L. S. Lowry - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

• In January 1968 the rock band Status Quo paid tribute to Lowry in their single "Pictures of Matchstick Men" which reached number seven in the British charts, number eight in Canada, and number twelve on the US Billboard Hot 100.
• In 1978, two years after his death, duo Brian and Michael from Manchester, England hit number one in the UK pop charts with their only hit, the Lowry tribute Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs. Written by Ancoats-born Michael Coleman and produced by Kevin Parrott, the record sold 750,000 copies.
• In 1980 The Rovers paid tribute to Lowry in song with Matchstick Men and Matchstick Cats and Dogs, which appeared on their album The Rovers and was also the "B" side to their country crossover single "Wasn't That A Party".
• Terry Gilliam's 1985 dystopian fantasy film Brazil pays homage to Lowry through both the incorporation of 'Lowryesque' cityscapes and the name of its chief protagonist (Sam Lowry).
• The Manchester rock band Oasis paid tribute to Lowry by releasing a music video for the single "The Masterplan" in October 2006 which uses Lowry style animation.
• Burberry designer Christopher Bailey drew influences from Lowry's work for his autumn/winter 2008-09 collection.
• In August 2010 Figures Half Unreal, an immersive theatre piece on Lowry, was performed in a semi-derelict house in Berwick-upon-Tweed, a town the artist used to visit regularly.