Regular readers will know of my love and admiration of The Fall and their leader Mark E Smith. However I'm worried MES might not be around much longer if recent reports are to be looked at.
A few months ago, several gigs were pulled due to his ill health, including a tour of the U.S., their first over there for years. Reasons were given as he had been hospitalised due to mouth, throat and respiratory issues. Following a worrying gig where he had to leave stage (not an unusual occurrance but for much of this show) several U.K. gigs were also pulled.
Well they're back. They played Wakefield last Friday, but MES was confined to a wheelchair and looked terrible. After a few songs, he had to go backstage where he sung for the remaining songs while latest g/f pranced around the stage annoying the crowd. She's 31 years old btw, god knows what she sees in a bloke twice her age, he's hardly Mick Jagger, but I worry she's dragging him down. On Monday they returned with a gig in Newcastle, Pam, his latest g/f said afterwards he was a bit better, and indeed he did complete the show albeit in wheelchair and with his arm in a sling. The performance I gather was a good one despite his ailments.
But I'm shocked at his latest health scare. He's never been a picture of health and wellbeing, but the decline is frightening and I for one wish he'd give it a break until he's fit and better again. Otherwise he might not be performing for much longer.
How does mouth, throat and respiratory problems come to this....
Boils on his head, the chubby jowls (curiously a lyric from 1983!), the arm sling, the wheelchair? This is more than a throat and mouth issue but, quite rightly because it's none of our business, details have been kept quiet. Talk like this in fact is hated by some at the Fall Forum (loved by others of course). I do think fans should be allowed to show concern of these issues, but it's like treading on eggshells. I probably picked the wrong month to get banned from there.
Is he rich like Paul Daniels as in what did you see in Paul Daniels by Mrs Merton? Sounds like he is suffering @lewis.
No FP, he's not rich, he lives in a three bed semi in Prestwich. That's what's so peculiar, his wife and keyboard player of 15 years disappeared 18 months ago and this new woman came on the scene. Ever since his health has deteriorated rapidly, and I'm sure it's to do with her. Like I said if she is a gold digger, she's picked the wrong bloke - he's not Mick Jagger.
Depending on what is wrong with him the bloating could be the effects of medication as could the sling etc
Must be some serious medication then, yet his "performance" at Newcastle on Monday, vocally and by his standards, wasn't bad at all. Just sung from the wheelchair.
Oh wtf, I know you'll hate the music/singing, but here's the evidence.
Me too. As we've established, he's in a bad way but gigs pay the bills not record sales, especially for low sales bands like The Fall. I fear he's being pushed into going back to work for financial reasons. I get sick pay, he won't.
Post by Berry McPaper-cuts on Oct 25, 2017 21:30:59 GMT
It is a way of not having to stand up for the performance that will be understood by his fans though - as in “ my voice is fine my limbs are buggered”.