Young Sievey, born in 1955, grew up in the Greater Manchester area of England, loved the Beatles (nothing surprising there), was . He had first spotted the future Royle Family star working in a bar. [2], Sievey, under the guise of Sidebottom, made regular appearances on North West television throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, even becoming a reporter for Granada Reports. He'd already given us his approval on the film and I told him the latest news. "Frank," I said. [1] Family Harry's parents are Chris Sievey (musician who created comic persona Frank Sidebottom) and Paula Dean. [22][23], Jon Ronson first played with Frank's Oh Blimey Band in 1987, when their original keyboardist (Mark Radcliffe) was unable to make it to a gig at The Cricketers pub at Kennington Oval, London SE11. The 63-year-old, from Clunton Avenue, Daubhill, was with his wife on the way home from an evening out when the collision occurred. The tour and its new sound were panned by audience members and critics alike, leading to Sievey abandoning the new line-up in 1990, instead choosing to perform solo from then on.[29]. Chris (given name) 1955 births; 2010 deaths; Births in Sale, Greater Manchester; Male comedians from England; Male vocalists from England; Non-topical/index: Uses of Wikidata Infobox; Uses of Wikidata Infobox with no family name; Men of the United Kingdom by name; They became big names in a way that Frank/Chris never did. In the van I'd listen to Chris's stories, trying to understand him. I'd like to say that during the years since Richard the bass player took an instant dislike to me a dislike that only intensified during the months that followed before the band imploded, and climaxed in him yelling that he'd like to break my "keyboard-playing fingers" he went on to have a disappointing life. Never the committed romantic, their wedding reception had been a bag of fish and chips in a shop doorway during his lunch hour. 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. SYNOPSIS: The story of musician and entertainer. Our driver, Chris Evans, left us to try and make it in radio. I thought he was crazy, not my type at all. 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. What if we fictionalised the whole thing? Chris would be Frank for such long periods the clip had deformed him slightly, flattened his nose out of shape. [43] Guests included Caroline Aherne, Phil Cornwell, Midge Ure, Gerry Anderson, the Farm, Pop Will Eat Itself, Oceanic and Keith Chegwin. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2019 Vinyl release of "Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story" on Discogs. On the show, as well playing Frank, Sievey would also portray Mr. Fantastico, removed after the first season, and Life with the Amoebas. The Freshies produced the first multimedia single by including The Biz, a Sinclair ZX Spectrum game written by Sievey, on the vinyl version of one of their releases in June 1983. 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. 9.[28]. [57], On 8 July 2010, over 5,000 fans of Frank Sidebottom gathered for a party at the Castlefield Arena in Manchester to celebrate Sievey's life. (C) Piece of Cardboard Productions. 2018, Documentary/Music, 1h 40m. "Oh I'm very well actually, Mr Ronson," Frank said. But he didn't. Audience Score Fewer than 50 Ratings. Do you have any pamphlets?" His character was cheerfully optimistic, enthusiastic, and seemingly oblivious to his own failings. He died on June 21, 2010 in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England. This guywith long hair, red knee-length boots and a mad suede jacket walked in, and everyone was goingWho is this?," she remembers. His single Camouflage saw. Frank starred in his own exhibition of drawings, animation and cardboard at London's Chelsea Space Gallery next to Tate Britain between 4 July and 4 August 2007. 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. A covering letter supposedly read: "Dear X, I'm thinking of getting into showbusiness. Christopher Mark Sievey (Frank Sidebottom), comedian, singer, songwriter, illustrator, animator: born Ashton-on-Mersey 25 August 1955; married (marriage dissolved; three children); died. On the day of his court appearance the judge told him it was a very serious matter and had he considered a payment plan? Following its conclusion, Sievey became a regular cast member on the first two seasons of What's Up Doc?. He was an inspired creation, a nasal-voiced pop star from the Cheshire seat of Timperley, releasing records in praise of his home village and oompah-muzak covers of old classics. He choreographed it so I would begin the show. This new lineup was a source of tension between the members, with Richard Jones and Jon Ronson taking a near instant disliking for each other. [16] It was likely the failure of his third Zonophone EP, Sci-Fi, that caused him to be dropped by the label. Now documentary Being Frank talks to those who knew Chris best to shed light on his troubled life. They eventually convinced the engineers to let them record a session. "So Frank's playing tonight and our keyboard player can't make it and so we're going to have to cancel unless you know any keyboard players," said a frantic voice. "I'm Mike Doherty. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, New documentary Being Frank sheds light on Chris Sievey's troubled life behind the mask, Chris Sievey died aged 54 from cancer in June 2010, Frank Sidebottom with Caroline Aherne as Mrs Merton in 1992, Frank pictured with Corrie's Barbara Knox, Chris Sievey's band The Freshies' closest attempt to chart success was reaching number 51 in 1981, Frank Sidebottom Oh Blimey Big Band's van driver was Chris Evans, Chris would keep his Frank Sidebottom on off stage and would not respond if someone called him 'Chris', Chris cheated on his wife with groupies who would ask to have sex with him while he wore Franks head, Chris Sievey started smoking cannabis at the age of 12 and was experimenting with LSD four years later, Chris brought back Frank in 2006 however the onset of cancer just before Christmas 2009 ripped apart what had been a warmly received comeback, BFI London Film Festival clip from the documentary Being Frank, the story of Chris Sievey, Harry, who died in a crash in 2017 at the age of 24, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Former wife Paula Sievey pegs his decline to Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show, a TV series that started in . Being Frank is also a very human tale of the lives he touched: interviews with Chris's former wife, children, friends, fans and bandmates including journalist Jon Ronson and broadcaster Mark. 73 successor Motormouth,[30] as well as numerous appearances on Channel 4, including the British version of the game show Remote Control which was presented by Tony Wilson, where each week he would pose "Frank's Fantastic Question" to the contestants. Regular routines would see him with cardboard puppet Little Frank or dressed in a Manchester City kit calling out, Guess whos been on Match Of The Day?, with the audience shouting back, You have, in your big shorts. 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. "But I don't know any of your songs," I said. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Photo: Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images. [8] In 1981, Sievey played on "Some Boys" by Going Red?, the band formed by former Jilted John star Graham Fellows. The donations never stopped. 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. Biography Stirling was born in Manchester in 1980 as Stirling John Sievey. The private service was attended by more than 200 members of his family, friends and former colleagues. I completely believe that Chris was born as two people." The only complaint he ever had was that he had so many ideas that hed talk to people about,and a couple of months down the line somebody else would have done it, and hed go: That was myidea.. Published on May 23, 2020 12:00 PM. 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. Trivia (4) British comedian best known for the giant papier mache head cast that he wore while performing. series 1 episode 1 STV for TVS 1992 (edited) - YouTube", "Frank Sidebottom memorial song: Christmas Is Really Fantastic", "Tribute to Frank Sidebottom, the comic who broke the mould", "Victoria Wood honoured at Chortle Awards", "Frank Sidebottom statue unveiling at precisely 11.37am", "Frank Sidebottom dies after collapsing at home", "Frank Sidebottom comic faces pauper's funeral", "Frank Sidebottom's creator saved from pauper's funeral", "Frank Sidebottom's creator Chris Sievey's funeral held", "Frank Sidebottom farewell party packs Manchester arena", "BBC In pics: Frank's Fantastic Farewell", "Things to do in Manchester this weekend: March 1 to 3", "Frank Sidebottom exhibition opens today in Manchester Central Library - and a new film next week", "GCHQ cracks Frank Sidebottom's secret codes", "Frank Sidebottom: the true story of the man behind the mask", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Sievey&oldid=1140092399. In this spirit he had asked his brother-in-law's friend Caroline Aherne to voice the part of Frank's neighbour, Mrs Merton. "I don't know," he said, looking pleased. But then, in the mid-2000s, he devised a five-year plan for bringing the. 2023 date, start time and how to watch, From the stripper to the slap: the worst moments in Oscars history, Pedro Pascal is the best actor on TV even behind a mask, Whats on TV tonight: Django, Abbott Elementary, The Mandalorian and more, Anne Reid on her Daniel Craig sex scene: I was very scared. I am writing this 26 years later. The closest his band The Freshies got to chart success was reaching number 54 in 1981 with track Im In Love With The Girl On the Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk. 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. "Would a pound a week suffice, m'lud?" 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