The Fall were an English

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...

group, formed in 1976 in Prestwich,

Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county and combined authority, combined authority area in North West England, with a population of 2.8 million; comprising ten metropolitan boroughs: City of Manchester, Manchester, City of Salford, Salford ...

. They underwent many line-up changes, with vocalist and founder

Mark E. Smith Mark Edward Smith (5 March 1957 – 24 January 2018) was an English singer, who was the lead singer, lyricist and only constant member of the post-punk group the Fall. Smith formed the band after attending the June 1976 Sex Pistols gig at the ...

as the only constant member. The Fall's long-term musicians included drummers Paul Hanley,

Simon Wolstencroft Simon John Wolstencroft (born 19 January 1963 in Altrincham, Cheshire) is an English rock drummer, best known for playing with The Fall from 1986 to 1997. He also played with early incarnations of The Smiths and The Stone Roses. His highly pra ...

and

Karl Burns Karl Burns (born Carl Birtles,1958 in Manchester, England) is a British musician best known as the drummer for the Fall, featuring in many incarnations of the band between 1977 and 1998. Although several musicians have rejoined the Fall havi ...

; guitarists

Marc Riley Marc Riley (born 10 July 1961 in Manchester) is an English radio DJ, alternative rock critic, musician, and former music businessman. He currently presents on BBC Radio 6 Music. Formerly a member of the Fall, he co-owned a record label, In-Ta ...

Craig Scanlon Craig Antony Scanlon (born 7 December 1960 in Manchester) is an English guitarist, best known as a member of the Fall between 1979 and 1995. Despite his surname being spelled 'Scanlon' he was wrongly credited as 'Craig Scanlan' on every record h ...

and

Brix Smith Brix Smith (born Laura Elisse Salenger) is an American singer and guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist and a major songwriter for the English post-punk band The Fall (band), The Fall during two stints in the band (1983-1989, and 1994-1996) ...

; and bassist Steve Hanley, whose melodic, circular bass lines are widely credited with shaping the band's sound from early 1980s albums such as ''

Hex Enduction Hour ''Hex Enduction Hour'' is the fourth studio album by the English post-punk group the Fall. Released on 8March 1982, it builds on the low-fidelity production values and caustic lyrical content of their earlier recordings, and features a two-dr ...

'' to the late 1990s. First associated with the late 1970s

punk movement The punk subculture includes a diverse and widely known array of ideologies, fashion, and other forms of expression, visual art, dance, literature, and film. Largely characterised by anti-establishment views, the promotion of individual freedom ...

, the Fall's music underwent numerous stylistic changes, often concurrently with changes in the group's lineup. Nonetheless, their music has generally been characterised by an abrasive, repetitive guitar-driven sound, tense bass and drum rhythms, and Smith's caustic lyrics, described by critic

Simon Reynolds Simon Reynolds (born 19 June 1963) is an English music journalist and author who began his professional career on the staff of ''Melody Maker'' in the mid-1980s. He has since gone on to freelance and publish a number of full-length books on music ...

as "a kind of Northern English magic realism that mixed industrial grime with the unearthly and

uncanny The uncanny is the psychological experience of something as not simply mysterious, but creepy, often in a strangely familiar way. It may describe incidents where a familiar thing or event is encountered in an unsettling, eerie, or taboo context. ...

," voiced through a "one-note delivery somewhere between

amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from alpha- methylphenethylamine) is a strong central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. It is also commonly used ...

-spiked rant and alcohol-addled yarn." While the Fall never achieved widespread success beyond minor hit singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, they have maintained a strong

cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

. The Fall have been called "the most prolific band of the British post-punk movement." From 1979 to 2017, they released thirty-two studio albums, and more than three times that number when live albums and compilations (often released against Smith's wishes) are taken into account. They were long associated with BBC disc jockey

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

, who championed them from early on in their career and described them as his favourite band, famously explaining, "they are always different; they are always the same." Smith's death in 2018 effectively put an end to the group.

History

Late 1970s: early years

The Fall was formed in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, in 1976 by

Martin Bramah Martin Beddington (born 18 September 1957 in Manchester),The Fall online – biography

Una Baines Una Baines (born April 1957, Manchester, Lancashire, England) is best known as the keyboard player in the first line-up of British post-punk/ new wave band the Fall. Her feminist viewpoint helped shape the band's early political stance and she ...

and

Tony Friel Tony Friel (born in Birkenhead, Wirral, Cheshire, 4 May 1958)Can (which the band would later pay tribute to on the track " I Am Damo Suzuki"),

the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. The original line-up consisted of singer/guitarist Lou Reed, multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and drummer Angus MacLise. MacLise w ...

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...

and garage rock bands like

the Monks The Monks, referred to by the name monks on record sleeves, were an American garage rock band formed in Gelnhausen, West Germany in 1964. Assembled by five American GIs stationed in the country, the group grew tired of the traditional format ...

and

The Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...

. The members were devoted readers, with Smith citing H. P. Lovecraft,

Raymond Chandler Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive durin ...

and

Malcolm Lowry Clarence Malcolm Lowry (; 28 July 1909 – 26 June 1957) was an English poet and novelist who is best known for his 1947 novel ''Under the Volcano'', which was voted No. 11 in the Modern Library 100 Best Novels list.

among his favourite writers. After seeing

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

play their second gig at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall in July 1976, they decided to start a group. Smith wanted to name the group "The Outsiders", but Friel came up with the name "The Fall" after a 1956 novel by

Albert Camus Albert Camus ( , ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, and journalist. He was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His work ...

. Smith became the singer, Bramah the guitarist, Friel played bass guitar and Baines bashed biscuit tins instead of drums; unable to afford to buy a drum kit, she then switched to keyboards. Their music was intentionally raw and repetitive. The song "Repetition", declaring that "we've repetition in the music, and we're never going to lose it", served as a manifesto for the Fall's musical philosophy. The group played their first concert on 23 May 1977, at the North West Arts basement. Their first drummer was remembered only as "Dave" or "Steve" for thirty-four years, until music writer Dave Simpson discovered that he had almost certainly been a man named Steve Ormrod. Ormrod lasted just one show, at least in part due to political differences with the other members of the group. He was replaced by

, whom Friel played with in a band called Nuclear Angel. The Fall soon caught the attention of

Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independen ...

manager Richard Boon, who funded their first recording session, and in November 1977 they recorded material for their debut EP, ''

Bingo-Master's Break-Out! ''Bingo-Master's Break-Out!'' is the debut EP by English post-punk band The Fall. It was released on 11 August 1978 through record label Step-Forward. The EP failed to chart in either the UK Singles Chart or the UK Indie Singles Chart. Backgr ...

'' Boon planned to release the EP on his New Hormones label, but after discovering that he could not afford to do so he gave the tapes back to the group. Thus, the Fall's debut on vinyl came in June 1978 when "Stepping Out" and "Last Orders" were released by Virgin Records on '' Short Circuit: Live at the Electric Circus'', a compilation of live recordings made at the Manchester venue The Electric Circus in October 1977 just before it was closed. The Fall's line-up underwent its first drastic changes in 1977–78. Kay Carroll, Una Baines's friend and colleague at the psychiatric hospital, became the group's manager and occasional backing vocalist, as well as Smith's girlfriend. Friel, unhappy with Carroll's management, left in December 1977 (he went on to form

the Passage Passage, The Passage or Le Passage may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''Passage'' (2008 film), a documentary about Arctic explorers * ''Passage'' (2009 film), a short movie about three sisters * ''The Passage'' (1979 film), starring ...

with Dick Witts). He was briefly replaced by Jonnie Brown, and later by Eric McGann (also known as Eric the Ferrett). The Fall were filmed on 13 February 1978 for the

Granada TV ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was its ...

show ''What's On'', hosted by

Tony Wilson Anthony Howard Wilson (20 February 1950 – 10 August 2007) was a British record label owner, radio and television presenter, nightclub manager, impresario and a journalist for Granada Television, the BBC and Channel 4. As a co-founder o ...

, performing "Psycho Mafia", "Industrial Estate" and "Dresden Dolls", featuring the brief line-up of Smith, Bramah, Burns, Baines and McGann. Baines left in March 1978 after a drug overdose and subsequent nervous breakdown, and was replaced by Yvonne Pawlett; McGann quit that May, in disgust at the group's van driver Steve Davies wearing a Hawaiian shirt as he ferried them to the recording of their first-ever session for influential radio DJ

. (The Fall would record a total of 24 sessions for Peel, who became a devoted fan of the group.) Martin Bramah blamed the dissolution of the original line-up on Smith's style of leadership, together with Carroll's favouring of her partner: "The break-up wasn't so much about the music, though; it was more how we were being treated as people on a daily basis." 16-year-old

, the group's roadie, was eventually recruited to the group to play bass guitar. Mark E

''Bingo-Master's Break-Out!'' finally was released in August 1978 on Step Forward Records. The single "It's the New Thing" followed in November 1978, and in December the Fall recorded (in a single day) their debut album ''

Live at the Witch Trials ''Live at the Witch Trials'' is the debut studio album by the Fall. It was released on 16 March 1979 through record label Step-Forward. It is not, despite its title, a live album and was recorded in a studio in a single day and mixed by produce ...

'', which was released in March 1979. Burns quit the group shortly after the album was recorded, and was replaced by Mike Leigh from Rockin' Ricky, a

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...

band. In April 1979, Burns was followed by Martin Bramah, co-writer of most of the songs on ''Live at the Witch Trials'' and, according to writer Daryl Eslea, "possibly the last true equal to Smith in the group"; he went on to form

Blue Orchids Blue Orchids are an English post-punk band formed in Manchester in 1979, when Martin Bramah left the Fall, after playing on the band's debut album '' Live at the Witch Trials''. Christened by Salford-based punk poet John Cooper Clarke the b ...

with Una Baines. Marc Riley switched from bass guitar to guitar, and

(guitar) and Steve Hanley (bass guitar), former bandmates of Riley and members of Fall support act Staff 9, joined the group. Hanley's melodic basslines became a vital part of the Fall's music for almost two decades. Smith praised his playing in ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'': "The most original aspect of the Fall is Steve ... I've never heard a bass player like him ... I don't have to tell him what to play, he just knows. He is the Fall sound." Yvonne Pawlett left in July 1979 to look after her dog. She later appeared in a band called Shy Tots. On 30 July 1979, "

Rowche Rumble "Rowche Rumble" is a 1979 song by British post-punk band the Fall, written by Mark E. Smith, Craig Scanlon and Marc Riley. Released as the band's third single, it was the first record by the Fall to reach a recognised national chart when it rea ...

", the Fall's third single, was released featuring the line up of Smith, Scanlon, Riley, Hanley, Pawlett and Leigh. Pawlett left the group shortly afterwards. '' Dragnet'', the Fall's second album, was recorded in August 1979 at Cargo Studios, Rochdale, and was released on 26 October 1979. ''Dragnet'' signalled a sparser, more jagged feel in the Fall's music compared to ''Live at the Witch Trials''. The studio allegedly complained about the sound quality and protested against putting its name on the album sleeve, fearing it would put other artists off using the facilities.

1980–1982: Classic line-up

The Fall released their fourth single "Fiery Jack", their last for Step Forward, on 13 January 1980. In March, Mike Leigh left the group and went back to the cabaret circuit. According to Leigh, the band would have to wait for weeks without work while Smith came up with new lyrics, as opposed to regular weekly gigs in cabaret. Leigh's replacement was Paul Hanley, Steve Hanley's younger brother. He first played live with the Fall on Friday 21 March at Electric Ballroom, London – he was only 16 and was actually still at school. Meanwhile, the Fall quit Step Forward and signed with Rough Trade; the first release on a new label became ''

Totale's Turns ''Totale's Turns (It's Now or Never)'' is a (mostly) live album by the Fall, released on 5 May 1980. Recording and release The first of the band's many live and part-live albums, it was mostly recorded at gigs in the north of England, but the tr ...

'' in May 1980. This, with the exception of two tracks, was a live album documenting the band during various appearances in 1979, with Smith announcing last orders at the bar esponding to a request for the song "Last Orders"and berating band members and audience throughout. In November 1980, the Fall released their third full-length album ''

Grotesque (After the Gramme) ''Grotesque (After the Gramme)'' is the third studio album by English band the Fall. Released on 17 November 1980, it was the band's first studio album on Rough Trade. The album reached number one the UK Independent Chart, spending 29 weeks on ...

''. Preceded by a couple of acclaimed singles "How I Wrote 'Elastic Man'" and " Totally Wired", the album went to #1 on the

UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Singles Chart and UK Independent Albums Chart are charts of the best-selling independent singles and albums, respectively, in the United Kingdom. Originally published in January 1980, and widely known as the indie chart, the rele ...

. It was co-produced by Rough Trade's

Geoff Travis Geoff Travis (born 2 February 1952) is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978. Biography Travis was ...

and

Mayo Thompson Mayo Thompson (born February 26, 1944 in Houston, Texas, United States) is an American musician and visual artist best known as the leader of the experimental rock band Red Krayola. Background His formal education includes Garden of Arts Kind ...

Red Krayola The Red Krayola (originally Red Crayola) is an American avant rock band from Houston, Texas formed in 1966 by the trio of singer/guitarist Mayo Thompson, drummer Frederick Barthelme, and bassist Steve Cunningham. The group were part of the 196 ...

and showed a significant improvement in production, which was to continue throughout the period. Smith, however, was unhappy with Rough Trade's politics, which showed when ''

Slates SLATES (Search, Links, Authorship, Tags, Extensions, Signalling) is an initialism that describes the business impacting capabilities, derived from the effective use of Web 2.0 technologies in and across enterprises. Origin of the term This acron ...

'' came out in April 1981. Intentionally made too long for a single and too short to be considered an album, it was released as a 10" EP for a price of just 2 pounds. The Fall eventually quit Rough Trade by the end of the year, and instead signed with a small indie label Kamera. As the Fall were going to tour America after the release of ''Slates'', Paul Hanley was denied a visa as he was too young to play American clubs that serve alcohol, which restrict entry to those age 21 or older. Smith thus invited Karl Burns back into the group, initially as a temporary replacement. Select recordings from this tour were released in 1982 as '' A Part of America Therein, 1981''. After their return to the UK, Burns stayed in the group as a second drummer alongside Hanley. The first record to feature both Burns and Hanley became the "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul" single, produced by

Richard Mazda Richard Mazda (born 5 May 1955) is a record producer, writer, musician, actor and director. Music career Mazda was one of the co-founders of Poole punk/mod band Tours, singing and playing lead guitar. They signed to Virgin Records in 1979 aft ...

and released in Australia and New Zealand in November 1981. On 8 March 1982 ''

'', also produced by Mazda, was released on Kamera Records, the Fall's seventh single ("Look, Know") was released 19 April 1982 on Kamera. On 27 September the '' Room to Live'' album was released on Kamera. Marc Riley was sacked at the end of the year, following several arguments, one of which resulted in a fist fight during the Australian tour. In response, Riley's band "The Creepers" wrote the track "Jumper Clown", which directly references Riley's dismissal, while also satirising Smith's dress sense. This era is often regarded as a high point in the band's creative history, as noted by Ned Raggett of

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

who retrospectively described the late years with Riley and shortly after his departure as "three years during which the band couldn't seem to make a wrong step."

1983–1989: Brix Smith years

In 1983, Rough Trade Records released the Fall's ninth single, "The Man Whose Head Expanded", and on 19 September issued the band's tenth single and double pack "Kicker Conspiracy". Bizarrely, in November Kamera Records released around two- to three-thousand copies of the planned 1982 single "Marquis Cha Cha", the release date having been put back due to Kamera's financial troubles in late 1982, making it the Fall's eleventh single issue.

That year Smith's American girlfriend and later wife,

joined the band on guitar. Born Laura Elise Salenger, she was nicknamed after the track "

The Guns of Brixton "The Guns of Brixton" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon, who grew up in Brixton, South London. The song has a strong reggae influence, reflecting the culture of the area and the r ...

" by the Clash, a favourite song of hers. Brix's tenure in the group marked a shift towards the relatively conventional, with the songs she co-wrote often having strong pop hooks and more orthodox verse-chorus-verse structures. Additionally, Brix's keen sense of fashion gradually influenced the group's members to give more attention to their clothing and styling, though her platinum blonde hair and glamorous style were somewhat at odds to the otherwise working class appearance of the Fall. Brix's first live appearance with the Fall was on 21 September 1983 at the Hellfire Club, Wakefield. ''

Perverted by Language ''Perverted by Language'' is the sixth studio album by English post-punk group The Fall, released in December 1983 on Rough Trade Records. The record gave the band their first number one album on the UK Independent Chart since ''Grotesque (Aft ...

'', released 5 December, was the Fall's final album for

Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove. Having successfully promoted and sold records by punk rock and early post-pun ...

, but the first to feature Brix. Also released in December was the live album ''In a Hole'', recorded during the Fall's tour of New Zealand in 1982, on

Flying Nun Records Flying Nun Records is a New Zealand independent record label formed in Christchurch in 1981 by music store manager Roger Shepherd. Described by ''The Guardian'' as "one of the world's great independent labels", Flying Nun is notable for bringin ...

. This era, a favourite period amongst many critics and fans, was marked by Brix's effort to find a wider audience for the Fall. They achieved a few modest UK hits with singles, including their versions of

R. Dean Taylor Richard Dean Taylor (May 11, 1939 – January 7, 2022) was a Canadian musician, most notable as a singer, songwriter, and record producer for Motown during the 1960s and 1970s. According to Jason Ankeny, Taylor was "one of the most underra ...

's " There's a Ghost in My House" (no. 30, 1987) and

the Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...

' "

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

" (no. 35, 1988) and their own songs " Hey! Luciani" (no. 59, 1986) and " Hit the North" (no. 57, 1987), and enjoyed a string of critically acclaimed albums: '' The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall'' (1984), ''

This Nation's Saving Grace ''This Nation's Saving Grace'' is the eighth studio album by English post-punk band the Fall, released in 1985 by Beggars Banquet. The lyrics and singing melodies were written by vocalist Mark E. Smith, with a portion of the music composed b ...

'' (1985), ''

Bend Sinister In heraldry, a bend is a band or strap running from the upper dexter (the bearer's right side and the viewer's left) corner of the shield to the lower sinister (the bearer's left side, and the viewer's right). Authorities differ as to how mu ...

'' (1986), and ''

The Frenz Experiment ''The Frenz Experiment'' is the tenth studio album by English post-punk band the Fall. It was released on 29 February 1988 through record label Beggars Banquet. In October 2020, an expanded remastered edition was produced, containing singles, b ...

'' (1988). ''

I Am Kurious, Oranj ''I Am Kurious Oranj'' is the eleventh studio album by English post-punk band The Fall (band), the Fall. It was released on 24 October 1988 through record label Beggars Banquet Records, Beggars Banquet. The album's release came at the end of a ...

'' is notable as the fruit of a ballet project between Smith and dancer Michael Clark.

Simon Rogers Simon Rogers is an English musician, record producer and composer who has been a member of The Fall, and The Lightning Seeds. Biography In 1976, Rogers entered the Royal College of Music, London, later becoming an associate (ARCM) and winn ...

and later Marcia Schofield played keyboards. Paul Hanley quit during the tour supporting '' The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall'', and

replaced other drummer Burns after ''This Nation's Saving Grace''. Wolstencroft becoming sole drummer shifted the group's sound; his drumming was described as "nimble" and "funky" when compared to Burns. In 2014 Wolstencroft published a memoir ''You Can Drum But You Can't Hide'' about his 11-year stint in the Fall.

1990–2000

With Brix's departure in 1989 – both from the band and her marriage to Smith – Bramah returned briefly for 1990's '' Extricate'', the first of the Fall's three albums for

Phonogram Records Phonogram Incorporated was started in 1970 as a successor to Philips Phonographic Industries, a unit of the Grammophon-Philips Group (GPG), a joint venture of Philips N.V. of the Netherlands and Siemens A.G. of Germany. Phonogram was the nam ...

. In the early 1990s the band continued to have modest success on the UK chart with singles including "

Telephone Thing "Telephone Thing" is a song by British post-punk band the Fall, written by Mark E. Smith with Coldcut members Matt Black and Jonathan More. Produced and mixed by Coldcut, it was released as a single in January 1990 and reached number 58 on the ...

" (no. 58, 1990), " White Lightning" (no. 56, 1990), "

Free Range Free range denotes a method of farming husbandry where the animals, for at least part of the day, can roam freely outdoors, rather than being confined in an enclosure for 24 hours each day. On many farms, the outdoors ranging area is fenced, ...

" (no. 40, 1992) and " Why Are People Grudgeful" (no. 43, 1993). Bramah and Schofield were sacked in advance of 1991's ''

Shift-Work Shift work is an employment practice designed to make use of, or provide service across, all 24 hours of the clock each day of the week (often abbreviated as ''24/7''). The practice typically sees the day divided into shifts, set periods of t ...

''. Dave Bush joined on keyboards for 1992's '' Code: Selfish'', followed by the band's return to an independent record label for ''

The Infotainment Scan ''The Infotainment Scan'' is the fifteenth album by The Fall, released in 1993 on Permanent Records in the UK and by Matador Records in the USA (the first of the band's albums to get an official American release since ''Extricate'' (1990)). At t ...

'' (1993), '' Middle Class Revolt'' (1994), and '' Cerebral Caustic'' (1995). These albums featured varying degrees of

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

and IDM, courtesy of Bush's keyboards and computers. ''Caustic'' saw the unexpected return of Smith's ex-wife Brix, who recorded ''

The Light User Syndrome ''The Light User Syndrome'' is the 18th album by the Fall, released in 1996 on Jet Records. It was the group's first album to feature keyboard player and guitarist Julia Nagle and the last to feature Brix Smith, while longtime guitarist Craig ...

'' before departing in 1996. When Dave Bush went to join

Elastica Elastica were an English rock band formed in London in 1992 by ex- Suede members Justine Frischmann and Justin Welch. The band was stylistically influenced by punk rock, post-punk and new wave music. The band's members changed several times ...

, Scanlon was sacked after sixteen years, an unpopular decision which Smith would later regret. In November 1994 Julia Nagle joined to help promote the release of '' Cerebral Caustic'', playing keyboards, guitars and computers. Nagle went onto contribute to ''

'' in 1996. That year also saw the start of a torrent of compilations of live, demo and alternative versions of songs on the Fall's new label Receiver Records. In 1994 and 1996, the Fall played at the

Phoenix Festival The Phoenix Festival was set up by John Vincent Power of the Mean Fiddler Music Group in 1993 as an alternative to the established Glastonbury and Reading Festivals. It was held at Long Marston Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon and was one of t ...

Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-we ...

, England – the 1996 appearance being one of much surprise to many fans as they were not scheduled to play. The next album, ''

Levitate Levitation (from Latin ''levitas'' "lightness") is the process by which an object is held aloft in a stable position, without mechanical support via any physical contact. Levitation is accomplished by providing an upward force that counteracts ...

'' (1997), toyed with

drum and bass Drum and bass (also written as drum & bass or drum'n'bass and commonly abbreviated as D&B, DnB, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-ba ...

and polarised opinion (long-serving drummer Simon Wolstencroft left halfway through the recording sessions, and was replaced – again – by Karl Burns).

Steven Wells Steven Wells (10 May 1960 – 24 June 2009) was a British journalist, author, comedian and punk poet born in Swindon, Wiltshire. He was best known for ranting poetry and his provocative, unapologetic music journalism. In June 2006, he wrote in t ...

in the ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' (11 October 1997) wrote, "Imagine pop without perimeters. Imagine rock without rules. Imagine art without the wank. If you've never heard the Fall then ''Levitate'' will be either the best or the worst record you've ever heard." The group was temporarily reduced to Smith and Nagle when a short US tour ended in April 1998 with onstage rows in New York, which resulted in Smith unplugging the amps during songs and lashing out at the other members, leading Burns to physically shove him. This led to the departure of Hanley (bassist of nineteen years), Burns, and guitarist Tommy Crooks. The following day, Smith was arrested and charged with assaulting Nagle in their hotel. Despite this, Nagle remained with the band. The Smith and Nagle line-up would release two albums: '' The Marshall Suite'' (1999) and '' The Unutterable'' (2000).

2001–2017: later years

Further rifts within the band followed in 2001, which led to a new line-up of Smith, Ben Pritchard (guitar), Ed Blaney (guitar), Jim Watts (bass), and Spencer Birtwistle (drums) releasing '' Are You Are Missing Winner'' that year to mixed reviews. Spencer Birtwistle was replaced by Dave Milner on drums in November 2001. September 2002 saw Elena Poulou – Smith's third wife – fill the vacant position of keyboards player, and that year ''Q'' magazine named the Fall one of "50 Bands to See Before You Die". ''

The Real New Fall LP ''The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click)'' is the 23rd studio album by the Fall, released on Action Records in the United Kingdom in 2003, and then on Narnack Records in the United States, with a slightly altered track listing, in ...

'' (renamed from ''Country on the Click'' after an earlier mix of the album appeared on Internet

file sharing File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digital media, such as computer programs, multimedia (audio, images and video), documents or electronic books. Common methods of storage, transmission and dispersion include r ...

networks) followed in 2003, with a slightly different mix and some extra tracks for the US version, after which Jim Watts was sacked (replaced by Steve Trafford) and Milner was replaced by a returning Spencer Birtwistle. In 2004 the band released its first career-spanning compilation to positive reviews in June, and a new album,

Interim An interim is a period of temporary pause or change in a sequence of events, or a temporary state, and is often applied to transitional political entities. Interim may also refer to: Temporary organizational arrangements (general concept) *Provis ...

, in November. The Fall-

In January 2005, the Fall were the subject of a

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

TV documentary, ''The Fall: The Wonderful and Frightening World of Mark E Smith''. Their twenty-fifth studio album, entitled ''

Fall Heads Roll ''Fall Heads Roll'' is the 24th studio album by English post-punk group the Fall, released in 2005. Although well-received by critics, it didn't reach the top 100 of the UK Albums Chart, and was the last album released by the band prior to major ...

'', was issued on 3 October 2005. The guitarist, bassist, and drummer all left the group acrimoniously during the US summer 2006 tour after just four dates. In a US radio interview, Smith described their departures as "the best thing that ever happened" to the Fall, although it was some months before he confirmed that they would not be returning. Early in 2007 the Fall released the '' Reformation Post TLC'' album, recorded with the same lineup that salvaged the 2006 US tour. Yet another lineup released '' Imperial Wax Solvent'', in 2008; this lineup would hold for the following three albums, and the core of Peter Greenway (guitar), David Spurr (bass), and Keiron Melling (drums) for the remainder of the band's existence. In April 2009, the Fall signed with UK-based independent record label Domino Records. A new studio album, titled '' Your Future Our Clutter'', was released on 26 April 2010. This was followed in November 2011 by the album ''

Ersatz GB ''Ersatz GB'' is the 28th studio album by the post-punk band the Fall, released on Cherry Red Records 14 November 2011. It is the Fall's first album on Cherry Red. The album marks the first time in the history of the Fall that the group have r ...

''. In March 2012, the band were chosen by

Jeff Mangum Jeff Mangum (born 24 October 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who gained prominence as the founder, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of Neutral Milk Hotel, as well for his co-founding of The Elephant 6 Recording Company. M ...

Neutral Milk Hotel Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie roc ...

to perform at the

All Tomorrow's Parties "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...

festival he curated in Minehead, England. The Fall released their twenty-ninth studio album, ''

Re-Mit ''Re-Mit'' is the 29th studio album by the English post-punk group, The Fall. It was released on 13 May 2013 via Cherry Red Records. The album features Mark E. Smith (lead vocals), Peter Greenway (lead guitar), Keiron Melling (drums), Elena Pou ...

'', in 2013. In 2014, former members

Brix Smith Start Brix Smith (born Laura Elisse Salenger) is an American singer and guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist and a major songwriter for the English post-punk band The Fall during two stints in the band (1983-1989, and 1994-1996). Acknowledging ...

, Steve Hanley and Paul Hanley formed a new group called

Brix & the Extricated Brix & the Extricated are a British post-punk band, formed in 2014 in Manchester, by ex-Fall members Brix Smith Start (vocals/guitar) and Steve Hanley (bass guitar).The Big Midweek: Life Inside The Fall'', respectively. The Fall's thirtieth album, '' Sub-Lingual Tablet'', was released in 2015. This would be Elena Poulou's last album with the band: in a 2016 interview with ''

Mojo Magazine ''Mojo'' is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer. Following the success of the magazine '' Q'', publishers Emap were looking for a title that would cater for the bur ...

'', Smith announced that she had resigned; they would divorce that year. The Fall's thirty-first and final studio album, '' New Facts Emerge,'' was recorded as a four-piece and released in July 2017. Michael Clapham joined in May 2017 on keyboards, but never recorded with the band. Following Smith's death, Greenway, Spurr and Melling recruited singer and guitarist Sam Curran to form a new band,

Imperial Wax Imperial Wax are a British alternative rock band, formed in 2018. Guitarist Pete Greenway, bassist Dave Spurr and drummer Keiron Melling previously played together in the final line-up of the long-established post-punk group The Fall. After the ...

Death of Mark E. Smith

Early in 2017, there were reports that Smith was ill, and over the year numerous live dates were cancelled or postponed for reasons of health, including a week's dates in New York. Having become weak due to a change in medicine, he performed a number of shows in a wheelchair. His final performance and last appearance in public took place at the Queen Margaret Union,

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, on 4 November 2017. Another show was scheduled for the Fiddlers,

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, on 29 November; Smith travelled to Bristol but was then too unwell to leave his hotel room. The other members of the group made a brief appearance on stage and apologised to the people who had come to see The Fall. On 24 January 2018, Smith died at his home in

Prestwich, Greater Manchester Prestwich ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford, Greater Manchester, Salford and south of Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury. Historic counties of Eng ...

after a long illness. He was 60 years old. Smith had been diagnosed with terminal

lung The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in humans and most other animals, including some snails and a small number of fish. In mammals and most other vertebrates, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of t ...

and

kidney cancer Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, is a group of cancers that starts in the kidney. Symptoms may include blood in the urine, lump in the abdomen, or back pain. Fever, weight loss, and tiredness may also occur. Complications can include sp ...

, which his family confirmed had contributed to his death. The announcement of Smith's death was made by his partner and Fall manager Pamela Vander. Smith had struggled with alcoholism and periodic drug use throughout his adult life, O'Hagan, Sean.
Brix Smith Start: ‘Mark E Smith? He’s complicated’
. ''The Observer'', 1 May 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2018 and had undergone treatment on a number of occasions. His condition led to him falling and suffering bone fragmentation a number of times from the mid 2000s, leading to his performing several dates in a wheelchair and cast. A heavy smoker, Smith had long suffered from throat and respiratory problems; yet his work ethic or output never declined and he continued to release a new album close to once a year.Harrison, Andrew.
Mark E Smith: A sudden end to forty years of prole art threat
. ''

New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...

, 25 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2018''

Posthumous projects

In August 2018,

Cherry Red Records Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire by Iain McNay in 1978. The label has released recordings by Dead Kennedys, Everything But the Girl, The Monochrome Set, and Felt, among others, as well ...

, The Fall's final label, announced they had purchased the rights to 40 Fall albums from Smith before his death, and plan to release a reissue series and box set sometime in the future.

Smith's vocal style and lyrics

Smith's vocal delivery was known for his tendency to end each phrase terminating in a consonant with an added

schwa In linguistics, specifically phonetics and phonology, schwa (, rarely or ; sometimes spelled shwa) is a vowel sound denoted by the IPA symbol , placed in the central position of the vowel chart. In English and some other languages, it rep ...

vocalisation ("ah"). He often speak-sang or sing-slurred his lyrics, especially from the mid-1990s. His delivery, particularly when playing live, could be described as "rambling", and he often interjected improvised rants. His lyrics, delivered in a heavy Mancunian accent, are often cryptic, absurdist and inscrutable, and were described by critic

as "a kind of Northern English magic realism that mixed industrial grime with the unearthly and uncanny, voiced through a unique, one-note delivery somewhere between amphetamine-spiked rant and alcohol-addled yarn." Smith described his approach as wanting to combine "primitive music with intelligent lyrics". Thematically, his frequently densely layered lyrics often centre around descriptions of urban grotesques, gloomy landscapes, "crackpot history", and are infused with regional slang.O'Neil, Sean
Remembering The Fall's Mark E. Smith, rock’s most uncompromising voice
. AV Club, 24 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2018 Fragments of Smith's lyrics often appeared handwritten on early Fall album and single covers, along with collages he had put together. In a 1983 interview with ''Sounds'', Smith said that he liked artwork to reflect the album content and that his graphic choices reflected his attitude to music. He mentioned how he was drawn to cheap and misspelled posters, amateur layouts of local papers and printed cash and carry signs with "inverted commas where you don't need them".Robertson, Sandy
Hex Enduction
. ''

Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

'', 8 May 1982. Retrieved 4 October 2015

Influence

On the group’s influence,

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

wrote that “the Fall, like many cult bands, inspired a new generation of

underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground ...

bands, ranging from waves of sound-alike indie rockers in the UK to acts in America and New Zealand, which is only one indication of the size and dedication of their small, devoted fan base.” The Fall have influenced groups and artists such as Pavement,

Yung Lean Yung may refer to: * Yung (surname), Chinese surname * Yung Joc, (born Jasiel Robinson in 1983), an American rapper * Yung Wun, (born James Carlton Anderson in 1982), an American rapper * Yung Berg, (born Christian Ward in 1985), an American rapper ...

Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up was Shaun Ryder (vocals), his brother Paul Ryder (bass), Gary Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry later joine ...

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...

These New Puritans These New Puritans are an English music group/band from Southend-on-Sea, England. It consists mainly of Jack Barnett (principal songwriter, vocalist, producer, multi-instrumentalist) and his twin brother George Barnett (drums, electronics, prod ...

LCD Soundsystem LCD Soundsystem is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002 by James Murphy, co-founder of DFA Records. The band comprises Murphy (vocals, various instruments), Nancy Whang (synthesizer, keyboards, vocals), Pat Mahoney (dr ...

, as well as the Russian group

Grazhdanskaya Oborona Grazhdanskaya Oborona (Russian: Гражданская оборона, ), Russian for ''Civil Defense'', or ГО, often referred to as ГрОб, Russian for ''coffin'') were a Soviet-Russian rock band formed by Yegor Letov and Konstantin Ryab ...

. Sonic Youth covered three Fall songs (and “

” by

, also covered by the Fall) in a 1988 Peel session, which was released in 1990 as an EP, “ 4 Tunna Brix”, on Sonic Youth’s own Goofin’ label.

The Pixies Pixies is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986, in Boston, Massachusetts. Until 2013, the band consisted of Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals) and David Loverin ...

covered “Big New Prinz” during their 2013 world tour. The 1990s indie acts Pavement (who recorded a version of “The Classical”) and

(Smith contributed vocals to their final EP and album) showed an influence of the Fall, while

Suede Suede (pronounced ) is a type of leather with a fuzzy, napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, fabrics, purses, furniture, and other items. The term comes from the French , which literally means "gloves from Sweden". The term was firs ...

parodied the band with “Implement Yeah!”, a song found on the cassette edition of their 1999 single, “

Electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described ...

.” The Fall and Smith have been name-checked in songs, notably with the title track of ''

Maple Leaves The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by the French Canadians along th ...

'' by

Jens Lekman Jens Martin Lekman (; born 6 February 1981) is a Swedish musician. His music is guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings, with lyrics that are often witty, romantic, and melancholic. His work is heavily influenced by Jonathan Ri ...

, "Southern Mark Smith" by

The Jazz Butcher The Jazz Butcher was the alias of British singer/songwriter Pat Fish (Patrick Huntrods). It also served as the name of the band, though adjuncts were frequently used to distinguish between Fish’s persona and band itself (The Jazz Butcher Consp ...

, “I’ve Never Been Hit by Mark E Smith” and “Bloody Proud” by

I, Ludicrous I, Ludicrous is an English pop music trio, formed in February 1985, by John Procter (born 1957) and David Rippingale ("Will Hung") (b. 1956).Strong, Martin C. (2003) "I, Ludicrous" in ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 375. Their deb ...

and “I Am Mark E Smith” by

Fat White Family Fat White Family are an English rock band, formed in 2011 in Peckham, South London. History The band, fronted by Southampton-born and Cookstown-raised Lias Kaci Saoudi, formed in 2011. Lead guitarist Saul Adamczewski was previously the frontma ...

. The

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...

hip hop/

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

band

Death Grips Death Grips is an American experimental hip hop group formed in 2010 in Sacramento, California. The group consists of Stefan Burnett, also known as MC Ride (vocals, lyrics), Zach Hill (drums, production, lyrics), and Andy Morin (keyboards, pr ...

also sampled the band’s song “Paranoia Man in Cheap Sh*t Room” on their song “ Hahaha”. In 2001, when Texan

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...

band

At The Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...

played live at

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

’s music festival BDO the band’s singer

Cedric Bixler-Zavala Cedric Bixler-Zavala (born November 4, 1974) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of the progressive rock band The Mars Volta and the only constant member of the post-hardcore group At the Drive-In, for whic ...

said this before they played their song “ Pattern Against User”: “This is dedicated to a band from the U.K. called THE FALL. If you don’t know who THE FALL is, you’re listening to too much Hip Hop and Heavy Metal. This is for Mark E. Smith!”

Discography

; Studio albums

Members

Since the Fall formed in 1976, Mark E. Smith was the only constant member. All other founding members had left by the end of 1979, although Martin Bramah returned to the band from 1989 to 1990. Of the 66 musicians who came and went over the band's 40-year existence, about one third played in the band for less than a year. The final line-up consisted of Smith, Pete Greenway, Dave Spurr, Keiron Melling and Michael Clapham. Melling, Spurr and Greenway joined the band in 2006. Smith once remarked, in an oft-quoted quip about the band's frequent lineup changes, "If it's me and your granny on bongos, it's The Fall."

References

; Sources *

Bibliography

* * * * Hanley, Steve. " The Big Midweek: Life Inside The Fall". London: Route, 2014. * * * * * (released in paperback format as ''The Fallen: Life in and Out of Britain's Most Insane Group'', ) *

External links

The Annotated Fall
Lyrics to The Fall's songs, annotated
The Fall in Fives
Detailed analysis of each Fall album or EP
The Official Fall Website

The Fall online
(formerly The Official Fall Website)
Life in The Fall
Interview with Steve Hanley, Brix Smith and Mark Riley {{DEFAULTSORT:Fall, The English punk rock groups Musical groups established in 1976 Musical groups disestablished in 2018 Musical groups from Greater Manchester Music in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury English post-punk music groups Rough Trade Records artists I.R.S. Records artists Fontana Records artists Matador Records artists Domino Recording Company artists Beggars Banquet Records artists Situation Two artists 1976 establishments in England 2018 disestablishments in England Cherry Red Records artists Eagle Records artists Jet Records artists Narnack Records artists Voiceprint Records artists Sanctuary Records artists