The notriously volatile cult group The Fall played four London dates over the course of five nights. The final show, at a delightful Irish showband venue in Cricklewood, saw two of the line-up that played at Brick Lane’s 93 Feet East on Moday already departed. When jazz soloists seek out new collaborators, it’s seen as evidence of artistic restlessness, but rock journalists, fetishising the gang notion of the classic band, find the erratic line-up changes of the group Mark E Smith formed in Manchester in 1976 endlessly amusing. The Fall frontman, glossing over accusations that he is simply ubearable, compares himself instead to a football manager, reshufflling his squad.
Smith currently operates two basic Fall formations. Monday’s show saw he and his wife, the keyboard player Elena Poulou, backed by a principally American Fall, hastilly assembled in San Diego last May, when the duo were abandoned by their group soon after an incident involving a plantain. The drummer Orpheo McCord maintains the streamroller thrust of What About Us and Pacifying Joint whilst simultaneously making them swing, and the guitarist Tim Presley lends an uncharacteristically psychedelic flavour to The Fall’s pulverising riffs. The bearded bassist Rob Barbato refutes The Fall’s historic baldness, and he and British bass player, Dave Spur, create a heavy, larval bedrock. Smith’s voice has recovered a range presumed lost, and his cryptically compelling lyrics are riddled with dog growl rumbles and flasetto yelps. The new material, – the high-octane drone of Reformation, derived from Can’s Mother Sky, and Fall Sound, a speed-metal declaration of intent, – are amongst his most electrifying compositions to date. Smith may look like a Weatherspoons regular, but his apparent lack of stage craft conceals an understanding of the damatic power of the smallest gestures.
Two nights later, Presley’s gone home, and an ashen-faced Pete Greenway, of the band Pubic Fringe, plays the same guitar riffs with harsher, serrated textures. Barbato nods the group through the changes as Smith, often hiding behind amps, sontaneously extends and contracts songs. A pleasingly unprepared encore sees Poulou reading her husband’s lyrics over improvised backing. “You are the sort of person who keeps a pair of plastic women’s breasts under his desk”, she declaims, to the delight of the crowd. By Friday, Barbato is gone too and the band have peaked, shrinking back to the five piece that played the Summer festival circit. The Fall’s music remains impossible to define, incorporating the visceral, blue-collar thrills of 50’s rock and roll and the visionary experimentalism of Krautrock and dub reggae. The Fall sound exists only in Mark E Smith’s head. Last week he came uncharacteristically close to defining it.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube