[{"id":211729940631,"handle":"the-fall","title":"The Fall","updated_at":"2022-05-17T21:01:56+12:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"The Fall band Fall in a Hole New Zealand\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/files\/1471913713286_1024x1024.jpg?v=1649462436\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Fall\u003c\/strong\u003e were a post-punk band from Manchester, England. \u003cstrong\u003eMark E. Smith\u003c\/strong\u003e was the leader of this band, and over the years they had many line up changes. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun Records\u003c\/strong\u003e released the live Fall album \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/collections\/the-fall\/products\/the-fall-fall-in-a-hole-1983\"\u003e'\u003cem\u003eFall in a Hole\u003c\/em\u003e' \u003c\/a\u003ein 1983 which was recorded by \u003cstrong\u003eChris Knox\u003c\/strong\u003e on a tour of New Zealand, promoted by \u003cstrong\u003eDoug Hood\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Fall\u003c\/strong\u003e line up at this time were \u003cstrong\u003eMark E. Smith\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eKarl Burns\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMarc Riley\u003c\/strong\u003e, the Hanley brothers \u003cstrong\u003eSteve\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ePaul\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eCraig Scanlon\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eKay Carroll\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis was a somewhat controversial release for the label and Flying Nun founder \u003cstrong\u003eRoger Shepherd\u003c\/strong\u003e has written about it in his book In \u003cem\u003eLove With These Times\u003c\/em\u003e. As he says:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eWe all loved The Fall. They were one of the original English punk bands inspired by the Sex Pistols’ visit to Manchester and quickly grew into something much more interesting, a band on an altogether different trajectory.\u003c\/em\u003e\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Fall\u003c\/strong\u003e have released dozens of albums on vinyl, CD and digitally - when they are available we try to stock their records at the \u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun Records shop\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2020-08-09T19:13:41+12:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":true,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"The Fall"},{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Fall"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2020-09-22T19:36:23+12:00","alt":null,"width":1000,"height":1000,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/collections\/The_Fall_SQUARE_1.jpg?v=1600760183"}}]
Bursting into the 1980s on a new label (the then-upstart, now-legendary Rough Trade) and with an augmented, audibly panicked lineup,The Fall's Grotesqueis the true pure-bred Fall release from the Marc Riley era. Released in the immediate wake ofThe Fall's most beloved single (Totally Wired), the album carries over that righteously famed teeth-chattering, bolstered in no small part by the drumming of new addition Paul Hanley, brother of bassist Steve Hanley and aged only 15 at the time of recording.
"Pay Your Rates" negates the notion of easing into things, opening the album with pure jitter, guided by hornet-buzz guitars and Mark E. Smith's commanding shout, allowing for breath only during the brief, lumbering waltzes that appear at unexpected intervals. "New Face In Hell" is an entirely alien take on dancehall post-punk – a kazoo-driven rave-up that holds an unshakable position in the band's canon.
Many significant firsts surroundGrotesque, includingThe Fall's inaugural production partnership with Mayo Thompson and the debut of Suzanne Smith's wonderful artwork, both of which would play key roles in the band's following phase.
Superior Viaduct's edition is the first time thatGrotesquehas been available on vinyl domestically since its initial release in 1980. Liner notes by Brian Turner.
