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