Pete Shelley 6th December 2022 - 4 Years Gone.

 

So, another run up to Manchester to visit Mo and to fulfill her request for us to bring up some warmer clothes as for once the rain has abated and the weather seems to be perishingly cold, although this may be related to the unseasonably mild weather that has bathed the UK for the past few weeks.

Saturday morning is bright and cold, the best weather that a British winter can offer. After 30 minutes or so of wandering around Manchester Cathedral, we boarded a V1 bus that would take us out of Manchester, through its little sister of Salford to Leigh. The reason for this diversion from the metropolis? Why, Pete Shelley of course!

The town of Leigh is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is the birthplace of Peter McNeish, universally better known, to my generation at least, as Pete Shelley, the enigmatic singer and songwriter of Buzzcocks (but there's now need for me to you that is there!). Earlier this year I made a promise to myself that the next time we were on family business in Manchester we would make the pilgrimage to view the exceptionally good mural painted in his honour on the gable end of a property in the centre of town. A truly huge canvas! 

Of course I have seen many online photographs of the work from its early execution through to the unveiling in July 2022. However, a still image viewed on a computer screen is no substitute for a up close and personal encounter of the mural! This Malcolm Garrett design was realised by acclaimed Manchester artist, Akse P19. However in contrast with other Akse works (Ian Curtis and Marcus Rashford) that are in black and white, the first thing that impresses upon the viewer of the Shelley mural is the vibrancy of the colours involved. The red and blue intensity of the Garrett heart motif leaps out from the brickwork, whilst the sky blue background illuminates the work whilst providing a stark contrast to the monochrome portrait of a young Pete staring intensely into the lens of photographer, Chris Gabrin's, camera.

I am so glad that the Andrews family, minus one, made the journey to say hello to Pete. I felt quite emotional standing before it I must say. I just hope that it is respected and that money is available to ensure that it is maintained such that its impact is not lost for future visitors. The fact that Pete's family have been involved in the project from the beginning gives me hope that this will indeed be the case. After all, the Manchester climate is no respecter of art exposed to its elements!