Other than the
Grateful Dead, has any other rock band compiled as many box sets, live albums, and live gigs as
the Fall? Many of their studio albums have been re-released in multi-disc editions, alongside numerous boxed anthologies of singles and chronological overviews.
Cherry Red's 12-disc
1970s is the definitive collection from the first decade. In addition to the studio albums
Live at the Witch Trials and
Dragnet (both received multi-disc reissues), every other studio recording from the period is on disc three, and the outtakes on disc four. The remaining eight discs are live, most unreleased, all from the U.K. and remastered by
the Fall's longtime engineer
Andy Pearce.
Disc five, North West Arts - Manchester , was captured at the band's first gig with the lineup of vocalist
Mark E. Smith, guitarist
Martin Bramah, bassist
Tony Friel, and drummer
Steve Omrod. It reveals
the Fall as a shambolic, intense punk band. The performance is just 26 raw minutes and the sound is decent. Highlights include "Frightened," "Repetition," and "Race Hatred." Disc six, Manchester Musicians Collective - Band on the Wall - 13/11/1977 (previously released as the terrible-sounding
Manchester 1977), offers the band's first lineup change with keyboardist
Una Baines and drummer
Karl Burns. Most of static crackle and tape distortion from the original is minimized while the musical fidelity is marginally improved. "Psycho Mafia" and the drunken "Dresden Dolls" are especially satisfying.
Discs eight through eleven are drawn from 1978 performances and showcase the dawn of post-punk. The first of these, Mr. Pickwick's - Liverpool 22/08/78, appeared in 2002 as
Liverpool 78 but is much cleaner here. Disc nine, Carlton Club - Warrington 13/11/1978, sounds like it was audience-recorded on cassette, a real disappointment. Discs 10 and 12 -- Institute of Technology - Bolton - 04/12/1978; Prince of Wales Conference Centre - YMCA Building - London 15/09/1978; and JB's - Dudley 3/11/1979 -- were both unissued. They showcase the addition of bassist/guitarist
Marc Riley and keyboardist
Yvonne Pawlett (who replaced
Baines) and
Bramah (who left to form
Blue Orchids). Check "Rebellious Jukebox" and "Mess of My" on disc ten. Disc 11 also offers killer highlights in a two-part "Spectre vs. Rector," "A Figure Walks," and the truly tribal "Rowche Rumble." Disc 12 includes new bassist
Steve Hanley and second guitarist
Craig Scanlon. The former's intensely melodic playing would identify the band's trademark sound -- as much as
Smith's voice -- for the next 20 years. Check the slide guitar craziness on "Flat of Angles" and the
Cramps-esque rockabilly on "In My Area."
1970s includes a 60-page booklet with interview quotes new and old, rare illustrations, notes, and discographical info. While its size and price may designate it for hardcore fans, it's noteworthy that few post-punk bands were as influential as
the Fall.
1970s is a massive testament to their origins, yet sounds as radical now as it did five decades ago. ~ Thom Jurek
![The The Clash [US]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0074646388327_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "The The Clash [US]")
