Mark E. Smith of The Fall RIP
Legendary frontman of Manchester post-punk band The Fall Mark E. Smith has died aged 60.
Curmudgeonly and uncompromising, his band contained 66 different members over a 42 year career with Smith famously once saying "If it’s me and yer granny on bongos, it’s The Fall."
The band formed after seeing the Sex Pistols play Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall in June 1976, their music was raw, gripping, repetitive and always characterised by Smith's obtuse and sometimes incomphrensible Mancunian growl.
A 2005 documentary entitled The Wonderful and Frightening World of Mark E. Smith aired in 2005 providing an insight into the man himself.
The Fall's 'Theme For Sparta FC' was used as the theme music for the football scores on BBC TV for many years and in a memorable (and not to be repeated occasion) Mark was invited to read the final results. Enjoy
And finally of course - some of the music
“When I'm dead and gone
My vibrations will live on
In vibes on vinyl through the years
People will dance to my waves.”