Brix Smith Start: guitarist from The Fall writes memoir of a rock chick

[@elizabethhann4028]

BRIX SMITH START IS A TRUE ROCK 'N" ROLL HERO! Her memoir, THE RISE THE FALL AND THE RISE, is a book that everyone who's interested in rock 'n' roll, and in one woman's unique perspective on it, should read. I really do think that Brix is one of the most underrated rock 'n' roll performers of the 1980's. Too many people write her off as a lightweight, or someone who just rode Mark's coattails. I will admit that she owes a lot her success to Mark, but I really do think she's a great musician and performer in her own right. Meeting Mark and playing in the Fall gave her a chance to shine, and she did shine. And I think she still does shine.

[@leggymountbatten8159]

Brix is responsible for some excellent riffage. She also co-wrote quite a few tracks. Brix is an interesting person.

[@1e0s]

I love her positivity, she's wonderful

[@elizabethhann4028]

Oh, I do too.

[@justmadeit2]

I just made something using the Falls song No Bulbs, guys id love you to see it. Its on my channel, or simply type in this to the search bar- The Fall No Bulbs and look for my username. Its right near the top of the search list

[@ichhasseamerika]

She seems like a straight-up and somewhat modest woman. Kudos to her. She also has a rational way of speaking, not this modern idiot Airhead valley girl "like, chuk" way.

[@BudSchnelker]

Compare Brix to Madonna in terms of their speaking style. Brix spends years and years in England and yet only a very few non-American verbal tics found their way into her speech. For the most part she still sounds like a girl from Chicago. Madonna, on the other hand, takes a vacation on Blighty and suddenly affects the most horrible quasi-English accent in an attempt to sound cultured. It tells you something important about each person's character.

[@ktkee7161]

Yeah, it tells you some people lose their accents and some don't.

[@PS987654321PS]

I can assure you that Brix has had to consciously work hard at keeping her American accent. I don't think you know what happens. Send a British person to the USA and in 10 years the accent will change dramatically. Same in reverse.

[@marcusmaher-triskellionfil5158]

Madonna is a phoney and cuts her cloth according the way the wind is blowing.

[@normthebaker7305]

I'm old enough to have lived through the Marc Riley period which I thought personified the Fall until Perverted by Language came along then eventually Nation's Saving Grace. The Brix period,I think, was their best, like the Stones 68-72 period.

[@mattheww2838]

Some of the misogynistic comments about Brix on here really get my goat. It seems like the last remnants of the patriarchy teen wanking ideal is left to the internet. For what it's worth my views are: 1. For The Fall Brix came at the right time. She added a different dimension to the group which could easily have gone stale or disbanded like a lot of punk/post punk bands at the time. 2. So what if Brix managed to get into the group by being in the right place at the right time - that shows a confidence that should be applauded. 3. Musically she is good but not up there with the likes of PJ Harvey but then very few are. 4. So what if her stats are wrong by saying one third are raped. She was raped and we need strong women to speak up about this and not hide behind a male ideal of sexy meekness.

[@written12]

Matthew Waterhouse Strong comment, Matthew. Brix definitely instilled a new, fresh spirit in the Fall’s music.

[@tonymcd8036]

Ive read the comments and very few are what you would call "mysoginistic". It seems to me that attraction to a musician in a band that you love is forbidden if they are female. Well sorry, brix looks sexy playing and made some great music. Maybe im part of the patriarch 😂 u must be fun at parties that im Pretty sure you're not invited to

[@warshipsatin8764]

hahajahjs what a joke

[@Broomehall]

You go girl .... so refreshing to hear someone talk positively about bad experiences, "move on, bury it" she says, why keep looking back at misery? live life, move on ....... how absolutely true.

[@neilsun2521]

When the feminist presenter's "you were being controlled by men weren't you" schtick doesn't work, she then immediately brings out the rape story. Well done Brix for not falling for her 'helpless victim' projection!

[@marcusmaher-triskellionfil5158]

Indeed, a pure C4 agenda. Imagine the interview today 9 years later, The Fall would be cancelled and it would all be about victimhood and rape.

[@magneticB]

Channel 4 news all over - Although credit to them for interviewing Brix, plus I think they have interviewed Mark E Smith as well as Anton Newcome (who I think of as a modern day Mark)

[@zoolhert3535]

They always don't look very feminine

[@rachelar]

Yeah, typical woke Beeb approach

[@neilsun2521]

@@zoolhert3535 It doesn't matter how physically pretty a woman looks, if she starts talking that woke/feminist stuff she instantly becomes unattractive.

[@Infinityportal6]

Brave intelligent woman and one of the best lineup member.

[@krimke881]

Every bit of musical history is important to get out there. Thanks!

[@sydbarrett5]

I’m going to track down her book. Love her work in the Fall.

[@thunder_heads]

I saw her on Saturday she is epic

[@ktkee7161]

She "accidentally" bumps into him. Sure!

[@animatiz]

KT Kee She was an A-grade leeeeeech

[@666Eva]

KT Kee Have you read any of the ex Fall members bios? You are exactly wrong.

[@TheIkaraCult]

Brix is a legend

[@richo7328]

My kind of girl. I'd watch the tv much more if she was on it.

[@iVenge]

Such a bright, beautiful woman. Always had a deep crush on her.

[@michaellakey3565]

John Peel, in a way, made The Fall by playing them on national radio for many years. And MES capitalized on that with dictatorial power play through his band's many members. Not to take away any of Mark's unique talent, but all great artists need an effective backer.

[@tomd5678]

I admire your strength

[@neilsun2521]

Who"s?

[@666Eva]

Brix is one of the most important bass guitarist of the last 30 years.

[@elizabethhann4028]

Yes, yes, a million times yes! She gave the mid-1980's incarnation of the Fall its sound. And she was great in The Adult Net, too. And she's great in her new band, The Extricated. So glad to hear from someone who appreciates her.

[@zetetick395]

Prefer Viv Albertine (of the glorious *Slits* ) myself. Hear some of the punk-dub goodness for yourselves :D kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqrZqJWuiZ1jeNk

[@vollsticks]

Doesn't necessarily make her "unimportant", though. I'd rather listen to her play with The Fall than fucking Yngwie Malmsteen (sp?) or Nils Lofgren (The Crazy Horse and Neil Young stuff is preddy great though). Maybe Steve Vai would be a better example

[@badger_stump]

She's and important guitarist because she fucked the Fall up. Talent-less egomaniac!

[@Clem_Fandango11]

She auditioned for Hole...and failed.

[@raudiaz6245]

I love Brix, but why is she holding onto Mark E Smith surname if she became remarried? One is clearly going to think she's using it to keep her status of the limelight.

[@whssy]

You do know Brix isn't her real name too, right? Brix Smith is one of the facets of this lady. But yeah... nobody would know who she was if she used her birth name. Kind of like a lot of celebrities. The name is the brand, Doesn't bother me one way or the other as it's not really any of my business. Does it bother you that Perry Farrell didn't continue his career as Peretz Bernstein? David Bowie as David Jones? Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach as Erick and Kirsty Purkhiser? Or Jack White taking Meg's surname instead of performing as Jack Gillis?

[@paddycampbell576]

I love Brix...

[@v.c.webster9250]

What a wonderful, frank interview. xoxo Vinny

[@paulcarter1347]

It's not what you know it's who you bump into

[@whssy]

Tis the way of the world and has ever been so.

[@meredrums1]

New to them, and I'm old I should know better. I think she's a great guitarist though.

[@misswhiskeykittie]

She's amazing.

[@mikaelwester]

Fascinating lady. I appreciate that she said that her way of dealing with the rape “work for her” . But that every one is different.

[@davidellis5141]

Cool way to get her name. RIP Mark.

[@666Eva]

The fall would have been an early 1980s dead end if not for Brix. Not sure how they could have topped "Hex Enduction Hr" if with the same line up. And yet they did adjust and produced "This Nation's Saving Grace". Thanks Brix.

[@davidellis5141]

@@666Eva This Nation is their best album & Wonderful & frightning World & Frenz Experiment are both brilliant. All with Brix.

[@666Eva]

@@davidellis5141 Frenz Experiment starts better than it ends...love Frenz, Carrier Bag Man, Hotel, the rest...euuf. Fitting as she was exiting the band as it was being recorded.

[@LondonDada]

Done very well out of that ' prison of her own making ' heh

[@neilsun2521]

Who'd have known that being "controlled by men" could be so beneficial?

[@666Eva]

@@neilsun2521 How cynical and patronizing

[@jonathongates3747]

.....your a star!

[@edfromtheairship]

She is so much smarter than this edited interview suggests. She is as significant an artist/guitarist/front woman as Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry, PJ Harvey Kim Deal, , ..., ..., ...etc. (fill in the gaps, would you?)

[@theobiggs6611]

Is that Cameron in drag interviewing Brix Smith Start.

[@wilde1581]

Fuck me,SOT ON!! it really is isn't it LOL.Funny the he/she/it interviewing Brix doesn't look like she'd ever have thrown herself around a dingy northern club to The Fall in her life,I really miss those days ,too many drugs or maybe there wasn't enough? ;) hehe

[@noelschemicaleffluence2328]

Theo Biggs an outstanding observation, my friend.

[@davidgrahamscott]

haha....true

[@brianjones3733]

Sorry, the Fall were playing to a tiny audience in my city a few years ago, as they have done for years. Now the Fall are becoming the darlings of the middle classes who are wanting to look to be a bit edgy. They never heard of him until....well when? Last month? Ask these people what they know about the Fall, and it will have come from channel 4 or Wikipedia. They will be forcing themselves to listen to the band in there 3 year old Subaru 4 by 4s to impress their equally shallow friends. Totally contrived.The Stone Roses were the last band that it was decided to name drop and be 'into', to look edgy, hip. Why? Fall tee shirt for my architect husband....Anyone guess who will be next?? LOL Van Helen for 35 year old Doctors, sales executives, and dentists. How about the Ramones, they had the treatment yet?

[@weta2000nz]

+brian jones Yes, I know the type sigh I have known about The Fall for over 33 years, and I have no time for pretentious shallow people

[@brianjones3733]

weta2000nz They were around for years, but only quite recently have I been listening to some of his stuff. I don't like it all, but some of it is great. They were playing in a tiny venue in 2010, but I missed them. He is becoming more successful these days. His wife is hot, and I cant believe how he pulled her, but it just shows you!

[@weta2000nz]

brian jones yeah, she calls him the Mancunian Castro lol

[@emdiar6588]

Very good point, and I sympathise with it (about 95%). It is possible to discover something you missed first time round but like you I am usually very suspicious of it. As for the Ramones, they've long been the Tee Shirt choice of the tragically hip, (along with Motorhead). What I like to do is walk up to them and say "Hey, love the tee shirt... what are your 3 favourite Ramones (Motorhead etc) songs?". When the reply comes back "Erm.... don't really know any", as it almost always does, I say "well I hope the band earn royalties on tee shirt sales then cus they worked hard to give poseurs like you phoney street cred.

[@brianjones3733]

em diar Many Humans are superficial beyond belief. It is great that you asked them what their favorite albums were; hope they were embarrassed.

[@peregrinepete]

Brave strong women

[@thetriumphofthethrill2457]

The interviewer's a typical Brit who resents Americans. Obama being president for eight years hasn't lessened her envy. It's a shame, as Brix is open and engaging here and she deserved a better interviewer.

[@neilsun2521]

No the interviewer's a typical neo-marxist feminist corporate lesbian.

[@7366-HSGG]

Yeah Mark E smith wasn't the most seeming pleasant person, also a very tough worker/bandmate... But hes a genius fiend with a violin. 😊🎉❤

[@triplesevensix291]

Do you miss him now though Brix? Her story? Mark WAS IS & ALWAYS WILL BE THE FALL. You were just lucky enough to go along for the ride girl lets have it straight. Straight up. Still cute though & we need more women with guitars so I will salute you for that. XX You still fucking rock it!!

[@misterdavidlister]

Never liked her myself. The influence she had on was just USA Rock 'n Roll posturing. This was so far away from anything Prestwich, Manchester grit that Mark E - Smith had.

[@misterdavidlister]

Ha, ha! You don't ACTUALLY know anything factual, in a living it in Manchester (type of way) about The Fall do you?

[@marknewbold2583]

Salford not Manchester

[@americangothic1313]

Stooges, Velvets, Beefheart, Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Raymond Chandler, H.P. Lovecraft - plenty of USA influence.

[@FrancoDX]

Her time in The Fall was probably the bands, I mean ‘group’ (sorry Mark) most commercial period but have to admit The Frenz Experiment is in my top five Fall albums. Maybe because when it was released, at the age I was (17) it had a big impact. I suppose older fans prefer older material for similar reasons or some kind of purity thing. Either way, I enjoyed the material she was involved in with the group.

[@paulbradley705]

Does it have pictures ?

[@yknat216]

don't know why she didn't revive the adult net and play a mix of her stuff and fall songs...instead of forming a stalker tribute band!

[@heru-deshet359]

Still very hot woman.

[@screamingswifts]

Brix

[@freeman6147]

Bright

[@AtacamaHumanoid]

because, you know...

[@marmite400]

I like Brix. 🤗

[@andydixon9707]

🙏

[@paulbradley705]

Did the Fall have a top 100 in uk ?

[@rogeredmunds5806]

Their highest placed singles were covers. "Ghost in my House" reached #30 / "Victoria" #35 (that's UK National Charts). Highest placed Album "The Infotainment Scan" #9. It wasn't really what they were about though. Plenty of top 20 stuff in the Indie Charts, singles, EP's & Albums.

[@middleman9183]

@LutherDubois .......Peel's favourite band?

[@middleman9183]

@LutherDubois The Fall were one of the most influential post-punk groups of of all time. I rest my case 😂

[@myfalsenamedotcome]

Of course. Is there any American woman out there that doesn't have a story about rape?

[@heftyjay1]

Good work Botox

[@l.b.2592]

She is like Barbara Walters of punk...that is not a compliment.

[@garyrigby21]

Don't know what she saw in him

[@alexmcc4576]

what's happened to her face?

[@beandabankhead6295]

plastic surgery, fillers, etc

[@arcrs40]

LIKE

[@frtac]

what ever did he see in her? (musically and/or personally)

[@PrincePurple]

I have to say, those Brix years of The Fall were pretty darn great. The album "Wonderful and Frightening World Of The Fall" is a masterpiece. "Hit 'em on the head...with a two by four!" And if you don't like "CREEP," well, come on, you just may be a creep. Nothing at all wrong with The Fall creating a catchy-as-hell pop song and doing it in their own manner.

[@chelseapoet3664]

From the outside: She was a good guitarist for The Fall, creative, stylish, she seems intelligent and she was fun and sexy. No doubt she has other qualities too that he found out by getting to know her. No one outside a couple will know 10% of what they might have together.

[@elizabethhann4028]

I think you're so right.

[@fkorekore265]

what ever she see in him? for me is harder to realize :)

[@Martaine70]

That wasn't Brix speaking, that was Sylvia Plath speaking one of her poems on a recording. She committed suicide a few months later. How do I know? I had the cassette of Sylvia Plath reciting her poems. Recognised it immediately on C.R.E.E.P. release.

[@elcamino7846]

1 in 3? What research backs that up? I know that rape is common, but I prefer rigorous and unbiased analysis rather than statistics spread by sound bites. Rape is a term which needs to be rigorous in its definition. It would seem that talking about your own experience is safer than rehashing dubious statistics.

[@theinquirer3517]

I met her in person. Very, very rude and demand ding.

[@chelseapoet3664]

She demanded ding?

[@zetetick395]

Yeah, I hate people who want dings without asking politely first! >:S I _happen_ to be sentimentally attached to all my dings! - So rude!

[@AFaceintheCrowd01]

I'm old-fashioned. Still don't believe in premarital ding.

[@markottewell8897]

The Stig's English cousin 😂😂

[@n136h]

What a ding dong

[@frankkaczmarczyk1774]

No wonder he drinks

[@ichhasseamerika]

. . 'drank'. Rest in Peace Mark E Smith

[@crissieroserose]

shes had loads of plastic surgery

[@zetetick395]

Is that what happens when the operating theater is on a commercial airline?

[@newrisingsun5016]

crissie rose It hasnt worked

[@robertcaffrey6097]

She used to be beautiful looking, she should've never had surgery and aged gracefully.

[@davidgrahamscott]

Hey, I like those lips. They could be very useful.

[@neilsun2521]

U sure she's had surgery? She had large lips way back in 83

[@sinisterbuthappy208]

what a drag

[@gibsons7057]

My life choices fucked up my life.. ..hey! I just blame it on the men in my life, cos I'm a gold digging chancer!!....

[@whssy]

You weren't paying attention were you.

[@wespaul9345]

Women sitting around banging on about their rapes just doesn't interest me.

[@Harpdashian]

Bizarre comment from Wesley