ash Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Goodbye to the grumpy bard of Prestwich https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jan/24/final-interview-with-mark-e-smith-the-fall-people-still-cross-the-road-from-me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 I never liked the Fall much, exactly, but I was always glad they were around. It's not been a good week, has it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deep Thought Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 This hits hard for me, first Grant Hart and now Mark E Smith. The bands I loved in my younger days are starting to die off. Granted, the last time I saw them he was a shambling mess, like an old man with dementia let loose on stage, but when I saw them when he was in his prime, they were unstoppable. Unique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Like alyctes, I never really liked The Fall that much, but he was one of the real characters of rock'n'roll. A lot of my friends were Fall fans, and one friends band were helped and supported by Mark E Smith. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) I liked The Fall's music, but couldn't get on with M.E.S' vocals, nor his onstage persona. But this morning I'm seeing how far through the Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004 I can get through. It's a mere 97 tracks... But he was certainly someone music needed. Edited January 25, 2018 by bartelby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootleg Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Preferred them live, 80/90s. 60+ band members over the years, anyone from Basschat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 One of those bands I liked the idea of but not much that they put out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I read this little snippet last night and it made me smile Fall’s contract to appear on Later … with Jools Holland included a clause stipulating that under no circumstances was the former Squeeze ivory tinkler to play “boogie-woogie piano anywhere near the Fall” Like some others, I was never a fan but the people like MES don't seem to be being replaced in today's music scene. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) Though they were never among my absolute favourite of bands, and he would never have been among my favourite of lead singers, I always had at least a liking for them. All through my punk youth - the Fall were ever present.... they were just there, gigging all the time, where other bands just disappeared As Maude says above - you don't see many characters like MES in today's music scene... if any.... MES's style, lyrics and delivery were certainly unique, and I think the music industry has lost yet another unique character and personality I saw them several times, over many years. Live they could be so hit & miss, and this was almost always down to MES. I recall seeing them at Ashton Court Festival in Bristol quite a few years back, and they were definitely not at their best However, when I saw them play the very same set just a month or two later - they were great! They could be like that though Impressive mass of albums recorded too. RIP Mark Edited January 25, 2018 by Marc S 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 23 minutes ago, Maude said: Fall’s contract to appear on Later … with Jools Holland included a clause stipulating that under no circumstances was the former Squeeze ivory tinkler to play “boogie-woogie piano anywhere near the Fall” MES has just gone up in my estimations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madshadows Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Not a Fall fan but it's sad when someone so liked passes away, RIP. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 A much-needed presence who cut through the cynical bullcrap of the music business. And unlike so many others, he never sold out. He was grotesque, totally unique and his like will not be seen again. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I've read a couple of articles in The Guardian and just discovered that he suffered from stage fright and used drink to help him get up and perform, which did surprise me - I thought he just drank because he liked his beer! Last time I saw The Fall was in Wigan and he had to be dragged out of the boozer next door to the venue when it was time to take the stage. RIP MES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Above all, Fall songs always have great big aggressive growly basslines, Steve Hanley era especially. Last 3 albums gave been really strong, Your future our clutter, particularly. My favourite Fall album changes regularly but then there is quite a few to choose from. RiP MES. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 The message was fine but the delivery system was dreadful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozza Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 "I only have three chairs in the house: one for the wife, one for me, and one for a guest. No more. One guest at a time - that's my philosophy. You don't want your house turning into a hippy commune." - Mark E. Smith, Renegade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 This is a hard one for me. The Fall have been a part of my musical landscape since I was about 18. I got into them around the early 90's 'Code-Selfish'/'Shift-Work' era. Moreover, the bass playing (particularly during the Steve Hanley era) was of great influence on me. I'm no the rabid fan I once was, but I still checked in with every new album. Saw them a few times - the first, in November '97, was at a very 'troubled' time for MES and the band. Dates nearly didn't happen, and within months, there was the massive New York dust up, and the band changed forever with the departure of Mr. Hanley. The stage was a mass of fractured energy - I've never seen a gig like it before or since. Caught them a couple more times since, the last in 2010....not a great one, as the band performed for little over 45 minutes, and the whole thing was a bit phoned in. But as has been said, you never knew what you were going to get, so we still came away happy! Goodbye, MES - a true individual and one off. End of an era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 My introduction to The Fall was the excellent Bingo-Masters Breakout, I think it was on the Burning Ambitions double album, I heard a few other tracks which I liked, I saw a couple of live performances on TV (if that makes sense) which convinced me they were probably not a band I would want to see live, MES was a real character not really found in today's more bland pop stars.....Rip MES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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