History Creator / FrankSidebottom

!! Tropes associated with Frank Sidebottom include...

Frank Sidebottom was the creation and alter ego of musician Chris Sievey, who was born in Ashton-On-Mersey some 2-and-a-half miles from Timperley. Chris was a rock musician with an encyclopaediac knowledge of 3D films, a passion for science fiction (particularly the works of {{Creator/Gerry Anderson}}) and a strong desire to make it to Top of the Pops. Unfortunately, none of these qualities resulted in a successful career: Chris released a series of albums from 1975 to 1983 both with and without his band, the Freshies, but the closest they ever got to the Top Ten was #53 in the Singles Chart, with "I'm in Love With the Girl On The Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk". Following a particularly fallow period for the band (and after at least one near bankruptcy), Chris began work on a video game, ''The Biz'', for the ZX Spectrum, which allowed players to create a band and attempt to push them to national chart success. The game came with an interview conducted by none other than a certain pop music fanatic from Timperley...
Soon afterwards, Chris began a career as Frank, signing a short-lived contract with EMI.

Frank inhabited a strange liminal space between his world and ours: often literally pushing his way in to the pop world, Frank was the embodiment of both a celebration and a condemnation of pop music: Frank was self-promoting and desperate for attention, but he retained a naiveté and enthusiasm for music that was hard to dislike. He was annoying and repetitive to many, but sometimes his rearrangements of songs showed a flash of genius. Frank's world, as heard on his radio programmes and records and seen in his TV series, was a strange idyll in the North; a fantasy world where zoo animals co-existed with home-made science fiction robots and a trip into outer space was as likely as a day out in Blackpool. Chris Sievey died of cancer in 2010, aged just 54.

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been considered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for ''ComicBook/{{Oink}}'', provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team ([[https://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/timperleybigshortsfc/41791/Home The Timperley Bigshorts]]) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

You know it can, it really can.

Frank inhabited a strange liminal space between his world and ours: often literally pushing his way in to the pop world, Frank was the embodiment of both a celebration and a condemnation of pop music: Frank was self-promoting and desperate for attention, but he retained a naivete and enthusiasm for music that was hard to dislike. He was annoying and repetitive to many, but sometimes his rearrangements of songs showed a flash of genius. Frank's world, as heard on his radio programmes and records and seen in his TV series', was a strange idyll in the North; a fantasy world where zoo animals co-existed with home-made science fiction robots and a trip into outer space was as likely as a day out in Blackpool. Chris Sievey died of cancer in 2010, aged just 54.

Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and [[Series/TheRoyleFamily Caroline Aherne]]. He also performed covers of many, many musicians and groups, including: {{Captain Beefheart}}, {{Kylie Minogue}} and {{The Fall}}. Famous Frank Fans include {{Ultravox}} musician Midge Ure (who appeared on his 1990 television programme, ''Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show'') and alternative comedian Creator/StewartLee, who helped raise money for a statue of Frank to be erected in Timperley in 2013. A partial discography can be found [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom here]].

Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and [[Series/TheRoyleFamily Caroline Aherne]]. He also performed covers of many, many musicians and groups, including: {{Captain Beefheart}}, {{Kylie Minogue}} and {{The Fall}}. Famous Frank Fans include {{Ultravox}} musician Midge Ure (who appeared on his 1990 television programme, ''Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show'') and alternative comedian {{Stewart Lee}}, who helped raise money for a statue of Frank to be erected in Timperley in 2013. A partial discography can be found [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom here]].

Frank Sidebottom was the creation and alter ego of musician Chris Sievey, who was born in Ashton-On-Mersey some 2-and-a-half miles from Timperley. Chris was a rock musician with an encyclopaediac knowledge of 3D films, a passion for science fiction (particularly the works of Gerry Anderson) and a strong desire to make it to Top of the Pops. Unfortunately, none of these qualities resulted in a successful career: Chris released a series of albums from 1975 to 1983 both with and without his band, the Freshies, but the closest they ever got to the Top Ten was #53 in the Singles Chart, with "I'm in Love With the Girl On The Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk". Following the Freshie split, Chris began work on a video game, ''The Biz'', for the ZX Spectrum, which allowed players to create a band and attempt to push them to national chart success. The game came with an interview conducted by none other than a certain pop music fanatic from Timperley...

Frank inhabited a strange liminal space between his world and ours: often literally pushing his way in to the pop world, Frank's characterisation was both a celebration and a condemnation of pop music: Frank was self-promoting and desperate for attention, but he retained a naivete and enthusiasm for music that was hard to dislike. Frank's world, as heard on his radio programmes and records and seen in his TV series', was a strange idyll in the North; a fantasy world where zoo animals co-existed with science fiction robots and a trip into outer space was as likely as a day out in Blackpool. Chris Sievey died of cancer in 2010, aged just 54.
Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and [[Series/TheRoyleFamily Caroline Aherne]]. Famous Frank Fans include {{Ultravox}} musician Midge Ure (who appeared on his 1990 television programme, ''Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show'') and alternative comedian {{Stewart Lee}}, who helped raise money for a statue of Frank to be erected in Timperley in 2013. A partial discography can be found [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom here]].

Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and [[Series/TheRoyleFamily Caroline Aherne]]. Famous Frank Fans include {{Ultravox}} musician Midge Ure (who appeared on his 1990 television programme, ''Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show'') and alternative comedian Stewart Lee, who helped raise money for a statue of Frank to be erected in Timperley in 2013. A partial discography can be found [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom here]].

Soon afterwards, Chris began a career as Frank, signing a short-lived contract with EMI. Frank inhabited a strange liminal space between his world and ours: often literally pushing his way in to the pop world, Frank's characterisation was both a celebration and a condemnation of pop music: Frank was self-promoting and desperate for attention, but he retained a naivete and enthusiasm for music that was hard to dislike. Frank's world, as heard on his radio programmes and records and seen in his TV series', was a strange idyll in the North; a fantasy world where zoo animals co-existed with science fiction robots and a trip into outer space was as likely as a day out in Blackpool. Chris Sievey died of cancer in 2010, aged just 54.

Soon afterwards, Chris began a career as Frank, signing a short-lived contract with EMI. Frank inhabited a strange liminal space between his world and ours: often literally pushing his way in to the pop world, Frank's characterisation was both a celebration and a condemnation of pop music: Frank was self-promoting and desperate for attention, but he retained a naivete and enthusiasm for music that was hard to dislike. Frank's world, as heard on his radio programmes and records and seen in his TV series', was a strange idyll in the North; a fantasy world where zoo animals co-existed with science fiction robots and a trip into outer space was as likely as a day out in Blackpool.
Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and Creator/CarolineAherne. Famous Frank Fans include {{Ultravox}} musician Midge Ure (who appeared on his 1990 television programme, ''Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show'') and alternative comedian Stewart Lee, who helped raise money for a statue of Frank to be erected in Timperley in 2013. A partial discography can be found [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom here]].

Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and Creator/CarolineAherne. A partial discography can be found [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom here]].

Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and Creator/CarolineAherne. A partial discography can be found[[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom here]].

Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/NewOrder Peter Hook]] and Creator/CarolineAherne. A partial discography can be found here:[[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom]].

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been considered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for ''ComicBook/{{Oink}}'', provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been considered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for Oink!, provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been considered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for [[ComicBook/Oink Oink!]], provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been considered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for [[ComicBook/Oink!]], provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been considered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for ComicBook/Oink!, provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

Frank collaborated with many people over the course of his career, including [[Music/TheSmiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke]], [[Music/New Order Peter Hook]] and Creator/CarolineAherne. A partial discography can be found here:[[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom]].

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been conisdered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for Comic/Oink!, provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

And that's just ten years of his career. A partial discography can be found here:[[https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom]].

[[''I was born in Timperley...'']]

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been conisdered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/end note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for Comic/Oink!, provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:

[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

Frank Sidebottom was a 37-year-old man from the Manchester suburb of Timperley [[note]]although Timperley has historically been conisdered to be part of Cheshire, in recent years it come to be part of the Greater Manchester area.[[/end note]], where he lived with his mum. He had a wide and varied career in what he called "showbiz", even though his mum didn't approve--over the years he made music, radio programmes and two TV programmes, wrote a column for {{Oink!}}, provided commentary on Setanta Sport, founded his own football team (The Timperley Bigshorts) and made guest appearances on dozens of television programmes, including a regular feature on ITV children's show No.73 and the MTV Europe gameshow Remote Control. According to the liner notes of "A B C & D", his "Best of" compilation, between 1984 and 1994 he:
made 23 musical releases ("on 7"; 12'; picture disc; cassette; CD and flexi");
made over 360 "radio timperley" broadcasts, not including guest appearances and hospital radio;
made over 300 TV appearances, two of which were cancelled;
performed over 1000 concerts, including Glastonbury and Wembley Stadium.

And that's just ten years of his career. A partial discography can be found [[here https://www.discogs.com/artist/267701-Frank-Sidebottom]].