It was over ten years ago when Christopher Eccleston played the Salford Son of God in the brilliant tv drama, The Second Coming, trying to convince a crowd to listen...
"...I've been you...knowing it's all going wrong and doing nothing about it, keeping my head down, giving a quid to charity, signing a petition, talking about it down the pub, laughing about it and doing nothing" he shouts "...Even now, right now, I want to do nothing...I want to go home, shut the door and pretend this isn't happening. But I can't... I can't..."
Chris's character, who worked in a video rental shop and liked a pint, could only convince a sceptical crowd by making the sun shine into Manchester City's old Maine Road ground at night. It was a revelation as the whole world sought answers.
Now get Bez, a son of Salford, who found his Damascus moment, not in religion but at a hippy camp in Wales which inspired him to try and change a Salford corner of the world by forming the We Are The Reality Party, getting its first General Election voter test tomorrow.
We're sat with Chris Eccleston in London and he's as sceptical as that Maine Road crowd in The Second Coming when we mention Bez as a possible Reality Party MP for Salford and Eccles...
"What, Bez?" he laughs "What does he know about reality?"
`No, no' we say `He's got some good policies anti-fracking, anti-banking system ...permaculture...bees...'
"Oh" Chris responds "I'd have to see the new incarnation before I could comment, Salford's very close to my heart. I'm going to have to read the manifesto now...The question is, could my mum see Bez as the new MP for Salford because she's 83, Salford born and bred and what she says goes.
"So Bez is going to have to go and see my mam" he decides "Can you set it up? `Bez this is Elsie...Elsie this is Bez'... `Get yer hair washed, what's wrong with his eyes and why are you talking so quick?'..."
Unfortunately, living in Little Hulton, Elsie doesn't get to vote for Bez as she's in the Worsley and Eccles South constituency. But she does have Mags McNally standing for the We Are The Reality Party. And there's still time for her to be convinced.
Meanwhile, Christopher Eccleston is currently starring in Safe House on ITV and is filming a second series of The Leftovers in the States a commitment that has stopped him from taking part in the Working Class Movement Library's latest event, Sunday's Salford Ewan MacColl centenary tribute at Salford University's Peel Hall, starring Maxine Peake, Mike Joyce, David Crellin and John Conolly (see previous Salford Start article for details click here).
"If you get a job you have to go" Chris laments "If I'm in Austin I can't do it but what an interesting man. Some had a pop at him because he was controlling but he was fascinating. My first awareness was Dirty Old Town from the first Rod Stewart album, then The Pogues' version, which was beautiful.
"I went to Salford Technical College with a bloke called John Axon, and his grandfather was a railway hero for whom Ewan MacColl wrote the Ballad of John Axon, so I had that connection and all the rambling stuff" he adds "I love all that claiming the land, so he means a huge amount to me, I'll be part of anything that celebrates Ewan MacColl."
The big question on everyone's lips tomorrow will be whether Bez can claim Salford and Eccles for the We Are The Reality Party. And whether he can convince Elsie to vote for his party. Bez better get his hair washed first!
UPDATE: 10pm -
Bez's message to Elsie - click here
The full interview with Christopher Eccleston will appear in the new print issue of Salford Star out next week! For further details click here
For a full list of candidates standing in the local and national elections click here
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