Jon ronson frank sidebottom book

Adventures with extremists 2001, and the psychopath test 2011. With michael fassbender, domhnall gleeson, maggie gyllenhaal, moira brooker. Jon ronsons experiences on tour with sidebottoms band from 1987 until 1990, which he first wrote about for the guardian in 2006 and then. Sporting a fibreglass cartoon head, frank played by chris sievey would perform strange beatlesqueenbruce springsteen covers with his oh blimey big. In the late 1980s jon ronson was the keyboard player in the frank sidebottom. The emergence of jon ronsons film, frank, steve sullivans exhaustive documentary being frank. In the late 1980s i was the keyboard player in the frank sidebottom band. There was a time when jon ronson was the keyboardist in frank sidebottoms oh. Frank in the late 1980s jon ronson was the keyboard player in the frank sidebottom oh blimey big band. If youre a fan of frank sidebottom, then this is one book i can recommend. Being a fan of jon ronson, i was looking forward to frank despite only having a passing interest in frank sidebottom. Starring michael fassbender behind the giant head, the script was a loose adaptation of sidebottoms life based on a book by journalist and friend jon ronson. An aspiring musician joins a band of eccentrics led by an enigmatic singer who wears a fake head and his unstable girlfriend.

I still see myself as marginal the writer often focuses on people who live in irrational bubbles, such as frank sidebottom but then, its a state of mind he has. Frank sidebottom was the alter ego of a man named chris sievey, who wore a giant fake head almost identical to the one frank michael fassbender wears in the movie. Jon ronson at his best, jon ronson is one of the finest comic writers working. Last year, jon ronson and peter straughan released a terrific film called frank, which was a fictional telling of ronsons time in frank sidebottoms band. Jon ronson, who played in his band, and has cowritten a film inspired by the character starring michael fassbender, remembers. Frank sidebottom, best known for performing with a big fake head with a cartoon face painted on it, was a cult. Jon ronson born 10 may 1967 is a british journalist and documentary filmmaker whose works include the men who stare at goats 2004, them. The 2014 film frank was largely inspired by the frank sidebottom character, telling the story of a young wannabe musician who joins a group led by the enigmatic frank michael fassbender.

I think this is the only book that ive read from cover to cover in under 40 minutes. Jon ronson books list of books by author jon ronson. How connected do you want the film to be with frank sidebottoms own legacy. The true story that inspired the movie, jon ronson reflects on his days playing keyboard for the frank sidebottom oh blimey big band. From the bestselling author of the psychopath test comes a characteristically humorous story of a musician on the margins. Jon, a young wannabe musician, discovers hes bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic frank. Frank works as satire, as memoir, as comedy bromance, but it works mostly because it is just so weird guardian in the late 1980s jon ronson was the keyboard player in. Jon burroughs is invested in fame and fortune, while frank wants to be loved, and his band coddles him as a musical genius with regard for his wellbeing that may well be limited by their worship. The true story that inspired the movie is a book by jon ronson, available in hardcover, e book, or audio. The character made it to the big screen in a sense when the movie frank was released in 2014. If youre curious to know which elements of the film were true, read jon. Them began as a book about different kinds of extremists, but after jon had got to know some of them islamic fundamentalists, neonazis, ku klux klansmen he found that they had one oddly similar belief. Jon ronsons books include the new york times bestseller the psychopath.

In july 2017, jon released an audible original audio series called the butterfly effect, which went straight to number one on the us audio charts and has remained there. It tells the true story behind the fictionalized movie. By maft on march 27, 2015 march 18, 2015 in film film biographical dramas, comedies, dramas, independent films 1. Jon ronson, who played in his band, and has cowritten a film inspired by the character starring michael fassbender, remembers franks creator chris sievey as being even more eccentric than his papiermache alter ego. Thats a really good question, and having read the book. The true story that inspired the movie by jon ronson. Jon ronsons books include the new york times bestseller the psychopath test. Jon ronson gets inside franks head the washington post. Jon presents a oneman show frank story telling the true story behind the new acclaimed fictionalized movie cowritten by him and starring michael fassbender and maggie gyllenhaal. Jon ronson recalls his own glory days in the entertainers band. Talking truth and fiction in frank with jon ronson the atlantic. Ronson ran away from home to tour as the keyboard player in frank sidebottoms oh blimey big band, in the 1980s. Frank sidebottom was possibly the strangest pop star in history. The film was written by jon ronson and peter straughan, and was based on ronsons experiences playing in sieveys oh blimey big band.

Twentyfive years later and jon has cowritten a movie, frank, inspired by his time in this great and bizarre band. Okja, as well as frank, which was inspired by his time alongside the frank sidebottom band. Jons frank sorry in interviews and if one reads his book about the sidebottomtypefrank that the relationships were adjusted here quite a bit. Frank is cowritten by jon ronson based on his experience playing keyboard in the frank sidebottom oh blimey big band in the late 80s. And a crucial component to this film is the music if michael fassbenders behindthemask turn as the titular character loosely based on frank sidebottom, see screenwriter jon ronsons book for the full story behind the movies inspiration is the reason to see. A funny, sad and true story about jon ronson, frank sidebottom and other outsider musicians. Nobody outside his inner circle knew his true identity. The cryptic codes of a comic icon were only cracked by a. In the late 1980s jon ronson was the keyboard player in the frank sidebottom oh blimey big band. There was a time when jon ronson was the keyboardist in frank sidebottoms oh blimey big band. Jon idolises frank michael fassbender, an eccentric musician from america who, 247, wears a fake head. The film, titled frank, was cowritten by journalist and broadcaster jon ronson, who spent three years playing keyboards in sidebottoms oh blimey big band in the late 1980s. Frank sidebottom, best known for performing with a big fake head with a cartoon face painted on it, was a cult favorite in the. The true story that inspired the movie is a memoir of funny, sad times and a tribute to outsider artists too wonderfully strange to ever make it in the mainstream.

Talking truth and fiction in frank with jon ronson the. The typeface can be read from the moon, theres scant information in the book, and its basically a. Frank sidebottom and the man behind the mask bbc news. This became the subject of feverish speculation during his zenith years. This is a great book by a good man about his gifted friend, frank sidebottom. Frank sidebottom and jon ronson, birmingham, the 1980s. His book captures perfectly that rarest of journeys when an onlooker got to see. Frank sidebottom, best known for performing with a big fake head with a cartoon face painted on it, was a cult favorite in the united kingdom and is the subject of the new movie frank, cowritten by. This short memoirextension of a piece ronson put together for the guardian explains the history of the sidebottom character a strange homily sits behind the eyes of that mask. The true story that inspired the movie is a 2014 nonfiction book by jon ronson, which describes his time with musiciancomedian frank sidebottom as. Frank sidebottom was a novelty act from the manchester music scene of the late 80searly 90s.