RIP Frank Sidebottom - My Hero

I've just learned the heart wrenching news that one of my all-time heroes, Chris Sievey aka Frank Sidebottom died in the early hours of last night.

About a month ago he announced on his blog and twitter that he had been diagnosed with cancer but remained upbeat, selling a picture he made of 'Frank after chemotherapy' to raise money for a cancer charity and continuing to tour. Just last week he released a new comedy football song for the world cup and as recently as last night he was updating his blog on myspace.
Sadly he collapsed last night after recovering from an operation to remove a tumor from his chest and was taken to hospital where he passed away.

Frank was one of my biggest heroes. In my mind he wasn't just a comedion but a performance artist as well, and i was entirely taken in by the illusion that Frank was a real person (as i often am with puppets or puppet heads). There is just something innocent but extremely clever about the character of Frank, a melding of the real world and the imaginary one.  Chris created an entire world around Frank and it was really fully realised. He was a living cartoon. A sweet, fun and funny individual who just happened to have the head of a puppet.
Not only that but he was damn funny.

I was luckilly enough to see him live a few times, and even won a raffle prize of Little Frank's body. He inspired me a lot in my art, especially when i was beginning Art College and wanted to explore the fun side of art and the idea of alter-egos.

So rest in peace Frank and Chris. You were an amazing man.