Oh Blimey! It’s Frank’s Mancs is the massive new work from Cold War Steve celebrating the rich history of the Manchester music scene.
A few years back Cold War Steve created a love letter to his home city of Birmingham (Benny’s Babbies) and then just last year a piece for the city of Sheffield (Sheffield, It’s Alright) which was put together through a collaboration with local residents. Both of these works are now in the permanent collections of their respective city galleries.
When Chris went off radar for a couple of weeks back in February I wondered what he was up to. Turns out he was hard at work completing one of his biggest and most ambitious projects to date, a deep dive and truly kaleidoscopic collage of Greater Manchester legends and musicians. From 808 State to Herman’s Hermits, via Georgie Fame, Marcus Intalex, Happy Mondays, DJ Paulette, Mark E Smith, Mr Scruff, Lonelady, Space Afrika, the Bee Gees, Demdike Stare and so many more.
At the moment Oh Blimey! It’s Frank’s Mancs – named of course in honour of Frank Sidebottom – only resides online. We’re hoping that later this year we can find a home in the city for a large scale installation of the work and are working with friends and family in the city including the brilliant Manchester Digital Music Archive to try and make that happen.
In the meantime please share it with mates, tag someone featured in the work, or someone who isn’t but deserves to be, this canvas could have been 10 or even 20 times bigger!
CHECK OUT THE POSTER + LIMITED EDITION HERE IN THE SHOP
‘Sometimes I have to take a break from reacting to the news. I’ve talked previously about how my occasional ‘positive pieces’ can act as a soothing sorbet for the soul. A period of self-imposed collage therapy; cutting out images of inspiring people, rather than sociopathic murderous cxnts. My favourite works are the expansive celebrations of Britain’s diverse cultural contributors. The first of which was in 2020 for my hometown of Birmingham. Last Spring I was extremely honoured to work on a huge collage celebrating Sheffield (for the city’s Get Together festival).
Processing the horrors of bleak world events of the last few months, I knew that only Manchester could pull me through. Because of its rich musical contribution to the world, I decided to compose my first ‘music/musicians/bands’ only composition. The most enjoyable aspect was deep-diving into a period of research – and consultation with actual Mancunians – to enlighten me on just how vast, diverse and influential Manchester’s music scene has been (and remains so). So whilst the much-loved and well known Greater Manchester acts are all present, there are hundreds more, perhaps more obscure to non-Mancs, that fully deserve their place here.
In choosing the backdrop, I of course turned to LS Lowry. Lowry’s vibrance, honesty and encapsulation of the Manchester spirit, has continued to weave its way through all of Manchester’s bountiful musical culture.’ Cold War Steve – March 2026
EXIT VIA GIFT SHOP << available as a lovely A2 poster or limited edition signed print now
10cc / 808 State / A Certain Ratio / AfroDeutsche / A Guy Called Gerald / Aitch / Alan Turing / Andy Gill / Andy Stott / Andy Votel / Aniff Akinola / Anz / Audioweb / Autechre / Aziz Ibrahim / Badly Drawn Boy / Barclay James Harvest / Barney Doodlebug / Barry Adamson / Bee Gees / Ben Pearce / Billy Duffy / Blossoms / Blue Orchids / Bou / Brian and Michael / Bruce Mitchell / Bugzy Malone / Buzzcocks / Cabbage / Carmel / Charles Halle / Chimpo / Cleopatra / Courteeners / CP Lee / Crazy P / Daley / Danny Jones / Dave Rofe / Dave Sharp / Demdike Stare / Denise Johnson / Dianne Charlemagne / Doves / Dutch Uncles / Easterhouse / Ewan MacColl / Edwina Banger / Elbow / Elkie Brooks / Elsie Carlisle / Eric Cantana / Everything Everything / Fingathing / Floating Points / Fonzo / Freddie and the Dreamers / Geko / George Formby / Georgie Fame / Go Go Penguin / Goldblade / Guy Williams / Happy Mondays / Henge / Herman’s Hermits / Hewan Clarke / Holly Head / Hot Milk / Hughie Flint / Hurts / IAMDDB / I am Kloot / Inca Babies / Ingested / Inspiral Carpets / Intastella / Irfan Rainy / Ist Ist / James / Jim Noir / John Cooper Clarke / John Mayall / Jon da Silva / Jon the Postman / Joy Division/New Order / Kate Mountain / Kate O’Donnell / Kath McDermott / Kid British / Laura White / Les Dawson / Liam Frost / Lisa Stansfield / Lonelady / Loose Articles / Lou Rhodes / Ludus / Luke Una / Magazine / Marconi Union / Marc Riley / Marcus Intalex / Marion / Mark Radcliffe / Martin fry / Martin Hannett / Matthew Halsall / MC DRS / MC Tunes / Meekz / Melanie Williams / Mick Hucknall / Mike Harding / Mint Royale / Misha B / Mock Turtles / Molly Half Head / M People / Mr Scruff / Muslim Gauze / N-Trance / Norman Beaker / Northside / Oasis / Ocean Size / Pale Waves / Paris Angels / Paulette / Peter Hammill / Peter Skellern / Pip Millet / Ren Harvieu / Robert Heaton / Rob Gretton / Roy Harper / Russell Watson / Ruthless Rap Assassins / Sad Cafe / Salford Jets / Samantha Depasois / Slaughter and the Dogs / Slow Readers Club / Sonic Boom Six / Space Afrika / Space Monkeys / Starsailor / Stuart Marconi / Sweet Female Attitude / Sweet Sensation / Swing Out Sister / Take That / The Bodines / The Caretaker / The Chameleons / The Dakotas / The Hollies / The Lathums / The Lottery Winners / The Mind Benders / The Railway Children / The Smiths / The Waltones / The Whip / Tim Burgess / Ting Tings / Tony Wilson/ Tosh Ryan / Twisted Wheel / Van Der Graaf Generator / Verve / Vini Reilly / When in Rome / Winterfylleth / Working for a Nuclear Free City / Wulyf / Yarg
