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1
00:00:10,770 --> 00:00:20,771


2
00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,954
(dramatic music)

3
00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:40,952
- [Frank] Hello, everybody!

4
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,319
- [Crowd] Hello!

5
00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,871
(Frank humming lo dramatic music)

6
00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:58,432
- You eilher loved him or you hated him.

7
00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,230
- He's fantastic.
He was such a fever pilch of excitemenl.

8
00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,555
- There is a different way of looking
al the world.

9
00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,397
There's a different way of acting
in this world.

10
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,436
- The only true performance
is that which achieves madness

11
00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,710
and there are moments
where it achieves madness.

12
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:21,233
I Here comes Darth with no shoes on. J‘

13
00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:26,155
I Here comes Darth with no shoes off. J‘

14
00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:31,310
I Oh. here comes Darth with no shoes on}

15
00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:36,031
I Here comes Darth with no sh-sh-shoes on. J‘

16
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,148
- ll's bizarre,
the bizarre world of Frank Sideboltom.

17
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:41,992
- No one’s ever ever seen him
with his head off.

18
00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:43,155
That was the big thing.

19
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:45,915
- He existed to me and that was it.

20
00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,433
ldidn't want to know that there was someone
pulling strings or smoke and mirrors.

21
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:51,954
Don't burst the bubble.

22
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,273
- Frank was dead wary about
having his picture taken

23
00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:57,713
being transformed.

24
00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,876
If the camera came out, he knew,
he had a sixth sense.

25
00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,995
Frank didn't wanna be exposed
to being a normal human being.

26
00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:09,634
Which he wasn't.

27
00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,555
(Frank humming)

28
00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:38,630
(laughing)

29
00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:43,389
- [Fan] Cheers!

30
00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,274
(mellow guitar music)

31
00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,355
J‘ There's a chair over there i

32
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,113
I That I usually share with you t

33
00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,272
I Where are you? t

34
00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,758
I And where did your Cello Man go? )

35
00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:09,678
J‘ Sad and upset a)

36
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,792
I‘ And his only regret is me a)

37
00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,990
I'Cause where are me? J‘

38
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,276
t And where did your Cello Man go? i

39
00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,598
t Where are you? t

40
00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,597
(kids playing faintly)

41
00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,559
- I think he was very popular at school.

42
00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,869
He was quite popular with the girls, I think,
as a 10-year-old.

43
00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:48,758
I don't think he had any problem
with bullying

44
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,519
because what he would do,
he'd befriend the bully.

45
00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,551
You know, maybe make the bully laugh
or something.

46
00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,476
One lad who was a bit of a thug
was his minder.

47
00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:01,312
(lighthearted music)

48
00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:03,835
Christopher coped. academically

49
00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,633
although one art teacher said. "He has talent

50
00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,274
but his fantasy is not always a success."

51
00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,114
I think he was very happy on his own as well

52
00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,039
doing stuff, but then there had to be
an audience at the end of it.

53
00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,589
He wanted to entertain other people.

54
00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,036
So he had the Subbuteo club.

55
00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,113
- He used to have a Subbuteo League
with the lads from school.

56
00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:27,832
We'd go round each other's houses.

57
00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,758
You'd play on the floor or on a table

58
00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:32,274
but no. not at Chris's.

59
00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,356
You'd have to buy tickets beforehand
for the game.

60
00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,636
So. a paddock where the lads would stand up.

61
00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,353
You'd have a seating area at the other side
where the posh people went. you know

62
00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,874
with the hospitality-type stuff.

63
00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:43,678
Erm, programmes.

64
00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,436
You know, and that was at school.

65
00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,756
So you imagine he was thinking all this stuff
through his head at school.

66
00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,355
His head must have been buzzing with ideas

67
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:53,549
and things he wanted to do.

68
00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,953
- [Martin] For a while, we kind of called
ourselves the Space Brothers.

69
00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,788
We were into space in, you know,
a trippy kind of way.

70
00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,509
I had some LSD on blotting paper

71
00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:12,471
so it was easy to cut a section
of the blotting paper off

72
00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:14,158
so I could give him a small dose

73
00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,478
'cause I didn't know what it was gonna do
to me when lfirst took it

74
00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,351
and I certainly didn't know
what it would do to him

75
00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,914
but of course, it blew his mind as well.

76
00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,275
He just... never the same again.

77
00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,630
Well, you're never the same again
after you've experienced that.

78
00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:33,989
t Long ago in Bubbleland surreal J‘

79
00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,840
J‘ Hard to imagine, so hard to feel i

80
00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:47,191
J‘ So tough to picture in your mind J‘

81
00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,153
) Stretch your brain and you may find)

82
00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,950
)Gogglebubbleland)

83
00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,356
)Gogglebubbleland)

84
00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:05,869
(mellow guitar music)

85
00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,115
- I'd be in bed, 11 o'clock, half 11 at night

86
00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,469
the phone would ring, it'd be Chris.

87
00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:26,954
"Oh, I've just got this new Beatles,
this Beatles bootleg."

88
00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,639
"It's fantastic, you've got to listen to it.
You've got to listen to it."

89
00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,716
And he'd start trying to play it to us
down the phone

90
00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,479
and you have to show a bit of enthusiasm,
'cause you're my mate

91
00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:36,670
but not at half 11, 12 o'clock at night.

92
00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,634
- [Martin]
A folder of Beatles-related memorabilia,

93
00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:42,797
"The Story of Lennon & McCartney,"

94
00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:44,990
"The World's Greatest Songwriters,"

95
00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,869
and then on the next page,
there's a feature about some other artists

96
00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:50,831
which has just been crossed out

97
00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:52,991
so you don't have to waste time reading

98
00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,072
through anything that's not about
the Beatles.

99
00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:57,758
No time for Stevie Wonder.

100
00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,389
Even the advertisements
have been crossed out.

101
00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:01,509
(he chuckles)

102
00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:04,792
There was an advert in the Daily Express

103
00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,593
saying, "Beatles, looking for new talent."

104
00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,719
I said to Chris, shall we just go to Apple
and play our songs?

105
00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,872
- [Interviewer] When you first went down
to London, was it, you went to Apple?

106
00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,798
- [Chris]
Er, yeah, my brother and |, Martin

107
00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,308
we had two acoustic guitars,
so we hitched down

108
00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:25,037
we got there nine o'clock in the morning
and we went in and sat down in reception

109
00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,753
and said, "We're not going
till you sign us up."

110
00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,231
And... I mean, they tried to throw us out
and everything

111
00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:32,474
but we wouldn't budge.

112
00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,034
In the end, a bloke came down
and he had a listen to us

113
00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:36,354
and he liked the stuff.

114
00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,517
So they took us in a studio there
a couple of days later

115
00:08:39,560 --> 00:08:41,790
and we did 11 tracks for them.

116
00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,555
- Halfway through the evening,
a guest arrived into the studio

117
00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,352
and it was Ringo Starr,

118
00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,110
and of course, Chris and l
were completely blown away

119
00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,835
especially when he spoke to us
and he said, "Hello, boys."

120
00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:56,076
That's all he said.

121
00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:01,599
The advice from Apple was go home,
get a band together

122
00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:03,995
and gradually work our way up
into show business.

123
00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,750
) But I know you won't let that happen
to you. )

124
00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,598
- We had a band title of Hard Sharks

125
00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,200
and we had a tryout
with a couple of other guys

126
00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,789
and we were called Big Cheese,
and that was about it.

127
00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,196
So we never got a recording contract

128
00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:20,912
and we never got a band together.

129
00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,878
We tried, but the inspiration faded

130
00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,674
and Chris and I went our separate ways.

131
00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,229
- [Chris] So, my brother lost interest

132
00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,669
and I thought, well, I'm determined
to crack this business

133
00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,234
'cause once I start something
I've got to see it through.

134
00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,674
) Now that my life is over)

135
00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,031
(guitar music)

136
00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:18,792
) Now that my life is over)

137
00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,913
) And all my time's been spent)

138
00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,993
- [Radio] We're going to investigate
the world of cassettes.

139
00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,157
(Radio jingle)

140
00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,511
(guitar music)

141
00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:43,069
) It's just another room by another place)

142
00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,352
) When suddenly the girl at the door
wears the same face you wear)

143
00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:51,035
) But it's me that's faced
with a double problem)

144
00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,917
) How can I decide?)

145
00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:55,670
) Wait. )

146
00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,314
- [Paul] Don't forget, he would have been
doing all these himself.

147
00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,874
Doing the instruments, recording it,
copying it to tape

148
00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:05,710
doing the handwritten labels and stuff
so it was limited sort of editions he'd do.

149
00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:07,671
- [Martin] I think they were not
a limited edition

150
00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:09,358
they were a limited addition.

151
00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,870
So if he got an order for one, he'd do one.

152
00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:14,238
- [Chris] I spent about three, four years

153
00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:18,353
just going around record companies
and there was just no interest at all.

154
00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:20,511
- [Interviewer] Is it true that you've got
a scrapbook

155
00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:21,754
crammed full of rejection slips?

156
00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:25,793
- [Chris] Yeah, well, we've published one,
which was 104 rejection slips.

157
00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,673
- [Interviewer] Do you never get disheartened
though when that's happening to you?

158
00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,597
- [Chris] No, it always spurs me on, you know

159
00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:32,796
because I'm sure record companies
haven't any idea

160
00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,990
what they're doing at all and it's great.

161
00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:36,912
- [Interviewer] There's one from
Factory Records,

162
00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,270
which at the top of it says
"temporary rejection slip."

163
00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,358
"Dear Chris, your real
rejection slip is in the post."

164
00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:45,593
- [Chris] Most record companies,
the big ones,

165
00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:47,596
they get so many tapes sent them

166
00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:49,756
that they type up a standard letter

167
00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,031
and what I did was I typed up
my own rejection slip

168
00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,112
and all they had to do was sign it
and post it back to me

169
00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,038
and that was what I got back from Magnet,
just "nice try."

170
00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,351
(piano music)

171
00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,514
- [Paula] When I met him,
he came to work in the factory.

172
00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:44,790
Just sitting there and this guy walks in,

173
00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,274
you know, with bright red knee-high
leather boots

174
00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:52,155
and a green suede jacket and, like,
eyeliner on,

175
00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,072
and we went, "Oh, look at him!"

176
00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,278
Nobody dressed like that.

177
00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,910
Nobody dressed like that and he kept
walking in a factory

178
00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,037
to do a proper mundane
factory job dressed like that.

179
00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:05,876
| used to think, "God, is it Monday?
I can't wait."

180
00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,037
"I need to see this guy."
He was such a mysterious person.

181
00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,917
We went walking down the canal,
just talking and chatting away

182
00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,110
and just pushed me in the canal.

183
00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:19,516
Just completely out of the blue

184
00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:21,832
for no reason whatsoever.

185
00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:25,358
Next thing, I'm in the canal

186
00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,630
and, like, he helped me get out
and everything.

187
00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:30,513
I went, "God, you absolute stupid idiot."

188
00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:33,996
You know, I was covered in all...
the canal's notjust water,

189
00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,998
it's like gunge and all sorts,
and mud and slime.

190
00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:40,032
l was like, "My God, why did you do that?"

191
00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:41,951
And he just went, "I dunno."

192
00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,037
I think I tried to push him in,
but I couldn't get him in

193
00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:47,753
and then we just fell on the canal bank
and ended up kissing.

194
00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,199
And I didn't wanna kiss him,

195
00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:51,231
because it wasn't that kind of relationship.

196
00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:52,599
So I just went like that...

197
00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,433
And he says,
"You're a really rubbish kisser."

198
00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:58,471
I said, "It's 'cause I'm trying
not to kiss you."

199
00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:00,317
"That's why I'm a rubbish kisser."

200
00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:03,120
And then I just realized there and then,

201
00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,197
ljust thought, God, lam so in love
with this person.

202
00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:10,839
That was it, really.

203
00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:13,716
) In every way )

204
00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:18,274
) Paula, my love )

205
00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,837
) I couldn't last the day without you )

206
00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:24,998
- [Paula] We'd only, like,
known each other a few weeks

207
00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,674
and he just says, "Should we go
and get married on Monday?"

208
00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:29,552
So lwent, "Yeah, OK, then."

209
00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:31,752
We went to work as normal

210
00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,918
and we'd booked in a wedding at the town hall

211
00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:39,556
in Sale for lunch time on our lunch break,
and nobody knew.

212
00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,439
(Chris sings a tune)

213
00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,398
- [Chris] This is Christopher Sievey,

214
00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,157
just singing a few bits of tapes of mine

215
00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,749
to register to prove that they are mine.

216
00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,670
(Chris singing)

217
00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,152
- We were really short on space
living in my mum's spare bedroom,

218
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,317
and he always just adapted
to wherever he was,

219
00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,999
so we kind of pulled the wardrobe out a bit

220
00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,076
and there was this space
behind the wardrobe.

221
00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:33,714
Like, put all his recording gear in there.

222
00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,588
Me dad coming in and noticing all the plugs
he had plugged in.

223
00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:39,835
He'd just walk in, unplug the whole lot out.

224
00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:41,950
"You're not using all my electricity."

225
00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,396
(electric guitar music)

226
00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:58,995
(upbeat guitar music)

227
00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,155
- Kids, never be a pop-writing genius.

228
00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,111
- The Freshies were never part of
the in-crowd.

229
00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:24,515
- It was like a night out with your mates
for weeks and months on end.

230
00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,709
- They all had a similar insanity.

231
00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,510
That's why I thought they
were gonna be successful.

232
00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,473
- Tell you what we didn't take too seriously,
rehearsing.

233
00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:37,673
- Chris just had these classic songs as well,
and I thought this guy should be massive.

234
00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:38,675
This makes no sense.

235
00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,996
Why is he playing the Gallery in Manchester
to 100 people?

236
00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:43,871
He should be, like, number one in the charts.

237
00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:48,229
- You've just got to accept the fact
that somebody who was being not recognized

238
00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,312
and was still piling out these songs.

239
00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,314
- If you don't like the
songs of Chris Sievey

240
00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:55,799
there's something wrong with you.

241
00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,274
- They were just a pop band,
they weren't The Clash.

242
00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:01,229
They were The Freshies.

243
00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:41,429
- [Interviewer] Where does the name
"The Freshies" come from?

244
00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,268
- [Chris] ltjust meant nothing but
it sounded sort of bright and alert.

245
00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:46,788
So it stuck.

246
00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:51,192
- I think it was him rebelling against all
the doomy overcoat brigade

247
00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,754
you know, all into Joy Division

248
00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,189
and everybody walking around like,
"I'm so cool."

249
00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:57,593
"I'm all in black."

250
00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:01,315
And, you know, Freshies,
totally opposite to all that.

251
00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,871
It wasn't cool, nobody thought it was cool

252
00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,434
and he did it anyway, and it was great.

253
00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:17,755
(garbled record music)

254
00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,280
- [Chris on record] God, there's a lot of
dust on this needle.

255
00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:26,992
(sound of blowing)

256
00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,670
(record playing)

257
00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:33,714
- You suddenly became aware that he was in
absolute control of everything he did.

258
00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,637
All the artwork is controlled by Chris,

259
00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:37,636
all the recordings are controlled by Chris.

260
00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,357
- [Chris] Design a cover,
get them printed up

261
00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,238
stick all the labels on,
and the covers together

262
00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,916
you know, cart 'em around shops,
send out copies to DJs

263
00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,992
you know, the full works,
from start to finish.

264
00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,153
You know, there's more satisfaction
from doing it that way.

265
00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,316
- Well, I'll tell you, Michelangelo,

266
00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:57,794
he used to go to the quarry
and dig out his lumps of marble

267
00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,308
and he used to wheelbarrow them back to base

268
00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:02,237
because he didn't trust it to anybody else.

269
00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,912
- [Interviewer] Tell us some ofthe things
that you have done to get the band known.

270
00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:13,919
- [Chris] Erm, well, basically
I do daft things.

271
00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:15,559
- [Interviewer] Tell us about your escapades,

272
00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,388
like the secret meeting while you were
promoting Yellow Spot at Stiff Records?

273
00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:20,990
- While we're in Stiff,

274
00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:24,191
Chris stole some letter-headed paper.

275
00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,033
- [Chris] I then wrote to everyone
in the record business

276
00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,197
saying they were having a secret meeting
and you've been invited.

277
00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:34,672
A&R men, managers, record company executives

278
00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,439
even Elton John we wrote to, you know.

279
00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,233
We sent this letter saying,
"There is a secret meeting

280
00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,477
for a big signing and you'll
have to know what to say."

281
00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,750
So the second letter went out and it said

282
00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:47,159
"What did you see?"

283
00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,509
You have to say, "I see a yellow spot."

284
00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:50,835
) What do you see?)

285
00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:51,949
) I saw a yellow spot...)

286
00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:55,078
- [Chris] We'd, like, jam the phone line
for three days.

287
00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:57,072
It was driving them potty.

288
00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,398
- And all these people turned up at Stiff
saying, "I saw a yellow spot."

289
00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:05,673
And me and Chris were across the road
in the pub watching this.

290
00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,592
There was people driving up in limousines

291
00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,837
people getting out of cabs,
people in really flashy clothes.

292
00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:12,717
- [Chris]
And the idea was I was going to turn up

293
00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:16,594
with a video cassette and, like, play it
to everybody in the business.

294
00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,636
It turned out
they didn't have a video machine

295
00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,114
that lifted the one I'd brought anyway

296
00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,634
so I just got ticked off and sent home.

297
00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:26,950
- Look.

298
00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:28,632
Look, we're all on the telly.

299
00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:29,994
- Isn't it good?

300
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:32,519
- We're all on the telly.

301
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:34,310
Wave.

302
00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:36,948
Wave, Stirling.

303
00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:39,395
- Wave, wave, Asher.

304
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:45,511
I remember having a video
when nobody else even knew what a video was.

305
00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,118
We had no, like,
things that everybody else had

306
00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:50,798
but we had a video camera.

307
00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:56,510
- Here we are, a quick look at
Asher's bedroom

308
00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:58,869
before we paint it and it becomes
Mummy's bedroom.

309
00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:00,876
Take that match out of your mouth.

310
00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:02,314
Wave to the camera.

311
00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:05,429
Where's the Dalek?

312
00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,153
Behind you, oh, there it is!

313
00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,914
What else is in here?
Shall we have a look what else there is?

314
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,831
- When we was young,
he'd done a Yellow Submarine

315
00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:16,711
Sergeant Pepper mural in my bedroom.

316
00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,437
- [Paula] He did that when Stirling,
our first baby, was born

317
00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:24,031
and it was for him, really,
because it was Sergeant Pepper.

318
00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,355
- Well, it's Yellow Submarine,
it's child-friendly.

319
00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:30,399
I don't think probably the full room
was what she had as her intentions.

320
00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:32,112
- [Paula]
It wasn't really a nursery

321
00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:35,596
but it looked great as a nursery
and it was brilliant.

322
00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:37,517
Aw, it was so good.

323
00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,110
When Asher came along,
they needed to go into the bigger bedroom

324
00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:42,912
and we needed to go into the small room.

325
00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,633
So, he needed to paint over it.

326
00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:47,791
It must have broken his heart.

327
00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:50,271
We should have just kept it like that.

328
00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:54,199
Oh, you live and learn as you get older,
you really do.

329
00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,319
(drum and fanfare music)
(child mumbling)

330
00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:22,393
He was a great dad.

331
00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,673
He was a really good dad before school.

332
00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,518
Once the kids went to school
and started learning other stuff

333
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,275
he said to me, "I've lost them now."

334
00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,515
"Because they're not my kids anymore."

335
00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:37,916
"They're learning stuffwith other people."

336
00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:42,318
He loved having them where they were doing
everything that he liked doing.

337
00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,358
If they didn't wanna go to bed, well,
why are you putting them to bed?

338
00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:46,913
They don't wanna go to bed.

339
00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:48,279
Let them stay up.

340
00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:50,351
- From growing up with it,
you think it's normal,

341
00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,391
and you go up to other people's houses

342
00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,159
and the dads are coming home from work
at half five, et cetera,

343
00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,031
and that's when you sort of see,
"0h, hold on.“

344
00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:58,513
"This is not how everybody else lives."

345
00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,798
- Our house was very silly and daft
all the time.

346
00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:03,515
- Mama...

347
00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:04,874
- Hey, she's talking, isn't she?

348
00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:09,835
- Mama.

349
00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:11,757
- His favorite meal was cheese on toast,

350
00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:13,950
but not your usual cheese on toast.

351
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,470
He'd put it under the grill,
and it wasn't ready until it was on fire,

352
00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:18,748
actually on fire.

353
00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,434
He'd wait until it was sort of aflame
in the middle.

354
00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:23,118
That was his favourite meal ever.

355
00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:26,590
- Because we'd grown up with that,
itjust felt normal to us, you know.

356
00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:28,073
We didn't know it any other way

357
00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:30,315
and I don't think I would
have wanted it any other way.

358
00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:32,999
It was great fun growing up,
we had the time of our lives.

359
00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:37,235
- He loved them kids
and he took them everywhere.

360
00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:39,436
We all went together
everywhere as a family.

361
00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:40,475
It was brilliant.

362
00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,193
(whimsical organ music)

363
00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:59,755
- [Interviewer] So is it a case of
making money

364
00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:03,156
making music, having hit records,
what's most important?

365
00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:06,477
- [Chris] Erm, well, actually
we want to get into video now.

366
00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,273
We're starting making our own
one-hour programmes

367
00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:11,719
and they're rubbish at the moment.

368
00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:14,718
But hopefully we'll learn how to make 'em
over the years, you know.

369
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:16,950
- [Interviewer] You reckon this
is the thing ofthe future?

370
00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,673
- [Chris] Yeah, I mean, it's early days
but it's gonna go video.

371
00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:22,109
I think it's the same thing like 10 years ago

372
00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,199
colour television was new,
but everyone's got one now

373
00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,277
and I think in 10 years time,
everyone'll have a video.

374
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,675
- He personalized them,
which was fantastic.

375
00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,274
- Can you see Stephen sat there watching us?

376
00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:34,395
- Yeah.
- Can you?

377
00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:35,270
- Yeah.

378
00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,312
- So he's there in his front room,
"Hello, Stephen Doyle."

379
00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:43,195
- Ooh, hello, Stephen Doyle over there
in Salford.

380
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,639
I hope this isn't scaring you too much,
actually.

381
00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,997
- He was industrious at promoting himself

382
00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:53,550
to a very small number of people.
(laughing)

383
00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:55,028
- Roll titles.

384
00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:56,877
(they laugh)
- It's not stopping.

385
00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:59,394
- 0h, right, well, let's just...

386
00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:00,833
- Don't roll titles!

387
00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:01,710
- Freeze frame.

388
00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:05,752
(children crying)

389
00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:09,429
- Please just stop for a minute, will ya?

390
00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:11,353
(children crying)

391
00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:15,110
- [Chris] Hiya.

392
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:16,190
- 0h, hiya.

393
00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:35,910
- [Paula]
It was quite exciting living with him.

394
00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,315
You never knew what was gonna happen.

395
00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:40,756
It was like being on a rollercoaster.

396
00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,072
You know, one minute you're up there
and the next minute you're down there.

397
00:25:44,120 --> 00:25:45,314
You just never knew.

398
00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,949
Just didn't pay any bills,
didn't think he had to pay them.

399
00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,072
One day, the kids invited some friends
back from school

400
00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:56,476
and sat them all, like, in a circle
round the telly

401
00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:59,478
and put the cartoons on,
they're all watching cartoons.

402
00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:01,910
The bailiffs knocked on the door
and walked in

403
00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,077
took the telly, walked in,
look the telly away

404
00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:07,236
out of the living room and out

405
00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:11,268
and the kids were just staring
at the blank space where the telly was.

406
00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:13,313
- [Chris] Don't make me laugh.

407
00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:17,071
- Chris came home, I said,
"They've taken the telly."

408
00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:19,554
He went, "Oh, well, doesn't matter, does it?"

409
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,113
"We don't need the telly, do we?"

410
00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:23,079
"I'll get us another telly."

411
00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:25,671
"I've got this deal on the way."

412
00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:27,915
"I've got this, I'm going to invent that."

413
00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,599
"I'm going to London.
I'm talking to these people."

414
00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:34,912
"We are going to be so rich,
you won't know what's hit you."

415
00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,151
(crowd clapping)

416
00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:40,471
- Thank you, Roy and the TSDs.

417
00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,398
Now, if there was a prize for the craziest
disc of the year

418
00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:45,351
it would be sure to go to the next group.

419
00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,789
They're called The Freshies,
and the title of this song

420
00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,275
I'll have to read it,
"I'm In Love With The Girl

421
00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,118
On A Certain Manchester Megastore
Check-Out Desk."

422
00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:54,999
Beats me! The Freshies.

423
00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,997
- And then came Virgin Megastore,
my first inkling

424
00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,076
of how things can go wrong for Chris.

425
00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,237
- That was, like, my first single
with The Freshies.

426
00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,635
He just said, "Come down to me flat,"
just got in the kitchen,

427
00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:07,033
he says, "It goes like this."

428
00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:11,791
) In the biz, you get to meet
all the top people)

429
00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:17,030
) Trouble is, they never seem to be
the sort we pull..)

430
00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,389
- This is the break through,
this is the moment.

431
00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:20,748
I! played itself.

432
00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:22,717
All we had to do was literally turn up.

433
00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:25,678
)'Cause I'm in love
He's in love )

434
00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:30,077
) With the girl on the Manchester
Virgin Megastore check-out desk... )

435
00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:31,798
- [Announcer] Chris Sievey and The Freshies

436
00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,229
with a monster record to be a super hit.

437
00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:37,317
) Manchester Virgin Megastore
check-out desk )

438
00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:44,074
- The only thing that was right was the song.
Everything else was wrong.

439
00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:46,395
- Were they stopped from using the word
"Virgin"?

440
00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:50,349
- [Radio DJ] I wasn't allowed to play it
anymore because the authority, bless 'em,

441
00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:51,833
said that it mentioned a trade name

442
00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:53,916
and it was giving an unjustified plug
and all this business

443
00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:58,078
so Chris went home again and he came up
with an alternative title line.

444
00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,556
)‘Cause I'm in love with the girl)

445
00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,194
) On a certain Manchester Megastore
check-out desk)

446
00:28:07,637 --> 00:28:07,680
jmszaEs‘Smisfivmmmsiwi-F;
JFSK§E§‘?m52§tfiémz T” pig;

447
00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:09,955
- [Chris] All it meant was, like, rubbing off
the vocal track

448
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:11,479
and just singing that again.

449
00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,433
So we went back in there and accidentally
rubbed off all the guitars.

450
00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,199
So we more or less had to start again
from scratch.

451
00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:19,958
- [Barry] Then you've got
the Top of the Pops thing.

452
00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:21,758
(theme music)

453
00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,236
BARRY: Getting on Top of the Pops
at that time made or broke you.

454
00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,551
- There was a call that the BBC technicians
had gone on strike

455
00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:29,953
so Top of the Pops was cancelled.

456
00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:31,712
(theme music)

457
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,110
- So the next time that we was due
to go on Top of the Pops

458
00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:37,071
they says, "Yeah, but you've gone down now."

459
00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,278
- It lost the momentum then.
Fate conspired against them unfortunately.

460
00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,357
- It's all a catalogue of disaster, really.
Which is great!

461
00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:46,234
- [Paula] He pushed it and pushed it,

462
00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,238
he did everything he could
to get it in the charts.

463
00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,597
- It just didn't happen,
like it doesn't happen

464
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,200
for thousands of very talented people.

465
00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,116
- He wrote one tremendous song

466
00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:03,713
that in another parallel universe,
could have been a Number One.

467
00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:05,591
- [Radio DJ] What number did it get to?
54, was it?

468
00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:07,437
- [Chris] Something like that, yeah.
- Is that all?

469
00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:09,431
- [Chris] Yeah.
) Megastore check-out desk... )

470
00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:10,959
- He didn't seem to care.

471
00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,071
(upbeat music)

472
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:17,076
- [Interviewer] Do you get very depressed
about...?

473
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,270
Have you ever thought, right,
I'm gonna pack it all up?

474
00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:20,799
- [Chris] No, it doesn't bother me anymore.

475
00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:21,989
- He was never thwarted.

476
00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:24,829
- Ooh!

477
00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:26,194
(Chris laughing)

478
00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:27,070
Nearly!

479
00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,192
(upbeat music)

480
00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,316
- [Barry] 27 consecutive flops.

481
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,313
- It's like pulling teeth.
But all of them at one go.

482
00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,118
- I think he was happy with the product
he was bringing out

483
00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:45,359
because it was him,
anything else is not Chris.

484
00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:47,631
(jaunty keyboard music)

485
00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,760
- [Paula] Always had the next idea
in his head.

486
00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,316
He did work really hard at trying
to make things on his own.

487
00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:57,034
(off-key keyboard music)

488
00:29:57,800 --> 00:29:59,631
(kazoo music)

489
00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:05,396
(guitar music)

490
00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,514
- [Chris] I also, like, have a solo career
as well,

491
00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:14,710
purely because the others have said, "Eh?"

492
00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:16,792
You know, "We're not doing that."

493
00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,953
) Come clean what you know,
everybody wanna go)

494
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:21,433
) The Reds don't stand a bet )

495
00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:23,750
- [Chris] So I've done quite a few projects
which are...

496
00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:27,516
you know, they're always absolutely,
you know, failures

497
00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:29,676
but they just satisfy, again, a need

498
00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:31,597
to want to do something else, you know.

499
00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,551
- [Paula]
I think he was trying to be edgy.

500
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:35,558
(laughing)

501
00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,272
He's a tryer though, isn't he?

502
00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:41,234
- But then of course he moves on
to new projects and things.

503
00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,238
That's on the back burner, let's move forward
and move on with other stuff.

504
00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,351
(upbeat synth music)

505
00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:49,672
- A song about seat-belts...

506
00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:51,314
on planes.

507
00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:56,238
- | just saw it in Sounds magazine
and it says pop band "Freshies" split up.

508
00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:02,233
- Only Chris would come back with
The Freshies, only it wasn't. Only Chris!

509
00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,029
) Who said it couldn't be done? )

510
00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:10,235
) We say it can and here's the fun...)

511
00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:12,515
- Trying to be Dollar,
do you remember Dollar?

512
00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:13,669
-Tight Fit.

513
00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:14,909
- A bit Abba-ish.

514
00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:16,792
) Fasten your seatbelts )

515
00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:17,710
)Ooh-ooh... )

516
00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:19,836
- I said, "It's just like a Eurovision song."

517
00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,475
And he went, “That's it, I'm gonna enter
the Eurovision song contest with it,"

518
00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:24,430
and he did,

519
00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:25,799
and it didn't get through.

520
00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,440
) We're doing if, we're doing if,
we're doing it)

521
00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:29,515
) We're doing it!)

522
00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:31,312
(computer chirping)

523
00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:34,518
- Well, I thought I'd done quite well

524
00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:37,711
keeping up to date with these home computers
and video games

525
00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:40,228
that any three-year-old can master
these days.

526
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,989
But there's a new development nowadays
that really makes the mind boggle.

527
00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:46,599
It looks like a normal record.

528
00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,836
- [Paula] He just went out into Altrincham
one day

529
00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:51,235
and he was supposed to be paying
the telephone bill.

530
00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,475
- Yeah, what happened was I went out
to pay me phone bill

531
00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:57,399
and I saw one of these in a shop window,
and I came back with this instead

532
00:31:57,440 --> 00:31:58,589
which didn't please my wife.

533
00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:00,591
- "I'm gonna make a computer game."

534
00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,632
I went, "You're gonna make a computer game,
how are you gonna do that?"

535
00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:07,236
- It gave me three months uninterrupted
programming without the phone going.

536
00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:09,555
- So they cut off your phone?
- Yeah, they cut my phone off,

537
00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:11,909
but it gave me three months
to learn to use the thing.

538
00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:14,992
- And indeed, the A-side
is a very pleasant song

539
00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,395
called Camouflage by Chris Sievey.

540
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,318
But play the B-side and it's a series
of beeps and blips

541
00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:21,588
that make no sense at all.

542
00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:22,709
(record beeping)

543
00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:24,512
- Certainly not quite so smooth on the ears,
Is it?

544
00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,393
Now, Chris Sievey is the musician
behind that racket,

545
00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:29,550
Can you tell me what on Earth it is?

546
00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:34,359
- Erm, right, well, as a single, the A-side
is a conventional record

547
00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:40,630
the B-side, though, contains three
computer programmes for the 2X81 computer.

548
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:45,357
Now the idea is, you buy the record
and you load the B-side

549
00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:47,312
into your home computer.

550
00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:51,274
It's just digital information
which the computer recognizes.

551
00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,914
Then what you do is you turn the record over

552
00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:59,080
and play the A-side
and you get a visual display with lyrics.

553
00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,038
It's like a sort of cheap video.

554
00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:03,190
(guitar music)

555
00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:08,799
- It was like the start of computer games
on disc, on vinyl!

556
00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:12,680
) | find it hard picking up)

557
00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:14,358
) On the things you do )

558
00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,072
MUSIC PLAYS

559
00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:18,917
) It doesn't do it for me )

560
00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:20,757
) But it's no difference to you )

561
00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:22,916
- I don't know how long
it would have worked for

562
00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:25,918
because, you know, it would have degraded
pretty fast, I think

563
00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:28,554
because it's not optical,
it was a needle, you know.

564
00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:33,917
- [Chris] People can buy it
purely as software or as music

565
00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,349
but hopefully get involved
with the two together.

566
00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:38,670
) What a world I'm up against )

567
00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:40,233
) Can you feel that?)

568
00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:42,396
- [Interviewer] | just wonder
whether it's worth all the trouble?

569
00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:47,070
- Really, it's beyond me.
If you're over 15, forget computers.

570
00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:50,238
- I can understand now how my parents felt
about 20 years ago.

571
00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:52,589
Chris, thanks very much,
and good luck to you, thank you.

572
00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:56,514
- [Crowd] Sievey, Sievey, Sievey, Sievey!

573
00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:02,229
)Oh, Frankie, Frankie,
Frankie, Frankie, Frankie)

574
00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:04,157
) Frankie Sidebottom )

575
00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,634
) Oh, Frankie, Frankie...)

576
00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:09,553
- I can remember us going
to a fancy-dress party

577
00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:12,952
and he made me a huge pair
of paper-mache boobs to wear

578
00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:16,237
and he made a paper-mache head,
and it was Frank.

579
00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:18,789
He called it John Smith at the time.

580
00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:20,274
The head was quite popular.

581
00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,312
I don't think my boobs quite took off
the same way, but...

582
00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,356
(laughing)
Anyway, yeah.

583
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,198
And then he thought... I think he just
came up with the idea.

584
00:34:28,240 --> 00:34:32,711
"I'm gonna do this," and he called it
Frank Sidebottom,

585
00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:35,552
- Hello?
- [Frank] Er...

586
00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:39,479
Hello, er, could I speak to Chris Sievey,
please?

587
00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:40,396
- To who?

588
00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:42,958
To who?
- [Frank] Chris Sievey.

589
00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:44,911
Could I speak to him, please?
- You are speaking to him.

590
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:46,439
- What?
- You are speaking to him.

591
00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:47,754
- [Frank] What? Oh.

592
00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:49,233
- This is.
- Pardon?

593
00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:51,316
- This is Chris Sievey!
- Pardon?

594
00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:52,429
- This is Chris Sievey!

595
00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:55,836
- 0h, hello, Chris, er...

596
00:34:56,160 --> 00:35:00,517
l was wondering, er...
if you're playing any gigs tonight

597
00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:03,279
because I'll get me bass guitar

598
00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:07,071
and I'll come along and have a jam
if you want.

599
00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:10,277
- I don't think Frank
was an act of desperation.

600
00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:13,278
I think Frank was a complete accident.

601
00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:18,873
Frank was supposed to be a minor character
as part ofThe Freshies' video output

602
00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:22,629
and Frank was just a comedy element
just to pull this whole thing together

603
00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:24,113
to get a complete video.

604
00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:27,197
He thought what The Freshies need
is an obsessive fan.

605
00:35:27,240 --> 00:35:31,153
- [Frank] ) I'm in love with the girl
on the Manchester megastore )

606
00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:33,873
)Check-out desk in Manchester)

607
00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:37,908
- [Chris] We're playing at Fagins
on 14th of May

608
00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:42,238
which is Monday night, and there'll be some
other local bands on as well

609
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:46,558
and also Frank, who is our number one fan

610
00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:48,158
and has been following us around for years.

611
00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,990
- Sunday night, that's where I'll be
with The Freshies.

612
00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:52,995
Here I come.

613
00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:54,758
- [Bernard] Frank was obsessed with Chris

614
00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:57,473
and suddenly appeared
like some kind of weird stalker.

615
00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,511
- Well, here we are, just in time.

616
00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:01,278
Sounds like support band's still on.

617
00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,198
They sound rubbish, absolutely.

618
00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,278
(guitar music)

619
00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:11,354
Oh, no! 0h, blimey, I've been missing them!

620
00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:12,355
They're on already.

621
00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:16,194
- It was around December 1962,
Chris did Frank for the first time

622
00:36:16,240 --> 00:36:17,559
as his own support act.

623
00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:21,553
- | only remember him being there,
and people being shocked by this bloke

624
00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,433
with a big paper-mache head, as l was.

625
00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:29,671
- All those years writing songs and then
he ends up being taken over by Frank.

626
00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:33,274
- [Chris] Eh, what?
- [Frank] Hello, Chrissy, I'm Frank.

627
00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:34,992
- [Chris] What do you mean, you're Frank, eh?

628
00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:37,634
- [Frank] Oh, who's rattled your cage then?

629
00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:39,477
- [Chris] Look, I'm getting sick of you,
mate.

630
00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:41,033
(fist thumping)
(Frank crying)

631
00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:42,069
- That hurt!

632
00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,680
Blimey, he's hit me.

633
00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:46,637
(Frank crying)

634
00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:49,552
- He just grew into a monster.

635
00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:52,473
I think even Chris thought
Frank wouldn't get that big

636
00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:54,556
but he just took over everything.

637
00:36:55,240 --> 00:36:58,437
- You're such a trendsetter, Frank.
Do you think the world is ready for you?

638
00:36:58,680 --> 00:36:59,556
- Erm...

639
00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:01,758
Oh, blimey, I nearly fell off then.

640
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,709
- [Martin] In his mind, Frank Sidebottom
was a superstar,

641
00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,115
and the sooner the world knew the better.

642
00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:10,476
Starting offwith the people of Timperley.

643
00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:13,916
- [Frank] Forget Las Vegas, forget Paris,

644
00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:15,592
New York and Milan.

645
00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:17,952
We are in Timperley.

646
00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:22,116
- [Rick] I think it was the name, Timperley.

647
00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:24,754
It gave this image of this nice, happy place

648
00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:28,588
where some guy made music in his garden shed
that went out to the world.

649
00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:32,992
) Oh, when you're feeling lowdown
and there's nowhere to go)

650
00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:36,397
) Why not visit Timperley?)

651
00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:39,955
)'Cause when you get to Timperley )

652
00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:41,752
) You'll start to feel fine )

653
00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:46,078
) And then you'll want to be in Timperley
all the time )

654
00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:51,228
- [Martin] His age was always 35,
so he was really a very overgrown child

655
00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:53,430
still living at home with his mum.

656
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,355
- [CP Lee] If he was in a big
conurbation like Manchester,

657
00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,516
there are too many weirdos in Manchester.

658
00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:00,949
Whereas in Timperley,
there's only one Frank.

659
00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:04,631
- [Stirling] A lot of people,
they just saw someone

660
00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:05,908
with a paper-mache head on,

661
00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:08,110
and just thought, you know, leave him to it.

662
00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:10,237
- [Interviewer] Have you seen him
walking about in Timperley?

663
00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:11,872
- [Woman] l have seen him, yeah.
- [Frank] Oh, have you?

664
00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:13,148
- [Woman] Yeah.
- [Frank] Oh, very good.

665
00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:17,670
You're making me go bright red now actually.

666
00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:19,279
- [Frank] Can I just try one of them?

667
00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:21,117
- Is that alright?
- No, no, no, no.

668
00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:23,230
I think it was Salvador Dali who said that

669
00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:28,274
to become universal you must
first become ultra-local.

670
00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:30,234
- [Frank] Look at that thing!

671
00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:32,509
Look at that thing!

672
00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:35,192
Hey, look at them things!

673
00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:37,956
Look at all them things there.

674
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,588
That's unbelievable, all that, isn't it?

675
00:38:41,240 --> 00:38:44,869
You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it all
for yourself, would you?

676
00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:47,076
- It's like having a peacock on your lawn.

677
00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:49,788
You just chuck him some bird seed
every now and again

678
00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:51,788
and clean up the shit.

679
00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:54,952
- That way is the Timperley Triangle

680
00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:57,151
which I'll tell you about some other time

681
00:38:57,200 --> 00:38:58,952
but it's a very dangerous place.

682
00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,116
I've been in it once and I came out

683
00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:02,309
and I had no trousers on.

684
00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:04,351
- It was falling between somebody

685
00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:06,994
who's intentionally doing things badly

686
00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:09,634
and somebody who was
actually doing things badly

687
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:11,359
'cause they'd lost it.

688
00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:18,438
- The time is just right now for Frank

689
00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:20,198
so I shall be conquering the world.

690
00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:22,231
But me mum says I'm not
going on any world tour

691
00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:23,633
till I've tidied me bedroom.

692
00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:25,315
- Rather strange actually.

693
00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:27,351
It does kind of remind me of a guy
who was in love with a girl

694
00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,233
who worked in the Virgin Megastore,
but maybe I got it wrong.

695
00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:31,594
- [Crowd] Little Frank!

696
00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:33,193
Little Frank!
- Shh!

697
00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:34,833
Little Frank!
- First of all...

698
00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:36,279
- [Crowd] Little Frank!

699
00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:40,074
- And then suddenly Frank has got a dummy,

700
00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:43,676
Little Frank, and it's a stroke of genius.

701
00:39:44,240 --> 00:39:49,030
- It is of course, the one and the only
Little Frank.

702
00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:50,673
(crowd cheering)

703
00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:53,598
(upbeat music)

704
00:39:56,280 --> 00:39:58,032
- [Frank]
For those of you who've not seen him

705
00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:04,713
Little Frank is me ventriloquist puppet,
so watch my lips very carefully.

706
00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:07,713
- The only ventriloquist act
that I've ever come across

707
00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:09,916
where neither ofthem's mouths moved.

708
00:40:10,240 --> 00:40:12,595
- Hello, Little Frank, how are you?

709
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:15,759
Oh, I do his voice, don't I?

710
00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:17,068
(laughing)

711
00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:18,991
Hello, Little Frank, how are you?

712
00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:20,639
- Oh, I'm very well, actually.

713
00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:23,838
- A dummy venting another dummy,
it's classic.

714
00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:25,832
(guitar music)

715
00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:32,472
- Little Frank is a puppet,
but is he sentient?

716
00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:36,316
I don't know, but then Frank
himself is almost a puppet.

717
00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:47,115
- He would be talking to him,

718
00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:49,276
and he would be making
it difficult for Frank

719
00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:51,710
and contradicting Frank,
and being rude to Frank.

720
00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:53,597
He's like an unruly child,

721
00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:56,196
and yet Frank was
controlling Little Frank.

722
00:40:56,240 --> 00:41:00,074
It was a ventriloquist dummy,
but with seemingly its own existence

723
00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:02,839
which logic should prevent from happening.

724
00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:04,792
That was the beauty of Frank's world.

725
00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:06,836
It was founded on illogicality.

726
00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:10,918
- I think there was some genuine jealousy

727
00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:13,315
and resentment of Little Frank
from Big Frank.

728
00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:16,799
He hated almost upstaging himself.

729
00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:19,117
We'd do shows and I'd go,
"Have you got Little Frank?"

730
00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:20,832
He'd go, Little Frank's not coming
to this one.

731
00:41:21,360 --> 00:41:23,157
(crowd cheering)

732
00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:27,515
- He obviously used to be
fairly strict with Little Frank.

733
00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:29,079
- You're on a final warning.

734
00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:33,113
If you ruin anything I ever do again
then I'm getting rid of you.

735
00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:35,436
- Little Frank obviously
played up to that.

736
00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:37,433
- [Crowd]
Aw!

737
00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:40,954
- Don't be swept along, he's only cardboard.
- (crowd laughing)

738
00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:42,872
- It was one of his better gags, that one.

739
00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:45,192
- What do you think of that, Little Frank?

740
00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:46,998
- Oh, it's brilliant actually.

741
00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:51,068
- Right, anyway, we want some tickets
to go and see American football.

742
00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:52,519
So can we have them pronto?

743
00:41:53,280 --> 00:41:55,271
(bass guitar music)

744
00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:03,591
- One of the first gigs
I played was in Chorley.

745
00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:07,715
The audience went wild,
banging on the dressing room door.

746
00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:10,268
If you went in the toilet,
they were hanging on the toilet door.

747
00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:12,789
"Where's Frank, where's Frank,
where's he gone?"

748
00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:15,918
You know, it was total Frank-a-mania.

749
00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:19,676
Some of the gigs, people are shouting
"fuck off" and all this

750
00:42:19,720 --> 00:42:22,632
you know, so it was dead varied, you know.

751
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:27,674
What Chris wanted to
do was create something

752
00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:31,396
that entertained people,
and blow their minds,

753
00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:34,996
and it blew their minds,
and it blew my mind as well

754
00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:36,835
and it still does.

755
00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:39,357
If I think about it too hard.

756
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:41,751
(guitar music)

757
00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:45,709
- So we started doing those gigs
and travelling about,

758
00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:49,196
and really it was just an
excuse to get out the house,

759
00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:50,713
dress up, get pissed.

760
00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:54,670
| just remember those days
being just full of fun

761
00:42:54,720 --> 00:42:56,915
and laughter, because
there was an endless supply

762
00:42:56,960 --> 00:42:59,349
of stupid, but quite clever ideas.

763
00:42:59,720 --> 00:43:03,872
- [Frank] OK, a one, two,
a one, two, three, four.

764
00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:06,073
(crowd laughing)

765
00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:09,556
Oh, blimey, where's me band gone?

766
00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:14,233
- There's no kind of artistic merit,
and you're not going to get any groupies

767
00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:17,357
so we had to choose people
who didn't care about kudos.

768
00:43:17,600 --> 00:43:19,318
But that kind of underestimates me.

769
00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:22,517
Playing in front of 300 people with Frank

770
00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:25,353
lfelt was like unimaginable kudos.

771
00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:27,152
(guitar music)

772
00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:33,599
- Some of those gigs, there was people
fainting at the front ofthe crowd

773
00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:34,516
it was unbelievable.

774
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:37,996
Unless you were there at the time to see it,
people being dragged off, good times.

775
00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:40,313
(guitar music)

776
00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:46,595
- It felt like you were
breaking the rules in some way.

777
00:43:47,240 --> 00:43:49,595
How could you get away with playing this,

778
00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:53,235
we won't call it shit, but this, like,
badly-played,

779
00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:57,193
barely-rehearsed, bad versions
of other people's songs

780
00:43:57,320 --> 00:43:58,719
and people loving it.

781
00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:13,717
) Of the world.)

782
00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:15,159
- When you got in the van with Chris,

783
00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:17,794
you were going to enter
a slightly altered reality

784
00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:20,195
and one time we'd been talking about
what you could do in the van

785
00:44:20,240 --> 00:44:23,198
to while away the time,
and he'd come up with this idea of, like

786
00:44:23,240 --> 00:44:24,673
well, you could have travel snooker

787
00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:26,677
and then they picked me up in the van.
(van horn honking)

788
00:44:26,720 --> 00:44:31,555
Chris had a half-size snooker table
over the back of the seats in the minibus

789
00:44:31,600 --> 00:44:33,591
and so you were playing
snooker in the van.

790
00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:36,752
Which you can't do, because any time
he puts the brake on

791
00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:39,030
or changes... all the balls go all over
the place.

792
00:44:39,200 --> 00:44:42,476
Apart from the fact you couldn't really
play snooker, you couldn't sit down.

793
00:44:42,520 --> 00:44:44,431
But it was a joke, so it was worth doing.

794
00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:46,273
(crowd cheering)

795
00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:58,199
- [Martin] Another really fantastic gig
was at Wigan Bus Depot.

796
00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:01,114
It's only a tiny stage
one foot offthe ground

797
00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:03,549
but people were leaping off, stage diving.

798
00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:06,148
He was show-biz royalty that night.

799
00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:23,510
Has it kind of damaged you in any way?

800
00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:24,828
- Yes, yes, it has damaged me.

801
00:45:24,880 --> 00:45:25,869
(Martin laughing)

802
00:45:33,720 --> 00:45:36,951
- [Rick] I don't think we'll ever
experience that again, ever.

803
00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:39,553
- And on that sombre note...

804
00:45:39,640 --> 00:45:41,437
)Oh...)

805
00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:53,515
- [Woman] Frank!

806
00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:54,470
Frank!

807
00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:03,239
- [Woman] No, shake it a bit!

808
00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:06,150
Shake it.

809
00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:07,315
Come here, I'll do it.

810
00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:12,595
- [Woman] We love you, Frank.

811
00:46:13,120 --> 00:46:14,075
(fans giggling)

812
00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:15,678
- Shut the door, Tina. Is that it?

813
00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:17,712
- [Frank] Right, we're clear now, thank you.

814
00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:20,191
In the good old days of GPO

815
00:46:20,240 --> 00:46:25,155
| used to send out a thing called Com,
which stood for communication.

816
00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:26,589
- [Steve] They're actually works of art.

817
00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:30,679
So much attention to detail in there,
and so much love and craft and effort.

818
00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:33,513
I suppose that was the great thing
about the world of Frank.

819
00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:37,439
It was just a document of his world at
that point, you know, what he'd been up to.

820
00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:39,989
Absolutely nonsense really,
but they were great.

821
00:46:40,320 --> 00:46:41,673
You know, this was pre-lnternet.

822
00:46:41,720 --> 00:46:44,075
You had to write to people,
and if you'd ordered some badges

823
00:46:44,120 --> 00:46:46,588
you'd end up getting a
handwritten letter from him.

824
00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:50,195
ltjust meant so much that
you got this handwritten note

825
00:46:50,240 --> 00:46:52,037
from him all in lower case.

826
00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:55,595
It was absolutely fantastic,
that level of communication

827
00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:57,551
and attention that he put into it.

828
00:46:57,680 --> 00:46:59,591
- Oh, Little Frank had a girlfriend,
didn't he?

829
00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:01,269
That was marvellous.

830
00:47:02,040 --> 00:47:03,473
- It's Little Denise!

831
00:47:03,800 --> 00:47:04,835
(crowd cheering)

832
00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:07,155
(cheery keyboard music)

833
00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:11,311
Hello, Little Denise.

834
00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:13,109
How are you?

835
00:47:14,240 --> 00:47:16,435
- Her head went missing,
nothing to do with me,

836
00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:20,996
and so he'd just bring the cardboard
body out, but still do the voice,

837
00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:22,633
even though she never had her head.

838
00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:39,512
- [Frank]
Oh, here she is, Little Denise.

839
00:47:44,960 --> 00:47:51,274
Two puppets alone in Timperley,
they were only cardboard

840
00:47:51,760 --> 00:47:55,992
but they were so much in love
with each other.

841
00:47:56,560 --> 00:47:59,836
(smooching)
You can see it in their cardboard eyes.

842
00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:06,152
And they wait for a bus
'cause they are in love

843
00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:09,399
and the bus goes straight by, brilliant!

844
00:48:21,160 --> 00:48:22,309
(crowd laughing)

845
00:48:32,120 --> 00:48:33,553
- [Dave] Wherever your head is, Little Denise

846
00:48:33,600 --> 00:48:34,919
I hope you get it back soon.

847
00:48:44,640 --> 00:48:47,313
...with Little Frank and Little Denise
with no head,

848
00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:51,993
- Hiya, good morning,
welcome to the programme.

849
00:48:52,040 --> 00:48:54,270
I nearly missed the start of the show today
'cause my watch is actually wrong

850
00:48:54,320 --> 00:48:56,231
it still says 20 past nine.
Welcome to the programme

851
00:48:56,280 --> 00:48:59,590
Christmas is nearly upon us
and Christmas means...

852
00:48:59,640 --> 00:49:01,119
Well, for me it means chocolate money.

853
00:49:01,160 --> 00:49:03,628
- You know, he did sort of hit quite
a high point where he was quite famous

854
00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:05,796
and he was on all the Saturday morning
kids shows -

855
00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:07,950
it was good money for him and easy.

856
00:49:08,280 --> 00:49:12,432
- Now when | travel, I like to play Subbuteo.

857
00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:16,230
- I didn't realize when l
was watching him on kids TV

858
00:49:16,520 --> 00:49:18,590
that he was, like, a grown-up's entertainer.

859
00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:23,557
Performers you get on Saturday morning
kids TV that were trying to be all wacky

860
00:49:23,600 --> 00:49:27,070
he just seemed like this sort of
mental bloke.

861
00:49:27,400 --> 00:49:29,709
- [Frank]
Right, this looks safe as houses, just...

862
00:49:30,160 --> 00:49:31,149
(yelling)

863
00:49:31,400 --> 00:49:33,960
Eh, don't you think I look
absolutely ace, eh?

864
00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:35,348
- What are you supposed to be?

865
00:49:36,080 --> 00:49:38,958
- A hot-air balloon of course.
- Is that really a balloon?

866
00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:40,069
- Eh, don't pull that!

867
00:49:40,280 --> 00:49:42,350
(imitating balloon sputtering)

868
00:49:43,400 --> 00:49:45,118
Frank Sidebottom here actually,

869
00:49:45,160 --> 00:49:48,948
finding out who's got a crush on who,
and who do they fancy?

870
00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:50,513
Who do you fancy, Little Frank?

871
00:49:50,840 --> 00:49:52,432
- I like cheese on toast.

872
00:49:52,520 --> 00:49:54,954
- Stupid, you can't fancy cheese on toast.

873
00:49:55,040 --> 00:49:57,190
- He saw them sort of
Saturday morning kids TVs

874
00:49:57,240 --> 00:50:00,630
as a sort of stepping stone to get a bit of
recognition to go onto do something

875
00:50:00,680 --> 00:50:03,114
what he wanted to do,
rather than just sort of being a guest

876
00:50:03,160 --> 00:50:04,434
on someone else's show.

877
00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:06,790
- Don't forget he was trying
to get Frank launched

878
00:50:06,920 --> 00:50:10,230
and it was a great launching platform
and everything, nationwide TV.

879
00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:13,033
So I think at the time it suited Chris.

880
00:50:13,280 --> 00:50:15,475
Well, it suited Frank and suited Chris.

881
00:50:15,640 --> 00:50:17,551
- Me dad was never one for rehearsing

882
00:50:17,640 --> 00:50:19,790
he just liked to do things
on the spur of the moment.

883
00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:22,149
I think he would have rather if he could have
just turned up

884
00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:25,875
and said, you know, you do your thing,
but they sort of tried to script him a bit,

885
00:50:25,920 --> 00:50:28,912
which, when he's scripted,
he's never the same

886
00:50:28,960 --> 00:50:31,235
so he couldn't express Frank as he wanted to.

887
00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:34,113
- What he intented to do, every time,
was to come out and play

888
00:50:34,200 --> 00:50:37,158
and that scared the shit out of people,
especially TV.

889
00:50:37,560 --> 00:50:40,757
- The soundman, he warned me,
he says don't dip this in the wax like that

890
00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:42,438
you know, because that's...

891
00:50:42,520 --> 00:50:46,911
But what I have got is a brilliant,
fantastic puppet

892
00:50:47,040 --> 00:50:49,474
I can dip in any old wax I like.

893
00:50:51,680 --> 00:50:52,556
Right?

894
00:50:53,360 --> 00:50:58,434
And by the magic of the
cathode ray tube or something...

895
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:03,269
(triumphant humming)

896
00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:07,357
And I'll burn the microphone if I want

897
00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:09,113
and I'll put my foot in there.

898
00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:13,352
- Everybody in TV wanted to draft him in
and try and borrow from what he did.

899
00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:17,710
But the fact is he was a master
of creating his own world.

900
00:51:17,880 --> 00:51:22,112
- I mean, we're doing this now
from the dead center of Manchester

901
00:51:22,200 --> 00:51:23,838
which is this spot. Well, we're not...

902
00:51:23,960 --> 00:51:26,076
I'll show you where the center is, right?

903
00:51:26,480 --> 00:51:28,675
The dead center is just here.

904
00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:31,751
Right, that's the dead center there.

905
00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:35,555
- He was his own being.
He was his own comedy universe.

906
00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:40,470
- Hello, I've come to sell me mum's house.

907
00:51:40,520 --> 00:51:41,999
- You've come to the right place, sir.

908
00:51:42,080 --> 00:51:44,958
Last year, SWEAG sold over £80 million
worth of property.

909
00:51:45,000 --> 00:51:46,877
- Crikey, all this from one office?

910
00:51:47,040 --> 00:51:50,237
- And 29 others in South and East Devon.
- That's, er, 30.

911
00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:51,872
Do I pay for all of them?

912
00:51:51,920 --> 00:51:54,434
- No, for a sole agency rate,
you'll be with us all.

913
00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:58,593
- If sir's mum wants another home,
we have thousands to sell.

914
00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:00,279
- And we can arrange a mortgage.

915
00:52:00,560 --> 00:52:02,118
- [Frank] That's fantastic!

916
00:52:02,160 --> 00:52:03,798
Blimey, who are you?

917
00:52:04,480 --> 00:52:07,552
- [Announcer] SWEAG, so good
we're almost big-headed.

918
00:52:12,800 --> 00:52:14,358
- [Frank] Did you know I did Wembley?

919
00:52:14,400 --> 00:52:15,628
(audience cheering)

920
00:52:15,760 --> 00:52:18,513
Look at that, a red pass for Bros.

921
00:52:19,040 --> 00:52:20,359
(audience laughing)

922
00:52:20,400 --> 00:52:22,277
- [Paula] He had to announce Bros coming on

923
00:52:22,320 --> 00:52:23,799
and it didn't go down well.

924
00:52:23,920 --> 00:52:26,354
- [Frank] I got booed by 55,000 people.

925
00:52:26,400 --> 00:52:27,799
(audience laughing)

926
00:52:31,040 --> 00:52:32,632
Do you know what that feels like?

927
00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:37,591
I started off all right, you know.

928
00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:41,350
"Hands up if you like Matt",
yeah, they all went.

929
00:52:42,280 --> 00:52:45,670
"Hands up if you like Luke,"
yeah, they all went.

930
00:52:46,760 --> 00:52:49,911
"Hands up if you like Bros,"
yeah, they all went.

931
00:52:50,760 --> 00:52:52,796
Hands up if you've got Betamax.

932
00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:54,998
(audience laughing)

933
00:52:56,160 --> 00:52:58,594
Total silence in Wembley stadium.

934
00:53:00,360 --> 00:53:02,351
And then it raised its ugly head.

935
00:53:02,720 --> 00:53:06,315
"We want Bros, we want Bros..."

936
00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:08,597
and that was just Little Frank.

937
00:53:08,640 --> 00:53:10,119
(audience laughing)

938
00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:13,154
- [Paula] He didn't have a lot
of fine moments, did he?

939
00:53:13,600 --> 00:53:16,910
- [Interviewer] Frank is a
star in his own comic in Oink?

940
00:53:16,960 --> 00:53:18,996
- [Frank] Yes, that's right.
- And that's been running for some time

941
00:53:19,040 --> 00:53:20,758
and made Frank very famous I think.

942
00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:22,313
- Oh, yes, it has, actually.

943
00:53:22,360 --> 00:53:25,397
- I seen his work as Frank, which I loved,

944
00:53:25,480 --> 00:53:28,278
and also I knew that the style of his work

945
00:53:28,320 --> 00:53:31,118
would fit perfectly into
this going against conformity

946
00:53:31,160 --> 00:53:34,550
of traditional comics, because no other comic
would have him but Oink.

947
00:53:34,600 --> 00:53:35,555
He was at home there.

948
00:53:36,160 --> 00:53:38,720
- Well, I remember he did a cover for the
"Oink!" comic,

949
00:53:38,760 --> 00:53:42,309
Frank was running to school as a child,
the background was a brick wall,

950
00:53:42,360 --> 00:53:45,352
and he'd spent more time
dotting each individual brick

951
00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:49,154
and putting details into the brick
that probably wouldn't have even been seen

952
00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:51,350
'cause of the banners for the logo
for "Oink!"

953
00:53:51,720 --> 00:53:53,517
- He'd be late for deadlines.

954
00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:55,790
Four or five hours later,
we look at our watches,

955
00:53:55,840 --> 00:53:58,115
and Chris would come in and say,
"Hiya lads, here it is,"

956
00:53:58,160 --> 00:53:59,309
and it'd be worth waiting for.

957
00:53:59,720 --> 00:54:02,678
- He'd be up all night
doing a page of artwork.

958
00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:06,196
I said "Chris, we get 85 pound plus VAT,

959
00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:07,713
just knock something off."

960
00:54:07,800 --> 00:54:09,631
Money never entered into his head.

961
00:54:09,680 --> 00:54:11,272
Well, that's obvious from the work.

962
00:54:11,440 --> 00:54:14,557
Clearly this was a man on a mission
of rank insanity.

963
00:54:14,640 --> 00:54:17,518
(Frank singing upbeat music)

964
00:54:23,080 --> 00:54:25,230
- It was a really stupid thing to do,

965
00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:28,158
to put your home number out
for everybody to ring it.

966
00:54:28,240 --> 00:54:29,832
It just completely took over.

967
00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:31,997
Couldn't use the phone anymore.

968
00:54:34,160 --> 00:54:38,073
) I said Timperley 969-1909 )
(phone ringing)

969
00:54:38,480 --> 00:54:41,233
- Now that used to be my phone number.

970
00:54:42,400 --> 00:54:45,358
And Little Frank did warn me, didn't you?

971
00:54:45,720 --> 00:54:47,551
- Oh, yes, I warned you.

972
00:54:48,600 --> 00:54:52,309
- He would pick up and he'd pick up as Chris
and then go,

973
00:54:52,360 --> 00:54:54,396
he'd say, "I'll just go and get Frank."

974
00:54:54,440 --> 00:54:57,159
Obviously wander down the hall, come back,

975
00:54:57,200 --> 00:54:59,111
come back as Frank, which is fantastic.

976
00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:02,113
- He said, people are gonna ring you up.

977
00:55:02,640 --> 00:55:04,312
(audience laughing)

978
00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:08,319
I said they... people haven't...
they won't be bothered ringing!

979
00:55:08,640 --> 00:55:10,790
Our phone never stopped.

980
00:55:10,920 --> 00:55:14,151
- The phone would be constantly
ringing in the background.

981
00:55:14,480 --> 00:55:16,596
Hundreds every day, all day long,

982
00:55:16,640 --> 00:55:18,312
and all through the night as well.

983
00:55:18,360 --> 00:55:20,920
In the end, we just didn't
even answer the phone ever.

984
00:55:20,960 --> 00:55:23,030
We used to let the answering machine
answer it.

985
00:55:23,080 --> 00:55:26,789
) I said Timperley 969-1909 )
(phone ringing)

986
00:55:26,920 --> 00:55:28,035
(dial tone humming)

987
00:55:28,080 --> 00:55:30,674
- [Fan] Hello Frank,
I think you're really fantastic.

988
00:55:30,720 --> 00:55:32,119
Marvellous. Bye.

989
00:55:33,320 --> 00:55:34,958
(dial tone humming)

990
00:55:35,080 --> 00:55:36,991
- [Teenager] What a load of rubbish.

991
00:55:38,320 --> 00:55:39,514
(answering machine beeping)

992
00:55:40,200 --> 00:55:42,316
- [Man] No message, ljust
liked your answering machine.

993
00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:43,190
Bye.

994
00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:45,118
(dial tone humming)

995
00:55:45,800 --> 00:55:48,678
- Hello, Frank, this is Caroline.

996
00:55:48,720 --> 00:55:52,269
Now, I've heard all about
your papier-mache cock.

997
00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:55,512
I'd like to sample some of that cock.

998
00:55:55,800 --> 00:55:59,634
How about meeting me under the clock, cock?

999
00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:02,513
Bring your papier-mache cock along with you.

1000
00:56:02,600 --> 00:56:05,034
Even better would be the real thing.

1001
00:56:05,160 --> 00:56:07,196
Thanks, cock, bye.

1002
00:56:08,240 --> 00:56:13,314
) Oh, yes, but please don't phone me up)

1003
00:56:14,160 --> 00:56:17,789
) Because me mum goes absolutely bonkers)

1004
00:56:17,920 --> 00:56:23,119
) She goes up the wall
and across the fantastic ceiling )

1005
00:56:23,640 --> 00:56:25,073
)Oh, yes)

1006
00:56:25,160 --> 00:56:28,072
- [Interviewer] Do you see yourself
as the king of rock and roll?

1007
00:56:28,120 --> 00:56:29,519
- [Frank] King of football, as well.

1008
00:56:30,120 --> 00:56:32,554
- [Martin] Timperley Bigshorts FC.

1009
00:56:32,920 --> 00:56:35,309
"In Bigshorts we trust," was their motto.

1010
00:56:35,800 --> 00:56:38,598
This is the official club records,
volume one.

1011
00:56:40,040 --> 00:56:43,589
Here we have Frank Sidebottom,
good and fantastic for the game,

1012
00:56:43,800 --> 00:56:45,074
with Little Frank,

1013
00:56:45,120 --> 00:56:46,553
who is bobbins for the game.

1014
00:56:46,680 --> 00:56:48,910
- He says, "Oh, we're going to have
big shorts."

1015
00:56:48,960 --> 00:56:52,316
You can't wear big shorts,
nobody wears big shorts.

1016
00:56:52,560 --> 00:56:55,358
- So we had to go to a bespoke tailor

1017
00:56:55,400 --> 00:56:58,915
and get 15 pairs of big shorts
that went down to the knee.

1018
00:56:59,080 --> 00:57:01,548
- [Stirling] The players turn up like,
"I'm not wearing them."

1019
00:57:01,600 --> 00:57:02,555
"It's ridiculous!"

1020
00:57:02,600 --> 00:57:04,158
"Well, if you're not wearing them,
you're not playing."

1021
00:57:04,240 --> 00:57:07,277
- Division Three of the Manchester
Publicity Sunday League,

1022
00:57:07,320 --> 00:57:11,074
the chairman, boss and manager
is Frank Sidebottom.

1023
00:57:11,360 --> 00:57:15,638
The most important thing
is who's got the halftime fireworks?

1024
00:57:16,400 --> 00:57:18,709
- [Martin] Nice photo of the Bigshorts there,

1025
00:57:18,800 --> 00:57:20,233
the pre-war team.

1026
00:57:21,720 --> 00:57:23,676
- [Stirling] He made a programme every week,

1027
00:57:23,720 --> 00:57:25,756
team talk's in there, the manager's notes.

1028
00:57:25,800 --> 00:57:28,473
It was a Sunday league team,
but as far as he was concerned,

1029
00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:30,670
they might as well have
been in the Premier League.

1030
00:57:30,720 --> 00:57:33,871
He wanted to make it as professionally
amateur as he could do.

1031
00:57:34,000 --> 00:57:35,638
- Right, listen, Steve,
I know we're playing

1032
00:57:35,680 --> 00:57:38,319
at the moment and I
could be distracting you,

1033
00:57:38,360 --> 00:57:40,271
but do you think we're
confident of winning here?

1034
00:57:40,320 --> 00:57:43,517
- Er, well, with five minutes to go, 6-3,
I think we might...

1035
00:57:43,560 --> 00:57:44,390
- Oh, look out!

1036
00:57:44,440 --> 00:57:45,270
Here they come!

1037
00:57:45,360 --> 00:57:47,351
- [Stirling] He played a
few games with the head on,

1038
00:57:47,400 --> 00:57:49,038
which didn't go down too well.

1039
00:57:49,080 --> 00:57:51,799
- [Frank] We were playing against
the White Swan

1040
00:57:51,840 --> 00:57:55,037
and suddenly one of our players
comes off injured.

1041
00:57:55,080 --> 00:57:58,436
They said, "Francis,
you're gonna have to go on

1042
00:57:58,480 --> 00:58:01,631
and do the last seven minutes," so I did do.

1043
00:58:01,840 --> 00:58:04,513
- [Stirling] He probably couldn't even see
that the ball was there.

1044
00:58:04,560 --> 00:58:06,551
He just hung up front, goal hanger.

1045
00:58:06,600 --> 00:58:08,192
If he saw a glimpse of the ball,

1046
00:58:08,240 --> 00:58:09,593
just diving for it.

1047
00:58:09,760 --> 00:58:12,320
And at one point, he nearly
actually did score.

1048
00:58:12,720 --> 00:58:15,393
- [Martin] The attendance at this
match was 28 people,

1049
00:58:15,440 --> 00:58:16,998
two dogs, and one puppet.

1050
00:58:17,960 --> 00:58:21,396
This book wasn't an official publication.

1051
00:58:21,440 --> 00:58:25,399
It was never meant to be
really seen by anybody.

1052
00:58:25,440 --> 00:58:27,590
It was just his own personal record

1053
00:58:28,480 --> 00:58:31,392
of the Bigshorts' success and failures.

1054
00:58:31,520 --> 00:58:33,909
In fact, the more failures,
probably the better.

1055
00:58:33,960 --> 00:58:35,757
- He wasn't bothered if
they didn't win the league.

1056
00:58:35,800 --> 00:58:37,199
As long as everyone that was playing

1057
00:58:37,240 --> 00:58:39,754
had a good time playing and enjoyed it,
he was happy.

1058
00:58:39,800 --> 00:58:41,438
I think he pretty much achieved that.

1059
00:58:41,560 --> 00:58:43,312
(whimsical keyboard music)

1060
00:58:45,400 --> 00:58:49,439
- [Martin] Around the border
of a lot of the Frank artwork,

1061
00:58:49,520 --> 00:58:52,398
there was a kind of triangular design

1062
00:58:52,560 --> 00:58:56,792
which looked quite
decorative and quite random.

1063
00:58:56,880 --> 00:58:59,917
But he did mention to me
that within these borders

1064
00:59:00,200 --> 00:59:03,875
there was a code that
was related in some way

1065
00:59:03,920 --> 00:59:06,957
to the Enigma Code from
the Second World War.

1066
00:59:07,200 --> 00:59:09,998
- I remember he used to
draw borders around things

1067
00:59:10,080 --> 00:59:13,117
and have maybe little shapes around
that he would say was a secret code,

1068
00:59:13,160 --> 00:59:15,720
but I didn't know what the
code was because it was secret.

1069
00:59:15,800 --> 00:59:18,712
- Now he didn't tell me exactly
what the result of the code is,

1070
00:59:18,760 --> 00:59:19,988
but there is a code there.

1071
00:59:20,200 --> 00:59:22,953
- And if you interfered with his codes,
he then wouldn't be happy about it.

1072
00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:25,070
It's like if someone
used any of his artwork

1073
00:59:25,120 --> 00:59:27,714
to make a flyer for a gig,
and they took some elements out,

1074
00:59:27,760 --> 00:59:30,797
he wouldn't be happy because then it would
break this code or something.

1075
00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:33,912
- He always did codes, but I don't think
that was a code.

1076
00:59:34,080 --> 00:59:36,196
He's just saying that to wind people up.

1077
00:59:36,240 --> 00:59:37,958
That was just a little pattern.

1078
00:59:38,040 --> 00:59:39,951
- He certainly would talk
about this all the time,

1079
00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:41,228
and say it would all come out

1080
00:59:41,280 --> 00:59:44,556
and you'd be amazed when
you find out and all this.

1081
00:59:44,840 --> 00:59:47,354
And l was flummoxed by what he was saying,

1082
00:59:47,400 --> 00:59:48,879
because he would never give anything away.

1083
00:59:48,920 --> 00:59:50,273
He would always let it happen.

1084
00:59:50,360 --> 00:59:55,434
- If you do want to spend three or four years
working it all out, we all want to know.

1085
00:59:55,520 --> 00:59:58,796
Probably does say something like "The Beatles
were the best band in the world"

1086
00:59:58,840 --> 01:00:01,400
or something like that.
Some useless information.

1087
01:00:02,400 --> 01:00:04,914
- He took his creation very, very seriously.

1088
01:00:05,040 --> 01:00:06,632
You know, his various looks,

1089
01:00:06,680 --> 01:00:08,796
when Frank became kind of a rock star,

1090
01:00:08,840 --> 01:00:10,193
and the different heads.

1091
01:00:10,280 --> 01:00:13,590
The devil was in the detail and there was
a serious amount of graft went into that.

1092
01:00:13,680 --> 01:00:16,638
However, obviously there
are Frank fans out there,

1093
01:00:16,680 --> 01:00:18,989
and Chris said to me,
"Have you seen this?"

1094
01:00:19,040 --> 01:00:21,235
I went, "What?“
He went, "Come and look at this."

1095
01:00:21,280 --> 01:00:26,752
And he got out a photo album
with "not Franks" written on it.

1096
01:00:26,840 --> 01:00:28,956
He went, "Have a thumb through that."

1097
01:00:29,080 --> 01:00:31,071
Oh, my God, it was absolutely hysterical.

1098
01:00:31,720 --> 01:00:33,995
Just shocking, really, really poor.

1099
01:00:34,120 --> 01:00:36,554
I mean some were square, totally square,

1100
01:00:36,600 --> 01:00:38,591
just a cardboard box,
you know what I mean?

1101
01:00:38,640 --> 01:00:41,518
It's all the people who turned up at gigs
who've made their own.

1102
01:00:41,560 --> 01:00:44,154
I mean, there were a few that were, like,
bang on, you know.

1103
01:00:44,240 --> 01:00:46,151
There were better Little Franks
than Big Franks though.

1104
01:00:46,200 --> 01:00:47,792
I think he's easier to make.

1105
01:00:48,680 --> 01:00:51,069
It was just hysterical, and I remember
his wife going,

1106
01:00:51,120 --> 01:00:52,553
"He's not got that out, has he?"

1107
01:00:52,600 --> 01:00:54,511
"He takes it very seriously, you know."

1108
01:00:54,600 --> 01:00:56,591
- [Crowd] We want Frank!

1109
01:00:56,680 --> 01:00:58,989
- [Announcer] By arrangement
with Mike the Manager...

1110
01:00:59,040 --> 01:01:00,951
- [Crowd] We want Frank!
(crowd cheering)

1111
01:01:02,280 --> 01:01:04,475
- [Announcer] And with
the very kind permission

1112
01:01:04,520 --> 01:01:06,158
of Mrs Sidebottom...

1113
01:01:06,200 --> 01:01:08,031
(crowd cheering)

1114
01:01:08,640 --> 01:01:12,633
- So me and my mates had no idea
how many people would be in there.

1115
01:01:12,720 --> 01:01:14,392
Walk in this tent, you know, it's like,

1116
01:01:14,440 --> 01:01:19,639
Jesus Christ, there's 10,000 other people
absolutely fanatical about Frank.

1117
01:01:19,720 --> 01:01:21,472
(crowd cheering)

1118
01:01:21,800 --> 01:01:23,916
All you could hear was,
"Come on, let us in,"

1119
01:01:23,960 --> 01:01:26,155
we wanna get in, we wanna see Frank!"

1120
01:01:26,440 --> 01:01:30,592
People scaling this fence,
security almost like, "Get back!"

1121
01:01:30,640 --> 01:01:32,756
You know, cattle prodding them back down,
you know.

1122
01:01:33,000 --> 01:01:35,230
- [Crowd] We want Frank, we want Frank!

1123
01:01:35,280 --> 01:01:37,350
We want Frank, we want Frank!

1124
01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:39,078
- [Frank] Hello, Reading!

1125
01:01:39,360 --> 01:01:40,634
(crowd cheering)

1126
01:01:40,680 --> 01:01:41,669
Let's go.

1127
01:01:41,760 --> 01:01:46,390
) Oh, guess who's been on Match Of The Day?)

1128
01:01:46,480 --> 01:01:50,519
) You have, in your big shorts. )

1129
01:01:50,640 --> 01:01:54,315
) And guess who can play
fantastic football? )

1130
01:01:54,800 --> 01:01:58,679
) You can, in your big shorts. )

1131
01:01:58,760 --> 01:02:01,638
) Yes, I've got some very big shorts. )

1132
01:02:01,800 --> 01:02:03,199
Thank you very much, good night.

1133
01:02:03,280 --> 01:02:04,998
(crowd cheering)

1134
01:02:10,840 --> 01:02:13,070
- [Martin] When Frank
released his double album,

1135
01:02:13,160 --> 01:02:15,799
the gatefold picture showed his bedroom.

1136
01:02:16,240 --> 01:02:19,073
There was no way he could
have got to the bed,

1137
01:02:19,200 --> 01:02:21,156
so he must have hemmed himself in,

1138
01:02:21,200 --> 01:02:24,397
like the painter who paints
himself into the corner.

1139
01:02:24,960 --> 01:02:29,112
And there he stayed, hemmed in
to being Frank Sidebottom.

1140
01:02:30,200 --> 01:02:31,872
- Frank has now taken over.

1141
01:02:31,920 --> 01:02:33,558
And it's not a conscious thing.

1142
01:02:33,640 --> 01:02:36,518
He's gone into this great
subconscious ramble,

1143
01:02:36,720 --> 01:02:39,871
ramble around our heads 'cause
he's messing with our heads.

1144
01:02:40,760 --> 01:02:42,193
- It's the weirdest thing.

1145
01:02:42,280 --> 01:02:45,795
You couldn't talk to Frank and get Chris.

1146
01:02:49,640 --> 01:02:51,631
- I mean, I know there's
an awful lot of debate

1147
01:02:51,680 --> 01:02:53,193
about that amongst people who knew him,

1148
01:02:53,240 --> 01:02:55,310
and some people say absolutely not,

1149
01:02:55,440 --> 01:02:57,556
Chris knew that Frank was just an act

1150
01:02:57,600 --> 01:02:59,352
and it was like nothing, and then other
people say, no,

1151
01:02:59,400 --> 01:03:01,118
I think it's a lot more complicated
than that.

1152
01:03:01,160 --> 01:03:03,390
I mean, I veer towards the latter,

1153
01:03:03,440 --> 01:03:05,317
I think there was something going on.

1154
01:03:05,960 --> 01:03:07,439
- It was always what Frank would do,

1155
01:03:07,480 --> 01:03:09,596
not, "I'm going to do this as Frank."

1156
01:03:09,640 --> 01:03:12,359
It was two separate personalities.

1157
01:03:12,440 --> 01:03:15,000
There was Chris Sievey and there was
Frank Sidebottom.

1158
01:03:15,400 --> 01:03:18,790
- | feel he became more than an alter ego.

1159
01:03:19,080 --> 01:03:21,719
It was a schizophrenia
almost that was involved.

1160
01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:23,637
He was someone else, you know.

1161
01:03:24,000 --> 01:03:25,911
- Frank was a real person, whether he was

1162
01:03:25,960 --> 01:03:28,520
in front of 500 people or
whether he was in front of one.

1163
01:03:28,560 --> 01:03:33,793
You know, it wasn't Chris.
It was very much a split personality.

1164
01:03:34,480 --> 01:03:36,516
- Where Chris ended and Frank began

1165
01:03:36,560 --> 01:03:39,120
was absolutely straightforward and easy.

1166
01:03:39,160 --> 01:03:40,388
He put the head on, he was Frank.

1167
01:03:41,520 --> 01:03:43,909
- I can't prove to this day

1168
01:03:43,960 --> 01:03:46,952
that Frank Sidebottom was Chris Sievey.

1169
01:03:47,760 --> 01:03:51,150
It could be a bullshit story
that Chris Sievey's

1170
01:03:51,200 --> 01:03:54,749
put around that he was
Frank Sidebottom, for all I know.

1171
01:04:13,320 --> 01:04:15,515
(faint speaking)

1172
01:04:24,720 --> 01:04:26,153
(Chris laughing)

1173
01:04:28,120 --> 01:04:29,235
(Chris coughing)

1174
01:04:41,720 --> 01:04:43,676
(soft piano music)

1175
01:04:48,720 --> 01:04:50,995
) Drifting )

1176
01:04:52,720 --> 01:04:54,711
) Slowly )

1177
01:04:56,640 --> 01:05:00,349
) Moving with the tides )

1178
01:05:04,680 --> 01:05:08,116
) Separate the days )

1179
01:05:10,320 --> 01:05:13,596
) Thinking of not thinking)

1180
01:05:15,040 --> 01:05:20,319
) Just flowing between the sheets)

1181
01:05:23,680 --> 01:05:26,911
) Sheets become the clouds )

1182
01:05:31,400 --> 01:05:35,234
) And clouds just keep on drifting)

1183
01:05:36,920 --> 01:05:38,717
) Slowly... )

1184
01:05:39,520 --> 01:05:44,594
)lt's Frank's Fantastic Shed Show )

1185
01:05:45,040 --> 01:05:48,589
) You know it is, it really is. )

1186
01:05:48,640 --> 01:05:50,471
(audience clapping)

1187
01:05:51,160 --> 01:05:52,912
(audience cheering)

1188
01:05:56,400 --> 01:05:59,073
- It was shot in big studios at Yorkshire TV.

1189
01:05:59,280 --> 01:06:01,271
It was like Emmerdale was half the building,

1190
01:06:01,320 --> 01:06:03,436
and Frank's Shed Show
was the other half of the building.

1191
01:06:03,480 --> 01:06:05,596
It was a big set with a full audience in.

1192
01:06:07,480 --> 01:06:09,436
All of us thought, "Oh, yeah,
we're on the telly."

1193
01:06:09,480 --> 01:06:11,038
You know, this is going to be it,

1194
01:06:11,080 --> 01:06:14,436
it was going to change all our lives,
and Chris made you feel like that.

1195
01:06:14,720 --> 01:06:17,188
He had unlimited optimism really,

1196
01:06:17,280 --> 01:06:20,078
and confidence that it
was all going to be great.

1197
01:06:20,480 --> 01:06:22,869
- [Frank] I actually first met Paul McCartney

1198
01:06:22,920 --> 01:06:25,593
when me and John were looking
through me mum's catalogue.

1199
01:06:25,640 --> 01:06:27,471
We saw him modeling some underwear.

1200
01:06:27,520 --> 01:06:29,317
(audience laughing)

1201
01:06:33,840 --> 01:06:36,593
- I think they really broke all the rules

1202
01:06:36,680 --> 01:06:39,148
to allow it because it was so insane.

1203
01:06:39,320 --> 01:06:42,995
- Come on, have a go, bobbing for Betamax.
We've got some brilliant films here.

1204
01:06:43,040 --> 01:06:44,155
Let's get them in.

1205
01:06:44,200 --> 01:06:45,838
Right, come on, have a go, madam.

1206
01:06:45,880 --> 01:06:47,598
Get your face right in there, that's it.

1207
01:06:47,680 --> 01:06:48,715
(audience clapping)

1208
01:06:48,760 --> 01:06:50,193
- 0h, I'll tell you a
great story about Autocue.

1209
01:06:50,240 --> 01:06:52,435
- Oh, yes, I like good stories about...

1210
01:06:53,240 --> 01:06:54,992
(audience cheering)

1211
01:06:55,160 --> 01:06:56,070
Yeah, go on.

1212
01:06:56,200 --> 01:06:57,792
(audience cheering)

1213
01:06:58,040 --> 01:06:59,075
- Frank!

1214
01:07:00,080 --> 01:07:02,036
- Tell us a good Autocue story, yeah.

1215
01:07:02,080 --> 01:07:04,674
I'll have two of what you're drinking.
(audience cheering)

1216
01:07:06,560 --> 01:07:08,471
- [Paula] I just think that ruined him.

1217
01:07:08,840 --> 01:07:10,876
He was there, he had it all,

1218
01:07:11,000 --> 01:07:14,037
and... I don't know,

1219
01:07:14,080 --> 01:07:16,594
somebody like that with
a compulsive nature,

1220
01:07:16,640 --> 01:07:17,993
with too much money.

1221
01:07:18,520 --> 01:07:19,953
He just went off the rails.

1222
01:07:20,320 --> 01:07:21,878
(piano music)

1223
01:07:25,600 --> 01:07:28,239
How did he ever get chance to mess around

1224
01:07:28,280 --> 01:07:30,111
and do all the things
that people tell me now,

1225
01:07:30,160 --> 01:07:33,038
because we were so close, it's mad.

1226
01:07:34,680 --> 01:07:36,193
And I know that he loved me.

1227
01:07:36,760 --> 01:07:38,557
You know, there's no doubt about that,

1228
01:07:38,600 --> 01:07:41,990
but I think he also loved a lot of other
women as well.

1229
01:07:42,360 --> 01:07:43,952
) Drifting )

1230
01:07:45,440 --> 01:07:46,634
) slowly )

1231
01:07:46,680 --> 01:07:47,954
It was a downward spiral.

1232
01:07:49,160 --> 01:07:50,354
And it's a shame.

1233
01:07:51,160 --> 01:07:55,312
- The gigs put food on Chris's
table and paid his rent.

1234
01:07:55,440 --> 01:07:58,079
This is the idea...
often Chris wouldn't pay his rent

1235
01:07:58,120 --> 01:08:01,908
'cause he forgot and couldn't be arsed,
or would prefer to spend it on cocaine.

1236
01:08:02,800 --> 01:08:05,712
The man was a comedian,
what do you expect?

1237
01:08:14,360 --> 01:08:15,873
(audience laughing)

1238
01:08:19,520 --> 01:08:23,229
- He could hold his drink.
He could take an awful lot of abuse.

1239
01:08:23,400 --> 01:08:25,755
) Keep on drifting)

1240
01:08:26,840 --> 01:08:29,912
- When you're all drinking,
you can't tell who the real drinkers are,

1241
01:08:30,000 --> 01:08:31,991
and it's only as the rest of you slow down

1242
01:08:32,040 --> 01:08:34,076
then you meet people who
are still going for it,

1243
01:08:34,120 --> 01:08:37,192
and you think, oh, this is
something different isn't it?

1244
01:08:38,240 --> 01:08:41,471
- Being Frank, I don't know
if he wanted that really.

1245
01:08:41,600 --> 01:08:44,194
I think that was just a bit of nonsense
he did for a laugh

1246
01:08:44,360 --> 01:08:46,351
and it turned into something much bigger.

1247
01:08:46,720 --> 01:08:49,678
It was frustrating for him that he wasn't
a pop star

1248
01:08:49,720 --> 01:08:52,439
and he ended up this guy with a cardboard box
on his head.

1249
01:08:55,960 --> 01:08:58,269
- I did learn from him
that he was depressed,

1250
01:08:58,320 --> 01:09:00,993
and he was annoyed that he
had to do Frank Sidebottom,

1251
01:09:01,080 --> 01:09:04,038
and not what he really wanted to do,
which was to become famous writing songs.

1252
01:09:05,520 --> 01:09:10,674
- You know, the Frank thing just really
had taken over his life.

1253
01:09:11,360 --> 01:09:12,793
It was a fraction of his talent.

1254
01:09:13,160 --> 01:09:16,277
- Here you've got a mutually
symbiotic relationship.

1255
01:09:16,440 --> 01:09:18,396
The dummy can't survive without you,

1256
01:09:18,480 --> 01:09:20,232
you can't survive without the dummy,

1257
01:09:20,520 --> 01:09:21,953
so you grow to hate it.

1258
01:09:23,320 --> 01:09:26,517
- [Paula] He didn't drink when the older two
were growing up.

1259
01:09:26,560 --> 01:09:28,676
It was just like when Harry came along.

1260
01:09:32,960 --> 01:09:34,712
(Chris laughing)

1261
01:09:38,360 --> 01:09:40,112
Don't bite it! (laughing)

1262
01:09:40,440 --> 01:09:43,193
I did realize that he was quite drunk
quite a lot.

1263
01:09:43,240 --> 01:09:48,155
There was one time when l was about
nine years old,

1264
01:09:48,400 --> 01:09:50,675
he's taken me into the town center,

1265
01:09:50,720 --> 01:09:53,598
he's been in the pub while I've gone
round the shops or whatever.

1266
01:09:53,640 --> 01:09:57,553
I've gone back to meet him and he can't walk,
and I've had to carry him back,

1267
01:09:57,640 --> 01:10:01,519
and he'd, like, fall over and get cuts
on his face and stuff like that.

1268
01:10:02,040 --> 01:10:03,359
It never really bothered me,

1269
01:10:03,400 --> 01:10:06,676
but it was just quite hard
trying to deal with

1270
01:10:06,720 --> 01:10:09,109
looking after your
dad when he's leathered

1271
01:10:09,160 --> 01:10:11,230
when you're quite at a young age.

1272
01:10:11,880 --> 01:10:15,919
- He'd go missing for days on end
and come back in a complete state,

1273
01:10:16,000 --> 01:10:18,389
and I didn't know where he was,
what we was doing.

1274
01:10:18,440 --> 01:10:20,431
He'd turn up absolutely wrecked, you know.

1275
01:10:21,720 --> 01:10:23,631
We'd already been evicted from one house,

1276
01:10:23,680 --> 01:10:27,468
and then we were threatened with eviction
with the next house we were in.

1277
01:10:27,520 --> 01:10:30,398
I thought, "That's it, I can't do it,"

1278
01:10:30,600 --> 01:10:34,673
and | just took the kids and we went to live
in a hostel.

1279
01:10:35,160 --> 01:10:39,915
- And in five, four, a one, two, three, four.

1280
01:10:47,440 --> 01:10:49,590
You tend to think, "Oh, I've got 50 quid,

1281
01:10:52,640 --> 01:10:54,870
and then forget that you're
supposed to give half

1282
01:10:54,920 --> 01:10:56,399
of that 50 quid to the tax man.

1283
01:11:14,640 --> 01:11:15,959
- Take it away!

1284
01:11:16,200 --> 01:11:18,634
- And he was thousands
and thousands in debt.

1285
01:11:18,720 --> 01:11:21,871
I said to him one day, "Is that a new
credit card you've got?"

1286
01:11:21,920 --> 01:11:23,273
He said, "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah."

1287
01:11:23,320 --> 01:11:25,754
He always had every intention
of paying everything off.

1288
01:11:25,840 --> 01:11:27,398
He never paid anything off. (laughing)

1289
01:11:28,080 --> 01:11:32,039
- He was done for 30,000 pound back tax,
so he had to go to court.

1290
01:11:32,200 --> 01:11:34,270
And he stood up in the
dock and the judge said,

1291
01:11:34,320 --> 01:11:35,912
"This is a very serious matter.

1292
01:11:36,080 --> 01:11:38,071
Have you considered a payment plan?"

1293
01:11:38,320 --> 01:11:41,278
And Chris said, "Would a pound
a week suffice, my lord?"

1294
01:11:41,480 --> 01:11:43,152
And the judge said, "No, it would not!"

1295
01:11:57,400 --> 01:12:01,188
- Frank, can I ask you,
with your tax problems,

1296
01:12:01,240 --> 01:12:02,832
can't you afford an accountant?

1297
01:12:03,960 --> 01:12:05,109
- An accountant!

1298
01:12:05,400 --> 01:12:07,630
I've got enough problems with me puppet.

1299
01:12:08,720 --> 01:12:12,235
I can't even afford to keep him,
never mind an accountant.

1300
01:12:12,640 --> 01:12:15,712
So if you're watching at home and you can't
afford an accountant,

1301
01:12:16,200 --> 01:12:18,077
get a puppet.
That's my advice.

1302
01:12:18,640 --> 01:12:21,791
- I think he'd gone bankrupt
and he turned it into art.

1303
01:12:22,040 --> 01:12:24,395
- Let's get it filled in, what's me name?

1304
01:12:25,400 --> 01:12:26,355
- Frank.

1305
01:12:26,520 --> 01:12:27,396
- Yeah.

1306
01:12:28,520 --> 01:12:31,353
How do you spell Sidebottom
or is it Sl-DAY-BOT-EM?

1307
01:12:31,640 --> 01:12:34,234
- It's the lifestyle, it's the art thing.
You're in it or you're not.

1308
01:12:34,400 --> 01:12:35,799
(lively music)

1309
01:12:42,200 --> 01:12:43,758
(mellow music)

1310
01:12:44,040 --> 01:12:45,792
- [Paula] He used to write
me letters saying how much

1311
01:12:45,840 --> 01:12:48,308
he missed us and everything,
and he wanted to be back together,

1312
01:12:48,440 --> 01:12:51,238
and | always knew we would get back together.

1313
01:12:52,600 --> 01:12:55,398
I don't know, I think he seemed
to sort himself out a bit

1314
01:12:55,440 --> 01:12:57,192
and he ended up coming back again, so.

1315
01:12:58,080 --> 01:12:59,559
- You know, he was an alcoholic,

1316
01:12:59,880 --> 01:13:02,997
and I did actually take him
to the doctor's at one point

1317
01:13:03,120 --> 01:13:05,429
and sat in the doctor's with him.

1318
01:13:06,560 --> 01:13:08,790
When he admitted that he did need help,

1319
01:13:08,840 --> 01:13:11,070
you know, that was a big step forward
for him.

1320
01:13:11,600 --> 01:13:13,477
- He did stop drinking for a while then

1321
01:13:13,520 --> 01:13:16,557
and then when he did go back,
it was sort of in moderation.

1322
01:13:16,600 --> 01:13:19,797
But I think he did a lot of damage

1323
01:13:20,200 --> 01:13:23,715
to the family sort of without realizing it.

1324
01:13:24,560 --> 01:13:27,950
- He lost a lot of opportunities 'cause
of his own way he was,

1325
01:13:28,240 --> 01:13:29,719
his artistic bent, I suppose.

1326
01:13:30,280 --> 01:13:31,554
He couldn't be controlled.

1327
01:13:37,040 --> 01:13:39,076
- I heard a rumor that
he'd stopped performing.

1328
01:13:39,440 --> 01:13:41,351
- [Mark Radcliffe] There were
times when he stopped doing it

1329
01:13:41,400 --> 01:13:45,598
and where the whole thing
just seemed to be lost really.

1330
01:13:46,200 --> 01:13:51,593
- [Martin] This is Christopher's
Job Seeker's Allowance book.

1331
01:13:52,080 --> 01:13:55,914
After years in show business,

1332
01:13:56,240 --> 01:13:58,674
he had to sign on the dole
because he was broke,

1333
01:13:58,840 --> 01:14:01,400
and this is his back-to-work plan.

1334
01:14:01,560 --> 01:14:03,994
He was fed up with being self-employed

1335
01:14:04,040 --> 01:14:06,031
and I think he was just
looking for something

1336
01:14:06,080 --> 01:14:08,150
where he didn't have
all the responsibility.

1337
01:14:08,800 --> 01:14:10,995
- Like, I found him thatjob
at HOT Animation.

1338
01:14:11,040 --> 01:14:12,917
I thought, "God, this is just what you need,

1339
01:14:12,960 --> 01:14:15,030
go and see these people,
you're gonna love it."

1340
01:14:15,400 --> 01:14:17,675
- This letter arrived,
this was a sort of CV

1341
01:14:17,760 --> 01:14:19,910
of all the writing credits
that Chris Sievey had done.

1342
01:14:20,280 --> 01:14:22,396
Through most of our little
sort of chatty interview

1343
01:14:22,440 --> 01:14:26,353
he spent his time looking
to one side or the other,

1344
01:14:26,400 --> 01:14:27,958
didn't really look at me.

1345
01:14:28,120 --> 01:14:30,839
I said, "OK, well, would you like
to have a look around the studio?"

1346
01:14:31,000 --> 01:14:32,228
He was just entranced,

1347
01:14:32,280 --> 01:14:34,475
and he just thought everything
was fantastic in there.

1348
01:14:34,520 --> 01:14:36,954
"I must work here, I'm gonna work here."

1349
01:14:37,240 --> 01:14:40,550
I explained to him that we hadn't
really got any jobs at the moment.

1350
01:14:40,760 --> 01:14:42,751
The next day, he just turned up.

1351
01:14:42,800 --> 01:14:44,631
He just kept turning up every day.

1352
01:14:45,240 --> 01:14:46,992
He was there from that day on, really.

1353
01:14:47,480 --> 01:14:50,756
Chris was actually really a very good
craftsman as well.

1354
01:14:50,800 --> 01:14:52,950
So these things he had to
make for Bob the Builder,

1355
01:14:53,000 --> 01:14:55,753
or some of the other
programmes in different styles,

1356
01:14:55,800 --> 01:14:56,949
he could adapt to.

1357
01:14:57,000 --> 01:14:58,672
His craft work was beautiful.

1358
01:14:59,440 --> 01:15:01,556
Gradually came the day where I think

1359
01:15:01,600 --> 01:15:05,036
he had more ambitions than
staying in the props workshop,

1360
01:15:05,080 --> 01:15:07,719
which he enjoyed,
but he started to say to me,

1361
01:15:07,760 --> 01:15:09,591
"I've got all these other ideas."

1362
01:15:10,160 --> 01:15:12,799
I think he was engaging less in the company

1363
01:15:12,840 --> 01:15:14,353
and he decided to move on,

1364
01:15:15,040 --> 01:15:17,395
actually through mutual agreement.
(laughing)

1365
01:15:17,880 --> 01:15:22,510
- We still had our ups and downs
with his drinking hinges and stuff,

1366
01:15:22,560 --> 01:15:25,996
but he was getting back on track,

1367
01:15:28,400 --> 01:15:29,469
and then, er...

1368
01:15:31,880 --> 01:15:36,237
he ended up leaving me after all that
anyway, so.

1369
01:15:39,520 --> 01:15:42,239
| just thought it'd be better
if he moved back into the house

1370
01:15:42,280 --> 01:15:44,350
'cause it was full of his stuff.

1371
01:15:44,400 --> 01:15:46,118
You know, the cellar was full of his stuff.

1372
01:15:46,160 --> 01:15:49,596
It was easier for me to just move out
and start afresh.

1373
01:15:49,960 --> 01:15:53,077
So I just went to the town hall
and got my own divorce.

1374
01:15:53,120 --> 01:15:56,829
I think it cost me 35 pounds,
and it was the easiest thing.

1375
01:15:56,960 --> 01:15:59,633
I remember Chris calling round
one day and he just said,

1376
01:15:59,680 --> 01:16:01,875
"I just got this letter, we're divorced."

1377
01:16:01,920 --> 01:16:04,673
"Do you wanna go out for
a drink to celebrate?"

1378
01:16:05,000 --> 01:16:05,989
But we didn't.

1379
01:16:06,760 --> 01:16:07,909
Yeah, it was weird.

1380
01:16:08,360 --> 01:16:11,955
We just got divorced dead easily
after all those years.

1381
01:16:12,360 --> 01:16:16,717
After, like, 26 years, itjust ended
just like that.

1382
01:16:18,000 --> 01:16:20,673
- | used to drop my
children off at school,

1383
01:16:20,720 --> 01:16:23,234
and we'd go pick him up
and we'd drive to HOT,

1384
01:16:23,320 --> 01:16:24,594
and he wouldn't say a word.

1385
01:16:25,720 --> 01:16:26,948
Not one word was spoken.

1386
01:16:27,000 --> 01:16:28,115
He wouldn't speak to me.

1387
01:16:28,160 --> 01:16:29,991
You know, it took a
while to get to know him.

1388
01:16:31,440 --> 01:16:33,829
) Well there's a girl I know )

1389
01:16:33,880 --> 01:16:36,269
) And you've just got to go)

1390
01:16:37,520 --> 01:16:40,318
) To see her degree show )

1391
01:16:40,760 --> 01:16:43,228
) 'Cause she's the only girl)

1392
01:16:43,680 --> 01:16:45,716
) In all the world)

1393
01:16:47,120 --> 01:16:49,315
) Who's art'll move ya)

1394
01:16:50,720 --> 01:16:52,153
He lived on his own.

1395
01:16:53,640 --> 01:16:58,919
We spent a lot of time together,
but he wanted that space,

1396
01:16:59,040 --> 01:17:01,952
and he would have been
impossible to live with.

1397
01:17:02,320 --> 01:17:06,108
I wouldn't have been able to handle it,
I don't think. (laughs)

1398
01:17:08,160 --> 01:17:11,516
He certainly had a deeper
melancholic side to him.

1399
01:17:11,600 --> 01:17:13,158
I would say he was quite troubled.

1400
01:17:13,640 --> 01:17:15,949
The only thing was
probably walking the dog.

1401
01:17:16,000 --> 01:17:18,594
You know, he loved his dog
and he would take her out

1402
01:17:18,640 --> 01:17:20,517
and make sure that she was all right.

1403
01:17:21,760 --> 01:17:25,435
Frank was something that just wasn't part
of his life at that point.

1404
01:17:25,920 --> 01:17:27,433
He talked about it occasionally,

1405
01:17:27,480 --> 01:17:30,517
but very, very like it was
something that he'd done.

1406
01:17:31,200 --> 01:17:32,519
It was in the past.

1407
01:17:33,800 --> 01:17:37,873
I think he felt he hadn't
been recognized as Chris

1408
01:17:37,960 --> 01:17:40,030
for what he was, and that bothered him.

1409
01:17:40,480 --> 01:17:43,836
He wanted to be recognized
for everything else he'd done,

1410
01:17:43,880 --> 01:17:45,074
not just for Frank.

1411
01:17:46,520 --> 01:17:49,080
He would never say that he was an artist.

1412
01:17:49,120 --> 01:17:50,997
He didn't think he was an artist.

1413
01:17:51,120 --> 01:17:53,588
It was natural to him,
he didn't have to try.

1414
01:17:53,640 --> 01:17:55,073
It's just what he was.

1415
01:17:55,360 --> 01:17:59,114
He would spend hours and hours and hours
with no sleep,

1416
01:17:59,160 --> 01:18:01,879
no food, to get something
how he wanted it to be.

1417
01:18:02,960 --> 01:18:05,679
Every day, another idea came in, if not more.

1418
01:18:06,200 --> 01:18:08,555
It didn't matter what format that came in,

1419
01:18:08,600 --> 01:18:10,989
if it was film-making, drawing, painting.

1420
01:18:11,680 --> 01:18:13,750
- [Martin] One of the events
that he liked to record

1421
01:18:13,800 --> 01:18:15,836
was the sunset in Timperley.

1422
01:18:18,200 --> 01:18:20,111
If there was a sunset,
you'd probably see Chris

1423
01:18:20,160 --> 01:18:22,799
on the bridge, capturing it for posterity.

1424
01:18:23,840 --> 01:18:27,628
A little bit obsessive, but good thing
to be obsessive about, sunsets.

1425
01:18:28,120 --> 01:18:30,111
(film fluttering in projector)

1426
01:18:35,960 --> 01:18:37,518
(Chris laughing)

1427
01:18:53,120 --> 01:18:55,509
- And now it's time for...

1428
01:18:55,840 --> 01:18:57,478
(dramatic music)

1429
01:19:01,280 --> 01:19:03,555
- He said, this time I want to control it,

1430
01:19:03,600 --> 01:19:05,989
and | only want to do it for so long.

1431
01:19:06,120 --> 01:19:09,874
- [Martin] When Chris decided
to resurrect Frank Sidebottom,

1432
01:19:09,920 --> 01:19:12,992
he had what he called his Five Year Plan.

1433
01:19:13,480 --> 01:19:17,268
The plan was to make Frank more famous
than he'd ever been before,

1434
01:19:17,320 --> 01:19:19,880
and then at the zenith of the five years,

1435
01:19:19,920 --> 01:19:22,514
he'd publicly take off Frank's head

1436
01:19:22,560 --> 01:19:25,518
and announce, "It's me, Chris Sievey."

1437
01:19:25,600 --> 01:19:27,238
"It was me all the time."

1438
01:19:27,360 --> 01:19:30,750
Then finally freed of the
shackles of being Frank,

1439
01:19:30,840 --> 01:19:33,308
he'd be able to create art or music

1440
01:19:33,400 --> 01:19:36,073
or whatever he wanted,
as himself, once again.

1441
01:19:37,240 --> 01:19:38,309
- And I'm filming.

1442
01:19:39,040 --> 01:19:41,235
(Frank sings a tune)

1443
01:19:46,600 --> 01:19:48,318
Hello, Frank Sidebottom here.

1444
01:19:48,840 --> 01:19:50,592
(lighthearted music)

1445
01:19:53,000 --> 01:19:54,638
(people laughing)

1446
01:19:54,840 --> 01:19:56,990
- There would have been at least a dozen
kids parties,

1447
01:19:57,040 --> 01:19:58,268
what Frank would have done.

1448
01:19:59,160 --> 01:20:01,435
People used to ask,
"Will he bring Little Frank?"

1449
01:20:01,480 --> 01:20:03,789
'Course he's going to come,
you know, so. (laughing)

1450
01:20:04,000 --> 01:20:05,877
- And if you start any nonsense,

1451
01:20:05,920 --> 01:20:07,876
and people start liking you at all,

1452
01:20:07,960 --> 01:20:09,757
then you're going
straight back in your box.

1453
01:20:09,840 --> 01:20:11,159
Is that understood?

1454
01:20:12,480 --> 01:20:13,959
- [Crowd] Aw!

1455
01:20:15,520 --> 01:20:16,873
- He's only cardboard.

1456
01:20:16,960 --> 01:20:18,473
(people cheering)

1457
01:20:19,640 --> 01:20:20,959
Thank you, thank you.

1458
01:20:21,760 --> 01:20:24,035
- What he said was, he opened the floodgates.

1459
01:20:24,080 --> 01:20:26,310
- Are you ready to raise
the roof about this high?

1460
01:20:26,360 --> 01:20:28,271
You know the worldwide web?

1461
01:20:28,800 --> 01:20:30,711
Have you got the number?
I need to phone 'em up.

1462
01:20:31,440 --> 01:20:35,911
- Norman's Piano Bar in Ambleside
is probably best just forgotten.

1463
01:20:36,160 --> 01:20:38,071
There was only three of us there,
so it's probably...

1464
01:20:38,120 --> 01:20:40,315
but saying that though,
he did put the full show on

1465
01:20:40,400 --> 01:20:43,392
and he did do the full
two hours to three people.

1466
01:20:45,920 --> 01:20:48,229
- His little animated series on the boat.

1467
01:20:48,280 --> 01:20:49,759
He didn't talk about doing it.

1468
01:20:49,800 --> 01:20:52,030
He didn't wait or go around pitching it.

1469
01:20:52,160 --> 01:20:53,639
He went home and he made it.

1470
01:20:53,760 --> 01:20:57,070
) Oh, did you know that animation )

1471
01:20:57,160 --> 01:20:59,390
)Is the very latest thing )

1472
01:21:00,240 --> 01:21:03,118
) So here is my interpretation )

1473
01:21:03,200 --> 01:21:06,112
) That's guaranteed to entertain
and make your heart sing)

1474
01:21:06,160 --> 01:21:07,673
- [Little Frank] This is me, fishing.

1475
01:21:09,160 --> 01:21:10,479
Oh, I like fishing.

1476
01:21:10,560 --> 01:21:12,437
- [Chris] Couldn't we just film it like this?

1477
01:21:12,840 --> 01:21:14,478
- [Frank] Frank's World, it's called.

1478
01:21:14,680 --> 01:21:18,036
And we're doing a deal at the moment
to make another one.

1479
01:21:18,080 --> 01:21:20,435
When I say, we've done a deal,
I've done it with meself.

1480
01:21:21,360 --> 01:21:24,511
And welcome to the Magical Timperley Tour,

1481
01:21:24,640 --> 01:21:28,918
a fantastic trip round my local town,
which is dead good.

1482
01:21:29,240 --> 01:21:32,949
- What a brain child, what a barnstormer
of an idea.

1483
01:21:33,360 --> 01:21:37,478
Small groups of people making
a pilgrimage to Timperley

1484
01:21:37,520 --> 01:21:40,080
to be blessed by this monk-like figure.

1485
01:21:40,360 --> 01:21:41,839
(car horn honking)

1486
01:21:42,240 --> 01:21:44,310
- Keep your eyes on the road, madam.

1487
01:21:45,080 --> 01:21:48,595
As I said, there's a green grocers
on the corner there,

1488
01:21:48,640 --> 01:21:49,755
but it's shut.

1489
01:21:52,360 --> 01:21:53,349
She doesn't know.

1490
01:21:57,800 --> 01:22:00,394
One post box is for left-handed people

1491
01:22:00,440 --> 01:22:02,829
and one is for right-handed people.

1492
01:22:03,440 --> 01:22:05,351
(keyboard music)

1493
01:22:13,400 --> 01:22:17,871
- Channel M was The Guardian Media Group's
experiment into local television.

1494
01:22:18,160 --> 01:22:19,639
- [Dan] And stand-by Frank.

1495
01:22:19,680 --> 01:22:20,556
- [Frank] I'm ready.

1496
01:22:20,680 --> 01:22:24,195
) Oh, it's my proper telly show)

1497
01:22:24,520 --> 01:22:27,557
- When he came back, he had his own show,
and you go, this is fucking brilliant,

1498
01:22:27,600 --> 01:22:30,194
and it was only going out
within Manchester cable TV.

1499
01:22:31,120 --> 01:22:32,599
- He was like, "I'll do it for free."

1500
01:22:32,640 --> 01:22:34,119
"I'll do it for nothing."

1501
01:22:34,120 --> 01:22:38,318
He just wanted complete creative control
and somehow he managed to get that.

1502
01:22:38,400 --> 01:22:40,550
) You know it is, it really is )
- [Frank] Thank you.

1503
01:22:40,800 --> 01:22:43,030
Right, now you've got a new song out,
haven't you?

1504
01:22:43,080 --> 01:22:44,911
- Yes, l have.
- Did you write that?

1505
01:22:44,960 --> 01:22:46,029
- I did, yes.

1506
01:22:46,080 --> 01:22:47,752
- What colour pen did you use?

1507
01:22:47,800 --> 01:22:49,950
- (laughing) I don't remember.

1508
01:22:50,040 --> 01:22:53,510
- The guests were purely a
stooge for Frank to bounce off.

1509
01:22:53,640 --> 01:22:55,676
- David Soul was, I think,

1510
01:22:55,720 --> 01:22:58,632
very confused and wanting to leave.

1511
01:22:58,760 --> 01:23:02,196
- Do you have to sign loads of autographs?
- No, only on, er, checks

1512
01:23:02,240 --> 01:23:03,753
and credit cards.
- Oh, right.

1513
01:23:03,800 --> 01:23:05,631
Do you have to copy it off the label
in your vest,

1514
01:23:05,680 --> 01:23:07,079
or do you know your name off by heart?

1515
01:23:07,120 --> 01:23:08,155
- I know it mostly by heart.

1516
01:23:08,240 --> 01:23:13,189
- If you created a list of the hundred most
non-asked questions on a chat show,

1517
01:23:13,280 --> 01:23:14,679
Frank would have covered them.

1518
01:23:14,760 --> 01:23:16,512
- Have you ever been on an airplane?

1519
01:23:16,560 --> 01:23:18,391
- Once or twice.
- What's that like?

1520
01:23:18,440 --> 01:23:19,509
Do you have to hold your nose

1521
01:23:19,560 --> 01:23:21,198
when you go up in the clouds?
- These are really good questions.

1522
01:23:21,240 --> 01:23:22,912
You know, nobody's ever asked me
questions like this before.

1523
01:23:22,960 --> 01:23:24,473
- That was good, wasn't it?

1524
01:23:25,360 --> 01:23:27,112
- [Little Frank] Oh yes, very entertaining.

1525
01:23:27,160 --> 01:23:29,549
- Well, nice of you to say so, Little Frank.

1526
01:23:30,960 --> 01:23:33,474
- Flying over to America, doing one gig

1527
01:23:33,520 --> 01:23:34,748
and flying straight back.

1528
01:23:35,080 --> 01:23:36,274
Who would do that?

1529
01:23:36,800 --> 01:23:39,030
- (Laughing)
Oh, Frank called us up and--

1530
01:23:39,080 --> 01:23:40,149
- Frank, not Chris.

1531
01:23:40,200 --> 01:23:42,077
- [Lois] I'm coming to America.

1532
01:23:42,120 --> 01:23:45,510
) Well I went over to the USA )

1533
01:23:46,320 --> 01:23:47,514
) To take New York)

1534
01:23:47,600 --> 01:23:49,158
)It only takes a day )

1535
01:23:49,280 --> 01:23:53,671
) I did a gig, I did a telly, I did a radio )

1536
01:23:54,120 --> 01:23:57,237
) And then I said I really have to go )

1537
01:23:57,360 --> 01:24:00,511
- He lost his passport, and he said,
oh we have to cancel.

1538
01:24:00,560 --> 01:24:02,630
I can't go home, I don't have my passport.

1539
01:24:02,720 --> 01:24:04,119
We will find it!

1540
01:24:04,160 --> 01:24:07,038
- Come back in like six months,
I'll have a rest.

1541
01:24:07,120 --> 01:24:08,678
- We need a rest.
- I'll get some sleep.

1542
01:24:08,720 --> 01:24:11,154
- I'll just go and conquer America

1543
01:24:11,200 --> 01:24:13,919
and come home for tea,
you know, like you do.

1544
01:24:14,120 --> 01:24:16,395
- He had to get home to walk his dog.

1545
01:24:16,800 --> 01:24:18,836
- Right, we are pushed for time here,

1546
01:24:18,880 --> 01:24:21,952
so now I'd like to do all four sides

1547
01:24:22,000 --> 01:24:23,718
of The Beatles' White Album.

1548
01:24:23,840 --> 01:24:25,159
(people laughing)

1549
01:24:25,840 --> 01:24:27,831
- There was one year, my dad asked me

1550
01:24:27,880 --> 01:24:29,359
what I wanted for Christmas.

1551
01:24:29,400 --> 01:24:32,278
So I just kept saying to him,
'All lwant for Christmas is you.’

1552
01:24:32,440 --> 01:24:35,557
And he keep asking me, and l was like
'Dad, all I want is you.’

1553
01:24:35,600 --> 01:24:36,953
'All I want for Christmas is you.’

1554
01:24:37,320 --> 01:24:39,550
So anyway, I've gone
round on Christmas day,

1555
01:24:39,640 --> 01:24:41,073
and I've gone into the living room,

1556
01:24:41,120 --> 01:24:46,114
and he's head to toe completely
covered in wrapping paper,

1557
01:24:46,560 --> 01:24:49,996
and he's just stood there
straight with a cig in his mouth.

1558
01:24:50,840 --> 01:24:53,559
Just smoking this cig,
completely wrapped up.

1559
01:24:54,520 --> 01:24:57,159
It's the best Christmas present
I've ever had. (laughing)

1560
01:24:57,240 --> 01:24:59,356
(banjo strings)

1561
01:24:59,600 --> 01:25:02,068
- Hey, you used to be the drummer
in The Smiths, right?

1562
01:25:02,120 --> 01:25:03,712
- Mmhmm.
- Tell us about that.

1563
01:25:03,800 --> 01:25:04,994
- 0h, erm...

1564
01:25:05,280 --> 01:25:06,918
It was 1982,

1565
01:25:07,320 --> 01:25:11,108
and a mate of mine called
Pete Hope that I used to live with,

1566
01:25:11,200 --> 01:25:13,031
he used to know Johnny Marr.

1567
01:25:13,080 --> 01:25:15,992
- I'm... I'm gonna have a shower.
See you in the morning.

1568
01:25:19,600 --> 01:25:20,999
(keyboard music)

1569
01:25:29,400 --> 01:25:33,359
) I said hey you, bank account manager)

1570
01:25:33,480 --> 01:25:35,357
) please can I have a loan )

1571
01:25:35,680 --> 01:25:39,116
) I'm thinking of getting, one of your)

1572
01:25:40,360 --> 01:25:42,749
) low rate endowment policies )

1573
01:25:42,800 --> 01:25:44,950
)'cause when | get older)

1574
01:25:45,840 --> 01:25:50,356
)lwould like to know
I'm secure in me old age )

1575
01:25:50,480 --> 01:25:53,438
) I said, hey, you bank manager)

1576
01:25:53,760 --> 01:25:55,716
) please, can I have a word in your ear )

1577
01:25:56,240 --> 01:26:01,360
)I am a street rapper who
wants to be secure in old age)

1578
01:26:01,480 --> 01:26:02,879
(keyboard music)

1579
01:26:06,440 --> 01:26:08,795
- I invited Chris to do a solo exhibition

1580
01:26:08,880 --> 01:26:11,440
about Frank Sidebottom's world.

1581
01:26:11,960 --> 01:26:14,633
He wasn't precious about
any of his work at all.

1582
01:26:14,680 --> 01:26:18,116
He would use masking tape,
Sellotape, whatever was at hand,

1583
01:26:18,160 --> 01:26:19,832
and he would just shove stuff up.

1584
01:26:20,120 --> 01:26:23,271
He didn't really care about the
mode of display or whatever.

1585
01:26:23,320 --> 01:26:25,231
If you had a six inch nail,
he would have used that,

1586
01:26:25,280 --> 01:26:27,874
you know, straight through the middle
of a beautiful drawing if it meant

1587
01:26:27,920 --> 01:26:29,194
he could get it up on the wall.

1588
01:26:30,280 --> 01:26:31,633
You know, if you really wanna do it,

1589
01:26:31,680 --> 01:26:33,591
you've got to do it 24/7, and he did.

1590
01:26:33,760 --> 01:26:39,118
In that sense, he's a tragic romantic
19th century artist in the Garret figure.

1591
01:26:39,160 --> 01:26:41,549
You know, he's Zola and Balzac.

1592
01:26:43,080 --> 01:26:45,036
We got into Artforum, one of the most

1593
01:26:45,080 --> 01:26:47,469
important international art magazines.

1594
01:26:47,680 --> 01:26:49,716
They'd asked lots of different critics

1595
01:26:49,760 --> 01:26:51,990
to name their top ten exhibitions.

1596
01:26:52,480 --> 01:26:54,948
In at number three was Frank Sidebottom,

1597
01:26:55,000 --> 01:26:56,194
"Chelsea Space is Ace."

1598
01:26:57,880 --> 01:27:00,997
One of the big questions is
kind of who makes the work?

1599
01:27:01,080 --> 01:27:02,479
Was it Chris that made the work

1600
01:27:02,520 --> 01:27:04,272
or was it Frank that made the work?

1601
01:27:04,400 --> 01:27:06,231
It was impossible really to know where

1602
01:27:06,280 --> 01:27:08,510
the one thing began and
the other thing ended.

1603
01:27:10,640 --> 01:27:12,119
- You shouldn't be filming this.

1604
01:27:14,120 --> 01:27:15,758
Cut. (laughing)

1605
01:27:15,840 --> 01:27:17,398
Stop filming.

1606
01:27:18,160 --> 01:27:19,309
Here we go!

1607
01:27:19,680 --> 01:27:21,398
r - [Frank] Ah )

1608
01:27:21,480 --> 01:27:23,357
)- [Audience] Ah )

1609
01:27:23,440 --> 01:27:25,158
r - [Frank] Ah )

1610
01:27:25,240 --> 01:27:26,992
)-[Audience] Ah)

1611
01:27:27,160 --> 01:27:28,070
r - [Frank] Ah )

1612
01:27:28,120 --> 01:27:29,075
)-[Audience] Ah)

1613
01:27:29,160 --> 01:27:30,912
)- [Frank] Ahhhh)
)- [Audience] Ahhhh )

1614
01:27:31,040 --> 01:27:32,359
)- [Frank] Ah)
)- [Audience] Ah)

1615
01:27:32,400 --> 01:27:33,469
)-[Frank] Ah)
)-[Audience] Ah)

1616
01:27:33,520 --> 01:27:34,589
) -[Frank] Arghhhhhh )

1617
01:27:34,640 --> 01:27:36,631
) Arghhhhhhhhhhhh)

1618
01:27:41,040 --> 01:27:43,713
)Ah ah ah ahhhh)

1619
01:27:44,320 --> 01:27:46,072
) Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

1620
01:27:46,480 --> 01:27:47,708
) Arghhhhhhhh)

1621
01:27:47,840 --> 01:27:50,638
)Ah, ah, ah, ahhhh)

1622
01:27:50,840 --> 01:27:52,831
) Arghhhhhhhh)

1623
01:27:53,320 --> 01:27:54,594
) Arghhhh )

1624
01:27:54,720 --> 01:27:55,630
)Ah)

1625
01:27:55,680 --> 01:27:56,954
) Arghhhhhhhh)

1626
01:27:57,000 --> 01:27:58,149
)Ahhhh )

1627
01:27:58,280 --> 01:28:03,070
) Arghhhhhhhh)

1628
01:28:03,120 --> 01:28:05,236
) So shake it up baby)

1629
01:28:05,400 --> 01:28:07,231
) - [Audience] Shake it up baby)

1630
01:28:07,760 --> 01:28:10,274
- Thunderbird 2, understand
your danger zone.

1631
01:28:10,720 --> 01:28:12,039
Let's get to work.

1632
01:28:12,960 --> 01:28:14,632
ETA five minutes.

1633
01:28:15,920 --> 01:28:17,239
FAB, Scott.

1634
01:28:26,480 --> 01:28:28,072
- My dad always told me he's gonna live

1635
01:28:28,120 --> 01:28:31,669
till he's 100, so it didn't
really properly sink in.

1636
01:28:32,280 --> 01:28:33,952
So I was like, yeah, he's gonna be fine.

1637
01:28:34,200 --> 01:28:36,316
He always pulls it out of the bag.
He's always okay.

1638
01:28:44,880 --> 01:28:46,518
- I went round to his house.

1639
01:28:46,560 --> 01:28:48,596
I could tell his mind was
slightly somewhere else,

1640
01:28:48,640 --> 01:28:52,872
and we stood in front of a bookcase
he had full of Beatles DVDs.

1641
01:28:53,000 --> 01:28:54,991
He just turned to the bookshelf and he said,

1642
01:28:55,360 --> 01:28:58,557
'l've watched all them now,
I've watched all...' and he had!

1643
01:28:58,920 --> 01:29:00,069
He had hundreds.

1644
01:29:00,480 --> 01:29:05,315
He made a definite decision that he was
gonna spend his time watching every bit

1645
01:29:05,360 --> 01:29:07,271
of Beatles material he had.

1646
01:29:07,960 --> 01:29:09,632
- One of the last times I saw him,

1647
01:29:09,680 --> 01:29:10,829
erm...

1648
01:29:11,800 --> 01:29:12,949
Oh, I have to stop a minute.

1649
01:29:13,000 --> 01:29:13,830
Shit.

1650
01:29:14,760 --> 01:29:16,193
It's hard work, that one.

1651
01:29:16,440 --> 01:29:17,270
Oop.

1652
01:29:17,320 --> 01:29:18,992
Right, yep, one ofthe
last times I saw him,

1653
01:29:19,160 --> 01:29:20,070
erm...

1654
01:29:21,280 --> 01:29:23,157
I went round to his house in Hale

1655
01:29:23,400 --> 01:29:25,391
and, erm, ljust looked at him.

1656
01:29:25,440 --> 01:29:28,398
I said, Chris, you look absolutely awful.

1657
01:29:28,440 --> 01:29:30,476
In fact, I said, Chris, you look shit.

1658
01:29:31,400 --> 01:29:32,310
Erm...

1659
01:29:32,960 --> 01:29:34,598
And I know he'd been up all night.

1660
01:29:34,640 --> 01:29:36,949
He told me he'd been recording, doing stuff,

1661
01:29:37,000 --> 01:29:39,639
but he looked absolutely awful.

1662
01:29:39,680 --> 01:29:41,398
I said, look, I'm going, I'm not staying.

1663
01:29:41,440 --> 01:29:42,953
I don't want a cup of tea, I'm going.

1664
01:29:43,000 --> 01:29:44,592
Just get yourself to bed.

1665
01:29:44,680 --> 01:29:47,433
He says, no, I've got stuff to do.
I said, but Chris you look dreadful.

1666
01:29:47,520 --> 01:29:48,669
And you know what?

1667
01:29:48,720 --> 01:29:50,836
Out of all those years I've known him,

1668
01:29:50,960 --> 01:29:54,111
it's the first time he actually hugged me.

1669
01:29:54,280 --> 01:29:55,156
r [Frank] Oh )

1670
01:30:22,080 --> 01:30:25,755
) I hope I am dead soon)

1671
01:30:25,880 --> 01:30:27,233
(audience laughing)

1672
01:30:27,280 --> 01:30:30,636
) 'specially where the wind blows )

1673
01:30:33,000 --> 01:30:35,639
- The last time I saw Chris, he came off

1674
01:30:35,680 --> 01:30:39,195
to say goodbye to me,
and there was an open-top skip

1675
01:30:39,240 --> 01:30:40,719
just up the street from his house.

1676
01:30:40,760 --> 01:30:42,557
So he went and had a look in it

1677
01:30:43,000 --> 01:30:47,471
and came walking back
with two large pieces of brown cardboard.

1678
01:30:48,000 --> 01:30:50,116
Who knows what he was gonna do with them?

1679
01:30:50,320 --> 01:30:52,117
Probably make Little Frank bodies,

1680
01:30:52,160 --> 01:30:56,711
but they'd be nice and stiff and sharp,
no folds in them,

1681
01:30:57,880 --> 01:31:01,031
- Well, that was absolutely fantastic.

1682
01:31:01,600 --> 01:31:03,556
Right, here's something dead funny,

1683
01:31:04,320 --> 01:31:07,915
me as me after chemotherapy.
Have a look at that.

1684
01:31:09,880 --> 01:31:11,199
The show must go on, eh?

1685
01:31:11,560 --> 01:31:13,551
I'm just not a 100% at all.

1686
01:31:13,640 --> 01:31:15,596
Still, I don't suppose anybody noticed.

1687
01:31:16,400 --> 01:31:17,549
- Last gig, Salutation.

1688
01:31:18,720 --> 01:31:20,597
I noticed he had to keep
pulling his shorts up.

1689
01:31:37,720 --> 01:31:38,789
(people laughing)

1690
01:31:42,120 --> 01:31:44,429
)Oh)

1691
01:31:46,520 --> 01:31:48,829
)Oh)

1692
01:31:50,760 --> 01:31:52,637
)Oh)

1693
01:31:53,320 --> 01:31:56,790
)Ohohoh)

1694
01:31:57,160 --> 01:31:58,513
) Don't ya know)

1695
01:31:59,200 --> 01:32:00,269
) Love )

1696
01:32:00,320 --> 01:32:04,757
) love will tear us apart again)

1697
01:32:04,920 --> 01:32:05,796
Your turn!

1698
01:32:06,240 --> 01:32:08,276
) - [Audience] Love )

1699
01:32:08,360 --> 01:32:12,638
) Love will tear us apart again)

1700
01:32:12,720 --> 01:32:16,554
)- [Frank] Oh, I'm alone
in me room, oh yes)

1701
01:32:17,320 --> 01:32:20,153
) And me mum, she does not know)

1702
01:32:20,320 --> 01:32:22,390
- He had the room upstairs,

1703
01:32:23,200 --> 01:32:25,316
the Presidential Suite as they called it,

1704
01:32:25,440 --> 01:32:26,873
which was like a bit of carpet,

1705
01:32:26,920 --> 01:32:28,876
and things running up and down the wall.

1706
01:32:29,400 --> 01:32:32,790
- He had this nice jacket on and like 20 tags

1707
01:32:32,840 --> 01:32:34,751
in that pocket and 20 fags in that pocket.

1708
01:32:34,840 --> 01:32:36,990
- And he'd go, do you want a cig, Rick?
And then the next time

1709
01:32:37,040 --> 01:32:38,632
it'd be this one, like that, you know.

1710
01:32:39,120 --> 01:32:40,314
- It was just...

1711
01:32:42,400 --> 01:32:43,469
Oh, fuck.

1712
01:32:43,920 --> 01:32:44,955
- Your turn!

1713
01:32:45,360 --> 01:32:47,316
) - [Audience] Love )

1714
01:32:47,400 --> 01:32:51,916
) Love will tear us apart, again)

1715
01:32:52,080 --> 01:32:53,672
- It got to about three o'clock then.

1716
01:32:53,760 --> 01:32:55,273
l was working the next day,

1717
01:32:55,440 --> 01:32:57,590
then he just laid back down on the bed,

1718
01:32:57,640 --> 01:32:59,358
just fully clothed and went to sleep.

1719
01:32:59,560 --> 01:33:01,232
- And he just went like that.

1720
01:33:03,800 --> 01:33:05,119
See you, Chris.
- Yeah.

1721
01:33:06,080 --> 01:33:06,990
- [Frank] Thank you.

1722
01:33:07,040 --> 01:33:08,871
(crowd cheering)

1723
01:33:15,720 --> 01:33:18,518
- [Martin] Unfortunately,
Chris was never able

1724
01:33:18,560 --> 01:33:20,835
to fulfill his 5 Year Plan.

1725
01:33:21,120 --> 01:33:22,997
The big reveal never happened,

1726
01:33:23,160 --> 01:33:25,435
and he left us all in the lurch,

1727
01:33:25,600 --> 01:33:28,637
not knowing what he would have achieved.

1728
01:33:31,000 --> 01:33:34,436
- When he died, there was
obviously a funeral to pay for.

1729
01:33:34,880 --> 01:33:36,598
There wasn't any savings for a funeral.

1730
01:33:36,640 --> 01:33:37,959
There was nothing to pay for it.

1731
01:33:38,280 --> 01:33:40,748
- I heard it was like five grand.
Like, if we raised five grand

1732
01:33:40,800 --> 01:33:42,552
he could be spared a pauper's funeral.

1733
01:33:42,640 --> 01:33:44,198
So I sent out that one tweet.

1734
01:33:44,520 --> 01:33:47,159
Within an hour, 500 pounds had come in.

1735
01:33:47,440 --> 01:33:50,398
By the end of the day, it was like
21,000 pounds.

1736
01:33:50,720 --> 01:33:52,358
We have enough money for them to like bury

1737
01:33:52,400 --> 01:33:55,631
and exhume and bury and exhume him
like ten times.

1738
01:33:55,880 --> 01:33:57,996
- You know, so many people cared,
and you know,

1739
01:33:58,040 --> 01:33:59,996
it wasn't any flash funeral that we had,

1740
01:34:00,040 --> 01:34:03,350
but we managed to have a nice send off,
which, you know, I'm grateful for.

1741
01:34:04,680 --> 01:34:07,956
- He'd always tell me the stuff that
he was doing that wasn't Frank.

1742
01:34:08,160 --> 01:34:09,434
Like, 'cause he was writing

1743
01:34:09,480 --> 01:34:12,233
a lot of music himself as Chris Sievey,

1744
01:34:12,680 --> 01:34:14,557
and he spent a lot of time doing that.

1745
01:34:15,320 --> 01:34:17,390
Like, he bought this 16 track.

1746
01:34:18,520 --> 01:34:20,397
There was just so much music on it

1747
01:34:20,440 --> 01:34:22,192
that no one's even heard of before,

1748
01:34:23,160 --> 01:34:25,594
and he's kind of singing
from his heart again.

1749
01:34:30,320 --> 01:34:33,232
) So where are you?)

1750
01:34:36,560 --> 01:34:39,597
) Everything you do astounds me)

1751
01:34:40,920 --> 01:34:44,799
) As I sit here with your
artwork all around me)

1752
01:34:48,200 --> 01:34:50,555
) So where are you?)

1753
01:34:54,080 --> 01:34:56,469
- I think Chris should
be remembered for being

1754
01:34:56,560 --> 01:34:59,836
too wonderfully strange to
ever make it in the mainstream.

1755
01:35:01,240 --> 01:35:05,153
- He was pushing some envelope,
some mystery envelope,

1756
01:35:05,360 --> 01:35:08,079
and he made the public an accomplice.

1757
01:35:09,560 --> 01:35:11,790
- None of us want to stand
on stage and be ridiculed,

1758
01:35:11,840 --> 01:35:13,717
but Chris taught us that
it was only that moment

1759
01:35:13,760 --> 01:35:16,035
and that would pass and we'd be on
to the next idea then.

1760
01:35:16,120 --> 01:35:20,591
Just because it might fail was
not a reason not to try it.

1761
01:35:22,760 --> 01:35:24,432
(crowd cheering)

1762
01:35:29,760 --> 01:35:33,389
- His legacy is, it is all right to go out

1763
01:35:33,440 --> 01:35:36,193
and be brilliant at what you do
without worrying

1764
01:35:36,240 --> 01:35:37,559
about the check at the end of it.

1765
01:35:37,720 --> 01:35:41,918
Don't be looking at the fucking
X-factor finishing line.

1766
01:35:42,240 --> 01:35:44,071
Just be good where you can be good

1767
01:35:44,160 --> 01:35:47,550
and where it goes from there,
that'll take care of itself.

1768
01:35:50,120 --> 01:35:52,429
- It was just him doing his own thing.

1769
01:35:53,960 --> 01:35:56,599
I know how I'd remember him
and you know, it's all in here.

1770
01:35:57,160 --> 01:35:58,912
(peaceful music)

1771
01:36:06,840 --> 01:36:08,637
(rock music)
(pencil scratching)

1772
01:36:28,760 --> 01:36:30,512
) Please look into my eyes)

1773
01:36:30,560 --> 01:36:32,471
) I want it to be truthful, no messing)

1774
01:36:32,600 --> 01:36:33,999
) Don't tell me any lies )

1775
01:36:34,040 --> 01:36:35,871
) I've a funny feeling that )

1776
01:36:36,000 --> 01:36:37,831
) Something's hanging there )

1777
01:36:39,320 --> 01:36:41,311
) And don't tell me othenwise )

1778
01:36:41,400 --> 01:36:43,311
) Or I'm hallucinating, I'm waiting)

1779
01:36:43,440 --> 01:36:44,668
) And don't disguise the facts )

1780
01:36:44,760 --> 01:36:46,557
) I've a funny feeling that )

1781
01:36:47,400 --> 01:36:48,276
) I've seen it)

1782
01:36:49,800 --> 01:36:50,869
) What did you see?)

1783
01:36:50,920 --> 01:36:52,353
) I saw a yellow spot)

1784
01:36:52,480 --> 01:36:53,515
) How could you tell?)

1785
01:36:53,560 --> 01:36:55,198
) I heard from the first time)

1786
01:36:55,240 --> 01:36:56,355
) A yellow spot)

1787
01:36:57,320 --> 01:36:58,799
) Yeah, a yellow spot)

1788
01:37:15,960 --> 01:37:18,679
) I've got a girl )

1789
01:37:21,280 --> 01:37:23,840
) So far away )

1790
01:37:26,760 --> 01:37:30,275
)lwish I could be with her now)

1791
01:37:30,400 --> 01:37:32,197
) And everyday )

1792
01:37:35,360 --> 01:37:37,715
) Maybe I'm dreaming )

1793
01:37:41,800 --> 01:37:46,555
) But dreams are often make believe)

1794
01:37:48,160 --> 01:37:50,720
) | feel her love )

1795
01:37:53,480 --> 01:37:55,755
) Though we're apart)

1796
01:37:58,720 --> 01:38:03,111
) She's sending messages of love to me )

1797
01:38:03,160 --> 01:38:06,789
) By radar shot direct into my heart)

1798
01:38:10,280 --> 01:38:12,475
) Life with the Lyons )

1799
01:38:16,560 --> 01:38:18,391
) Your signal's weak)

1800
01:38:18,440 --> 01:38:21,159
) But detection is strong )

1801
01:38:26,120 --> 01:38:28,998
) Darling I can't spend another day )

1802
01:38:30,520 --> 01:38:32,238
)Without your love )

1803
01:38:34,080 --> 01:38:37,311
) So many things are standing in our way )

1804
01:38:38,520 --> 01:38:40,033
) To overcome )

1805
01:38:55,040 --> 01:38:56,917
(keyboard music)

1806
01:38:58,800 --> 01:39:01,189
- [Martin] There actually
was a secret code

1807
01:39:01,280 --> 01:39:02,952
hidden in those triangular borders.

1808
01:39:03,400 --> 01:39:06,392
It was deciphered by a
crack team of code breakers

1809
01:39:06,440 --> 01:39:11,389
and mathematicians from British
intelligence agency GCHQ.

1810
01:39:12,280 --> 01:39:17,195
Just what sort of message did Chris
deem worthy of such secrecy?

1811
01:39:36,360 --> 01:39:40,797
Now you can crack the rest
using Chris's own code grid.

1812
01:39:42,280 --> 01:39:45,238
It was in the back of his
address book the whole time.

1813
01:39:57,360 --> 01:39:58,793
- [Frank] Right, that's definitely it, yeah.

1814
01:39:58,840 --> 01:40:00,796
The end, because it says "the end."

1815
01:40:01,160 --> 01:40:02,912
It's not even in focus, is it?

1816
01:40:03,600 --> 01:40:06,034
Oh no, that was out of
focus anyway, wasn't it?

1817
01:40:06,400 --> 01:40:08,868
Right, you can switch it off now,
'cause we've finished.

1818
01:40:09,440 --> 01:40:11,749
(Frank sings a tune)

1819
01:40:12,960 --> 01:40:14,279
- [Little Frank] What's on after it?

1820
01:40:14,360 --> 01:40:16,430
- [Frank] Oh no, yeah,
there's some bits after it

1821
01:40:16,480 --> 01:40:17,435
I think as well.

1822
01:40:17,480 --> 01:40:18,469
Oh, leave it on.

1823
01:40:18,840 --> 01:40:20,831
Oh, let's try it dead fast speed.

1824
01:40:21,200 --> 01:40:22,189
Hold on.

1825
01:40:22,640 --> 01:40:24,119
Hey, there's dead fast speed.

1826
01:40:24,160 --> 01:40:25,388
Oh, there's nothing on it.