Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.
Early life
Smith was born to a working-class family in
BroughtonBroughton is an inner city area of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the east bank of the River Irwell and A56 road, in the northeastern part of the City of Salford, north-northwest of Manchester city centre and south of Prestwich. Broughton consists of Broughton Park, Higher...
, Salford, in
LancashireLancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England, and moved to nearby
PrestwichPrestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
, in
BuryBury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
early in his life. In his autobiography, Smith claimed that
Alfred Henry HookAlfred Henry "Harry" Hook VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:Born in Churcham,...
– a soldier who fought at
Rorke's DriftThe Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...
– was an ancestor of his father, which led to the Smith family being invited as guests of honour to the Whitefield showing of
ZuluZulu is a 1964 historical war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War....
, where the soldier was played by
James BoothJames Booth was an English film, stage and television actor and screenwriter. Though handsome enough to play leading roles, and versatile enough to play a wide variety of character parts, Booth naturally projected a shifty, wolfish, or unpredictable quality that led inevitably to villainous roles...
. Originally a
LabourLabor might refer to:*Labor, an obsolete unit of area*Josef Labor, a composer, pianist, organist, and teacher*Labor, SloveniaLabour or labor might refer to:* Employment of any kind* Manual labour, physical work done by people...
supporter, he then joined the Socialist Workers Party.
The Fall
He formed The Fall (named after the novel by
CamusAlbert Camus was a French author, journalist, and key philosopher of the 20th century. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of André Breton.Camus was awarded the 1957...
) with friends after dropping out of college at the age of 19. He gave up his job at Salford docks shortly after to devote his full energies to The Fall, and has continued to do so ever since. Smith married Chicagoan guitarist (and Fall band member, 1983–89, 1994–96)
Brix SmithBrix Smith-Start is an American singer, guitarist and television presenter, best known for being a member of post-punk band The Fall, and as lead singer and songwriter with The Adult Net.-Biography:Brix grew up in Los Angeles and Chicago...
on 19 July 1983, though they divorced in 1989. He has since remarried twice; his second wife was Saffron Prior who used to work for The Fall's fan club. He married his present wife, Eleni (sometimes called Elenor or Elena) Poulou, in 2001, and she joined The Fall in September 2002.
When British DJ and Fall champion
John PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
died in 2004, Smith made a notorious appearance on the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's
NewsnightNewsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
show. Regarded by many as a bewildering performance, Smith has made his appreciation for Peel clear in several subsequent interviews. Nevertheless, the two only met a handful of times. Though he broke his hip while promoting the album
The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click)The Real New Fall LP is an album by The Fall. It was released on Action Records in the United Kingdom in 2003, and then on Narnack Records in the United States, with a slightly altered tracklisting, in 2004....
in 2004, Smith refused to cancel an upcoming American tour, instead choosing to perform in a wheelchair. Unfortunately the pain and medication caused a number of dates to be cancelled.
In January 2005, The Fall were the subject of
The Fall: The Wonderful and Frightening World of Mark E. Smith, a
BBC FourBBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
television documentary. The following August, Smith received the "Contribution to Music" award at the Diesel-U-Music Awards. Smith's autobiography,
Renegade: The Gospel According to Mark E. Smith, recorded with Manchester-based writer Austin Collings, was published by Viking Books in April 2008. The latest studio album by The Fall,
Your Future Our ClutterYour Future Our Clutter is an album by The Fall, released in the UK on April 26, 2010. It is the group's twenty-eighth studio album, and their first for independent record label Domino. The album was recorded at The Chairworks, Castleford and Elevator Studios, Liverpool...
, was released on 26 April 2010.
Lyrical style
Smith has won acclaim for his lyrical style, which mixes elements of
social realismSocial Realism, also known as Socio-Realism, is an artistic movement, expressed in the visual and other realist arts, which depicts social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through unvarnished pictures of life's struggles; often depicting working class activities as heroic...
,
surrealismSurrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
, and
absurdismIn philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
addressing diverse topics such as drug use, unemployment,
football violenceFootball hooliganism, sometimes referred to by the British media as the English Disease, is unruly and destructive behaviour—such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation—by association football club fans...
, time travel and the supernatural.
In interviews, he has cited
Colin WilsonColin Henry Wilson is a prolific English writer who first came to prominence as a philosopher and novelist. Wilson has since written widely on true crime, mysticism and other topics. He prefers calling his philosophy new existentialism or phenomenological existentialism.- Early biography:Born and...
,
Wyndham LewisPercy Wyndham Lewis was an English painter and author . He was a co-founder of the Vorticist movement in art, and edited the literary magazine of the Vorticists, BLAST...
,
Thomas HardyThomas Hardy, OM was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.While he regarded himself primarily as a...
,
Philip K. DickPhilip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
as influences, as well as
Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
,
Raymond ChandlerRaymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
, and
H. P. LovecraftHoward Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
, whose short story "
The Colour Out of Space"The Colour Out of Space" is a short story written by American fantasy author H. P. Lovecraft in March 1927. In the tale, an unnamed narrator pieces together the story of an area known by the locals as the "blasted heath" in the wild hills west of Arkham, Massachusetts...
" he read in Christmas 2007 for the BBC Collective website.
Music, writing and acting
Alongside his work with The Fall, Smith has released two spoken-word solo albums:
The Post-Nearly Man (1998) and
Pander! Panda! Panzer! (2002). Both albums feature readings of Fall lyrics, samples of Fall songs and contributions from members of The Fall, and the line between Smith's solo career and his work with the group remains somewhat blurred.
Smith has also appeared as a guest vocalist for
Edwyn CollinsEdwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
,
ElasticaElastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
,
GorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
,
Long Fin KillieLong Fin Killie was a Scottish experimental rock/post-rock band, which released three albums and several EPs on the British avant-rock label Too Pure in the 1990s.-History:...
,
Mouse on MarsMouse on Mars is a duo from Germany who have been making electronic music since 1993. Their music is a sometimes quirky blend of IDM, krautrock, disco, and ambient with a heavy dollop of analog synth sounds and cross-frequency modulation...
,
ColdcutColdcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
, and Ghostigital. His contribution to the
Inspiral CarpetsInspiral Carpets are an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert and Stephen Holt in 1983. The band is named after a clothing shop on their Oldham estate...
' 1994 song
I Want You won UK top 20 recognition, topped the
Festive FiftyThe Festive Fifty was originally an annual list of the year's fifty best songs compiled at the end of the year and voted for by listeners to John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show...
and resulted in Smith's first appearance on the classic UK TV show
Top of the PopsTop of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. Most recently, Smith has worked with
Mouse on MarsMouse on Mars is a duo from Germany who have been making electronic music since 1993. Their music is a sometimes quirky blend of IDM, krautrock, disco, and ambient with a heavy dollop of analog synth sounds and cross-frequency modulation...
on the collaboration project
Von SüdenfedVon Südenfed is a collaboration between Andi Toma and Jan St. Werner , and Mark E. Smith, leader and vocalist of The Fall.-History:...
, whose first album,
Tromatic ReflexxionsTromatic Reflexxions is the debut album by Von Südenfed. It was released on 21 May 2007 and entered the UK charts at #124. The project is a further collaboration between German electronica outfit Mouse on Mars and Mark E. Smith of UK band The Fall....
, was released on 21 May 2007. Smith more recently provided guest vocals on the new
GorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
album
Plastic BeachPlastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
, on the song "Glitter Freeze", and joined the group Shuttleworth to record the World Cup song
England's Heartbeat.
In 1986, Smith wrote the play
Hey, LucianiHey! Luciani: The Life and Codex of John Paul I is a play written by Mark E. Smith, best known as the lead singer of the band The Fall. Described by its author as "a cross between Shakespeare and The Prisoner", the play centres on the mysterious death of Pope John Paul I in 1978.Starring Smith and...
based around the short-lived reign of
Pope John Paul IJohn Paul I , born Albino Luciani, , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and as Sovereign of Vatican City from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal history, resulting in the most recent Year of Three Popes...
. Smith has also periodically acted as guest contributor to publications including the
NMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. He has appeared in an acting role in several television programmes and films. He made a cameo in the
Michael WinterbottomMichael Winterbottom is a prolific English filmmaker who has directed seventeen feature films in the past fifteen years. He began his career working in British television before moving into features...
film
24 Hour Party People24 Hour Party People is a 2002 British film about Manchester's popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records. It was written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Winterbottom...
(2002), while his younger self was portrayed by UK actor
Sam RileySam Riley is an English actor and singer.-Early life:Riley was born in Menston in the Metropolitan District of Bradford in West Yorkshire, the son of "a textile agent and nursery-school teacher". He was educated at Uppingham School...
in a section that was deleted from the final cut of the film, but is featured as a deleted scene on the DVD. In May 2007 Smith made an appearance on the
BBC ThreeBBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
sitcom
IdealIdeal is a British comedy-drama, or dark comedy originally broadcast on digital channel BBC Three, created by Graham Duff and produced by BBC Comedy North and Baby Cow Productions. It stars Johnny Vegas as small-time cannabis dealer Moz....
, playing a foulmouthed, chain-smoking Jesus.
He has also appeared in several films made by the artist Mark Aeriel Waller, including "Glow Boys" and "Midwatch".
Solo
- The Post Nearly Man (1998), Artful
- Pander Panda Panzer (2002), Action Records
Action Records is a music shop and independent record label based in Preston, England, releasing records by bands such as The Boo Radleys, Dandelion Adventure, Big Red Bus, Genocides, Tompaulin, Fi-Lo Radio, Monkey Steals The Drum, Ricky Spontane amongst others...
Von Südenfed
Albums:
- Tromatic Reflexxions
Tromatic Reflexxions is the debut album by Von Südenfed. It was released on 21 May 2007 and entered the UK charts at #124. The project is a further collaboration between German electronica outfit Mouse on Mars and Mark E. Smith of UK band The Fall....
(2007), Domino
Singles:
- "Fledermaus Can't Get It" (2007), Domino
- "The Rhinohead/Slow Down Ronnie" (2007), Domino
Mark E. Smith & Ed Blaney
Albums:
- Smith and Blaney (2008), Voiceprint
- The Train Part Three (2009), Voiceprint
Singles:
- "Real Good Time Together" (2008), Voiceprint
- "Transfusion" (2009), Voiceprint
Other collaborations and guest appearances
The Adult NetThe Adult Net was a British indie pop band formed by the American singer and guitarist Brix Smith and the British musician Simon Rogers in 1985. Formed while they were still members of the British post-punk band The Fall, The Adult Net released seven singles and one album, of which just one of the...
:
- "White Night" single (1986) – "Naughty But Nice"
The Clint Boon ExperienceThe Clint Boon Experience, also known as CBX, are an English alternative rock band formed by Clint Boon after Inspiral Carpets disbanded in the mid 1990s...
:
- "You Can't Keep a Good Man Down" single (1999), Artful – "Now I Wanna Be Your Dog (live)"
ColdcutColdcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
:
- What's That Noise album (1989) – "I'm in Deep"
Edwyn CollinsEdwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
:
- I'm Not Following You (1996), Setanta – "Seventies Night"
ElasticaElastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
:
- Elastica EP (1999), Deceptive – "How He Wrote Elastica Man", "KB"
Ghostigital:
- Iceland Airwaves '05 V/A album (2005), Iceland Airwaves – "Not Clean" (also released as a single)
GorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
:
- Plastic Beach album (2010) – "Glitter Freeze"
Inspiral CarpetsInspiral Carpets are an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert and Stephen Holt in 1983. The band is named after a clothing shop on their Oldham estate...
:
- "I Want You" single (1994) – "I Want You"
- Keep the Circle (B sides and Udder Stuff) album (2007) – "Saturn 5"
Jon the Postman:
- Puerile album – Intro to "Louie Louie"
Long Fin KillieLong Fin Killie was a Scottish experimental rock/post-rock band, which released three albums and several EPs on the British avant-rock label Too Pure in the 1990s.-History:...
:
- "Heads of Dead Surfers" single (1995) – "Heads of Dead Surfers"
Mild Man Jan:
- "Fistful of Credits" single (2000) – "Fistful of Credits"
Mouse on MarsMouse on Mars is a duo from Germany who have been making electronic music since 1993. Their music is a sometimes quirky blend of IDM, krautrock, disco, and ambient with a heavy dollop of analog synth sounds and cross-frequency modulation...
:
- Wipe That Sound EP (2004), Sonig – "Cut the Gain", "Sound City"
Shuttleworth:
- "England's Heartbeat" (2010) – Shuttleworth feat. Mark E. Smith
TackheadTackhead are an industrial hip-hop group that were most active during the 1980s and early 1990s, and briefly reformed in 2004 for a tour. Their music occupies the territory where funk, dub, industrial music and electronica intersect...
:
- "Dangerous Sex" single (1989) – "Repetition"
Timekode:
External links