The Fall – 50,000 Fall Fans Can’t Be Wrong (39 Golden Greats) – Part 1

50,000? There are that many of us?! This, the mother of all Fall compilations (though if this is the mother, I suppose the daddy is the Peel sessions omnibus), was a much-wanted-and-cherished Christmas present. It’s a remarkable work, covering the first 25 years of their existence (1978-2003). I’ve managed to hold off playing this for a remarkable 18 months, but reading about The Fall elsewhere made me want to return to it, like scratching an old spot, or an alkie returning to the meths.

Inevitably (as the excellent sleeve notes invite you to do) you wonder if your 39 tracks would be the same (see below) but it’s hugely successful in terms of conveying the essence of The Fall. Some Christians carry a spare Bible at all times to give to potential converts: Fall fans might consider doing the same with this.

The long march through the past starts with “Repetition” (I’m saving talk about the selection of tracks for later, but I can’t help observing in passing that “Bingo Master’s Breakout” would have been nice). It must have taken guts, making their first record, not knowing if it might be the last, to include a long, intentionally monotonous track constantly repeating the word “repetition”, but it’s a great song, and surprisingly subtle. “Industrial Estate” is the specimen from “Live At The Witch Trials” (minus, strangely, the bit at the end where the keyboards and guitar restart for a few seconds). Great song, a punk classic (this is as near orthodox punk as they got). “Rowche Rumble” marks a change in sound to something more rough-edged, discordant and distinctive, with a headlong out-of-controlness.

Some people hail the trio of singles from 1980 – “Fiery Jack” (everyone knows Fiery Jack is stuff that you rub on your legs, but did you know it was also the nickname of a railway tunnel in Sheffield?), “How I Wrote Elastic Man” (what incidentally is “Elastic Man”? The song itself talks about “Plastic Man”, which was the title of songs by the Kinks – is MES comparing himself with Ray Davies? – and also the Temptations, but there was also a song by the (Detroit) Spinners called “Rubber Band Man”) and “Totally Wired” (sorry I’m not going to digress again) as the summit of The Fall’s work. I disagree, though they are all good songs. They were doing better things on album. It’s interesting how the claustrophobic, clangy sound on “Rowche Rumble” and the “Dragnet” LP was thinned out to something more accessible. But even better things were to come, in the shape of the “Grotesque” album, from which “New Face In Hell” appears here. It’s great, but the greatest thing about it isn’t MES’s insane vocals and lyrics but the low-key way it starts.

Anyway, the Walkman’s packed up so I’m going to have to leave it here for the time being. I’ll carry on soon when I’ve got the problem sorted out.