Director: Steve Sullivan
Cast: Frank Sidebottom, Johnny Vegas, Ross Noble, John Cooper Clarke, Mark Radcliffe, Mike Joyce
Rating: 15
Running time: 105 mins
Release date: 29/03/2019
To a generation, the figure ‘Frank Sidebottom’ was a rather infuriating and irritable character that did sub-standard cover versions of popular songs seemingly out of tune and gracing many of the kids TV shows in as visible a fashion as possible.
However, the backstory of this strange creation is an extraordinary revelation in Steve Sullivan’s brand new documentary being released through the competent documentary film distributor Altitude Films, BEING FRANK – THE CHRIS SIEVEY STORY.
Sievey was an enigma and on this basis a very talented musician and performer who became an independent entrepreneur after being part of a band called The Freshies. His own personal problems began when he took LSD courtesy of his brother and in this instance, he reminds one of the troubled lead singer of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, who was an equally elusive character later on in life and who also died tragically.
The story tells of a visit to London to Apple and a meeting in the recording studio with Beatle Sir Ringo Starr, plus a moment when Sievey and his band forged the headed paper of Stiff Records and created the mystique of a brand-new brilliant band, in turn causing many executives to turn up in limos et al to the HQ of Stiff, whilst happily giggling in a cafe across the road.
There is an early appearance on the 1980s ITV Breakfast show TV-AM, in which Sievey shares a novel way of presenting his lyrics via a computer programme on the then-popular Sinclair computer, which featured on the B-side of a single which he promoted himself.
There are some very funny reflections from those who knew him, including members of his family and the latter part of the documentary focuses on the Sidebottom mini-phenomenon, which seemingly took over his life and ironically was intended to be part of a five year plan in which he would discard the persona so he could become the talent that he genuinely wanted to be.
Director Sullivan also worked with Sievey on the 2006 film MAGICAL TIMPERLEY TOUR, the town which became synoymous with Sidebottom:
This is one of the funniest and most poignant documentaries of all time and an enlightening journey through the mind of a troubled talent whose own ingenuity could have bordered on madness or sheer genius.
Highly recommended – even if you hate Frank Sidebottom….
Details about the film can be found at the official webpage
