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been plucked from the riotous preserve of their late-’70s heyday, ‘A Past…’ shows the ramshackle approach of yore superseded by a battalion of samples and grinding, zeitgeist-courting techno beats.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