Comments on: The Fall’s Mark E. Smith – Genius In Farrahs

By: Swineshead

Swineshead — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:03:28 +0000

This comes in handy for bored days at work. In fact, it’s essential:

http://www.visi.com/fall/gigography/bib.html

By: extremelisteningmode

extremelisteningmode — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:25:07 +0000

I judt thought the book re-affirmed why I like him – he genuinely, honestly, doesn’t give a fuck.

By: wally bazoom

wally bazoom — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Fair enough – I’m not saying he’s not funny. The main reasons I like him are his unfathomable lyrics and that fearsomely sharp intellect (the infamous NME interview along with Nick Cave and Shane McGowan being a great example.) The book just served to undermine that for me, and play up to the tittering broadsheet style expectations i.e. slagging off people who left his band in the 1980s, or whatever.

By: extremelisteningmode

extremelisteningmode — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:48:11 +0000

But Wally, I think he’s so brilliant precisely because he’s so sarcastic and parochial!

By: wally bazoom

wally bazoom — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:03:14 +0000

I disliked it. Far from maintaining any level of mystery or persona, MES reveals himself to be an unpleasant, sarcastic moaning local type. Pretty boring, actually. Which is a bit galling, considering how many of his records I own. I think I’m going to sell the book on ebay and stick to the music from now on.

By: extremelisteningmode

extremelisteningmode — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:59:27 +0000

Absolutely. And it’s a fine attitude to have!

By: howlinwhippet

howlinwhippet — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:30:51 +0000

Reading that review of MES book made me think of all the ELM contributers very similar attitudes to life!

By: bertrand d'oyle carte

bertrand d'oyle carte — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:07:23 +0000

Loved the anecdote about Marc Riley on the train to London for a Peel Session:

MR: “Peel Session, how great! We’re getting somewhere now.”
MES: “Calm down for fuxake you big girl.”