Mark E Smith - The British Masters - Christmas Special - Part One

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John Doran of the Quietus meets Mark E Smith of pre-eminent rock group The Fall, in a special Christmas episode of our British Masters series where John interviews the most influential and colourful figures from British popular music history.
In John's own words: "There are only a few things that separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom... the most important of these attributes, is an appreciation of the music of The Fall. This means if you do not listen to such albums as 'Hex Enduction Hour', 'This Nation's Saving Grace' and 'The Unutterable' you are worse than savage. The solution to what ails us is clear -- be less beastly, listen to The Fall"
Previous British Masters have included Gary Numan, Johnny Marr, and Dizzee Rascal.
See the rest of the British Masters Series here: • The British Masters
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[@pov_music]

This is definitely the friendliest interview he's ever done.

[@comeonyouyellows]

"Have you been watching The Great British Bake Off?" Is probably the best question ever put to Mark E Smith

[@danholliday5564]

Fantastic answer given though. I can see Mark in some gangster's house. Buying base and watching day time tv with the fellas wife.

[@kennethbartlett1465]

That-ah is-ah soggy bottom-ah!

[@ericrhodes5174]

'There's never going to be a Fall tribute group, because nobody can do it' Truer words were never spoken. RIP

[@61pokepi]

pavement

[@sundaze5582]

fat white family?

[@Gbhbbgvsbnjhhdchhb]

Who would want to?

[@tompanoname3579]

True. Must say I never heard good Fall cover. Maybe PJ Harvey did OK with "Janet & Johnny+James"..but just OK.

[@littlehammers9032]

actully when I was in the US, after MES death...a tribute band came out played 1hr 25. pure er

[@zazz63]

every pub in the uk used to have a guy like this ....it was mandatory in those days.

[@kgatlw9134]

'in those days', you'll only glorify this shit if you haven't had to experience it up close.

[@onlineenglish7065]

“I drink and I know things”

[@pov_music]

@@kgatlw9134 why are most Fall fans snobby Guardian readers? He hates people like them

[@owenmartin3307]

But none of them could write fall hits

[@richardgoss4777]

​@@owenmartin3307 The Fall couldn't write The Fall hits neither.

[@thechapelperilous]

"Vampirism is at the end of the day, a crime"

[@Spectrescup]

ikr

[@annikaholland]

hahahaha

[@matty7dream1]

I wish I'd said that.

[@davidrobinson2776]

I wish that had been the tag-line for Twilight.

[@mikecondy6010]

a crrrrime!

[@blikeredaxis]

Way back, I played Dragnet, and my mum heard it. She said that the songs could be hits, if they didn't sound so horrible. sums up the appeal of the Fall really. Hope your liver goes on forever Mark. Cheers!

[@tomheslington2993]

It didn't

[@vollsticks]

Pissing myself at your comment. "They could be hits, if they didn't sound so horrible" is an incredible summation of The Fall's oeuvre

[@claredavies764]

@@vollsticks every now and then I go on a Fall night and post some of what I think of Mark's most accessible songs to my FB. None of my friends ever respond... in Mark's words... what dicks!!

[@davew5167]

Mark E Smith was a true original. What a musical legacy The Fall leave behind them. Nothing else like it out there.

[@gonzalojohnson]

And to think this bloke is one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. True legend.

[@TheIkaraCult]

"Vampirism... its a crime at the end of the day" One of the funniest people to ever live. What a man.

[@yuppyprolepaste4926]

"I can't understand why anybody would wanna watch Somebody cookin a fuckin meal."

[@innescrook9295]

“Vampirism is a crime at the end of the day, isn’t it?” Brilliant.

[@claredavies764]

Loon came into the shop today wearing a Fall T shirt. I asked if he'd been to any gigs (he was at least 20 years younger than me) and he said it was his life long regret that he'd never seen The Fall live. When I said how many times I'd seen them live, he just said, RESPECT!! Was a lovely MES fan bonding moment.

[@blueroot2547]

I had a housemate like Mark E Smith, endless stories and opinions, it was awesome :)

[@Dickbox1080]

Can you imagine being stuck between feigning laughter every time Mark does or disappointing one of your music heroes?

[@johnsmith-vg5rx]

i think mark comes from the sort of working class northern pub culture where you laugh at anything if someone is trying to make a joke. i think mark knows that everything hes saying isnt hilarious but its just what people up north do.

[@zdillz]

@@johnsmith-vg5rx yeah I always sucked at that too. I was a pretty shy middle-class kid, got a job in a very working class pub. Took me while to work out that when some fucker cracks a joke you laugh no matter what . Pissed off a few people before I understood that. Edit: and not half hearted pained chuckle like this interviewer's squeezing out, you gotta give it some Welly!

[@zdillz]

Yeah, feels tense....haha

[@stephenjames4937]

Mark E Smith cracks me up. He castigates people with generalisations, and cackles with laughter. Leave no-one unblasted!

[@lehliladevandria5712]

What an absolute legend. John is just so overwhelmed by his greatness,he can barely ask a question. All he can say is "Yeah... Yeh...yah".

[@DavySolaris]

I think he's just a bit sad that his hero had become a fucked-up alcoholic.

[@sooperheep]

I mean thats about the best you can hope for

[@postpunkpodge9746]

RIP Mark a one off genius we will never see his like again. So many bands tried but none could emulate The Fall.

[@iamdamosuzuki_]

“They can imitate, but I Teach.” - The Hip Priest

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

I feel drunk watching this.

[@timmg3139]

I think this is the greatest interview (of anyone) ever. Have watched it so many times

[@earinsound]

He got a lot of mileage out of being a docking clerk for six months when he was 19.

[@rolandveshengho3913]

Underrated

[@cohenkane2148]

MES passing was the saddest I ever was about someone dying that I had never met or known. I still cannot listen to the few albums I have not heard. I like knowing I have not reached the end. Yet.

[@youjoker9647]

Felt the same way about John Martyn.

[@nikolademitri731]

Felt the same way about Bowie, though I was also really sad when MESmith went too.. The difference being I was a huge fan of Bowie, very familiar with his discography, but I had only just began to dive into The Fall’s music, and understand how unbelievably brilliant it is, and only was aquatinted with a small chunk of MES’s discography when he passed.. Still, I knew it was the loss of a legend.

[@mselizabethsteel]

I could listen to him chat all day! Cracks me up. RIP Legend

[@TheIkaraCult]

MES was such a lovely, funny geezer. The world is so much poorer without him in it

[@blikeredaxis]

Funniest thing I've seen for ages, Mark is a natural.

[@dandare1001]

Mark was on form, that day. Very enjoyable.

[@G1806]

The Fall when I started hearing music as opposed to just listening ✌️

[@claredavies764]

Spot on. And who was is who made the Fall available to anyone outside Manchester? The late great John Peel

[@G1806]

@@claredavies764 Amen to that sister ✌️

[@S7EVE_P]

Mark loves a bit of banter, some people just took it the wrong way, but I always enjoyed his interviews no matter what.

[@fightington]

I could listen to this convo once a month easy. Perfect work jon and RIP MES

[@Warringtron]

When I first met my wife-to-be (in the 90`s), she had heard of The Fall (due to a mention or two by Stewart Lee of Lee & Herring fame at the time) but never heard any songs. I played her the compilation CD "The Collection" - she told me that they were better than she had imagined, but strangely enough has never voluntarily listened to another track since...

[@ferozealam13]

I played Extricate to my gf in 90's, she'd never heard of them. 22 years later its practically all we listen to.

[@annthorpe8411]

Bloody hell! How old is your girlfriend now then?

[@ferozealam13]

Both early forties.

[@Warringtron]

Ann - Yes, old people can have partners too...! :D

[@andrewburton5105]

This just put the biggest smile on my face

[@jonanjello]

I was wondering what Chris Noveslic was doing these days

[@startervisions]

politics

[@hunter-zu3hk]

*krist

[@markmeyer1291]

check him out.hes doing fine

[@Johnconno]

That's a bold Syrup he's wearing though.

[@nwo4life708]

Don't think some got the joke 🙄

[@CW0406]

"I can't understand why anybody wanna watch somebody cooking a fucking meal. Do you?" LOVE him.

[@terrysaunders2457]

no interview has needed subtitles more

[@terrysaunders2457]

great one tho

[@voddynblack]

let me guess yer a yankee , cant seak yer own fuckin language

[@jrmarrero96]

It could always be worse; Bob Dylan could be conducting the interview.

[@chuckabbate5924]

Mancunian.....subset language

[@youjoker9647]

Four Libras are a Fall tribute band. There's a few around

[@mr.whipple2953]

I have to laugh because on two occasions in the 80s, I played a cassette tape for people, claiming that it was “my band”; one was ‘Sister Ray’ by The VU, and the other was ‘Tempo House’ by The Fall!

[@jwardbass4452]

And what did they say?

[@mr.whipple2953]

@@jwardbass4452 They seemed very indifferent; I figured they didn’t want to offend me because we had mutual friends, but I honestly think they were unimpressed by the LO-FI quality of the recordings, which is what fundamentally adds to to the charm and brilliance of these tracks. I was a silly teen at the time..

[@mr.whipple2953]

I want to add that I’ve been fortunate to see ‘The Fall’ five times; the first time was in L.A. for ‘The Frenz Experiment’ tour up until ‘99 at Reading Festival. But I did get to see them in ‘93 at the Roxy (Whiskey?) on Sunset Blvd. on me birthday. Absolutely brilliant.

[@sweetkat85]

"I can't understand why someone would watch someone cook a fuckin meal" this man is god

[@stephen3511]

MES was a true one off. It’s sad there will be no more Fall albums.......... but what a legacy 👊💥

[@24031965GAV]

There must be shed loads of unreleased tape

[@drewletasse2660]

The best musician, 'with a laymens ear', of all time.

[@wrightcarl1181]

The captions for this are hilarious. RIP Mark you crazy mental genius

[@styxcreek]

Made my day. MES is a living treasure.

[@atarirob]

I love how Mark consistently fucks up the names of his own songs...such a character.

[@dinoramone6761]

Listening to The Fall's records is like panning for gold.

[@maineroad7429]

I met him on Deansgate Mcr in 2010 and seen him head over to the Sawyers Arms for a quick one and he was back out and I got chatting to him and he signed my evening news to my cousin with a funny message on it.He was warm,engaging and he could of talked for hours...

[@lukedaley17]

Loved Mark’s collaboration with Damon Albarn’s Gorrilaz on the song Glitter Freeze. RIP Mark

[@mrjamescurry]

God I miss that man. National Treasure

[@Boiing008]

Great interview John your laid back style carried it along nicely. And he's right, no one could sound like the Fall. A great band with great songs that still sound fresher than a lot of the newer bands do today

[@polycentric6726]

Mark would be proud of us!

[@cclewes7373]

Smith belonged in the Victorian era. He was a throwback to a lost age.

[@fuzzydunlop4513]

It's unfortunate we couldn't get Chief Keef and Mark E Smith in the same room tomorrow

[@chairmanmeow-ij1wd]

The interviewers face when he realises how mashed MES is. Looks fucking terrified.

[@emile235]

Bill Oddie needs security guards to walk him to his car in Salford.

[@thechristianhuey]

This is a really good interview. Dude did very well to get MES to lower his guard. It mostly worked.

[@thechristianhuey]

No kissing arse, a few questions out of nowhere, playing along but only in the service of having him talk more... I keep coming back to this one.

[@alexjewell2351]

John Doran is great at these, he asks decent questions, questions that you haven't heard umpteen times befiore.

[@jaywarren333]

My favourite interview of all time

[@fishfingers160]

Is this the best interview ever? Yes, yes it is.

[@DarrylWThomas]

Mark riffs his own interview. Nice.

[@lofi-guy]

Is the interviewer Dave Hill from Slade?

[@SkinnyEMedia]

Mark E. Smith should’ve been a stand-up comedian.

[@goutmasterdarryl]

There is a cover band of The Fall in Toronto called Mr.Pharmacist, they're actually great!

[@DragonFlagBand]

One of the best interviews ever!

[@andrewking563]

'It's all coppers and food' is so, so good

[@Jlipnicki]

a film about John Donne with music by the Fall, by all means.

[@arash402003]

Suggestion if I may, dump your entire setup for an entire series of Mark E Smith interviews.

[@naomiroberts6536]

RIP Legend

[@haybrym]

Gotta love him

[@feliperaurichbottiger6637]

RIP Mark !

[@xya-j9v]

Mr Mark EDWARD Smith ,Real R.I.P．Ｉ love the Fall's ＣＤ,BBC radio1;LIVE in Concert ,from Tue M.

[@GenteelCretin]

Good lord yes, but what I wouldn't give for some subtitles right about now...

[@famashs]

please someone,anyone,we need subtitles for these glorious piece of film

[@oaksted338]

We'll never see his like again...world were better with a dissenting voice in it

[@SturgusLipmonger]

"He replaced the fookin' lesbian, dinny?"

[@fuzzydunlop4513]

lmaoaooo

[@Jlipnicki]

one of the best things is he still lives in England somewhere not in America, where Lydon moved to way back. Very few people in bands even then were even slightly working class or knew anything about it. Strummer, the people who write the history, Jon Savage, make the films, Julian Temple.

[@diskochimp]

"Tempo House" = the ultimate Fall song. Mark E. (cha-cha!)

[@24031965GAV]

Zippy's let himself go a bit. Mark E how I love you, how I love you My dear old Mark E....

[@jeffn1384]

The subtitles were struggling

[@xMsry7]

I was worrying about my drinking at 24 years old, but if it's good enough for mark, it's good enough for me

[@pongoumbongo4301]

Hilarious. Don't really like the music, bar a handful of tracks, but MES is always a delight to listen to. A true original and box office entertainment.

[@justmadeit2]

Remember The Falls song from the 80s called No Bulbs ? Well i made a video to go with the song, if anyone wants to see it just type in this title........The Fall No Bulbs Official ?

[@andreaneilcmc]

It's good that around 0:45 MES looks as bewildered as John Doran does for the rest of the interview.

[@David-h4z2s]

Always loved Mark E Smiths Straight Talking

[@florida4life]

The 'kiss of death' on dates was a real thing. My first wife was dating a Tom Waits fan (who ironically I later became a big fan of). After I played some fall (a LOT) she was like "oh God another boyfriend likes nutjob music". I hereby ban you from playing that song "Talk a Lotta Windows" at our wedding. Mark as a double glazing salesman. Yes, yes please. EDIT "Huckleberry's Daughter" also banned.

[@hdmccart6735]

'Lager's a hell of a drug...'

[@owenwilberforce6138]

I love when I understand what Mark would say. He is one of the English speakers that I still need translation into something intelligible. I think he was really charming and funny, but so insular and in his own universe. It’s fun to try to make up some meaning though of his ramblings.

[@kingfisherautomotif9884]

I've subscribed on your opening gambit before you've even met Mark . . . I think I'm going to enjoy your channel ;-)

[@deadalivestore]

The thing people never got about MES was, at his core, he just a regular bloke you'd meet anywhere. The thing that made him so great was his natural ability to be undeniable in his trade and art. I like to see him a plumber or a bricklayer, just so happens he was a musician instead.

[@PontiacS.]

"Be Less Beastly" Lol!!!!! Classic!!!! MES Was Fantastic as was The Fall. We have the Records for All Time.("Dick Head singer, Black Francis "Yup.)

[@cubanheelsbeerbelly]

He's a pure fucking treasure. I wish he was around to see what's happened to the world today. Only the boring ones make it to old age.

[@zerolubin]

Miss him.

[@leriwaters.9744]

Dear john, Nick Saloman and Richard Thompson are terribly missed at this series!!!

[@themagnanimous1246]

His talking gets more clear the more he gets pissed about the BBC lmfao

[@sparedonga570]

Evidently the deal was: free beer and I'll do your interview

[@Oldmotherhell]

"...that's the real estate agents' job, innit?"

[@JonnoDoesStuff]

8:30 'When we were kids, the daytime TV was good, won' it? It was like f*cking really sh*t, and f*cking really bad. It was good, though'

[@galenstone9097]

Godspeed, Mark.

[@sikthsikth]

'Do ya know what I'm sayin'?' *'Yeah, yeah yeah yeah.' *No

[@fredbloggs8362]

Interviewer seems like a nice genuine bloke. Succeeds in revealing absolutely nothing about the Fall or Mark.

[@radiomindchatter7994]

Mark E Smith is in on the joke that no one else knows...

[@joshdh95]

have you watched the great british bake off? ........... no?

[@xwsftassell]

Thank goodness. A normal person.

[@maxbrewis5105]

Highland Fleet Lute i

[@cohenkane2148]

Sarcastic or not. Nice either way.

[@that_one_dude497]

a 'PISSED' Mark E Smith Interviews himself while John Doran watches and has the occasional comment...........

[@leonardjohnny67]

He asks John a hundred times ‘you know what I’m sayin’?, ‘yeah, yeak’ whilst not having the foggiest

[@Statience]

I'll need some fucking subtitles for this shit

[@KianMillz]

the interviewer did well to carry out an interview with an alcoholic.