Chris Sievey - Early Life and Career

Early Life and Career

Sievey grew up in Ashton-on-Mersey (five miles from Timperley, the town with which Frank Sidebottom would be associated). In 1971 he decided on a career in music and hitch-hiked to London with his brother, staging a sit-in at the Apple Records HQ, demanding to see one of The Beatles. When they were asked to leave they insisted on recording something, and were booked into the studio after playing a song to head of A&R Tony King. Sievey subsequently recorded several demos, which he sent to record companies, receiving many rejection letters which he later compiled into a book. Unable to get a deal, he set up his own Razz label in 1974.

Sievey released two cassettes under his own name in 1975 and 1976 - Girl In My Blue Jeans and All Sleeps Secrets. He then began working under the name The Freshies, with various other musicians involved including Martin Jackson, Billy Duffy and former Nosebleeds bassist Rick Sarko. A string of singles and several cassettes were released between 1978 and 1983, most credited to The Freshies but "Baiser" (1979) credited to Chris Sievey, and the Red Indian Music EP credited to 'The Freshies with Chris Sievey'. In 1981, Sievey played on "Some Boys" by Going Red?, the band formed by former-Jilted John star Graham Fellows. By 1983 he had abandoned The Freshies and began moving in a new direction.