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