1989. Manchester was in the ascendant, Indie bands were being collected like trinkets by major labels, and The Fall (formed by ex-dock clerk Mark Edward Smith in 1977) were the subject of an improbable bidding war.
Ever unpredictable, Smith rewarded the courageous victors, Fontana, with what many would have least expected from him: three albums of The Fall at their most economical and accessible.
Fall albums – like Bond actors and Bowie haircuts – bring out every armchair philosopher’s opinion about which is the greatest. Smith’s musical magpie-ism and unconventional lyrical matter, combined with enough line-up changes to instigate a fallreunited.com website, guarantees that the cognoscenti (and a whole lot of students) will continue to flock to them.
In fact, there is no such thing as a truly disposable Fall album – even relative clunkers like 1988s The Frenz Experiment had Bremen Nacht and The Steak Place, and 1997s Levitate had Masquerade.
The band’s revolving door policy hasn’t exactly lent itself to the words “amicable split” but matters took a turn for the ugly during their US tour of spring 2001 when – midway through a New York gig – drummer Karl Burns leapt out from behind his kit and attacked Mark E Smith.
The incident prompted bassist of 19 years, Steve Hanley to desert the ranks. Smith and his then-girlfriend/keyboard player Julia Nagle then topped off the bill back at the hotel with a right royal punch-up. Smith was arrested and charged the following day with assaulting Nagle.
Mark E Smith passed away on 24 January 2018, aged 60.
Mark E Smith Vocals Tony Friel Bass
Martin Bramah Guitar Una Baines Piano Karl Burns Drums Marc Riley Bass, guitar Yvonne Pawlett Keyboards
Steve Hanley Bass
Mike Leigh Drums
Craig Scanlon Guitar
Paul Hanley Drums
Simon Rogers Bass, keyboards
Brix Smith Guitar, vocals
John Woolstencroft Drums
Marsha Schofield Keyboards
David Bush Keyboards
Julia Nagle Keyboards, guitar
Lucy Rimmer Vocals
Tommy Crooks Guitar Mike Bennett Vocals
Related Posts
Feather/Blackfeather The nucleus of Sydney band Feather came together in early 1976 under the name Blackfeather, and lead singer Neale Johns…
Opal Opal was formed by two of the leading lights of LA's paisley underground scene - former Rain Parade guitarist David…
Screaming Trees Formed in the Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980s before a musical movement even existed there, Screaming Trees embodied the post-punk…
Dream Syndicate, The Emerging from the early-80s US paisley underground with their meticulously wrought concoction of The Velvet Underground and Television, The Dream Syndicate were The…
Inspiral Carpets Formed initially as The Furs in Manchester, England, by schoolboy Graham Lambert. He was joined in the mid-80s by Stephen…
Flux of Pink Indians Flux of Pink Indians was formed in Hertfordshire in 1980 by Colsk Latter (vocals) and Derek Birkett (bass guitar) with…
Ferrets, The The Ferrets formed in Sydney (Australia) early in 1975 but relocated to Melbourne almost immediately. Billy Miller (vocals, guitar), Dave…
Primitives, The Formed in 1985, these melodic guitar rockers from Coventry were fronted by photogenic peroxide-blonde Australian-born vocalist Tracy Cattell and driven…
