The Fall were an English post-punk group, formed in 1976 in Prestwich, Greater Manchester. They underwent many line-up changes, with vocalist and founder Mark E. Smith as the only constant member. The Fall's long-term musicians included drummers Paul Hanley, Simon Wolstencroft and Karl Burns; guitarists Craig Scanlon, Marc Riley, and Brix Smith; and bassist Steve Hanley, whose melodic, circular bass lines are widely credited with shaping the band's sound from early 1980s albums such as Hex Enduction Hour to the late 1990s.
The Fall, Perverted by Language Tour, Hamburg (Markthalle), 13 April 1984. L–R: Craig Scanlon, Mark E. Smith, Karl Burns, Steve Hanley
Smith in Japan
Steve Hanley and Brix Smith, Perverted By Language tour, Hamburg, 13 April 1984
Edinburgh, 2011
Post-punk is a broad genre of music that emerged in 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experimental approach that encompassed a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-rock influences. Inspired by punk's energy and do it yourself ethic but determined to break from rock cliches, artists experimented with styles like funk, electronic music, jazz, and dance music; the production techniques of dub and disco; and ideas from art and politics, including critical theory, modernist art, cinema and literature. These communities produced independent record labels, visual art, multimedia performances and fanzines.
Siouxsie and the Banshees with the Cure. The two groups frequently collaborated.
Devo performing in 1978.
Talking Heads were one of the few American post-punk bands to reach both a large cult audience and the mainstream.
Glenn Branca performing in New York in the 1980s.