Books about The Fall

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 aln 12 Dec 2018

There's not as many books about The Fall as there are albums and singles by The Fall. Or as many as the amount of members the band has had. But there's a lot. I know there are fans on here, any recommendations? 

Edit to say don't recommend the Camus novel.

Post edited at 19:37
1
 Dave Garnett 12 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Paradise Lost?

 John H Bull 12 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

There've been so many recently I can't keep up.

Brix's book is good - once you get past the growing pains that take up half the book (and pains they are, too much Californian self analysis) it's hilarious in parts. Everyone seems to think Hanley's The Big Midweek is top notch but I can't yet comment. The 'Wit and Wisdom of MES' thing that came out recently is OK but pretty flimsy - you can read in 5 minutes in any good bookstore.

Of the older stuff, the best I've read are Renegade (despite paradoxically being a huge disappointment), Dave Simpson's The Fallen (very entertaining and suitably obsessive) and Dave Thompson's User's Guide (does a good trainspotting job up to about 2003,  now superseded by t'internet).

Of course it's all a bit disappointing really - when it comes to 'getting' the elusive MES, what can possibly compare to listening to The Fall? To paraphrase Elvis Costello, reading about The Fall is like dancing about architecture. But if you're prepared to accept that a man can be a genius and an asshole at the same time you shouldn't be too disappointed - it worked for Picasso...

Post edited at 20:31
 Doug 12 Dec 2018
In reply to John H Bull:

Wasn't "(reading about music) like dancing about architecture" Frank Zappa ?

 John H Bull 12 Dec 2018
In reply to Doug:

Might well have been, now you mention it. My favourite Zappa quote is 'art - making something out of nothing and then selling it'.

 hokkyokusei 12 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Whereas, there are many more books about Joy Division, than there are albums and singles. Go figure.

OP aln 12 Dec 2018
In reply to hokkyokusei:

I love Joy Division's music, I haven't read any books about them. 

OP aln 12 Dec 2018
In reply to Doug:

Was it, I hope so?

 

 Tobes 12 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

The Hip Priest was a good read.

I’ve read dozens n dozens of music/musician/band memoirs but never read the one I’ve got about Joy Division - says it all I guess  

pasbury 12 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Just try to get hold of the complete peel sessions cd box set. A great cultural artifact.

You can’t have mine though.

OP aln 12 Dec 2018
In reply to pasbury:

I'd love to. At the moment I'm trying to secure a copy of the Ramones at Glasgow Apollo vinyl. I as at the gig!

 John H Bull 12 Dec 2018
In reply to pasbury:

Good call. Contains great booklet written by Darry Easlea - author of many other excellent booklets/foldouts over a multitude of CD reissues.

 Mike-W-99 12 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Peter Hooks book isn’t bad if you ignore some of the moaning.

 Tobes 12 Dec 2018
In reply to Mike-W-99:

> Peter Hooks book isn’t bad if you ignore some of the moaning.

So that just leaves ‘well it all began when’.......and.......’the end’   ; ) 

 THE.WALRUS 12 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Try this....my brother wrote it. I have no idea if its any good or not.

Mark E. Smith and The Fall: Art, Music and Politics 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mark-Smith-Fall-Politics-Ashgate/dp/0754668673/ref...

OP aln 13 Dec 2018
In reply to THE.WALRUS:

Looks a bit worthy.

 THE.WALRUS 13 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Wordy.

I'll pass on your feedback!

 felt 13 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Great new book on the original Fall, i.e. Can, from the horse's mouth, i.e. Irmin Schmidt. Called All Gates Open.

 felt 13 Dec 2018
In reply to aln:

Just been reading about Dragnet, The Fall's second album, and came across this, which made me laugh: "the recording studio was so appalled by the sound that the group were asked to remove the studio's name from the album sleeve."


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