Stew compiled and annotated this compilation by The Fall.
…this is a fine collection; brave, broad and admirably biased…
It is, of course, an appalling concept. Allowing writer/ comedian Stewart Lee to compile a selection of his favourite, latter-day Fall tracks smacks of misguided marketing;an ill-informed attempt to glean the collegiate vote for what surely remains the most virulently anti-student band in Britain. Duh!
Anyway. The onset of the ’90s saw Mark E Smith-uh and his ever-changing chums embrace new technology with gusto – a gambit that would provide a fresh framework for Smith’s misanthropic, beanbag-faced rants. While tracks such as last year’s brilliantly disorderly ‘Touch Sensitive’ could’ve been plucked from the riotous preserve of their late-’70s heyday, ‘A Past…’ shows the ramshackle approach of yore superseded by a battalion of samples and grinding, zeitgeist-courting techno beats. It’s an approach that has yielded some of The Fall‘s finest songs – with the synth-heavy, anti-EU wrath of 1991’s ‘Free Range’ and the deceptively sweet ‘Rose’ proving Smith‘s invective wears many, equally effective, disguises. With ‘The Chisellers’ being the only glaring omission, this is a fine collection; brave, broad and admirably biased.
– NME
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com