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been plucked from the riotous preserve of their late-’70s heyday, ‘A Past…’ shows the ramshackle approach of yore superseded by a battalion of samples and grinding, zeitgeist-courting techno beats.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