THE FALL
(May 1998, updated 2018, 2021)
Other than the Mekons, THE FALL were the most important, longest-lasting group to come out the English punk explosion of the late seventies, even if Mark E. Smith insists (probably correctly) that they were never part of it. While just about every other group and 'hero' from then have been carticatures of themselves, living off their reputation for whatever it's worth, the pride of Manchester have been dishing it out pretty consistently for over two decades now. There's never been and never will be a 'perfect' Fall record but that's part of what's made the group so vital- they still fuck around a lot and take chances, never staying too complacent. Even the trademarks that you hear again and again like Mark's grumbling and ranting, the ringing guitars and thudding drums all still sound hard as hell today. Indeed, the only thing that would call a close to this glorious clatter was the death of mainstay MES in 2018.
So in this spirit... we here at Perfect Sound Forever pay tribute to these lovable (?) lads and lasses with:
- A tribute to the late Mark E. Smith from several suspect writers
- An interview with Steve Hanley and Tommy Crooks- an interesting perspective from an almost-twenty-year veteran of the band along with a relative newcomer, with both soon becoming ex-members of the band after this (coincidence?)
- An interview with Fall co-founder Martin Bramah who talks about the beginnings and early days of the band and his subsequent career in the Blue Orchids
- Interview with the final Fall line-up (minus MES): guitarist Peter Greenway, bassist David Spurr and drummer Keiron Melling
- Several writers talk about every Fall release from the first half of their career, covering all of their albums from the '70's to the end of the '90's
- Review of the Fall's post-millennium albums
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