Spectre vs. Rector
Look, Know
Wings (early version)
Lie Dream of a Casino Soul
Deer Park
Tempo House
Joker Hysterical Face
Hexen Definitive
I’m Into CB
Solicitor in Studio
Backdrop
Just Step S’ways
Prole Art Threat
NOTES
77 minutes
An excellent remaster of an original audience tape.
My first Fall gig. Know/I’m into CB single had just been released and the band were coming close to the end of a long Winter/Spring tour of the UK.
The place is packed. Heaving in fact. We manage to squeeze into one of the side seats on the left hand of the stage. Support is Purkurr Pilnikk who are feverishly manic and not in the least bit entertaining. We wait what seems like hours – rumours float of a band argument. In due course MES arrives with Kay and they decamp to the band room behind the bar. We wait. The anticipation is electric. The group troop on.
The crunching riff of “Spectre vs Rector” kicks in, Scanlon and Riley’s deft interplay is a revelation. The drums build slowly. Craig lifts his best Beefheart licks but they are subtly different from those of The Magic Band. “I’m into CB” has been recently released – we were not expecting material from so far back. The band demonstrate amazing dexterity on what I considered to be a simplistic track previously. On the second “faster” part the violence of the two drum line becomes apparent. New riffs emerge out the noise, Hanley brutalises his bass. The final performance of this track.
The new single chugs in – Rileys microphone is not on for the opening chorus. The Fall are funky tonight and anyone not shaking their ass to this has no soul. This has gone beyond a “post-punk” band and into something new and exciting. A new song – rattling chords and a descending riff.
The original version of “Wings” – stunning…..Belle Vue Arch instead of Ardwick Bridge. The riff on this is actually phenomenal and wonders why it was not used. Lie Dream is brutal, angry, sardonic.
At last a track from Hex – “I took a walk down West Eleven…..” – hypnotic, rolling, intense, Smith a study in concentration, Riley layering organ washes over the tumbling riff. And again another unheard track – slow, menacing, heavy Hanley bass – “Mandrake Mandrax” – what the hell is this about then? Scattered imagery – “Winston Churchill, Jesus Christ in reverse”. This is Fall repetition at its most potent. Smith has a dig at the British Electric Foundation – we smile knowingly. Is that a mouth organ being played by Riley? Atonal keyboard washes – dubby drums at the conclusion. Kay tells Mark to tell Marc Riley to turn his keyboard off.
Another new track – when will this end – a rolling riff – “Jokah Isterical Fa-ayce” – rollin’ and tumblin’ in Falla-billy land – this is sensuous and sexy. “Ted Rogers brains burn in hell” – this is so good it hurts. Smith captures the angst/boredom of the time and amplifies it with scathing one liners. They’ve been playing for 40 minutes and the time has flown by.
Yet more new material – “Hexen Definitive” – in retrospect the version with Riley makes more sense than the stripped down version seen 12 months later at the Hacienda. The blues are evident as a root source here but a mutant North Manchester version with an attitude. There’s a swagger to this that got beaten out of it by the time it got to PBL. It slips into “I’m into CB” (no “Strife Knot”). At last a track that we know – pure pop sounds interlaced with a growling Hanley bass, and motorik keyboard and drums. The pace of this band is amazing.
Mark says “This is for all the people from South Yorkshire in the audience…congratulations for being here” and the band start another new song….a different take on the band – they’ve moved on from the stark stripped down sound of Hex to a full on riff laden rock oriented riff dominated noise. Fantastic. Finally another new riff…..crashing drums and cymbals, more keyboard washes, a shift in emphasis, declamatory vocals – more potent imagery – tales of the military and prison – scribbly little guitar figures. The bouncy bit, the tension and release, the dynamics are phenomenal. And then its over – just about an hour – surprisingly not a Hex Enduction Hour. Smith moves to the keyboard and starts to noodle as “Backdrop” concludes with almost VDGG like riffs.
In retrospect amazing that Smith would want to strip this sound down several months later in the studio? – probably not, knowing the history of the band. I doubt if this experience could be effectively captured in the anodyne atmosphere of a recording studio. A long break – obviously no encores – a lot of the crowd leave. However the Fall have a couple more tricks up their sleeve The band come back and perform a stunning “Just Step Sideways” – Hanley’s bass playing is masterful. Hardly a breath is taken and its into “Prole Art Threat” at a break-neck pace – speedy!!!
Then its over. Just over 70 minutes of pure genius. I doubt if I will ever see a gig of its like again. I was back two nights later and whilst that was good it was nowhere near this one.