Mark E Smith RIP

There will be lots written about the legendary front man of The Fall over the coming hours, days and weeks (there already has been) by people far more eloquent and knowledgeable than me (not difficult I'll grant you). Of course his death wasn't unexpected. Increasingly frail he'd been forced to cancel a number of shows recently but somehow you hoped that Mr G. Reaper Esq. would simply give up and walk away leaving Smith to carry on ranting and raving until the end of time.



Sadly it's not to be but his passing is something that should be celebrated not mourned. I never met him but I saw The Fall on three separate occasions, in the 90s, noughties and 10s, I bought a lot of the albums and lapped up any interview I could find with the man. Whilst you might not have agreed with everything he said he was totally true to himself throughout his 40+ year career and absolutely, resolutely refused to suck up to anyone, fans or enemies alike. In fact often the more people gushed over him the more cantankerous he was with them.



Clearly he lived life exactly the way he wanted to off stage as well, drinking, smoking, shagging (presumably...although the first two might well have interfered with the last one) and in this increasingly PC, health obsessed, fun fearing world he was like a breath of fresh...okay, maybe not fresh but you get my drift...air. We really will never see his like again. Of course I've not even mentioned the music yet. Confrontational, bizarre, unique, cult listening that somehow remained surprisingly listenable to, at least to my gig damaged ears.



And, no matter what the line up (The Fall ploughed through over 60 members), it always, always sounded like The Fall. RIP Mr Smith.