The great man has, in the past month, become a bestselling (ghosted) author, and returned triumphant from exile to the hallowed realms of the top 40. Now, he issues his annual communique via The Fall online resource, reprinted for you here.
ANNUAL BULLETIN FROM THE DESK OF M.E.S. May-14-08
Dearest Friends:
The Real Mark E. Smith here:
1)Your contempt for the squirrel thing.
2)Your support for the tour of "L.P. that wasn’t out yet.".
3)Your toleration of ghost-writer Collings absurd chapter titles.
–TO YOU I GIVE MY GREATEST THANKS.
I LOVE YOU ALL, MEIN COMRADES, But I cannot embrace you all-because, in the main, I have pulled out the lap-top lead to use as a handy throttling device for mediaists, activists, groupies and Alan Wise(show not on ever).
From all this, dear friend, there are two things.
1) Beware, Big Dave from Duesseldorf is out of hospital and planning a new book- it is good.
2)BUT the main perogative is "The Fall" group and always will be.
Your pal,
Mark E. Smith
May 2008
—
It’s interesting to note the concluding sentence of this communiqué: "The main prerogative is ’The Fall’ group and always will be." Reading the excellent Renegade one is struck by the manner in which Smith continually separates himself from the band/entity that is The Fall. He seems to see himself less as The Fall’s dictator than as its curator, seeking always to hold firm to an idea that’s existed since he took control of The Fall in a late ’70s putsch, and to cull those members who don’t adequately live up to what The Fall needs and deserves of them. As the gatekeeper of The Fall, Smith is the conduit between mortal musicians/fans and this metaphysical, unquantifiable being. Yes: he is the Hip Priest. And I am mere pseud mag ed.
