I said. But he was worried that however the film might depict Chris, any reality would surely damage Frank. Chris appeared in character as Frank,[13] and was signed to their sub-label Regal Zonophone. The donations never stopped. 100 0 _ a Chris Sievey c English musician and comedian (1955-2010) 100 1 _ a Sievey, Chris 100 1 _ a Sievey, Chris I had to be the sensible one, but it was still a very difficultdecision to leave Chris. CustardGB From shop CustardGB. Christopher Mark Sievey (Frank Sidebottom), comedian, singer, songwriter, illustrator, animator: born Ashton-on-Mersey 25 August 1955; married (marriage dissolved; three children); died. His greatest creation, the mysterious Frank Sidebottom, became a star - a manic, insane, mercurial star who obscured his own creator. Performances were often varied from straightforward stand-up comedy and featured novelty components such as tombola, and crowd interaction. It was lo-tech genius from a hi-spec mind. The Royle Family Christmas specials attracted audiences of 12 million. 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. [8] In 1981, Sievey played on "Some Boys" by Going Red?, the band formed by former Jilted John star Graham Fellows. Ten years later I was in the park with my son when the phone rang. Sievey's life was a fantastical, subversive piece of performance art. In this spirit he had asked his brother-in-law's friend Caroline Aherne to voice the part of Frank's neighbour, Mrs Merton. My story was published in the Guardian. Paula met Chris when they were both working in a factory. He became one of the world's most successful tour managers, looking after Woody Allen and the Spice Girls. 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. "I'm Richard," he said. In 1983, with the band on hiatus, Sievey went solo. Talking to his ex-wife Paula and children Stirling, 40, and Asher, 39 (their younger brother Harry also a talented musician, like his father - was killed in a road accident in 2017 aged 24), you realisehow much Sievey needed their support. Sievey returned to television as Frank in 2006, hosting Frank Sidebottom's Proper Telly Show on the Manchester station Channel M. Most recently he had been touring with the punk poet John Cooper Clarke. They became The Stone Roses. Thank you for standing in at such short notice. Chris Sievey was a musician from the north west, who was the frontman for a band called The . Chris Sievey - Camouflage - YouTube 0:00 / 3:39 Chris Sievey - Camouflage The Micro Museum 403 subscribers Subscribe 953 views 2 years ago Back in 1983 the artist Chris Sievey recorded. "Have you been in showbusiness for long?" Photo: Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Kate Shaw, and Chris Hayes attend the 2014 Women's Media Awards at Capitale on October 29, 2014 in New York City. Two old ladies they got in from the street were the witnesses. Sidebottom, complete with papier-mch head and a curious line in daft Bontempi songs, became a huge hit on the 1980s indie circuit, shoring up his fame through a series of television and radio shows. EMI were interested and offered him an interview. 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. His mother was apparently unaware of her son's popularity. Frank Sidebottom was possibly the strangest pop star in history. This family friendly nature lead to Frank getting his own comic strip in the children's weekly comic Oink!, which launched 1986. 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. It is directed by Steve Sullivan, and was funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign. We were just friends. 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. Instantly recognisable, his keyboard ditties and larger-than-life personality were a hit on the . Sievey as Frank Sidebottom at the Bull and Gate, Retirement of Frank, stop-motion work and failed solo ventures (19952004), Chris Sievey - Being Frank Liner Notes - Steve Sullivan, 2019 7A Records, Last edited on 18 February 2023, at 11:00, Frank: The True Story that Inspired the Movie, "Chris Sievey: The man behind the papier-mch mask of Frank Sidebottom Obituaries, News", "frank's firm favourities | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company", "oh blimey it's christmas | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company", "BBC Frank Sidebottom creator Chris Sievey was "a genius", "Revolution No. Paula remembers him playing the London comedy circuit and moving in the samecircles as Jack Dee, Frank Skinner, Jo Brand and Steve Coogan. Chris didnt care about money, she says. [16] It was likely the failure of his third Zonophone EP, Sci-Fi, that caused him to be dropped by the label. Never the committed romantic, their wedding reception had been a bag of fish and chips in a shop doorway during his lunch hour. 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. Mick Middles, who wrote Chriss authorised biography, said: Famously, Frank and Chris had two separate phones. 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. Frank took one look at his watch: "Ten seconds.". Chris, who died aged 54 from cancer in June 2010, would keep the mask on off stage and, if someone called him Chris with the head on, he would not respond until they said Frank. 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. Chris was totally out of control. Chris Sievey passed away in 2010 and left behind not just memories of some brilliant, silly, smart, daft, wonderful performances as Frank, but an attic full of notebooks, records, tapes, art and home movies. Chris wanted to give the band a more professional sound, and booked a 30 date tour, the longest the band had ever undertook. She became involved in Chriss artily insane schemes, which involved painting their faces blue ordressing as tramps to go into Manchester city centre. Also a chronicle of the demise of the record store. 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. But and Chris and I shuffled awkwardly around the question what would the film actually be about? Chris Sievey, but people across the country who were fans of the cult character. By Ian Wolf 29 April 2019. It could be a fable instead of a biopic a tribute to people like Frank who were just too fantastically strange to make it in the mainstream. In early 1985 he recorded a hopelessly upbeat, Casio-driven version of the Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the UK and posted it to all the major record labels. Frank Sidebottom creator Chris Sievey was "a genius". (1992), No 73 (1982) and TX (1985). 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. . "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The re-recorded single was released in 1983 initially on Sievey's own Random Records label, before . Stretch Film Division. [39], Following Sievey's death in June 2010, a social networking campaign was launched to gain Frank his first UK hit. Obsessed with The Beatles, aged 15 he hitched to the headquarters of the bands Apple record label, where he held a sit-in protest in a bid to see his heroes. About Chris Sievey is a member of the following lists: 1990s British television series, English male singers and English comedians. Why was he wearing the head when there was nobody there to see it except for his own band? "Frank," I said. The 63-year-old, from Clunton Avenue, Daubhill, was with his wife on the way home from an evening out when the collision occurred. An example of this was Caroline Ahernes Mrs Merton character, who made her debut on one ofSieveys radio shows in Manchester. After this, Frank began to make semi-regular guest appearances on the final season of ITV programme and No. After Motormouth's cancellation, Frank was given his own show, titled Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show, a television programme shown in 1992 featuring Chris Sievey as fictional character Frank Sidebottom. he asked. It is understood entertainer Chris Sievey collapsed at his home in Hale, Greater Manchester, in the early hours. Polyethylene Film / PE Sheet 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. There would be partying while I sat outside on the sofa. On the Led Zeppelin bootleg "Bonzo's Last Stand", the back of the album has text which states, "Produced by Frank Sidebottom." The longest-serving line-up, however, comprised Barry Spencer (guitar), Rick Sarko (bass, ex-Ed Banger & The Nosebleeds) and Mike Doherty (drums, ex-Smirks) and lasted from 1980 until 1982. At home there was a loving family atmosphere with Paula and their three children Stirling, now 40, Asher, 39, and Harry, who died in a crash in 2017 at the age of 24 until Chris really went off the rails. Chris also cheated on his wife with groupies who would ask to have sex with him while he wore Franks head and left his children without money during week-long benders. Things became so bad that Paula took their three kids to live in a hostel following their eviction for not paying the rent. When I got to the bar it was empty except for a few men fiddling with equipment. Sievey's earliest television appearance was on the children's television show TX, with an in-character interview as Frank Sidebottom, shortly after the release of his first Zonophone EP. Chris returned to Manchester to a court summons. [10] In the documentary Being Frank, Martin Sievey (Chris's brother) states this was made using plaster of Paris.[11]. His first musical album, entitled '5:9:88', was released on vinyl by In Tape a year later. . View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2019 Vinyl release of "Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story" on Discogs. The archive is now preserved forever in the Archives+ vault in Manchester, held under temperature-controlled conditions. 94%. At first the character was a mascot for The Freshies but, soon, he became more popular than the group. 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