In 2003 The Fall released an album that was as good as anything they'd done for a decade, titled The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country On The Click). Mark E Smith was unhappy with the mix on what was intended to be released as Country On The Click and pulled it to re- mix it. Some copies leaked out. Mark described the Country On the Click mix as resembling 'Dr Who meets Posh Spice'. One of the Real New Fall LP's stand out songs was this...
Ben Pritchard's descending guitar riff intro and clattering drums and then the crunchy guitar riff running through it are exciting enough, handclaps and chants add to the joy. Mark's lyrics are brilliant, his narrator a Greek football fan of a fictional Greek football club (Turkish club Galatasaray feature too- when Manchester United played there in the 90s, trying to navigate their way through the group stages of the then new fangled Champions League, a banner at the home end read 'Welcome To Hell'. The United's player's faces, some well travelled and seasoned footballers among them, suggested that playing there was indeed like an away game in Hades). 'Come and have a bet/ We live on blood', the Greek fan/ Mark chunters, 'We are Sparta F.C.' The English fans of Chelsea get their marching orders too- 'English Chelsea fan/ This is your last game', he threatens and adds, 'Take your fleecy jumper/ You won't need it any more... No more ground boutique at match in Chelsea'. It's funny and unnerving.
Theme From Sparta F.C. was recorded at Lisa Stansfield's studio in Rochdale. A year earlier a version had been recorded for John Peel and a year later a re- recorded version became a single- but as the early 21st century line up of The Fall batter their way through this new garage classic and Mark slurs and sing speaks as only he can, there's no doubt that this is the one, electrifying, compelling and uniquely The Fall.
Not sure the proud Turks of Galatasaray would be thrilled at being described as a "genuine Greek club". Apart from that, a spot on review.
ReplyDeleteWhoops!
ReplyDeleteWill correct
ReplyDeleteMES as brilliantly observational as ever about British life. The Fall, the real 'folk' music of the last 40 years.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, the weekend after the Queen died why were all football league matches cancelled, but the cricket and other sporting events went ahead? Is it because the establishment couldn't trust the voice of the terraces, the voice of the proletariat?
-SRC
Very much seems to be the case SRC. Weirdly they cancelled the Tour of Britain bike race which was half way through as well, not a sport known for troublemaking. Or an event widely watched. Or having anything to do with royalty at all. Someone said it was because they needed the motorcycle cops elsewhere but there must be more than half a dozen trained motorcycle policemen in the country.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally I turn the tv on and think that this country has lost its mind.
Yes Adam, you can see how propaganda works in less benevolent societies.
ReplyDelete-SRC
Well done on you occasionally turning on the TV. I've had a media blackout for the best part of two weeks.
ReplyDeleteTune, incidentally.