Why does anyone like the Fall?

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Jess, have you heard the Unutterable album? There's some great songs on that one, and there's a couple good ones on that last one with the words Missing Winner in the title.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:19 (twenty-three years ago)

big ups to everyone big upping The Unutterable on this thread

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:19 (twenty-three years ago)

can someone compile all the best bits from the last 18 years?

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:20 (twenty-three years ago)

If Mark E. is a singer, then anyone could be vocalist, rock-star, anybody, if he/she really wants. Mark gives us hope.

― Margus Kiis, estonian rock critic (Margus Kiis, estonian rock cri), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:24 (twenty-three years ago)

b-b-but, i don't want to be a singing rock-star

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:25 (twenty-three years ago)

totally coincidentally I'd made a "20th Century Fall" (Witch Trials through Unutterable) track listing for my website today. When I put it up there I'll put it up here too. I should be getting a CD burner soon so I can make copies if anyone wants one (it'd be a double CD).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:26 (twenty-three years ago)

I really do think there are, as nabisco puts it, gems scattered throughout their discography, though the Slates/"Elastic Man"/"Totally Wired" period has the greatest concentration of them. But "Inch" from _Levitate_ is one of their three or four greatest moments ever as far as I'm concerned, and yesterday when I had my iPod on random "The Real Life of the Crying Marshall" from _The Unutterable_ reached over and whacked me upside the head (in a good way).

First Fall I ever heard was _The Wonderful and Frightening World..._, which did nothing for me at the time. _Palace of Swords Reversed_ was my conversion experience.

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Best-of comp I made for a friend about 4 years ago:

1. Prole Art Threat (1981)
2. How I Wrote “Elastic Man” (1979)
3. Totally Wired (1981)
4. Inch (1999)
5. Fortress/Deer Park (1982)
6. New Face In Hell (1980)
7. Free Ranger (1992)
8. Black Monk Theme, pt. 1 (1990)
9. Masquerade (1998)
10. U.S. ’80s-’90s (1986)
11. Kimble (1993)
12. Slang-King (1984)
13. Repetition (1977)
14. Hit The North (1988)
15. Leave The Capitol (1981)
16. Edinburgh Man (1991)
17. Put Away (1978)

I believe almost every band I've ever been in has covered a Fall song at some point, and sometimes it wasn't even my idea... I have vivid memories of playing "U.S. '80s-'90s," "Frightened" and "Fantastic Life."

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:32 (twenty-three years ago)

My first Fall record was the A-Sides collection, which is probably about as consistently "pop" as a Fall record is going to get. I highly recommend it as a starting place, even if it means you won't hear songs like "I Am Damo Suzuki" "Repetition" "How I Wrote Elastic Man" "Hip Priest" "New Face In Hell" "The Classical" "I'm Into CB!" or any of the songs from Slates right away.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I burned myself out on the Fall during my big Fall obsession period, by indulging in too many live CDs. The Fall were the first band by whom I ever enjoyed hearing lots of live versions of the same songs - even, in some cases, preferred them to the album versions. I made it to "Extricate" and went "blah" around the same time I couldn't muster up the enthusiasm to hear another echoey version of "Totally Wired," or, indeed, any Fall at all (for awhile). But I've been waiting to catch my second wind, and sample '90s-and-beyond Fall. (As mentioned on another thread, I'm hoping seeing them for the first time this week may kick my ass in that direction.)

― Sam J. (samjeff), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:35 (twenty-three years ago)

as far as albums go you really only need Bend Sinister, The Frenz Experiment, I Am Curious Oranj, Live At The Witch Trials, Dragnet, Hex Enduction Hour, Peverted By Language, The Wonderful and Frightening World Of The..., and 458489 B-Sides. It's simple, really.

― scott seward, Monday, 16 June 2003 22:36 (twenty-three years ago)

and the other ones that i forgot.

― scott seward, Monday, 16 June 2003 22:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I made the mistake of starting with the first album, which I thought was an odd and somewhat neat, but it didn't compel me to explore any further. It wasn't until several years, and an encounter with "Hex Enduction Hour," later... (I still think "Witch Trials" is not much fun to listen to; something about the way it's recorded...)

― Sam J. (samjeff), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I made a Fall compilation for a friend, and though I can't remember the order of the songs, it went something like this:

The Classical
New Face In Hell
I'm Into CB!
Repetition
I Am Damo Suzuki
New Face In Hell
Hip Priest
Couldn't Get Ahead
Dr. Buck's Letter
Living Too Late
Hit The North
Cruiser's Creek (live from Seminal Live lp)
Dktr Faustus
CREEP
Clear Off!
Oh! Brother
Impression of J. Temperance
Prole Art Threat

Hopefully this, in addition to what Douglas and others are posting, will give you a nice long list of songs to download from your favorite p2p.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:43 (twenty-three years ago)

the totally wired comp is actually quite a good introduction, even though it only covers the rough trade years

― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Victoria

That's a Kinks song, Mike!

Anyway, I think the hype is a bit overblown, and they sound like absolute shit on pot, but they have their moments. Eh.

― Farmer Al (King Kobra), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:50 (twenty-three years ago)

here's that "20th Century Fall" deal. It's pretty pop (though I didn't put "Victoria" on it, though for the double CD version - this is for a c90, I'd definitely make the cut.

1) “steppin out”
2) “rebellious jukebox”
3) “dice man”
4) “rowche rumble-live”
5) “pay your rates”
6) “fit and working again”
7) “totally wired”
8) “the classical”
9) “room to live”
10) “lie dream of the casino soul”
11) “i feel voxish”
12) “c.r.e.e.p.”
13) “rollin’ dany”

14) “couldn’t get ahead”
15) “living too late”
16) “frenz”
17) “wrong place, right time”
18) “dead beat descendant”
19) “black monk theme part I”
20) “free range”
21) “strychnine”
22) “hey student!”
23) “life just bounces”
24) “spinetrak”
25) “touch sensitive”
26) “hands up billy”

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:52 (twenty-three years ago)

what they said = why i like the fall. though i have only heard everything they did up to perverted by language.

― di smith (lucylurex), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Starting with Palace of Swords Reversed was a very good thing for me, I realize. Most recent Fall acquistions: the rerelease of Fall in a Hole and Listening In. Must get the solo spoken word thingy oh yes. Excuse me, my headache is still doing me in.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Because they sound like absolute shit on pot.

― Kris (aqueduct), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually, the new BBC sessions comp _Words of Expectation_ (which I believe is very cheap in the U.K.--8 pounds or something?) is excellent excellent--their first five sessions, plus two pretty good sessions from the mid-'90s. But it's that third session (the one that goes "Container Drivers"/"Jawbone and the Air Rifle"/"New Puritan"/"New Face in Hell") that I've already amazed a couple of previously unconverted friends with.

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:49 (twenty-three years ago)

The Stephen Hanley-selected Peel Sessions album was sweet too. Especially for "Mess Of My" and "Strychnine." It goes from the first to the then-latest.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:52 (twenty-three years ago)

the new BBC sessions comp _Words of Expectation_

Ah, lovely. I would happily shell out for a Fall boxset of Peel Sessions from then to now.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:53 (twenty-three years ago)

I have to admit that I don't get all the Fall hype, either. The only album I really dig so far is The Frenz Experiment, and even then I usually shut it off after "Oswald Defence Lawyer". I like to make fun of the fact that Mark E. Smith is still alive.

― Pitchblender (Pitchblender), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 00:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Wait, I already have a BBC sessions CD of Fall stuff.... what's the deal with this one? Are we confusing "BBC" with "Peel" again?

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 00:46 (twenty-three years ago)

where is all this fall hype people keep mentioning? are they on the cover of kerrang this month?

― scott seward, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 01:23 (twenty-three years ago)

http://enlist.sevcom.com/exhibits/electricsound/MES.gif

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 01:27 (twenty-three years ago)

where is all this fall hype people keep mentioning? are they on the cover of kerrang this month?

Would you believe... USA Today?

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 01:52 (twenty-three years ago)

the fall are in usa today? did they get a pie chart? which percentage of the country "gets" the fall and which percentage thinks they sound like shit on pot? i wanna see that!

― scott seward, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:19 (twenty-three years ago)

weaker than expected correlation bewteen wearing trucker hat and owning anything by the Fall!

― Aaron A., Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:31 (twenty-three years ago)

i hate em because they cancelled their tucson date last fall and now they're touring the u.s. again and they're not coming anywhere NEAR here the bastard.

that said i still like tons of their songs, for reasons stated elsewhere in this thread.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 04:38 (twenty-three years ago)

I was really blown away by 'Tempo House' last time I listened to the 'Perverted by Language' LP. A big fat beat and a big fat bassline - it's almost funky even!

― Keith McD (Keith McD), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 06:16 (twenty-three years ago)

i first heard of the fall via some article on joy division when I was in high school and bought the then-recent Kurious Oranj just before I went into the hospital for a month for stomach surgery after I finished high school. This was the first CD I heard drifting in and out of anaesthesia and I played it to death for the next three weeks (alternating with, uh, Black Celebration, and, er... UK Jive by the Kinks which had also just come out and sucked). I think my subsequent demerol addiction somehow confused my brain and I became a Fall obsessive for several years. I still have something ridiculous like 30 CDs. I love them but I also understand that it takes some digging for the resistent but when I've made selective comps for people, even my most pop-loving friends have found stuff they can wrap their ears around. "Spinetrack" is a universal favorite.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 06:37 (twenty-three years ago)

best band ever. why is this conversation happening?

― mosurock (mosurock), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 06:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I kind of like them because they're strange and poetic - but it's like all poetry except the narrative stuff - you have to wonder whether you just like listening to it because it makes you feel strange and clever without you really being clever, only strange. But maybe there's no kind of cleverness that's not just a feeling.

― Jody c., Tuesday, 17 June 2003 07:03 (twenty-three years ago)

I like The Fall because Mark E Smith has the most original mind in rock music. That's what gets me through the stretches of stuff which is just Fall-ish, because you never know when or whether something genuinely startling (and not 'startling' like a tempo change either) might happen EVEN IF it's the 100th time you've heard it. That said I also lose interest after a certain point and think the early stuff is the most intense and best.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 07:26 (twenty-three years ago)

"Tempo House" on the Homestead Speed Trials comp (another live version) is an even more stone groove and is my preferred version, and moreover, the live version of "Smile" that follows it is the most vicious Fall track ever recorded.

I used to do Fall tribute radio shows while on WFMU. You can check one of them out here.

― mosurock (mosurock), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:18 (twenty-three years ago)

I like the Fall for the same reasons I like many of my favorite bands. a) The Fall are utterly (unutterrably? -- ed.) unpredictable, while still being somewhat formulaic + having a consistent raison d'etre. b) The Fall's catalog begs for exploration due to all the slight deviations and left turns, because it is consistently rewarding and nearly infinite, so that I can go thru a Fall phase, come out of it, and return to it with a new stack of ten CDs. And, finally, c) The Fall nearly fall apart at the seams on nearly every song, they teeter, will Mark E. Smith actually explode?

It's exciting stuff.

I picked up the Rough Trade years anthology when it came out not long ago and it comes off like a perfect mix tape. I listen to it all the time. Definitely a great starting point.

― scott m (mcd), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:40 (twenty-three years ago)

OK, I need a Fall recommendation. I have the Rough Trade 2-cd collection and This Nation's Saving Grace, and I like both a lot, but what I like best are the really long songs that stretch out forever, namely The NWRA and Hip Priest off of the Rough Trade thing. What should I look for that has more stuff like that? I'm assuming live albums, but which ones?

― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:48 (twenty-three years ago)

That "Fall in a Hole" reissue looks pretty good, should I go with that?

― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Palace of Swords Reversed was my gateway drug. Guess it's been usurped by the Sanctuary sets, which I find aesthetically disappointing in so many ways. In general just try to stay away from CD reissues of Tha Fall (not even going into sound quality). Singles comps that don't recreate all the amazing sleeve art, much less present the singles in their proper order, chronologically or side-to-side. And to tack singles onto the beginning of Grotesque or, far worse, put single sides right into the middle of This Nation's Saving Grace putting "Cruiser's Creek" at the end, is absolutely inexcusable.

― abeta, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:21 (twenty-three years ago)

**OK, I need a Fall recommendation. I have the Rough Trade 2-cd collection and This Nation's Saving Grace, and I like both a lot, but what I like best are the really long songs that stretch out forever, namely The NWRA and Hip Priest off of the Rough Trade thing. What should I look for that has more stuff like that?**

You should get Dragnet. It's the best Fall album AND it has 'A Figure Walks' and 'Muzorewi's Daughter' which I think you'd like.

It also has a really grainy, monochrome sound and lots of Mike Leigh's 'a row of terraced houses falling down' drum rolls. If anyone tells you it's really badly recorded they're nuts. It's PERFECT.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:35 (twenty-three years ago)

the long, looooooong song form is perfected on "grotesque", where "the n.w.r.a." and "casn 'n' carry" come from.

― mosurock (mosurock), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Right, then: you guys have lent me the urgency to listen past the couple early collections I have (one of which I've just noticed the AMG calls "insulting"). The trick now is to keep myself from downloading all the winners, as I'm pretty sure I'll be buying the albums now, and I'd hate to disappoint myself by having already cherry-picked them.

You guys will not appreciate this, but it occurs to me: I've never seen anyone writing about Beat Happening mention how Fall-like they can be. Primitive tom-thump, gorilla-handed repeating riff, singer moaning and sneering . . . throw "Bewitched" into a Fall playlist and it sits comfortably. I mention this mostly because I imagine many of you don't like Beat Happening.

― nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:22 (twenty-three years ago)

It's not like i only settle for godrich production or anything. hell, my fav sonic youth song is "world looks red".
i guess ill check out some of their earlier stuff. thanks to David R. for the advice.

― Felcher (Felcher), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Glad Felcher posted again.. I thought maybe he was a retaliating Dave Matthews Band fan..

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Some Fall recommendation threads, for NA:

Early Fall - help me make a definitive C90
Fall (post-1985 / compilations): Search & Destroy
What are the best 10 Fall tracks of all time then?
best Fall album for starters

Felcher, you might be interested in this:

Are The Fall the most overrated band in the history of music?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 16:05 (twenty-three years ago)

no, no, i threw a few punches on the anti-dave side. it took me a while to post because i only have net access at work and i foolishly posted the question right before quittin' time.
i wasn't posting to insult the fall. i can tell there's something there. every time i put in either album, after the first ten minutes, i'm completely disgusted with it. considering i rarely get disgusted with music (i kind of like it when CD's start skipping, even if i love the song) i knew there was something up with this music. i was only posting the question to get a better idea of what the specific appeal of the band is, because CD reviewers usually just sound like they're giving good reviews to avoid being busted by the hipster police.

― Felcher (Felcher), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 16:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Everyone hates "The Infotainment Scan" - (except me) - you can usually get it for a buck or two - and it's pretty strong..

But maybe you just need to jump ahead on the CD until it starts to click. On This Nation's Saving Grace (one of the best records ever made) .. just listen to L.A. and Gut of the Quantifier.. two pretty accessible tracks.

Also, listen to it on Vinyl. The ordering on the CD sucks and the extra tracks ruined it.

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 16:22 (twenty-three years ago)

[From the Fall website:]

A request for MES:

we are in a band called the fall from norfolk, va and we are signed to an independent label..just wanted to let you know....maybe you can change your name to the fall uk so it does not conflict..thanks for your time

― Sam J. (samjeff), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 16:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 868 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I found "Leave the Capital" on a different album on Spotify, "13”

Don't know if it's the exact same version, you know how these things run w/ The Fall.

There is a "complete fall albums" playlist consisting of the official albums, created by Cherry Red. I daresay some will have dropped off that for the same reason.

― Mark G, Saturday, 23 March 2024 11:35 (two years ago)

Anyone happen to know if the vinyl version of Sublingual Tablet ever got a non-vinyl release? iirc all the alternative versions were superior to their cd counterparts.

― Fizzles, Saturday, 23 March 2024 15:24 (two years ago)

now you tell me! lol

― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Saturday, 23 March 2024 15:24 (two years ago)

As with much of the post-Beggars years, "Middle Class Revolt" is half great half meh. My picks for the great stuff:
15 Ways
Behind The Counter
M5#1
Middle Class Revolt!
Hey! Student
War

As for the Sublingual Tablet LP, only "Dedication Not Medication", "Auto Chip 2014-2016", "Pledge" and "Fibre Book Troll" were different on the LP. "Dedication" was definitely superior on the LP, "Auto Chip" was just an edit and the other two were a toss-up (I didn't feel "Fibre" should be twice as long).

I have MP3's of them if you're interested, ILXMail me.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 23 March 2024 16:53 (two years ago)

Starting in 1994 or so I subscribed to the Fall email discussion list (remember those?) so I was aware of the lineup comings and goings. The list was very rockist though, most hated Brix and anything after 1982. (I've always loved Brix and the Beggars albums rule so hard).

― Slorg is not on the Slerf Team, you idiot, you moron (Boring, Maryland), Saturday, 23 March 2024 17:27 (two years ago)

Anyone happen to know if the vinyl version of Sublingual Tablet ever got a non-vinyl release? iirc all the alternative versions were superior to their cd counterparts.

Don't think so. Word was that Cherry Red had a Fall 2010s box in planning stages which I assume would include the alternates. (I preferred the CD versions, anyway.)

― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Saturday, 23 March 2024 18:08 (two years ago)

As with much of the post-Beggars years, "Middle Class Revolt" is half great half meh. My picks for the great stuff:
15 Ways
Behind The Counter
M5#1
Middle Class Revolt!
Hey! Student
War

As for the Sublingual Tablet LP, only "Dedication Not Medication", "Auto Chip 2014-2016", "Pledge" and "Fibre Book Troll" were different on the LP. "Dedication" was definitely superior on the LP, "Auto Chip" was just an edit and the other two were a toss-up (I didn't feel "Fibre" should be twice as long).

I have MP3's of them if you're interested, ILXMail me.

thanks! big fan of The Reckoning and Not Up To Much here. I like it generally tho can leave Hey! Student these days.

― Fizzles, Saturday, 23 March 2024 18:48 (two years ago)

two weeks pass...

Well now this is a good read:

https://thequietus.com/articles/34037-the-fall-marc-riley-craig-scanlon-paul-steve-hanley

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 19:31 (two years ago)

The four of them were on the Hanley Bros podcast together a couple yrs back, well worth the listen

― chr1sb3singer, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 19:56 (two years ago)

I lurve Marc Riley, I wish he'd reissue his Creepers stuff.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 21:35 (two years ago)

been listening to O-Mit, an EP of stuff left off Re-Mit, it's really great

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 12 April 2024 15:01 (two years ago)

nice, had no idea that existed

― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Friday, 12 April 2024 15:10 (two years ago)

got one of those great Fall song titles that cracks me up: "A Disco (City)", the parenthesis kill me for some reason, miss u Mark E.

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 12 April 2024 15:11 (two years ago)

How do they feel about this description? “It really was a great band,” says Riley. “The two drummer lineup [with Karl Burns] was an amazing thing to be involved in. It felt absolutely infallible pretty much every night. We felt like we could take anybody on. We once played with The Birthday Party [in 1982] and they really went for it, it was a bit like a 'follow that...' scenario. And we did. We did a 13 minute version of ‘And This Day’, and we went hell for leather. For my money we were better than The Birthday Party that night, who were one of the greatest live bands in the world.” Scanlon then adds: “although we did play with The Cramps and they blew us off stage. Fucking ruined us.”

one for the "blew them off stage" thread! i find the image evoked by the lewder reading of that innocuous line truly delightful.

― Kate (rushomancy), Friday, 12 April 2024 15:22 (two years ago)

further to the interview, there is a pretty significant subset of fall cratediggers who will listen to all these different recordings critically and point out standouts - not sure if they've been in touch with those folks, but god i bet they could curate some truly killer sets based on their tapes. far better than the grey-market piles of crap that come out now.

― Kate (rushomancy), Friday, 12 April 2024 15:38 (two years ago)

It is wild how much stuff seems to get added to the pile every time I take a look - there’s a 4-disc reissue of Are You Are Missing Winner?

― JoeStork, Friday, 12 April 2024 15:48 (two years ago)

One of those sets has four renditions of "Das Boot". I mean, yeah, but

― Mark G, Friday, 12 April 2024 16:42 (two years ago)

Even if there WEREN’T any outtakes from Re-Mit, they’d still have to make an outtakes ep called O-Mit

― realistic pillow (Jon not Jon), Monday, 15 April 2024 19:42 (two years ago)

We could use a good live album of the fall heads roll tour from before the explosion of that lineup

― realistic pillow (Jon not Jon), Monday, 15 April 2024 19:44 (two years ago)

that would be great

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 15 April 2024 19:57 (two years ago)

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