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been plucked from the riotous preserve of their late-’70s heyday, ‘A Past…’ shows the ramshackle approach of yore superseded by a battalion of samples and grinding, zeitgeist-courting techno beats.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
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, 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
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk