― brains (cerybut), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
What I'm more curious about is how the Fall have such serious devotees. Their formula seems to me to result in pretty wide stretches of less-than-necessary stuff, and it's static enough to leave me pretty confident that, say, a two-disc comp of highlights is more than any person could ever need of them. The dedication of their fans, on the other hand, makes me wonder: are there really little gems scattered all through the discography, enough little shifts of personality to make slogging through the whole thing worth it? The fact that people remember the names of their individual songs so readily would lead me to believe they must settle into very different places, but god, my limited Fall listening has not given me much indication that that's the case.
(Good way of testing this, I guess: start an "essential Fall" thread and see how lively and specific and Smiths-like the debate over what tracks count can get.)
― nabisco (nabisco), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
In a word, yes. Sometimes it is often necessary to immerse oneself in a prolific artist's work to fully understand it all. Mark E Smith has changed a lot over the past 30 years, and it shows in his work. The Fall certainly can reward those with a casual interest, but if you really want to appreciate the nuances and details, you can't just be a dilletant with a best-of cd.
(Jess's list is pretty cool, by the way)
If you start an "essential Fall" thread, you will find that a lot of people like a lot of different Fall songs, and it probably won't make getting through the huge discography any easier on you.
― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:53 (twenty-one years ago) link
― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 16 June 2003 21:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:09 (twenty-one years ago) link
and i swear this has nothing to do with them being cassettes
― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:11 (twenty-one years ago) link
― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
Extricate is pretty weak, I'll admit.
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:14 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:15 (twenty-one years ago) link
― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:18 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Margus Kiis, estonian rock critic (Margus Kiis, estonian rock cri), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:26 (twenty-one years ago) link
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-one years ago) link
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-one years ago) link
― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Sam J. (samjeff), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:35 (twenty-one years ago) link
― scott seward, Monday, 16 June 2003 22:36 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Sam J. (samjeff), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
The ClassicalNew Face In HellI'm Into CB!RepetitionI Am Damo SuzukiNew Face In HellHip PriestCouldn't Get AheadDr. Buck's LetterLiving Too LateHit The NorthCruiser's Creek (live from Seminal Live lp)Dktr FaustusCREEPClear Off!Oh! BrotherImpression of J. TemperanceProle 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-one years ago) link
― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 June 2003 22:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
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-one years ago) link
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-one years ago) link
― di smith (lucylurex), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:02 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:05 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Kris (aqueduct), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:33 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:49 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 June 2003 23:52 (twenty-one years ago) link
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-one years ago) link
― Pitchblender (Pitchblender), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 00:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 00:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
― scott seward, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 01:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 01:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
Would you believe... USA Today?
― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 01:52 (twenty-one years ago) link
― scott seward, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Aaron A., Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:31 (twenty-one years ago) link
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-one years ago) link
― Keith McD (Keith McD), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 06:16 (twenty-one years ago) link
― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 06:37 (twenty-one years ago) link
― mosurock (mosurock), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 06:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Jody c., Tuesday, 17 June 2003 07:03 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 07:26 (twenty-one years ago) link
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-one years ago) link
just heard "A Past Gone Mad" for the first time a couple days ago and I was stunned not just that it was The Fall but that it was The Fall from 1993. might have to actually explore those later records I guess.
― frogbs, Tuesday, 19 March 2024 14:26 (six months ago) link
they are great
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Tuesday, 19 March 2024 14:39 (six months ago) link
Infotainment Scan is a really good Fall record!
― the absence of bikes (f. hazel), Tuesday, 19 March 2024 14:43 (six months ago) link
the perfection of "Blindness" (the Peel Session version) is completely shocking
― famous instagram dog (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 19 March 2024 14:51 (six months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAHbSAJjTls
― famous instagram dog (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 19 March 2024 14:52 (six months ago) link
― from a prominent family of bassoon players (Boring, Maryland), Tuesday, 19 March 2024 14:56 (six months ago) link
I get "Hey! Student" stuck in my head not infrequently.
― grandavis, Tuesday, 19 March 2024 17:03 (six months ago) link
"Noel's Chemical Effluence" is a great lost 90s track, unique in their catalog.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 19 March 2024 17:21 (six months ago) link
Probably said this on another Fall thread but I really like Middle Class Revolt, the one time I saw them it was the current album and it was a great set
(xp I actually had Hey! Student stuck in my head for weeks after this show!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rx2Y956Oq0
― Kraal Disorientation Chamber (emsworth), Wednesday, 20 March 2024 01:48 (six months ago) link
yes that tour was the only time I saw them as well, with Brix!
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Wednesday, 20 March 2024 03:03 (six months ago) link
that live version of middle class revolt they toured with was so f’ing good. brix appearing, incredibly, before we heard the amazing peel christmas session with her on. anyway the 27 points version captures it v well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyDVfnCCC1w
― Fizzles, Wednesday, 20 March 2024 19:29 (six months ago) link
I saw that tour too, in Seattle. No way in those times of knowing brix was back in the band. When she came out me and others went nuts
― realistic pillow (Jon not Jon), Saturday, 23 March 2024 04:31 (five months ago) link
MCR the album doesn’t connect for me somehow. The pieces are all in place but it fails to fly.
― realistic pillow (Jon not Jon), Saturday, 23 March 2024 04:32 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
now you tell me! lol
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Saturday, 23 March 2024 15:24 (five months ago) link
As with much of the post-Beggars years, "Middle Class Revolt" is half great half meh. My picks for the great stuff:15 WaysBehind The CounterM5#1Middle Class Revolt!Hey! StudentWar
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 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Saturday, 23 March 2024 18:08 (five months ago) link
As with much of the post-Beggars years, "Middle Class Revolt" is half great half meh. My picks for the great stuff:15 WaysBehind The CounterM5#1Middle Class Revolt!Hey! StudentWarAs 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.
― Fizzles, Saturday, 23 March 2024 18:48 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
I lurve Marc Riley, I wish he'd reissue his Creepers stuff.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 21:35 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
nice, had no idea that existed
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Friday, 12 April 2024 15:10 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
One of those sets has four renditions of "Das Boot". I mean, yeah, but
― Mark G, Friday, 12 April 2024 16:42 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
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 (five months ago) link
that would be great
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 15 April 2024 19:57 (five months ago) link