The Fall Vs. Jools Holland

BBC's Later With Jools Holland (which can be seen on BBC America as well) often features an eclectic variety of live music performances, though, to be honest, the average viewing finds usually about one or two bands I really care enough to watch. It's such a weirdly formatted show as well: the taping runs pretty much without pause while Holland points to the bands in a P.T. Barnum-like way to play, while they are enclosed in cubbies as part of a large semi-circle before the studio audience (some of whom intermingle in cafe-like surroundings around said artist). Usually when the performance is done, Holland will pop out and may or may not really address the act, though if it's someone like Alicia Keys or Robert Plant he'll plop down next to them and they'll probably be granted two songs. But it's certainly better, I guess, than being forced to lipsync on Solid Gold around their dancers. Enter Mark E. Smith and company on a May, 2005 show where they performed a medley of "Pacifying Joint" and the Move's "I Can Hear the Grass Grow", as well as a follow-up track "Blindness." (rm video file for download). Under giant hulking letters spelling out "Fall", Smith warbles, barks, tampers with his wife's keyboards, and is, in other words, great. The band's lumbering, repetitive din quickly takes command of the BBC set and for seven minutes takes it outside the parameters of your average-act-promoting-new-hit-on-TV, and no doubt that both the audience and fellow guests all knew something quite different was afoot that day.. Allegedly there was an off-camera advisory from MES to Jools to "not join in on any boogie-woogie piano" and fellow guest Robert Plant supposedly got called "c***ty" out loud. Ah, Mark. But cheers to the show for giving up 7 minutes of time for the Fall; amidst a sea of flash-in-the-pan bands aping their moves these days, it's heartwarming to see the Fall still great after 28 years of riding several peaks but no valleys whatsoever. Their newest LP Fall Heads Roll (Narnack Records) is enjoying some heavy WFMU airplay not surprisingly, and Castle/Sanctuary continues to roll out deluxe reissues of some classic albums like Room To Live and Hex Enduction Hour with extra discs of bonus material.

Comments

[squinchy]

that's his WIFE? um. I guess an old man like MES can charm a very foxy young woman into marrying him when he wears one black glove in that inimitable way...

[Walkathon]

All said, that's not a bad line-up for the full show, MES & crew included. Mose is always a treat, and I still think Plant's doing interesting solo stuff these days. Who knows how long the Go Team will stay around, but there are few electropop/cut & paste acts these days that can claim that live 4-LP Chicago album as an influence.

[RLiberty]

Thanks for pointing this out! Glad to see MES is still out there making "good" music. When our station got a copy of "Heads Roll" I was shocked - a new Fall album! Well worth checking out.

[Horatio Van der Clupff]

Just found this band on myspace. It's Ex-fall member Steve Trafford's new band, great stuff.Seems he's a great singer too! www.tycoonsfollies.com