The Freshies

The band was founded by singer-songwriter and comedian Chris Sievey, whose best-known creation – comedy character Frank Sidebottom – originated as a mascot for the group.

Original members Barry Spencer and Rick Sarko reformed the band permanently in 2019, following the release of the documentary Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story.

Chris Sievey had recorded since the early 1970s, and released two cassettes under his own name before starting the Bees Knees in 1972 with bass guitarist Paul Burke which they renamed the Freshies in 1974.

[3] Others who played with Sievey included, in the early lineup, Martin Jackson (later with Magazine and Swing Out Sister) and Billy Duffy (later with the Cult).

[4] The band's biggest selling single and best known song is 1980's "I'm in Love with the Girl on the Manchester Virgin Megastore Check-out Desk" renamed as "I'm in Love with the Girl on a Certain Manchester Megastore Check-out Desk" on request from Radio 1 (a version with "Virgin" bleeped out to allow it to be played on the radio without being considered advertising was also released), which reached number 54 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1981 after being picked up by MCA, eventually selling over 40,000 copies.

The single's success prompted Richard Branson to undertake a search for the former checkout girl in question in 2006, wishing to invite her to the opening of the new Virgin Megastore in Manchester, in recognition of the role she played in the history of the original store.

[9] The earliest known line up of the band beyond just Sievey also consists of Barry Spencer on vocals and guitar, Paul Whittle on keyboards, Richard Maunder on bass, and Bob Dixon on drums.