Port Sunlight exhibition reveals the off-stage side of Liverpool music icon Pete Burns

A Port Sunlight exhibition of photos featuring Liverpool music icon Pete Burns reveals an off-stage side to the flamboyant star alongside his famous on-stage persona.

Total Stranger, which is on display in Port Sunlight where Pete was from, brings together archive images by photographer Francesco Mellina.

40 photographs are on display, with a further 100 collated into a presentation, many of which have never been seen before.

They include intimate backstage shots of Pete from his early career with Nightmares in Wax and then Dead or Alive, as well as those showing him performing.

And Brian Pilkington from Port Sunlight Village Trust says the images have been bringing memories flooding back for music fans who remember the era well, and those who are keen to discover it.

“Pete grew up in Port Sunlight which is obviously a big reason why we’re doing the exhibition, and I think it shines a spotlight on that period between when he left the village and finding success with Dead or Alive,” he says. 

“A lot of the photos are from the late 70s and very early 80s so it’s quite a specific period and you can see the birth of the superstar he became.

“It’s a mix of stage photos and behind the scenes, so it’s a very rounded view rather than just him performing, and it’s really brought back a lot of memories for people.

“Since the exhibition opened last month, we’ve heard lots of recollections from people about Pete, it’s crazy how many people had that interaction with him.

“We’ve also had some visitors who say they remember going into Liverpool city centre to go to Probe specifically to see him, but they were too scared to speak to him!”

The exhibition includes just a small fraction of thousands of images captured by Francesco after he first met Pete in the legendary Eric’s club.

He asked Pete if he could photograph him, Pete agreed and the pair became friends, giving Francesco unprecedented access to the singer as he rose to fame. The renowned photographer compiled a book of some of his work from the time, also called Total Stranger, before selecting those to go on display.

They are now on show at Bridge Cottage in Port Sunlight Village, offering a unique perspective on a music icon with a local backstory.

“It’s quite well documented that Pete didn’t enjoy growing up in Port Sunlight, it wasn’t the place to be at that time if you were someone who wanted to stand out,” says Brian.

“He’s never really had that recognition in the village for the impact he had on pop culture and music and it’s such a big part of our history so we wanted to recognise that. 

“The exhibition is a chance to relive that period, and certainly for some people it takes them back to their earlier days seeing him in Liverpool and watching him perform.

“Visitors also come away with a new appreciation for him. I think towards the end of his life, people formed this view of him but actually he was a really important figure.”

The Total Stranger exhibition runs until January 19, and is open Wed to Sun, 10am-4pm, (closed from 12.30-1pm). It’s not ticketed and is ‘pay what you think’ so visitors can decide what they contribute rather than a specific ticket price. All money goes to support the Port Sunlight Village Trust’s work in helping to preserve and promote the village. 

Find out more on the website HERE.

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