By Chris Rockson

A special feature on a special artist...Sid Fletcher, Bass Guitarist with the Pyratz also has a passion for all things 'industrial'. Growing up in the late 1970's and 80's in the tough, gritty streets of a northern town gave Sid this passion, but he didn't realise it at the time...it was some years later when the passion became reality and he set to work, photographing and documenting the left-over from the 60's multi-level and deck-access flats and buildings that were fast becoming redundant and unwanted, in favour was a more 'clinical' and yuppie-look...the grit was gone, but Sid had the foresight and artistic leaning to have documented them....Apart from his work with the band, his regular day-job and family life, his love is Tower Blocks....We give you Sid, he gives you 'TowerBlock Metal'.....Drop by his site and tell him I sent ya...Chris

 

Creating contemporary urban pieces of art is Sid Fletcher's passion.
He started his foray into the welcoming (sic) world of art at the tender age of 42 with a realisation that for decades he has been obsessed with tower blocks .

He channels his foray into this all embracing new world with inspiration from vast seemingly soulless social housing estates. Sid's specialties include subverting images using DIY punk style photomontage and good trustworthy traditional Xerox art.

His work is for sale on Towerblockmetal.co.uk along with pieces of commissioned art.
 

According to his mates, Sid  has always been fanatical about High Rise, Deck Access Tower Blocks as a form of Art, Terms such as Beton Brut, Brutalism and Modernism are first language to him - his penchant really is Le Corbusiers brainchild of the "Streets in the sky."
 

         
In fact any sort of public / social housing estates that were built as part of the post war posterity housing dream has captured his eye ; consequently his photography and art strongly depicts harsh alienating brutalistic urban scenes sometimes countered by the juxtaposition of a more natural peaceful side.
 

Living in an Industrial Northern city has given (and will still give!) Sid no end of opportunity to capture Iconic Brutalist buildings such as the Grade 2 listed Park Hill flats, the Moore Street Substation and the sadly demolished Tinsley Cooling Towers

Sid Fletcher is a 40 something inner city artist currently based in Sheffield UK-
He enjoys healthy everyday pursuits such as alcohol, Black Metal and DIY punk ..
He can suffer many fools.... but not those of a narrow mind!..
 

Please email Sid with any questions, comments, general rants etc

 

http://www.towerblockmetal.co.uk

 

Chris