In among all the post-match analysis of MES’s genius way with words and his theatrical gift for apparently effortless vocal dramatics, amid all these sociological meditations upon what the Fall told us about the world, let it not be forgotten what fun it was to be a Fall fan! Our great big brilliant secret. And my phone is filled with shared condolences, many from friends I made because of the Fall.
The places Mark would make us go in his pursuit of minimal venue overheads – vast forgotten Irish clubs in Cricklewood, derelict discotheques in Croydon, five-night runs in rooms above pubs, packed beyond capacity. And the nerveracking thrill of not knowing which side of the thin line between transcendental and terrible tonight’s show might fall. Two nights in a row, in the same room, with the same set list, utterly unrecognisable from one another. And who was still going to be in the band? And what hilarious half-heard fragment would you snatch from the muffled lyrical mix tonight? My favourite from the last album? “All salute at the altar of filo pastry.”
Tributes to artists often end up being more about the person writing them, but MES provided me with an alternative education, looping me into Camus, and Arthur Machen, and William Blake, and Can, and dub and old garage punk and rock’n’roll. I saw the Fall 52 times and without MES my life would have been utterly different and nowhere near as much fun. What on earth are we all going to do with ourselves now?
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Dan McCaid, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Herald Scotland.
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, 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
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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World Without End, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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XPIJONpsY, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk