FALLSOUNDARCHIVE | Becky Stewart picks her Fall Top 20!

I first encountered The Fall courtesy of John Peel when supposedly studying for O’Levels back in the early 80s. Up late, anxiously cramming facts and wide eyed on Pro Plus meant the twitchy rhythms of Totally Wired and Container Drivers felt like the perfect soundtrack! 

First time I actually got to see them play was around 1986 at the sadly long gone Underground club in Croydon. They were fantastic of course! By this time Brix was in the band and they had a slightly poppier sound but not in a bad way at all! I loved this era Fall and while I was working at Windsong Record Exports I took full advantage of my staff discount and foolishly decided to collect all their output. However, what with Beggars Banquet bringing out limited edition 7” hologrammed box sets and what not every few weeks or so I had to put a stop to it as I was rapidly running out of shelf room in my tiny bedsit.

Here’s me in said bedsit with my VHS copy of early Fall videos nestled somewhere between Stones In The Park and Taxi Driver.

Anyway, over the years I never fell out of love with them. Working in the Noughties and by then doing graphic design at Castle Music in Chessington, I got to do my first Fall cover which was ‘Totally Wired‘ the Rough Trade singles compilation. Incorporating barbed wire in the design (which now seems a bit naff but it worked!) and writing the title in the best MES scratchy handwritten style I could muster. I was very chuffed with it and honoured to have been involved with one of my favourite bands in some small way.  

That led to many more and the challenges faced when receiving a package of  ‘artwork’ in the post which often consisted of little scraps of crumpled, beer stained paper along with Mark’s handwritten instructions. Or sometimes a bunch of random photos or, more pleasingly, original paintings from Mark’s sister Suzanne or Anthony Frost to work with. It was often a challenge but never boring! It’s still a thrill for me to work with Cherry Red on the Fall Archive reissues. 

I finally got to meet Mark and the band at Eleni’s invitation to the after show party at The Clapham Grand. I was absolutely terrified having heard how difficult he could be, and probably drank far too much during the show. I couldn’t hang around for too long anyway as had a last train home to catch so accompanied by my old mate and fellow Fall fan Vek, we ventured in. Eleni introduced me to Mark as he was going out for a fag and he cocked a snook at me. Haha. Later on he was more convivial and playing the perfect host by offering us whiskey in a louche comedy fashion. This was hilarious and he continued to play up to the camera when we asked if we could each have a photo with him before we had to dash off to the station. I would have loved to have stayed longer and chatted to the rest of the band but we at least left on a high.  

As with Bowie, I felt like I grew up with The Fall and felt Mark E. Smith was kind of immortal so was very sad when he left us so early. What an amazing canon of music to leave behind though and it’s been a tough choice to limit it to 20. So here they are in no particular order...