Music Bloodline

The Fall

Iconoclastic U.K. post-punk outfit whose sound is defined by the razor-tongued invective of singer Mark E. Smith.

Biography

Out of all the late-'70s punk and post-punk bands, none were longer lived or more prolific than the Fall. The band underwent numerous lineup changes throughout its career, but at the center of it all was vocalist Mark E. Smith. With his snarling, nearly incomprehensible vocals and consuming, bitter cynicism, Smith became a cult legend. Only hardcore fans can truly differentiate between the Fall's many albums, but the band inspired a generation of underground acts around the world, which is only one indication of the size and dedication of their small, but extremely devoted fan base. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & David Jeffries