Mark E. Smith
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mark E. Smith | ||
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 Smith pictured on the cover of 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Mark Edward Smith | |
| Born | 5 March 1957 Salford, England |
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| Genre(s) | Alternative rock | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals | |
| Associated acts |
The Fall | |
Mark E. Smith (born 5 March 1957) is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and sole consistent member of The Fall, a renowned and idiosyncratic offshoot from the UK post-punk/new wave music scenes.
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[edit] Biography
Mark Edward Smith was born to a working-class family in Broughton, Salford, in Lancashire, England, moving to nearby Prestwich, near Bury early in his life. He formed The Fall (named after the novel by Camus) 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.
The Fall have continued for nearly thirty years to produce unpredictable and challenging music, varying richly in both character and quality, with the abrasive lyrics and half-droned, half-ranted vocals of frontman Mark E. Smith providing the one constant note through a bewildering succession of personnel changes.
As well as his work with The Fall, Smith has released the spoken-word albums The Post-Nearly Man (1998) and Pander! Panda! Panzer! (2002). He has supplied guest vocals for the Inspiral Carpets, Elastica, Long Fin Killie, Mouse on Mars, Coldcut and others.
Smith has also appeared in an acting role in several television programmes and generally low-budget films. He made a brief appearance as himself in the Michael Winterbottom film 24 Hour Party People (2002).
Smith has won much acclaim for his unique lyrical style, which mixes elements of social realism, surrealism, and absurdism, dwelling on subjects as far removed as unemployment and football violence to time travel and ghosts, all with the same wit and humour. In interviews, he has cited Colin Wilson,[1] Wyndham Lewis, H. P. Lovecraft, and Philip K. Dick as influences.[2]
Smith married Californian guitarist (and Fall band member, 1983-989, 1994-1996) Brix Smith on 19 July 1983. They divorced in 1989. He has since remarried twice. He married his present wife, Eleni (sometimes called Elenor or Elena) Poulou, in 2001, and she joined The Fall in September 2002.
When the much-loved English DJ (who championed The Fall), John Peel, died in 2004, Smith made a notorious appearance on the BBC's Newsnight show (BBC interview transcript), interviewed by Gavin Esler. Regarded by many as a bewildering performance, Smith has made his appreciation for John Peel clear in several subsequent interviews. Nevertheless, the two were not friends and met only a handful of times.
Smith broke his hip while promoting the album Country On The Click but refused to cancel the tour instead trying to soldier on in a wheel chair. Unfortunately the pain and medication caused a number of dates to be cancelled. But this is testimont to the work ethic Mark has always endorsed in his interviews.
In January 2005, Mark E Smith and The Fall (described as "one of the most enigmatic, idiosyncratic and chaotic garage bands of the last 30 years") were the subject of a BBC 4 TV documentary, The Fall: The Wonderful and Frightening World of Mark E Smith.
In August 2005, Mark E Smith received the "Contribution to Music" award at the Diesel-U-Music Awards.
During an interview with a UK music magazine, Smith explained that he keeps all of his earnings in cash in his personal residence, as he "distrusts" banks.
Smith is currently working with Manchester-based writer Austin Collings on an autobiography that will be published by Penguin Books in early 2007.
[edit] Bibliography
For more, see entry on The Fall
- Ford, Simon (2003). Hip Priest: The Story Of Mark E Smith And The Fall. London: Quartet Books. ISBN 0-7043-8167-2
- Middles, Mick & Smith, Mark E (2003). The Fall. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9762-4
- Smith, Mark E (1985). The Fall Lyrics. Berlin: Lough Press.
[edit] Discography
For a detailed discography, see The Fall discography.
[edit] References
- ^ Marvin, Joe. "Mark E. Smith interview". Fanzine Interview. Retrieved on December 10, 2006.
- ^ Lee, Stewart (2004). "Mark E Smith, Man At His Best". Esquire Magazine. Retrieved on December 10, 2006.
3. Maple Leaves - Jens Lekman
