But it was also a gentle spoof of the entertainment business itself. Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Adam Baldwin. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2019 Vinyl release of "Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story" on Discogs. Young Sievey, born in 1955, grew up in the Greater Manchester area of England, loved the Beatles (nothing surprising there), was . In accordance with Chris Sievey's own wishes before his untimely death, we pledge to preserve his legacy by producing high-quality, authentic 'official' merchandise that is made with love, integrity and attention to detail. As the 1990s reached their midpoint, the Frank character began to make fewer public appearances before seemingly being retired. This album introduced the character Mrs Merton, portrayed by Caroline Aherne. [10] In the documentary Being Frank, Martin Sievey (Chris's brother) states this was made using plaster of Paris.[11]. It's a glorious achievement which celebrates Sievey's life with elan, and not just the bits he spent wearing a papier-mache head. . Play over 320 million tracks for free on SoundCloud. I completely believe that Chris was born as two people." The re-recorded single was released in 1983 initially on Sievey's own Random Records label, before . He stands off to the side and at the bottom of the back cover photo. In 2014, a feature-length documentary about the life and art of Chris Sievey, entitled Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story[11] was announced and was released in March 2019. The Frank Sidebottom character first appeared on an untitled 1984 EP by Chris Sievey & the Freshies, in a spoken-word track wherein Frank talks to Chris. He hit the depths just when his act got his own ITV series Frank Sidebottoms Fantastic Shed Show in 1992. WITH his nasal voice, huge papier-mch head and out-of-tune songs, comic creation Frank Sidebottom was always going to be an unlikely star. Paula remembers him playing the London comedy circuit and moving in the samecircles as Jack Dee, Frank Skinner, Jo Brand and Steve Coogan. [2], In 1969, when he was 14, Sievey began writing and recording his own music,[5] and by the age of 15 was playing in local bands. And he put absolutely no stock in practical things like paying phone bills and the like if he was able to use that money for creative. A biography of Chris Sievey was written by Manchester author Mick Middles,[64] and was published in November 2014.[65]. Ashers youngest son Freddie is eight, and he pops in and out of his grandmas living room as we alltalk. Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story tells the twisted tale of a split personality, exploring the extraordinary secret life of a songwriter, artist, comedian and wayward genius. Then I became aware of another figure kneeling in the shadows, his back to me. Certainly his wife and children weren't as important. And then I walked out into the spotlight. The appeal closed on Monday 28 June with a final balance of 21,631.55 from 1,632 donations. Published on May 23, 2020 12:00 PM. My story was published in the Guardian. Contents Chris Sievey More Red Indian Music Chris sievey camouflage sinclair zx81 pop video Early life and career Not long after that, Frank was playing at a pub near my flat. But I was crazy about him and wanted to have babies with him straight away., Paula and Chrisloved being parents, but she had to be the grown-up in the relationship. And now our Frank film directed by Lenny Abrahamson and starring Michael Fassbender, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Domhnall Gleeson, is going to be premiered at the Sundance film festival. The papier-mch headed Frank hit the heights of fame during the 'Madchester' music period. Zonophone released his third EP 'Frank's Sidebottom's Firm Favorites' in August of 1985. Sometimes the show also included lectures. "Will you put Chris on?". The 54-year-old was pronounced dead at Wythenshawe Hospital, a spokeswoman. "Chris wants to have a rehearsal," Mike told me one day. I picked it up. Product details Package Dimensions : 7.48 x 5.35 x 0.55 inches; 2.12 Ounces Subtitles: : English Studio : Spirit Entertainment ASIN : B07PJ6TGQJ Harry Sievey was one of two cyclists involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Corsa in Mauldeth Road, Withington, on Sunday. Christopher Mark Sievey, musician and comedian, born 25 August 1955; died 21 June 2010, Musician, entertainer and alter ego of the cult comedy creation Frank Sidebottom, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Frank Sidebottom as played by Chris Sievey. Chris Sievey, but people across the country who were fans of the cult character. Caroline Mary Aherne [1] (24 December 1963 - 2 July 2016) was an English actress, comedian and writer. What if we fictionalised the whole thing? [25], This same year Frank was included on the charity album Sgt. With a swimmers clip over his nose, Franks songs included Timperley 969 1909 (which was Chriss home telephone number), Born In Timperley (to the tune of Born In The USA) and his own version of Kylie Minogues I Should Be So Lucky, where he rhymed Tizer with synthesiser. [2][7] When they were asked to leave they insisted on recording something, and were booked into the studio after playing a song to head of A&R Tony King. Sidebottom's former Oh Blimey Big Band members include Mark Radcliffe and Jon Ronson,[12] and his driver was Chris Evans.[10]. But he was worried that however the film might depict Chris, any reality would surely damage Frank. At first the character was a mascot for The Freshies but, soon, he became more popular than the group. Later, he presented Frank Sidebottom's Proper Telly Show in B/W for the Manchester-based television station Channel M. Throughout his career, Sidebottom made appearances on radio stations such as Manchester's Piccadilly Radio and on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 5, alongside Mark and Lard. As I prepare to go to it, I remember something Chris once said to me. Featuring stars including comedians Johnny Vegas and Ross Noble, it tells how singer, comic and artist Chris descended into a world of cocaine and booze as he allowed his alter-ego Frank to take over his life. Contrasting with the alternative comedians of the time, Frank Sidebottom's comedy was family-friendly, if a little bizarre for some. Life went back to normal. Her Off "Neighbours"), Split 7-inch FlexiDisc with the Hitchcocks, This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 11:00. Chris Sievey was an English musician and comedian known for fronting the band The Freshies in the late 1970s and early 1980s and for his comic persona Frank Sidebottom from 1984 onwards. Chris remained a crew member until the show's sixth season, but continued to work on the series' specials until 2005. The first showing of each show was in black and white ("so you don't have to turn the colour down"), whilst subsequent repeats were shown in full colour. They became big names in a way that Frank/Chris never did. SYNOPSIS: The story of musician and entertainer. Christopher Mark Sievey (25 August 1955 21 June 2010) was an English musician, comedian and artist known for fronting the band the Freshies in the late 1970s and early 1980s and for his comic persona Frank Sidebottom from 1984 onwards. As the careers of his former bandmates and co-stars grew, his began to decline. [20], In 1987, Frank released his first album, a spoken word cassette called 'Fantastic Tales', released through his own 11:37 label. Despite this, one year later, he was offered a full time place in the band, which he accepted. I asked. But he did leave a league of fans, whoclubbed together to crowdfund a send-off, with enough money left for a memorial concert. [58][59], From 1 March to 30 April 2019, Manchester Central Library held an exhibition Bobbins: Frank Sidebottom and Chris Sievey, which featured never-before-seen items from Sieveys archives, from puppets to home videos to personal artefacts. I think itwas easy for him to be behind the head, as it wasnt something that he really wanted to do. "As long as i gaze on timperley sunset i am in paradise", Sievey was posthumously recognized with the special judges' award at the 2011 Chortle Awards. Chris Sievey was a 'live in the moment' man, his friends said More than 200 people gathered to pay their respects to Chris Sievey - the creator of comedian Frank Sidebottom - at his. I think heleft a very clear message that its not about the money; moneys not important and you dont need itto make you happy. pauline hanson dancing with the stars; just jerk dance members; what happens if a teacher gets a dui The real mystery of the man beneath the mask - the restlessly innovative, incessantly creative writer, musician and performer Chris Sievey - is finally revealed in this painstaking, fascinating, years-in-the-making documentary from filmmaker Steve Sullivan, Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story. On the Led Zeppelin bootleg "Bonzo's Last Stand", the back of the album has text which states, "Produced by Frank Sidebottom." The show's promoter, Harvey Goldsmith, was glaring at him from the wings. In 2003, he became a writer on Fimbles, and then, in 2004, on the British revival of the Swiss stop motion programme Pingu. And towards the end of the crowd-funded film, which was a hit at last years South By Southwest Festival in Texas, we see Frank singing: I hope when Im dead Ill be fantastically famous.. They had regional success in the Manchester area with "My Tape's Gone", "No Money" / "Oh Girl" and "Yellow Spot". Instantly recognisable, his keyboard ditties and larger-than-life personality were a hit on the . The show was produced by Dave Behrens[44] for Yorkshire Television and was shown on ITV. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. One track from this, "Lazy Rising More Slowly, Where R.U, Oh 'Chele'", was released on the 2019 outtakes and rarities compilation Being Frank.[33]. Chris would be Frank for such long periods the clip had deformed him slightly, flattened his nose out of shape. [2], Sievey released two cassettes under his own name in 1975 and 1976 Girl in My Blue Jeans and All Sleeps Secrets.[8]. I cleared my throat. Nothing makes a young man feel more alive and on an adventure than speeding down a motorway at 2am next to a man wearing a big fake head. Born in Sale, a couple of miles from Timperley, to dad Victor, a raincoat salesman, and housewife Betty, he started smoking cannabis at the age of 12 and was experimenting with LSD four years later. His children were playing outside. He became one of the world's most successful tour managers, looking after Woody Allen and the Spice Girls. The following year, Sievey guest starred on the sixth season of British television series No 73, after which he, portraying Frank, would become a regular cast member for its final two seasons. And meanwhile we were crisscrossing Manchester and Bury and Leeds and Sheffield and Liverpool in our Transit van. I can barely believe it, Frank: watch Michael Fassbender in the world exclusive trailer for the comedy inspired by Frank Sidebottom - video, SXSW 2014 review: Frank into the head of a pop comedy maverick, Panic on the streets of Timperley! The following year he released a solo release, "Camouflage", with the A-side a song, and the B-side being computer programming. [16] It was likely the failure of his third Zonophone EP, Sci-Fi, that caused him to be dropped by the label. Stirling and Asher remember a happy childhood with their dad, playing Subbuteo and watching StarWars and Beatles programmes on video, staying up all night to watch The Prisoner or playingMonopoly. [45] The show only went on for one season. Chris Sievey Paula Sievey, nee Dean Stirling John Sievey (born 1980) is the second child of Chris Sievey, creator of Frank Sidebottom, and his wife, Paula. Product details Package Dimensions : 6.81 x 5.31 x 0.63 inches; 2.47 Ounces Media Format : Blu-ray Actors : Frank Sidebottom Subtitles: : English How are you?" Sidebottom was fully inhabited by Sievey. Chris portrayed himself as untroubled. The private service was attended by more than 200 members of his family, friends and former colleagues. The archive is now preserved forever in the Archives+ vault in Manchester, held under temperature-controlled conditions. I couldnt do it any more., Chris and Paula had a brief reconciliation, but eventually divorced. . ?". It got hold of him and it was quite bad. Christopher Mark Sievey (Frank Sidebottom), comedian, singer, songwriter, illustrator, animator: born Ashton-on-Mersey 25 August 1955; married (marriage dissolved; three children); died. I scrutinised their faces. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, Frank's television appearances would lessen, not attaching himself as a regular cast of anything, but making occasional appearances. He used to tell me that it was just fans.. [34][35], He appeared in the Series 3 Christmas special of BBC Scotland's VideoGaiden, performing "Christmas is Really Fantastic", and later appeared on the Series 3 Awards show, and the final web-exclusive episode ("Closedown"). A motorist has gone on trial accused of causing the death of Frank Sidebottom creator Chris Sievey's son by careless driving. Then Mike phoned and asked if I wanted to be in Frank's band full time. Chris had written his first LP by this stage, "The Johnny Radar Story", which, for various legal and contractual complications, was never released on vinyl. Chris was totally out of control. The acts included Badly Drawn Boy and surviving members of Frank's Oh Blimey Big Band who played in tribute. The exhibition covered both Frank Sidebottom as well as Sievey's other creative endeavours. [8] A string of singles and several cassettes were released between 1978 and 1983. It was very poorly attended. In 2003, Chris began working on a new album, entitled Scilly Automatic. Sidebottom's Radio Timperley show, recorded in his shed, became a cult fixture on Manchester's Piccadilly Radio, helping launch the career of Caroline Aherne's Mrs Merton. Home / Uncategorized / the real frankie murdoch biography. [3][4], Sievey grew up in Ashton-on-Mersey, Sale, Cheshire (2.5 miles from Timperley). He was chaotic. Caroline had the Mrs Merton idea.. But after the man behind the mask died penniless eight years ago, Chris Sieveys strange alter-ego has become more famous than ever something the tragic star predicted would happen. (C) Piece of Cardboard Productions. Based on the life of Chris Sievey, who donned a similar disguise to become his alter ego, Frank Sidebottom . The premise was simple but hilariously effective an aspiring suburban pop star who still lived at home with his mum, and whose chirpy ambition only served to magnify an innate lack of talent. Frank's Oh Blimey Big Band, which included the DJ Mark Radcliffe, the journalist Jon Ronson and a then-unknown Chris Evans, toured the halls of Britain, playing ramshackle covers of Bohemian Rhapsody and the Benefit of Mr Kite, to an increasingly fervent fan base. And there I was, in the passenger seat of a Transit van flying down the M6 in the middle of the night, squeezed between the door and Frank Sidebottom. Under the head Chris would wear a swimmer's nose clip. Singer Chris Sievey went on to a career in comedy as Frank Sidebottom. He wasnt the kind of man whocould do a proper nine-to-five job. It featured Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley who later became Radio 1 DJs Mark and Lard and Jon Ronson, now a successful writer and filmmaker. Manchester punk group The Freshies, 7th January 1979. A typical show would consist of surreal observations on life in Frank's shed, a cameo from glove puppet Little Frank and, more often than not, a tombola. Chris Sievey was a musician, songwriter, artist, comedian, filmmaker, performance artist and wayward genius who created an alter ego that he grew to resent. The synth brass tone the most stirring of all the Casio tones. but, apparently, they were up to everything.. English musician and comedian Chris Sievey in character as his comic alter-ego, Frank Sidebottom, and holding his puppet sidekick, Little Frank, 1988. In memory of Chris Sievey, 1955-2010. Chris's ex-wife Paula who he wooed by pushing into a canal said in Mick's book: "I was so naive because girls would often ring up and ask for him. In 2006, Frank reappeared in Greater Manchester on local television channel Channel M. His new show, Frank Sidebottom's Proper Telly Show in B/W, featured celebrity guests and animation. Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story is finally released in selected cinemas and as a digital download on 29 March, and audiences can see for themselves what's kept Sullivan so busy. The single is unique in that its B-Side is audio code which, when input into a ZX-81 computer, will play a music video and game titled Flying Plane. ", "So," I said. By Ian Wolf 29 April 2019. She was best known for performing as the acerbic chat show host Mrs Merton, in various roles in The Fast Show, and as Denise in The Royle Family (1998-2012), a series which she co-wrote. In this spirit he had asked his brother-in-law's friend Caroline Aherne to voice the part of Frank's neighbour, Mrs Merton. Producer and Director Steve Sullivan took on the . My friend, the screenwriter Peter Straughan, asked me if I thought the story could be adapted into a film. He was probably spending it on prostitutes.. A tender and funny new documentary, Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story, exploreshis talent and the ambivalent relationship Chris had with the wide-eyed alter ego that brought himfame and fortune both of which he then proceeded to fritter away. [citation needed], Frank's last professional appearance was at the Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington on 4 June 2010. [18], At the same time as touring, Frank would become a semi-regular cast member on the two final seasons of the ITV children's programme No. Chris Sievey, who has died aged 54 after suffering from cancer, achieved the kind of success as Frank Sidebottom that often eluded him under his own name. Now divorced from Paula, he was an animator on the children's claymation series Pingu. Jon Ronson, who played in his band, and has co-written a film inspired by the character starring Michael Fassbender, remembers Frank's creator Chris Sievey as being even more eccentric than his papier-mache alter ego, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Chris Sievey as Frank Sidebottom in 1992. We had to stop them. He was wondering if I'd write something about my time in the band to help him with the comeback. He gave me a sheepish smile, as if to say he was sorry that I had to endure all the weirdness of the past few minutes but it was out of his hands. 100 0 _ a Chris Sievey c English musician and comedian (1955-2010) 100 1 _ a Sievey, Chris 100 1 _ a Sievey, Chris This is an edited extract from Frank: The True Story that Inspired the Movie. His second Zonophone EP, 'Oh Blimey, It's Christmas' charted slightly higher than the first, at number 87, before dropping off again. An example of this was Caroline Ahernes Mrs Merton character, who made her debut on one ofSieveys radio shows in Manchester. Side One Camouflage (4:24) Off Key Siren (2:45) Warning To Women (3:56) I Am The Walrus (3:53) Side Two Amoco Cadiz (2:03) Hey (2:15) Return To Thunder City (2:02) On A Bender (3:43) Under Water (3:57) Franks Fantastic Shed Show introduced Caroline Aherne to the world, with her playing the nosey, grey-haired Mrs Merton a character Chris claimed he had invented. I sent out a tweet. There would be partying while I sat outside on the sofa. Chris Sievey. Find out more, The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, A still from Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story, Chris Sievey hiding his face, with 'Little Frank', When are the Oscars? Immediately after creating the character, Sievey would record an in-character cover 'Material Boy', and send it to several major labels with the note ''I'm thinking of getting into showbiz. Specifically, Chris wondered, would Chris be in it? It is understood that his girlfriend called an ambulance and he was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, where his death was confirmed.Manchester Evening News, 22 June 2010. He inspired the 2014 film Frank, which starred Oscar-nominee Michael Fassbender, a bronze statue of the character has been erected in Chriss home town of Timperley in Greater Manchester and there is even a painting of him in the National Portrait Gallery in London. Frank Sidebottom was a peculiar stage character defined by his enormous papier-mache mask, immortalized in countless UK TV appearances and a fictionalized biopic produced after the 2010 death of cr This documentary about one the most peculiar of musicians is best described in the words of his most famous creation: "Absolutely fantastic!". [2] Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." I never understood why Chris sometimes kept Frank's head on for hours, even when it was only us in the van. Radio 1, and in particular Mike Read gave the Freshies a lot of airplay, especially the MCA release. But then, in the mid-2000s, he devised a five-year plan for bringing the. Photograph: ITV/REX, Frank Sidebottom with Jon Ronson in Birmingham in the 1980s Photograph: Jon Ronson, Maggie Gyllenhall, Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson in Frank, Frank review a weird, wonderful movie that dances to a different beat, Panic on the streets of Timperley! I had to be the sensible one. The all-star supporting cast includes Chris O'Dowd as a volatile butcher, M. Emmet Walsh as a suicidal writer, Kelly Reilly as the priest's daughter who feels he abandoned her, and Domhnall. Then he hung up. The band's guitarist Patrick Gallagher told Middles: "It wasn't Caroline's fault. During this time, Sievey began working on a solo album entitled Life in 74 Minutes, which he later abandoned. But there was a solution. When he had some, hed just give it away and it wouldall be gone in a day. With Frank I can pinpoint that moment exactly. It was not love at first sight. In 1982, he released the mini-album Denigration Now, his first work outside of the Freshies since 1976's All Sleeps Secrets. When I got to the bar it was empty except for a few men fiddling with equipment. [54] After it was reported that Sievey had died virtually penniless and was facing a pauper's funeral provided by state grants,[55] a grassroots movement on various social networking websites raised 6,500 in a matter of hours. Throughout 2007, Frank made several television appearances, before releasing his final project, Magical Timperley Tour, a short film featuring Frank touring 100 of his friends around the characters' home town of Timperley. A man was standing there, maroon shirt tucked smartly into neat black jeans. Frank had faded into obscurity in the late 1990s, rarely appearing either on TV or making live appearances, but, a one-off performance at Manchester's Club Indigo Vs Manic Street Mania in December 2005 seemed to be the catalyst for a comeback. In 1983, with the band on hiatus, Sievey went solo. Produced by Dave Behrens [ 44 ] for Yorkshire Television and was shown on ITV from donations. 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