There has never been a group like the Fall. The word 'group' is used advisedly, as calling them a 'band' once drew a sharp rebuke from the late Mark E Smith, who insisted a band was something you'd find in Blackpool. Smith died in 2018 at age 60, ending the group he fronted for his entire adult life. Yet the legend of the Fall endures, arguably bigger than ever, fueled by reissues, spinoff groups, podcasts, and books. The nine-track Post Script, billed as the band's 'official final album,' was announced last week for a September release.
A Festival for True Fans
The Fall: Futures and Pasts, a three-day all-Fall festival at Manchester's Band on the Wall, celebrated 50 years of the group. Fans traveled from as far as Australia and the US. In Manchester, you are rarely more than 12 feet from a former Fall member, and the packed bar saw fans rubbing shoulders with stalwarts from all eras. Ten of Smith's former charges gathered onstage for a photo.
Entertainment included interviews, talks, walking tours, a film, a play, a quiz, and a DJ set from poet laureate Simon Armitage. Live music kicked off with Lost in Music, a bespoke group featuring Fall royalty fronted by BC Camplight, who brought his own style to covers of songs the Fall had covered. The Look Back Bores, a group of Fall fans playing Fall songs for Fall fans, delivered an uncanny recreation of the classic pre-millennium sound. Guest appearances from Simon 'Funky Si' Wolstencroft blurred the lines further. 'Even the wrong notes are note perfect,' said Paul Hanley, a festival organizer.
Fan Stories from Around the World
Foreign fans shared their origin stories. Marcel from Switzerland accidentally received the first Fall album instead of a record by the Wall, sparking a lifelong obsession. Kevin from San Francisco drove a delivery truck while listening to a 51-track Fall playlist, now running a record store and giving away Fall albums. Ray from LA recalled seeing the Fall 30 years ago when Brix Smith Start threw a candy bar from under her shirt into the crowd; he caught it and still has it. Lars and Jesper from Denmark made a Fall documentary, and Kitty from Alabama discovered the band through a record store playing Hex Enduction Hour. Amy from Port Talbot came as a tribute to her late friend.
Frank Skinner and the Fall's Comedic Appeal
Comedian Frank Skinner, a devoted Fall fan, hosted a hilariously shambolic quiz. He regretted not getting into them earlier, missing their gig at Glasgow University due to a backstage altercation with Bad Manners. Skinner found joy in Smith's onstage antics: 'I laughed more than at most comedy gigs.' He cried the night Smith died.
New Album and Mixed Reactions
The festival coincided with the announcement of Post Script, recorded at an indeterminate time with an unconfirmed line-up, approved by Smith's estate. Fans had mixed reactions, and former members remained tight-lipped. A restaging of Smith's play Hey! Luciani: The Life and Codex of John Paul I and a short film by Adam Buxton featuring a snippet of 'Totally Wired' by Black Francis rounded out the weekend. Smith famously hated the Pixies, so he likely wouldn't have appreciated it.
Karaoke Finale
The weekend concluded with Fallen Women karaoke, where audience volunteers sang Fall songs to a live all-female band. One writer braved 'Eat Y'Self Fitter,' spending the weekend with a knot in his stomach. Taking the stage, he dipped into a plastic bag of lyrics, ambled around barking into the mic, and received a deserved kick from bassist Heidi Heelz. Six minutes felt like a week, but it was over. Mark E Smith remains irreplaceable.
