Following the departure of Karl Burns for his short lived experience with Public Image Limited The Fall hired drummer Mike Leigh - formerly of Rockin’ Rickie & The Velvet Collars.
The new line-up had their first gig on a Wednesday in February 1979 in Altrincham at the Bowdon Vale (Youth) Club. The venue existed from roughly 1904 until it was demolished around 1989. While it was colloquially referred to as a “youth club,” it functioned primarily as a social club and live music venue. It is most famous in music history for hosting several iconic gigs in the late 1970s. These events were often organized by Bob Jefferson of the local record shop “Streets Ahead,” providing a space for Manchester bands to perform when, at the time, few other venues were available to them.
Whilst there is nearly two hours of recorded music available from the evening, it is not the longest Fall set in existence, but instead consists of two sets. the first being an Under 18s show at 6:35pm, and the remainder comprising the over 18s show at 9:55pm.
As well as it being the debut of Mike Leigh, the two sets also featured new material, as referenced by Mark E. Smith early on in the proceedings, when a punter shouts out a request and gets a curt “You’ll get what you’re given, and be happy with it!”.
SET ONE
0:00
-53:17
Crap Rap (Jumper Clown)
Printhead
Mess of My
Psycho Mafia
A Figure Walks
Underground Medicin
It’s the New Thing
Various Times
Rebellious Jukebox
Stepping Out
Pop Stickers (aka Let’s)
Put Away
No Xmas for John Quays
Psycho Mafia
SET TWO
0:00
-1:02:09
Crap Rap (Jumper Clown}
It’s the New Thing
Put Away
A Figure Walks
Printhead
Mess of My
Various Times
No Xmas for John Quays
Rebellious Jukebox
Two Steps Back
Pop Stickers (aka Let’s)
Music Scene
Psycho Mafia
Stepping Out
As can be heard this is an above average audience recording with all instruments and vocals clear with the exception of Marc Riley’s bass which could be a little higher in the mix. It does get a little distorted when Martin Bramah does backing vocals, but strangely this adds to the live sound and does not particularly detract from the overall listening experience.
This is an important gig in first demonstrating the transition from the sound of Live At The Witch Trials to a nascent version of the Dragnet sound, the key component of this being Mike Leigh’s drum styling which is altogether more effortless, and less rocky than Karl Burns powerhouse approach. The importance of this I feel is that the non-percussion instruments have to “up the game” to balance out the sound. Bramahs’ guitar, for example, feels fuller in the mix than in the preceding two years.
Matters commence with a version, lyrically at least, of “Crap Rap” but backed by a rockabilly styled early version of what musically would eventually become Marc Riley & The Creepers “Jumper Clown” (released as a 7-inch single in 1983 on Riley's own label, In-Tape (catalogue number IT002)
Debuts for “Printhead”, “A Figure Walks” (which had morphed from a song played three times in 1979 called “My Condition”), and “Lets (Pop Stickers)” which eventually was merged with a Craig Scanlon song “Choc-Stock” by the time of the Dragnet album. The new songs are intermingled between older material from the groups 1977 and 1978 set-lists.
PA/Monitor problems result in a dialogue between Martin, Mark and manager Kay Carrol, I assume at the soundboard. These appear to be resolved quickly.
As for the rest a wonderfully jaunty “Underground Medicin” has restrained drums from Leigh as guitar and keyboards supply a motorik surge. Muscular versions of “New Thing”, “Rebellious Jukebox” and a scabrous “Stepping Out”, circle a brooding “Various Times” in a clear demonstration of the evolving post punk sound of the group.
“Pop Stickers/Lets” is described as “so new, even we don’t know it” , and it shows, almost the Grotesque era material a year too early but with slightly out of kilter poppy keyboards, and odd guitar figures which do not seem to fit with song. The bones of “Choc-Stock” are there, but for some reason it reminds me of Spike Milligan’s attempts at a pop career in the 1980s. It sort of starts, goes somewhere and then dies away.
Redemption for this “experimentation” is in the form of a wonderful trio of closing songs for the first set. “Put Away” is glorious, embittered and celebratory at the same time. Guitar, keys and drums a tumbling mass of inchoate Fall-ness. This is followed by a similarly challenging atonal surge through “No Xmas for John Quays”. The encore offering is “Psycho Mafia” played for the second time.
The second set somewhat suffers in comparison to the spiky brashness of the “matinee”, however in mitigation it feels like the group has got more comfortable with the material, the set order is changed to make it more balanced, and perhaps some form of subtle change in the intervening period has occurred. Bramah’s guitar for example is a little more restrained which adds to the feeling of a metamorphosis from the punky leanings of 1978 to the altogether more unique sound of 1979.
It would be churlish to complain about anything in the second set , apart from the clearly untogether “Let’s” a song that doesn’t seem comfortable in its own skin as it were. Moreover the more relaxed performance of the second set perhaps reflects, in context, the way the group would develop. The added benefit is that Marc’s bass is audible in the second set. Add to that a mammoth version of “Music Scene” which defies description.
This is altogether a vital document in The Fall live canon.
Future group drummer Paul Hanley, who was there, sent me a short review of the gig a few years back…..
“I was lucky enough to be in attendance at this line up’s debut gig, at Bowdon Vale Youth Club in Altrincham, Mike had brought along his stage gear from his previous combo, Rocking Ricky. The Fall took the stage with Marc sporting a silver waistcoat and bootlace tie, and Martin looking splendid in a taupe drape-coat. The sight of the drum stool being occupied by what looked like an off-duty member of the C.I.D. in a leopard skin flat cap only added to the sense of strangeness. In truth, there were even greater shocks in store.
The Fall being the Fall, they did have some new songs which worked well enough but overall they sounded very odd indeed. To hear Mike’s approximation of Karl’s masterworks was as odd an experience as hearing Karl attempt ‘Fiery Jack’ a couple of years later. Not that it mattered long term, because this line up was soon decimated by the sudden departure of Martin to pastures new.”
I chatted to Mike Leigh about the gig around ten years ago and his recollections were:
It was my debut gig with The Fall and I didn’t know what to expect.
As I remember, there were a few “It’ll be OK when we get it together” comments from a very young MES.
It was a series of firsts for me:
First gig with The Fall
First time I was involved in helping to form original material and writing my own drum patterns, fills and beats.
First time my kit had been mic’d up
First time I played with a band that people actually paid to see
First time I didn’t sing (I said “That’ll be right then” on Dragnet)
First time I met Joy Division (they came in on our guest list and we were on theirs the following week)
We had been rehearsing pretty hard and I think we were all a bit nervous
Karl Burns’ shoes were massive to fill, so I didn’t even try. I did what I was used to doing, kept to my own style and it seemed to work. I think it helped the others shine, because up until then, The Fall were a very drum dominated outfit. I wasn’t good enough to be a lead instrument, but had the experience of playing different styles of music and using the drums to add feeling to the songs.
We were all in my old van and I took everyone back to my mum’s for a brew, before I dropped them off.
It was the beginning of a magic time for me. My only regret in life after over 54 years on this earth is that I stupidly walked out on my friends 2 years later, because I wasn’t playing enough gigs and was a bit bored sitting around doing nothing.
Two of my most favourite Fall songs were “Music Scene” and “No Xmas for John Quays.” When we played them the hairs on the back of my neck used to stand up and when I listen to No Xmas on Totales Turns, they still stand up (what’s left of them anyway!!)
I think after the first set we were all glad we had got through unscathed, as it were, and felt more relaxed for set 2
Mark decided on the set lists, so I was particularly looking forward to “Music Scene” in set 2. The first set was for under 18s and the second for 18 and over, as I remember.
I didn’t drink, smoke or indulge in chemical enhancements, as has been well documented, but the other members had a couple of pints which I guess helped them to relax a bit, too.
I think Paul’s comment comparing my trying to emulate Karl’s style and vice versa would be relevant if we did try it, but I’m pretty sure we didn’t. Karl was an amazing rock drummer and I was a Rock ‘n’ Roll drummer, so we were really like chalk and cheese.
Listening back again when preparing this substack I am struck by the promise of this group - unfortunately this line-up only lasted until April when Martin left to form Blue Orchids. Notably he would be replaced by Craig Scanlon and Steve Hanley whose previous band Staff 9 supported the aforementioned Joy Division as the same venue several weeks later - it’s a small world at times.
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