Shaun Says: Stick together and look out for each other and we’ll be alreyt

Shaun Doane, frontman of Everly Pregnant Brothers

From the opening titles, featuring Sheffield: A city on the move, the nostalgia and love for our city begins to well in our steely hearts. The story is based in reality, which makes the comedy and pathos of the script even more touching.

The cast was stellar, Robert Carlyle almost nailed the Sheffield accent, Tom Wilkinson absolutely got it, Hugo Speer’s lunchbox became a legend and for young William Snape, it took a little lad to Hollywood! Yorkshire actors Mark Addy and Steve Huison took naturally to the dialect and Lesley Sharp was adorable as Jean. Of course, you can’t forget Paul Barber as Horse, legend of the Northern Soul dancefloors who brought the soul to the gang.

The soundtrack is amazing, the dialogue is spot on, it’s hard to pick a favourite scene, but for me, when Gerald’s TV is getting repossessed, and the two heavies walk in to the sight of the lads in nothing but red leather thongs, and Dave firmly saying “put down, and P*** off!” still makes me chuckle even as a memory.

The Full Monty. William Snape and Robert Carlyle.

The film did put Sheffield back on the map, at a time when we had a huge foot in the music scene in the shape of Pulp, who were riding high with their album Different Class including the best song of the 1990s, Common People. If you haven’t already heard, Pulp are coming back for a series of concerts next year, and I for one cannot wait to see them. It is going to feel a bit strange though seeing Everly Pregnant Brothers bandmate Nick Banks up on the big stage being the proper rock star again, more Champers than Carling Black label!

Looking back, I wonder if as a city, we really capitalised on the incredible success of both The Full Monty, and Pulp?

Looking forward, times are once again pretty gloomy, but we have the spirit inside us to fight through it and come out stronger at the other side. Stick together and look out for each other and we’ll be alreyt.

Enjoy your long bank holiday weekend, it’s the long run now through to the C word. No I’m not saying it, or counting sleeps, or days, or Mondays, or Fridays….