Fall News - 24 May 1998

Stuart reports:
In [this month's] MOJO magazine, there's a report on the recent US tour/split. Rather unamusingly referred to in the index as "The Fool."

------

From: Paul Cobley:

Consider the lines from the beginning of 'Lay of the Land':

"Ley, ley, ley, ley"

Surely it's not just me who realises that it is a direct lift from the 1979 Quatermass series. After a long industrial dispute which kept the airwaves almost blank at the tail end of the seventies, ITV returned with a bunch of new films and TV series to placate the commercial TV-starved millions. Among the new series was a kind of remake of the Quatermass programme from the 1950s.

John Mills played Quatermass and the narrative actually made the programme a serial set in post-apocalyptic Britain where warring groups pursued opposing, disparate and largely nonsensical goals. Into the anarchy steps scientist Quatermass who is especially interested in a group of hippies who follow specific routes of pilgrimage in rural Britain (clearly ley lines) and coalesce around the song

"Huffity puffity ring stone round, If you lose your hat it will never be found".

And the chant

"Ley, ley, ley, ley".

The latter is usually accompanied by the swinging of makeshift dowsing lines or pendula.

The hippies are actually being duped in their mysticism by an evil extra-terrestrial force, as Quatermass deduces. The whole thing concludes with a Quatermass-induced nuclear Armageddon at Stonehenge, a fact which effectively buggered up the chance of another series.

As far as I can remember, the series was never repeated. But one thing is beyond doubt: the string of paper which came out of Michael Clarke's arse at the beginning of the song when it was performed as a dance act on (Old Grey) Whistle Test makes no sense at all in this context.

------

From: Peter Conkerton

> A couple of old fan club bits for your infotainment - all spelling and
> punctuation is faithfully rendered...
>
> THE FALL - EUROPEAN TOUR 1988
>
> April
>
> HAMBURG
> First stop was at this German Port O'the North. The gruppe in relaxed
> spirits and the concert signalling the euro debut of "Catch a cab" and
> "Oh Yes!
>
> BREMEN
> Another port, this time not such an oppressive venue as last year. The
> song "Jerusalem" making its first appearance. I was told that this will
> probably make its way into a ballet which the band will be involved in
> later on. Most of the group have been seen exersising at the ballet bar
> daily, loosening and limbering up for the event.
> It was also here that Mr. Smith was heard to order in Greek eating
> place, "Domestos all round!"
>
>BONN
> After recovering from Domestos, The Fall found side effects in the shape
> of a ripping runaway blistering performance.
>
> BIELEFELD
> A subdued even paced concert with the enevitable hues of all pervading
> darkness. Bielefeld is an average sized town, set in the heart of the
> "Ruhr pot" (Heavy industrial area.)
>
> BOCHUM
> On the journey by bus to this town, awful scenes of carnage of an
> autobahn pile up were experienced. The wreckage stretching for three
> miles, helicopters ferrying injured away, cars on fire, very disturbing
> to witness....
>
> BRAUNSCHWEIG
> Pronounced Braunschweng, at least to the Manchester division of T shirt
> printers, found Brix not doing anymore apple sculptures, and no swans on
> the nearby stream. Star number of night, "Pay Yer Rates"
>
> BERLIN
> "Berlin, so much more to enjoy" so says local AFN radio. I would have
> enjoyed more to if I could have got to see concert, if I hadn't been
> delayed. Mark and Brix graciously acccepted gifts of self portraits done
> by fan.
> On going through border, it was discovered that the East German guards
> cant count beyond ten fingers, insisting that there was one more person
> on board than actual. We must have had a ghost with us..... >

> FRANKFURT
> The Fall stayed at a hotel that housed the strangest staff
> ever...Travellers weary were greeted with the luxury of one drink, then
> firmly informed that "This is NOT Berlin" something Mark and self found
> a bit obvious. Staff were found to be always looking away from you when
> asking questions and feverishly polishing everything on sight. The
> toilets had a very unique device, a hand towel that upon passing finger
> over laser button, gave you towel, then attempted to snatch your hands
> and pull them into box, similar to a venus fly trap.
> On waking next day was refused entry through revolving doors, because
> staff were polishing it..The Fall will return here next year..it should
> be the cleanest hotel in Europe.....
>
> GENT (BELGIUM)
> A town, where the local Off-licence stays open through the night (ON
> FRIDAYS ONLY) found the band at their hardest yet. The sound was a
> crushing symphonic wall that took no prisoners. "CAB" & "BREMEN" in
> particular taking the listener on a strong journey.
> This was also the night that "SINISTER TIMES" newspaper
> arrived..............
>
> President
> D-Luff
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
NEWSLETTER JAN/FEB 1991 FALL UPDATE

Dear Sinisters;
A Happy new year to you all, and here's hoping you spent 'Xmas with Simon' and 1991 bears you well. Members will have noticed the proliferation of Beggars' Banquet compilations out recently, i.e. the 'A' side, double 'B' side (!) and video releases. Of course, if it was up to M.E.S., none of them would've come out - but the video is well worth a look at. Of course it is not for COG-SIN to comment.

The new 'streamlined' The Fall hit UB40's studio in Birmingham (A city definitely conducive to work, at least!) just prior to their U.K. tour - apologies to N.Ireland as usual - and are presently finishing the 6 new songs recorded there at the moment. Working titles are:

'Pittsville Direkt' (as performed live recently)

'Idiot Joy Showland' ((Ditto)

'Shift'

'Psy-Cog Dream'

'Edinburgh Man'

and 'A lot Of Wind' - two of them featuring the immortal Kenny Brady on distorted fiddle.

As this is being written, Suzanne Vega & DNA's record is on the radio - for once I must agree with M.E.S. and say it: 'Must be the most boring record in the history of mankind'

"Most misinformed Man Of The Year" award must go to Mr.D.Jennings of the M.Maker for his review of December's London show - though favourable, he mention two songs The Fall haven't performed since 1988, and his lyric quotes are, quite frankly, barmy. M.E.S. RECKONS HE WAS still worrying about the Gulf Crisis, having met said gent in an 'interview capacity' some months ago. Talking of said Crisis, Smith laughingly claims he predicted part of it in song 'Arms Control Poseur - Arms Control Poseur' being the Washington "insiders" nickname for Pres. George Bush. Anyway, give the latter half of it a listen and see what you think.

Tour went extremely well, especially accounting for weather etc. etc. and to bore you further, did you know electricity has to be sent out from power stations at very high voltage and then 'stepped down' to reduce voltage? - many thanks to P.J. of Liverpool for that info.

Anyway, onward, not inward, and no back words,

your pal,

MR.SMUG-INSIDER,

COG-SINISTER

------------------------

Subject: Autechre - WTN10

Graham:

>Does anyone know where the rumour that there is a split 7" single between Autechre and The Fall started?

Rich:

Someone mailed me about this yesterday and reckoned it was called "What's That Noise?" - some MEScon there - and was released last year. But I think this came up at the time, and no-one's seen/heard it since. http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/4514/aenetframe.html has a cover for What's That Noise but deffo no Fall comments.

Gez:

I think I can shed *some* light here. "What's That Noise?" is a German magazine, which is always accompanied by a 7" EP featuring a number of bands. Half Man Half Biscuit appeared on WTN11 (as did David Thomas and Faust), the edition after the Autechre release. I reckon there's still a fighting chance that The Fall may have been on the other side...

Anyway, the contact address for What's That Noise magazine is:

What's That Noise
Postfach 10 31 85
33531 Bielefeld
Germany

Or at least it was for WTN11, which was out just over a year ago, I believe.

So does this exist, or not?

---------

From: Graeme Park
Subject: NME DOSE review

"DOSE Crack Man In Bat Den Sex Shop (Fontana) by Victoria Segal

The dancefloor demons who collaborated with evil Mark E Smith on 'Plug Myself In' up the chaos ante with some drum 'n bass confusion. Probably close to what Goldie was aiming for with the grabled 'Temper Temper'. As sophisticated and invigorating as an axe through the head."

Pete Kulawec:

Being the proud owner of a promo copy of the new D.O.S.E single, here's a track listing:

A. Crack Man In Bat Den Sex Shock
B1. Plastic Gangsta Speaks
B2. Return Of The Slack

All tracks by 'Spencer', don't know when it will be released.

Since I've never heard Crack House, I don't know if it resembles this single in any way. Crack Man has a very prominent funky(ish) guitar line and Big Beat drums which I don't much care for. It also has someone ranting through a megaphone in the background but unless MES has developed a scottish accent...The B Sides are more to my taste - distorted breakbeat kind of thing.

-------

From: Leticia A. Martinez

Found Fall reference whilst peering over the shoulder of Art History major...

Bowen, James, and Jon Purkis. Twenty-First Century Anarchism--Unorthodox Ideas for a New Millenium. London, Cassel-Wellington House, 1997.

Fall reference appears on p. 104, para. 2

------------------------------------------------------
Recent news....
------------------------------------------------------

980517 Alchemy, chiliasm, Michael Bracewell spouting bollocks
980510 Another NME report
980504 Dingwalls and Reading reviews; Guardian, NME articles; pointers to Fall pics and PSF's Fall tribute
980426 German Levitate review, Dee Pop's tour diary
980419 NME online report, Lathe of Heaven
980414 Wire Levitate review
980410 More Philly reviews, Black Cat DC, NY Brownies reviews. Loads of stuff on the Thule group. Select interview from January
980405 CIH, Loop Lounge, Middle East Boston, Plilly Troc reviews. Various press reports.
980331 Details of Live in Melbourne 82 CD, Smith on Smith spoken word CD, Nine Unknown Men, initial Coney Island High reports
980329 bollocks Smile comp details
980322 Vox interview, other stuff
980315 TBLY/Info service details
980308 Peel session details; US tour dates
980227 a few bits & pieces, RTL, PoSR out
980222 NME interview
980215 Destroy punk covers exhibition, Masquerade single details
980207 Brats award transcript
980130 Bits on NME Award, POSR/RTL reissue details
980125 Shanley i/view
980118 Time Out interview w/pics, Melody Maker review, Oh Brother press release, Oxford review
980111 Dutch Opscene interview
980104 Melody Maker interview
971221 Not much
971211 Portsmouth, London, Cambridge, Norwich, Bristol reviews
971203 Oxford, Stoke, Leeds, Liverpool reviews; Esquire interview
971125 Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stoke reviews
971116 Manchester reviews, Loaded interview
971112 Band back together, teletext interview
971110 NME report, various Dublin/Belfast disaster reports
971109 First Dublin/Belfast reviews

Return to top or to The Fall homepage