'A whirlwind of creative ideas'

Stars have lined up to pay their tributes to Frank Sidebottom creator Chris Sievey, who died yesterday at the age of 54.

An internet campaign immediately sprang up to get the cult comedian’s new football song Three Shirts On My Line to No 1 in the charts.

Sievey’s girlfriend found him collapsed at his home in Hale, Cheshire, in the early hours of yesterday. She called an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Wythenshawe Hospital.

Last month he revealed he had cancer and was recovering from an operation to remove a tumour from his chest. He put a brave face on his illness saying: ‘I’m looking forward to another 25 years in fantastic semi-professional show-bizness... I’m looking forward to all my ace concerts. I always give 100 per cent gusto. My fans have been brilliantly supportive.’

But he posted a message on his Twitter account on Sunday morning saying: ‘I'm still feeling very poorly’.

Caroline Aherne, who created Mrs Merton while appearing on Sidebottom’s Radio Timperley show, said: ‘Frank was a brilliant comic creation that only Chris could have invented. His face as recognisable a symbol of Mancunian warmth and good humour as any you could wish to find."

John Thomson said: ‘I'm absolutely shocked. As well as being a comedy legend he was a musical genius, an absolutely brilliant model maker and a great friend to many. He will be missed terribly.’

Radio 2 DJ Mark Radcliffe, said: ‘Chris was genuinely a genius who was packed with ideas and creativity. Everybody knows him as the bloke with the big head and whiny voice but he was genuinely gifted. He lived life as a kind of elaborate act. If you went on a gig with him the whole day would be like an adventure. He was basically a whirlwind of creative ideas who was always really invigorating to be around.’

Ross Noble Tweeted: ‘Sad news. He was one of my favourites. First record I ever bought was Oh Blimey It’s Christmas. He was also on the bill at the first Alternative Comedy Show I ever saw. Very sad news.’

Matt Lucas said: ‘RIP Frank Sidebottom. Supported him in Manchester in the early nineties. A true gent and a one-off.’

Phill Jupitus said: ‘So sad... Chris Sievey the one man industry behind Frank Sidebottom has died... A brilliant entertainer.

And Justin Moorhouse added: ‘Bobbins day in Manchester with the news of the sad passing of Chris/Frank both beguiling, unique characters.’

His friend and sometime promoter Mark Alston told the Manchester Evening News: ‘It is just really awful. I just feel in shock. He was a big comedy name in Greater Manchester – one of the biggest.'

His manager Nigel Round said Sievey had underplayed his illness 'to protect everyone': 'It was obviously worse than what he was telling people. 'I don't think there will be another one like him.'

Sievey created Sidebottom in the Eighties to help promote a computer game called The Biz which he wrote for the ZX Spectrum, and built up a cult audience on the North-West comedy circuit, which grew through festival and TV appearances.

The character retired in the mid-Nineties, but started making a comeback around five years ago, and recently supported comic poet John Cooper Clarke on his UK tour.

A Facebook group, Let’s Get Frank Sidebottom In The Charts, was launched yesterday and already boasts more than 1,200 members, while a Twitter feed @MakeFrank1 has more than 2,400.

The aim is to get as many fans as possible to buy his single Three Shirts On My Line on the same day to propel in to No 1.

Here is the song – which has not yet got an official release– as performed in Manchester 11 days ago:

Meanwhile a rare old film of Sievey performing without his papier mache head has emerged:

Published: 22 Jun 2010