"They are always different, they are always the same." (John Peel) I have a feeling that there must be something wrong (mentally)with fans of The Fall; it's like a disease, an obsession. Or is that just me?
@Bukowski @ellykiss Sadly I think, on vinyl, Peel's 'always different' hasn't been quite so accurate since the mid-90s but caught them at ATP a few months ago and they were still a force to be reckoned with – and fresh as ever.
@Bukowski Think I'm still sore about him firing Scanlan and Hanley in a drunken tiz. You can pick any line-up between and 79 and 94 and it'd be a classic. Should listen again to those two LPs, though.
@psed I agree with you completely, and let's not forget Marc Riley. Just as an aside, have you read; Simpson, Dave (2008). The Fallen – Searching for the missing members of The Fall. London: Canongate Books. ISBN 978-1-84767-049-6 (Released in paperback as The Fallen: Life In and Out of Britain's Most Insane Group, ISBN 978-1-84767-144-8)) . It is superb and very, very funny, all the Mark E. Smith rants are in it.
@psed Very weird being a Fall fan; quite scary because it can, at times, feel that they are the only band in the world worth bothering with whilst at the same time being the most infuriating band in the world!
@Bukowski I read a Guardian article by the same bloke around that time, but never got round to the book. A sad story for talented musicians who couldn't work without his iron hand! Haven't read a book about them since Paintwork in the early 90s. I'm sure Smith's biog is worthwhile too?
Great choice. So many classic Fall tracks to choose from. Pretty much agree with all the above comments, particularly about Scanlan & Hanley and also about 'The Real New Fall LP' & 'Your Future Our Clutter' being pretty special.
@AndyWilkinson@psed I haven't read the Mark E. Smith biog. One of the truly great Fall releases must be 'The Complete Peel Sessions 1978 - 2004'. The Fall album I would give to an alien who came around and said; "We've heard about this thing you call The Fall."
Maybe one of the last great bands for which being a fan makes you feel you are part of a secret community: you either are exhilarated (and infuriated) by M. E. Smith or you think this is just clatter.
@Bukowski It took them a long time to get those sessions out in full - for years I just had bits and pieces on cassette. Worth the wait – quite a few of the recordings trump the album versions. I can't think of any other band where you would point someone (alien or otherwise) towards their Peel Sessions first.
@psed 'The Complete Peel Sessions' is a worthy anthology due to the immediacy of the performances which as you say 'trump some of the album versions'; they present The Fall as they should be, inventive, abstract, trance inducing (influence of Can) and yet melodically accessible.
15 Comments (since 7 Aug 2012)
Bukowski
"They are always different, they are always the same." (John Peel) I have a feeling that there must be something wrong (mentally)with fans of The Fall; it's like a disease, an obsession. Or is that just me?
psed
@Bukowski @ellykiss Sadly I think, on vinyl, Peel's 'always different' hasn't been quite so accurate since the mid-90s but caught them at ATP a few months ago and they were still a force to be reckoned with – and fresh as ever.
Bukowski
@psed You maybe right, however; 'The Real New Fall LP' & 'Your Future Our Clutter' are just mesmerising.
psed
@Bukowski Think I'm still sore about him firing Scanlan and Hanley in a drunken tiz. You can pick any line-up between and 79 and 94 and it'd be a classic. Should listen again to those two LPs, though.
Bukowski
@psed I agree with you completely, and let's not forget Marc Riley. Just as an aside, have you read; Simpson, Dave (2008). The Fallen – Searching for the missing members of The Fall. London: Canongate Books. ISBN 978-1-84767-049-6 (Released in paperback as The Fallen: Life In and Out of Britain's Most Insane Group, ISBN 978-1-84767-144-8)) . It is superb and very, very funny, all the Mark E. Smith rants are in it.
Bukowski
@psed Very weird being a Fall fan; quite scary because it can, at times, feel that they are the only band in the world worth bothering with whilst at the same time being the most infuriating band in the world!
psed
@Bukowski I read a Guardian article by the same bloke around that time, but never got round to the book. A sad story for talented musicians who couldn't work without his iron hand! Haven't read a book about them since Paintwork in the early 90s. I'm sure Smith's biog is worthwhile too?
AndyWilkinson
Great choice. So many classic Fall tracks to choose from. Pretty much agree with all the above comments, particularly about Scanlan & Hanley and also about 'The Real New Fall LP' & 'Your Future Our Clutter' being pretty special.
Bukowski
@AndyWilkinson @psed I haven't read the Mark E. Smith biog. One of the truly great Fall releases must be 'The Complete Peel Sessions 1978 - 2004'. The Fall album I would give to an alien who came around and said; "We've heard about this thing you call The Fall."
jpaylor
The Fall... my favourite band of all time, I never get bored of them.
JohnRoux
Maybe one of the last great bands for which being a fan makes you feel you are part of a secret community: you either are exhilarated (and infuriated) by M. E. Smith or you think this is just clatter.
psed
@Bukowski It took them a long time to get those sessions out in full - for years I just had bits and pieces on cassette. Worth the wait – quite a few of the recordings trump the album versions. I can't think of any other band where you would point someone (alien or otherwise) towards their Peel Sessions first.
Bukowski
@psed 'The Complete Peel Sessions' is a worthy anthology due to the immediacy of the performances which as you say 'trump some of the album versions'; they present The Fall as they should be, inventive, abstract, trance inducing (influence of Can) and yet melodically accessible.
btener
great song and awesome silver apples choice earlier on too!
psed
@btener thanks! your choices aren't too shabby either. My first jam was Can's Oh Yeah - so interested to see what you select from them.