The Fall – Chicago – 1981 – Past Daily Morning Soundbooth

The Fall – in concert at Tut’s, Chicago – July 16, 1981 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –

When the sad news was announced regarding the death of leader/front man/writer/iconoclast Mark E. Smith of The Fall, tributes have been pouring in from all over the world. Clearly, Mark E. Smith touched a lot more people than even he would imagine. Nowhere was the loss more pronounced than at BBC 6 Music, where tributes, documentaries, Peel sessions and interviews filled the airtime from practically the second former Fall roadie, later bass player and now-DJ Marc Riley announced his passing on the air on January 24th of 2028.

I ran The Fall’s very last Peel session as way of tribute the day he died, and I’ve had several requests over the years to offer more. I thought I would offer this concert, done at Tut’s in Chicago on July 16, 1981, during their first U.S. tour as an example of what American audiences got a chance to hear – unfortunately, they didn’t do an extensive tour; just L.A., New York, Oklahoma City and of course, Chicago.

If you’re just discovering The Fall for the first time – you may love it or hate it. True to form with this band, you can’t have any middle-ground positions when it comes to evaluating The Fall or Mark E. Smith. I know people who hate them with a passion and I know others who have been profoundly affected by their music. Not for all tastes but then, would you really like the same music everyone else likes? I didn’t think so.

To get Tuesday rolling in a reasonable manner, here is The Fall, recorded in Chicago at Tut’s on July 16, 1981.