longcut and the Dead 60s. Coral singer James Skelly, whose band released six albums through the label, told the Liverpool Echo: "Alan was a true and loyal friend. I am gutted."

Wills began his music career as a drummer in Mick Head's cult group Shack and Top before setting up Deltasonic as a way to help the Coral get their music heard. The label was later successful as a music publishing company, working with Miles Kane and the Last Shadow Puppets on their chart-topping album, The Age of the Understatement.

Tributes have poured in after news broke of the accident. Pete Wylie, who once auditioned Wills for his band Wah!, told the Echo: "He was always looking to the future and to help nurture new talent. Liverpool is going to miss him."

Former Coral guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones said: "His influence on me as a teen and the worlds of thought he introduced to me shaped me into who I am and saved my life time over. It felt that with every turn my life took, Al was there to explain it for me. Every corner of ill health or disaster made perfect sense after a phone call [from him]."

Police are appealing to anyone with information on the crash, which happened at 8.30pm on Thursday 8 May, to contact Merseyside Police on 0151-777 5747 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555 111.