Mark Edvard Smith Vocalist, songwriter and leader of "The Fall" Date of Birth: 05.03.1957 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Mark Smith
2. Early Life and Formation of The Fall
3. Musical Career and Influences
4. Solo Projects and Collaborations
5. Personal Life and Recognition

Biography of Mark Smith

Mark Smith, a British poet and vocalist, is best known as the leader of the post-punk band The Fall. Allmusic describes him as an "icon" of the British underground music scene. Smith's unique lyrics, characterized by abstract poetry, clever wordplay, biting social commentary, and a misanthropic spirit, have shaped the style and ethos of the band. He gained notoriety for his strict "personnel policy," with the band's lineup changing 58 times.

Early Life and Formation of The Fall

Mark Smith was born in Broughton, Salford, in a working-class family. During his youth, he primarily listened to 1960s garage rock as well as bands like Can, Captain Beefheart, and Velvet Underground. Despite multiple unsuccessful auditions for local heavy metal bands, Smith, at the age of 19, formed The Fall with his friends. The band had a constantly changing lineup but maintained a consistent style. Smith's distinct guttural delivery and surrealist, cleverly unexpected lyrics on various topics, from social issues to science fiction, became the band's trademark. He cited Wyndham Lewis, H.P. Lovecraft, and Philip K. Dick as his main influences.

Musical Career and Influences

Although initially inspired by The Sex Pistols, Smith distanced himself from the punk rock movement and expressed a closer affinity to Black Sabbath. He rejected offers from major record labels, considering their standards to be low and their employees incompetent. Smith's satirical targets included producers, accountants, students (as seen in the song "Hey! Student" from the album "Middle Class Revolt"), and ex-hippies. He believed in following a proletarian work ethic in his art, often leading to conflicts with musicians who he felt were not dedicated enough. Smith disliked the term "proletarian rock" when applied to The Fall.

Solo Projects and Collaborations

In addition to his work with The Fall, Smith released two spoken-word solo albums, "The Post-Nearly Man" (1998) and "Pander! Panda! Panzer!" (2002). He also collaborated as a guest vocalist with bands like Inspiral Carpets, Elastica, Long Fin Killie, Mouse on Mars, and Coldcut. Smith appeared in several television shows and low-budget films. He portrayed himself in Michael Winterbottom's film "24 Hour Party People" (2002).

Personal Life and Recognition

Mark Smith married Brix Smith, a former member of The Fall, in 1983, but they divorced in 1989. He then married Saffron Prior, secretary of the Cog Sinister Fan Club, in November 1991, but they divorced in February 1995. His third wife, Eleni Poulou, joined the band in September 2002.

In 2005, the BBC aired a documentary film titled "The Fall: The Wonderful and Frightening World of Mark E Smith," exploring the enigmatic and chaotic career of Smith and his band. Smith received the Diesel-U-Music Awards for his contribution to the development of music in August 2005. In 2008, he was honored with the Maverick Award by Mojo magazine, recognizing him as an artist who follows his own path and refuses to conform to movements or groups. The award was presented by members of The Cribs and poet John Cooper Clarke, who referred to Smith as the "coolest man in the world."