The Fall - Iceland (1982) | Route

 Not intentionally dwelling on the negative but been meaning to address this for a while largely because Route obviously love The Fall. I don’t get it? Over their history some 66 members and always fronted by the same man the tragic alcoholic Mark E Smith the mannered slurring ‘poet’ front man. I met many drunken intellectuals at art school who thought it big and clever to drink more than anyone else and considered it superior to say and mean nothing over those trying to say something deeper and more meaningful but hey . . . . the mannered singing style largely influenced by drink [who can spin three syllables to the word WIRED!?] and his magic adoration clear amongst The Fall fans you only have to see the comments on YouTube on something like Totally Wired. I mean Maxine Peak’s a fan and starred in the Women of The Fall for the blokey band par excellence but here is ‘ICELAND' improvised on the spur of the moment whilst recording there. I just don’t get it and it always sounded awful to these ears . . . . . 

Route

The Fall - Totally Wired (New York 1981)

The Fall In Iceland

Paul Hanley recalls The Fall’s trip to Iceland in September 1981, where they spent the day in a recording studio built into a cave. They recorded three songs, including two which were included on the album Hex Enduction Hour: ‘Hip Priest’ and ‘Iceland’. Paul is talking to Ben Cottam for a BBC Radio 3 documentary, ‘Cave Life For Beginners’.

For Paul’s full account of the trip to Iceland and the making of the album, read his book Have A Bleedin Guess: The Story of Hex Enduction Hour. Details here: http://www.route-online.com/all-books...