Last month it was reported that Mark E. Smith, frontman for post-punk legends The Fall, had passed away at the age of 60. Now news has come forth that even in death, the legendary musician cannot escape the wild stories that have hounded him throughout his life.
As The Guardian notes, The Fall frontman was laid to rest this week near his home in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, with a wake taking place afterwards. However, close friends and former band members have since gone on record to claim that the whole event was closer to the atmosphere of a gig fronted by Smith, with wild behaviour abound.
“Just about managed to escape with my life from Mark E Smith’s funeral. The ceremony itself was nice, touching in places,” said Ben Pritchard, who was a member of The Fall from 2001 to 2006. “The wake, however, didn’t last half an hour before bottles were thrown and drinks poured over people. Total disrespect, he’d have loved it.”
“I kind of expected it but hoped otherwise.”
Likewise, actor Steve Evets, also a former bassist for the group between 2000 and 2003, echoed the sentiment. “I’ve got to say, it was just like a Fall gig, some strange people there, and it kicked off,” he noted. “Don’t think he would have had it any other way, we love you Mark.”
Mark E. Smith’s death was announced last month by his partner and band manager Pamela Vander. No cause of death has been given outside of stating that his passing was the result of a long illness.
The Fall had previously been forced to cancel a series of US dates in 2017, owing to Smith being hospitalised due to “bizarre and rare medical issues… connected to his throat, mouth/dental & respiratory system.”
Mark E. Smith served as the frontman for The Fall for 42 years, releasing 31 albums in that time, with the group’s last record, New Facts Emerge, being released in July of 2017.
Check out The Fall’s ‘Totally Wired’:
