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been plucked from the riotous preserve of their late-’70s heyday, ‘A Past…’ shows the ramshackle approach of yore superseded by a battalion of samples and grinding, zeitgeist-courting techno beats.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