Frank Sidebottom - C or D ?

The comedian behind cult character Frank Sidebottom has revealed he is fighting cancer. Chris Sievey is facing an operation to remove a tumour in his chest.

But Chris, from Timperley, near Altrincham, said: "I am very well. You have got to be chipper and fight it. You have got to be positive. The show must go on."

The papier mache-headed character became famous in the eighties. He has hosted television and radio shows and TV news reports as well as starring in a commercial. His stand-up shows remain firm family favourites.

Chris, who would only speak to the M.E.N in character, said: "I am OK and I am going to be OK. It is just bobbins. I have had worse. I had a cold over Christmas and that was worse."

Weird, I was just thinking about him the other day. I was in Manchester and saw that he had signed his name on the cafe wall I was eating my breakfast in. Is he really Momus's uncle?

S(i)everely unlikely.

Oh Blimey, it's in The Sun!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2973920/Cult-comedy-hero-Chris-Sievey-in-cancer-fight-blog.html

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1257872_frank_sidebottom_dies_after_collapsing_at_home

Comedy legend Frank Sidebottom has died after he was found collapsed at his home in Hale.
The comedian, whose real name was Chris Sievey, was recovering from an operation to remove a tumour from his chest.
His comic creation Frank, known for an outsized papier-mache head, became famous in the 1980s and went on to have his own radio and TV shows.
Only last week he launched a comedy song for the World Cup, titled Three Shirts On My Line. He posted a message on his Twitter account on Sunday morning saying: "I'm still feeling very poorly".
Mr Sievey was found collapsed at his home in Hawthorn Road, Hale, by his girlfriend and she called an ambulance at 12.40 am on Monday.
It is understood he was still alive when the ambulance arrived and he was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital but he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

:-(

Shit.

Never got his particular joke, but still, sad times.

RIP

you know he's dead
he's really dead
:(((

There's something really sad and a bit eerie and seeing people's final tweets from like 19 hours before their death. Looks like he was still planning to attend gigs. Very sad.

Very sad.

Obligatory 'Let's get Frank to number one' Facebook group.

Damn, what a shocker. Amazing how he could make a career out of one joke last for 25 years, though was rather fond of his version of Anarchy in the UK back in the day.

very fucking sad about this.... so many great reworkings of classic songs.

Feel lucky to have seen him live a few times - good clean fun!... I still have the t-shirt he sold me about 20 years ago..

RIP Frank...

Mods please updated with an RIP..

Right now, Frank is 2nd in the Twitter trend list... crazy...

Genius:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtRqEkwLap4

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8752000/8752639.stm

No wonder that second album took so long:

http://www.shirlainephotos.co.uk/big_images/music-mvc7_big.jpg

christ, RIP dude

RIP. I bought his computer game back in the day, a music biz simulation thingy for the Spectrum.

There is no truth in the scurrilous rumour that Chris Sievey was Frank Sidebottom. I interviewed the pair of them on the phone for my ‘North Will Rise Again’ oral history of Manchester book and after about an hour of brilliant stuff from Chris I asked him about Frank figuring he must know something about the nasally comic genius.
The phone went click.
Dead.
A few minutes later the phone rang and oddly it was Frank on the phone coincidentally ringing to sort out an interview.

The comic genius behind Mancunian legend Frank Sidebottom is facing a pauper's funeral after dying virtually penniless.

Chris Sievey, whose alter-ego became a comedy icon thanks to his over-sized papier-mache head, had no assets and little money in the bank, his family have revealed.

Chris leaves sons Stirling, 31, and Harry, 18, and daughter Asher, 30. Stirling said the family have been in discussion with hospital bereavement officers and a funeral director.

He said: "My father has not left any money behind and we are struggling to try and sort his funeral out. He spent money as it came in and was always a man for the moment. He never planned ahead. We have spoken to a funeral director and the sort of figures that they are talking about are too high."

Did a gig with Frank almost 4 years ago to the day. It was a 2006 world cup gig with England v Trinidad on a big screen followed by a the bands, followed by Frank. Chris and his manager/promoter had driven down from Manc in a van with his keyboards, Frank's heads/costumes and a mountain of wholesaler's boxes of crisps and cheese puffs which they continually served out to fans watching the game in the bar of the Bull & Gate. Out of costume, he was a small, retiring figure who sat nervously on his own. As Frank, even though everyone knew all the material backwards, he was warm, larger-than-life and v.v funny. RIP

even though everyone knew all the material backwards

I think a major part of Franks appeal was that fact that the audience participated and was part of the show..

you can help pay for Franks funeral expenses here http://www.radiotimperley.com/

it would appear that frank is well regarded as they've raised more than enough already, about £6k in a few hours

http://twitter.com/jonronson
""

(but don't let that stop you)

(oops, extraneous ""s, was going to try and explain why jon ronson is involved, but i'm not sure myself 8)

JRonson is another of Chris Sievey's past associates, along with Caroline Aherne, etc.

Guess Who's Been On Match Of The Day? is currently at number 46 on the pop charts.

No!

Think it's higher than that now.

Go Frank!

There's a celebration of him tonight, somewhere in Manchester. Don't know the details though.

number 22 or something now. i've bought it.

"Because of the sheer amount of love and goodwill, the family have also
agreed to host another seperate send-off for Frank Sidebottom which will be
held at Castlefield Arena on 8th July between 7:00pm and 10:00pm. The event
is totally free and will feature the likes of Badly Drawn Boy, Charlie
Chuck and others. More details can be found at
http://www.radiotimperley.com/franks-fantastic-send-off-information/ "

Charlie Chuck!

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2010/11/2/1288721883143/frank-sidebottam-006.jpg

Selfridges in Frank Sidebottom head row

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2010/11/2/1288721883143/frank-sidebottam-006.jpg

A+ final paragraph

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19516388

Frank Sidebottom inspires Michael Fassbender film

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/62748000/jpg/_62748010_frank1_bodypa.jpg
Fassbender (l) will wear a false head in the film similar to that worn by Frank Sidebottom (r)

Michael Fassbender is to star in a film partially inspired by Frank Sidebottom, the eccentric comedy character renowned for his over-sized, papier-mache head.

Frank, a Film4 collaboration with the Irish Film Board, tells of a musician who joins a band led by Fassbender's mysterious title character.

The film is written by journalist and author Jon Ronson with Peter Straughan.

http://aws-c4-generic-sites.s3.amazonaws.com/film4blog-prod/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/frank.jpg

http://blog.film4.com/first-photograph-of-maggie-gyllenhaal-michael-fassbender-and-domhnall-gleeson-in-frank/

So, is Clara meant to represent Paula?

Kickstarter for Sidebottom documentary: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/126673955/being-frank-the-chris-sievey-story

Trailer

http://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2014/mar/06/frank-trailer-michael-fassbender-video

So...nothing whatsoever to do with Frank Sidebottom or Chris Seivey then?

A quirky band takes a road trip across America to take a shot at their one chance at fame. There's a movie I want to see.

yowch that looks dreadful. weird how they've pitched it as a high-octane action comedy with buff hollywood star in the lead role, words like HILARIOUS and ABSURD in a jolly yellow font flashing up on screen to signpost that the 'jokes' are actually jokes. then there's this clip which takes more of a twee sub-spike jonze equally-irritating tack: http://vimeo.com/84321394

either way ronson has gotta be having sleepless nights about how rotten this is looking like turning out

http://susiemadrak.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/wahmbulance-1.jpg

If this is nothing to do with the original Sidebottom, then why use a similar mask and name. I don't understand.

(not seen the film btw)

nobody understands. i don't.

it took me ages to realise it was 'Frank' talking in the film, because he had a US accent.

If you want to know why, seek out Jon Ronson's "Frank" the making of the movie, hardback, small but cheap.

If not, stick with "they used a similar mask and name" and leave it at that.

In other news, I did get the original soundtrack CD for this film, I liked it a lot. I have placed it next to my Frank Sidebottom CD box set , they seem to be coexisting OK, so far

Another movie to come?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1jConflbmo

.

the film 'frank' is great, one of the best films about music i've seen

it entirely sympathises with frank and his band, and turns its gormless narrator/observer into a genuine monster, the aggressively vapid carcass of british indie and social media valorisation inflicted on the delicate integrity of artists. and yeah, the closing movement is absolutely incredible. the song, my god the song! and then the final five seconds are up there in final five seconds of any movie i've seen - it's perfect, a sort of miniature musical manifesto, a purging of evil

I had to seek out the soundtrack album. There is one.

It is also awesome...

I'm really going to have to watch this again. As much as I enjoyed the film, I'm not sure I absorbed the whole thing, especially things like:

turns its gormless narrator/observer into a genuine monster

really? how so?

and I didn't notice anything remarkable about the ending at all?

A good companion to this film though is Moodysson's 'We Are The Best'

Now it's funny/appropriate you mention the Moodyson in context of _Frank_ in that this piece yesterday talks about both through the lens of the tortured artist myth (and a reaction to it in the context of these films):

http://www.wonderingsound.com/feature/music-film-2014-whiplash-we-are-the-best-frank/

xpost because he ends up taking over the situation, separating Frank from the rest of the band, passively, to the point where the SXSQ performance is Jon doing his 'nice' songs while Frank stands by and is the focus of attention. And Jon loving it.

that article, on frank at least, is self-contradictory and point-missing imo

I liked this movie but with reservations. The music was a let-down tbh (not talking about the final scene here). just this guy who was so into creating this select group of people to surround himself with and to play music with and yet his expression of himself was some ridiculous sub-Doors twaddle. thought that was lamely played for laughs rather than providing some illumination as to who/what Frank was.

Well, I thought so as well, but the songs on the soundtrack (effectively the 2nd time of hearing) I liked better.

What's the chance of a Beefheart biopic d'ye reckon? Could be a cross between this and that Charles Manson movie, "Helter Skelter"?

Well, now this film exists, I can't see it happening.

I imagine there would be legal problems too... plus people might not believe it could actually have happened.

britishers: 'Frank' is on film4 tonight at 22:40

Britishers: don't bother it's rubbish

No it isn't.

it looks bobbins

it's quite good, great ending

trailer does not entice

don't suppose i'm the target market tho

Thread idea:

Self-discipline: what are you the target market for?

cider, cheese snacks

This was not a very good movie. Not helped by Domnhall Gleeson being almost inexplicably terrible.

I felt like its treatment of mental illness was completely uneven, and it very much confused what the movie was supposed to be about. The ending is a relief, mostly because you finally get to hear Frank and his band play a whole goddamn song.

(Gleeson's been good playing an earnest yet self-serving twit elsewhere, namely Ex Machina, so I can't figure out what happened here other than weak material)

The 'Real' Frank Sidebottom docu-movie is finally getting its previews and release and so on!

A review of the new documentary

The reviewer isn't familiar with Frank and doesn't seem to quite catch what he's all about so maybe the film misses the mark a bit? Still, can't wait to see this.

https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2019/01/09/42042/frank_sidebottom_movie_gets_a_uk_and_us_cinema_release

out this week

GCHQ cracks Frank Sidebottom's secret codes

Awesome

Boffins and bobbins in the same sentence but not in the title? :(

Gratifying to see the British secret services are good for least one thing.

wasn't sure if 100 mins of a frank sidebottom documentary might become trying but i ended up thoroughly enjoying it.