Artists pay tribute to Mark E. Smith (Thom Yorke, Pavement, Kim Gordon, Jarvis Cocker, Billy Bragg & more)
Few bands of the last 40 years have been as influential to indie rock, punk and alternative as The Fall, so it is not surprise to see the outpouring of tributes following the very sad death of main man Mark E. Smith. We’ve collected some of the most notable ones, not just from fellow musicians but also actors, filmmakers, comedians and more, including (ex wife and bandmate) Brix (who released a longer tribute since), ’80s/’90s era drummer Simon Wolstencroft, plus Billy Bragg, Jarvis Cocker, Peter Hook, Kim Gordon, Buzzcocks, Superchunk, Pavement’s Spiral Stairs, Matador Records, director Edgar Wright, Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, Garbage, Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli, actor Paddy Considine, Catastrophe‘s Sharon Horgan, Cloud Nothings, and many more. Read those below.
I’m taking the news in right now. I will put a statement out tomorrow. I hope you will all understand. Thank you for your lovely messages, they mean a lot. I love you, Brix pic.twitter.com/P0rEU6CeC5
— brixsmithofficial 🎸 (@Brixsmithstart) January 24, 2018
Mark, me old mucker… you will be sorely missed! The North will rise again! RIP. Love Hooky x
— Peter Hook (@peterhook) January 24, 2018
R.I.P. https://t.co/yN8rDXPmRa
— Buzzcocks (@Buzzcocks) January 24, 2018
“check the guys track record “ RiP Mark E Smith .. words .. and music .. https://t.co/T9ZJIr7K8j
— Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) January 25, 2018
crimony… we lost brother mark https://t.co/I2vMq28cC0 incredible album on me still: https://t.co/rUzROgPD7H heavy blow for watt pic.twitter.com/ftCGC0WmLB
— mike watt (@wattfrompedro) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/MrGregDulli/status/956269339329490944
I really love this version sorry to hear about Mark E. Smith passing away – Rest In Peace The Fall – Victoria (TV 1988) https://t.co/AwgEGYq4I6 via @YouTube
— Dave Davies (@davedavieskinks) January 25, 2018
God help us. RIP Mark E Smith pic.twitter.com/55ooBvnpbt
— gorillaz (@gorillaz) January 24, 2018
Mark E Smith was a complex, driven man. I greatly admired him as an artist and -both despite and because of his eccentricities- really liked him as a person. RIot in Righteousness, Mark mate.
— Irvine Welsh (@IrvineWelsh) January 25, 2018
Oh, bye Mark
❤️ @ Shoreditch https://t.co/jnAX6oTnAZ— Sharon Horgan (@SharonHorgan) January 24, 2018
Get ready for old stories
Of teenage sex
From the early 60s
Undercover
Behind office desks
Old divorces
Children’s faces#MarkESmithRIP— Sharon Horgan (@SharonHorgan) January 24, 2018
Used to think when Mark sang ‘manacled to the city’ he was saying ‘Monocles are silly’. Still made sense#HittheNorth #MarkESmithRIP
— Sharon Horgan (@SharonHorgan) January 25, 2018
Mark E.Smith R.I.P.
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) January 25, 2018
They were the best band ever. Best gig I ever saw (Hex tour) What fun we had eh?
— Luke Haines Rock N Roll (@LukeHaines_News) January 24, 2018
There will never be another The Fall or Mark E Smith.
— @ACNewman (@ACNewman) January 25, 2018
Fuck Man. RIP Mark E Smith
— mark lanegan (@marklanegan) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/cloudnothings/status/956362052435677184
Fuck. https://t.co/rau2oz9dIM
— Continuity Ted Leo Account (@tedleo) January 24, 2018
Literally started using the band name The Pharmacists because in ‘94, AS I RECALL IT (@johnedugan ?), our band Chisel was at WHFS in Md. discussing what a better band name could have been, and, thinking of The Fall’s version of “Mr. Pharmacist,” landed on “The Pharmacists.”
— Continuity Ted Leo Account (@tedleo) January 25, 2018
RIP M.E.S. from one difficult front-man to the next #thefall #mes #markesmith pic.twitter.com/9SA2bkt3MS
— GTB GTB GTB (@The_Gotobeds) January 24, 2018
Sad news! There's never been anyone like Mark E. Smith or The Fall. RIP #markesmith . pic.twitter.com/7KIyuHnfoq
— superchunk (@superchunk) January 24, 2018
RIP Mark E Smith pic.twitter.com/4BezoJzeQz
— PIXIES (@PIXIES) January 24, 2018
First we lost Ursula Le Guin, then Hugh Masekela, now Mark E Smith. Been a tough week for cultural icons.
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) January 24, 2018
— Jon Wurster (@jonwurster) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/thevanpelt/status/956293451221471232
https://twitter.com/cedricbixler_/status/956267322494279680
Alas, the great Mark E Smith has passed away. Not merely a legend of indie music, but someone who, for me, was a gateway into that very genre. Will be blasting the A Sides album all week now. The Fall are no more, long live the Fall! pic.twitter.com/rsxFybINmn
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) January 24, 2018
So so sad to hear that we’ve lost Mark E Smith. A true uncompromising musical maverick. A genius, a curmudgeon and someone whose company it was an honour to share. So long M.E.S x x x pic.twitter.com/aZFGNXZuRW
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) January 24, 2018
Sad to see you go Mark E. Smith. One of the all time music greats. We had some fun. It was a privilege to have known you for a bit. ALL HAIL! …. #markesmith https://t.co/k174HNODCl
— Kid Congo Powers (@kidcongopowers) January 24, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeWMMcBlClm/
https://twitter.com/PhizLair/status/956257987277996032
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you mark e. smith… this one hurts so fucking much. https://t.co/AR5i481DPb
— meredith graves (@gravesmeredith) January 24, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeWPUWKFzxJ/
I never met Mark E Smith but I admired him, maybe fleetingly rather than obsessively. Somehow he kept his intrigue, kept his magic. Bought many Fall records at different times and loved the repetition. Thanks for the lesson, this is from my school days. https://t.co/OxTS1yVWHF
— the pastels (@pastels_the) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/PaddyConsidine/status/956255603495788544
He WAS much appreciated. https://t.co/RVhE0SJveE Mark E Smith, who has died.
— stuart murdoch (@nee_massey) January 24, 2018
The only thing I heard was that we “were shit”. In good company then! (he bought Sinister for his sister in ‘97 though) https://t.co/RCmBjzfgfl
— stuart murdoch (@nee_massey) January 24, 2018
— David Gedge (@weddingpresent) January 24, 2018
our thoughts are with all friends, family, musical conspirators and the countless artists/thinkers whose lives were enriched by the one and only Mark E. Smith pic.twitter.com/lTL28jGSrw
— Matador Records (@matadorrecords) January 24, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/roseelinor/
Mark E Smith 💔 We will never forget you coming to see us play. Especially when you said watching us play was like watching paint dry. 💔 RIP
— Garbage (@garbage) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/WAXIDOLS/status/956262694922801153
Rest in pubs, the great Mark E. Smith. Friends & I were influenced by various sounds & songs of The Fall since early 80s. He helped make repetition sound appealing & penned some of the most interesting lyrics & titles. One of a kind.
— Doug Gillard (@douggillard) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/MoM_official/status/956262125084774402
RIP to one of the most difficult, problematic, geniuses punk ever produced, Mark E Smith, and I hope everyone he hurt and abused over the years is able to find peace some as well.
— Damian Abraham (@leftfordamian) January 24, 2018
I have a Mark E Smith story actually. Back in the day Suede got asked to support The Fall on a couple of dates. To a man we were massive fans and VERY excited to be asked. Everyone told us he could be rough on support bands but he was great. Lots of time to soundcheck. (1)
— Mat Osman (@matosman) January 24, 2018
The three R's:
repetition
repetition
repetition— Todd Patrick (@toddpatrick) January 24, 2018
Very sad to hear the news about Mark E Smith. Known him a long time and had the usual mixture of madness and monkey business with him. Love The Fall. So many tales. Thoughts are with family, friends, fans, and Fall members past and present. RIP #TheFall #MarkESmith
— Pete Wylie is WAH!🌟 (@petewylie) January 24, 2018
eternal love and gratitude to Mark E. Smith. RIP.
— Trygen Hoobaslow (@trevordebrauw) January 24, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeWOt0BHP7Z/
Mark E Smith’s sister came to see Hefner in Manchester once. Afterwards she came up to me. ‘Mark came down but he thought you were shite. He’s gone to see Clint Boon.’
— Darren Hayman (@darrenhayman) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/jetfury/status/956259494648008712
R.I.P. Mark E. Smith and thanks for the music https://t.co/kHklkkPJgZ
— Andy Bell (@Andybebop) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/youarestars/status/956269685636349952
Mark E. Smith once fired his sound engineer for ordering a salad. #thatsrocknroll
— Ian McNabb. Cultural attaché: Kensington, L,pool. (@empiresend) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/thirdmanrecords/status/956262546318811136
Very sad to hear that Mark E. Smith, leader of the very wonderful and frightening band the Fall, has passed. He really is one of the greats.https://t.co/elrGwKJ4yb
— Michael Azerrad (@michaelazerrad) January 24, 2018
Mark E Smith didn’t rule The Fall, he wasn’t the dictator of cliché. He saw it as an entity outside of himself, of which he was the curator, the caretaker, the hip priest. RIP, one of the greatest poets & artists this nation has ever known.
— Luke Turner (@LukeTurnerEsq) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/FRabbits/status/956265150746628097
Thank you Mark E. Smith. <3
— Bear In Heaven (@BearInHeaven) January 24, 2018
Fuck Fuck fuck fuck https://t.co/d4vlFIwol9
— wichitarecs (@wichitarecs) January 24, 2018
Damn man – Mark E. Smith was a king of the weirdos – long live The Fall
— Small Black (@SmallBlk) January 24, 2018
https://www.facebook.com/mariaminervamusic/posts/1676959799030280
“When I'm dead and gone
My vibrations will live on
In vibes on vinyl through the years
People will dance to my waves.”—Mark E Smith, 1979
— Andy Zax (@andyzax) January 24, 2018
(Pretty sure no one asked for that, but apparently The Fall are his favourite band, so there you go.) Anyway, the whole evening was endlessly enjoyable and memorable even if it probably wasn’t very good overall. How’s that for a tribute?
— Paint It Black (@pibphilly) January 24, 2018
Rest in peace Mark E. Smith. The scathing, prolific frontman for post-punk band The Fall has died at age 60. pic.twitter.com/EpTzcLljyi
— Amoeba Music (@amoebamusic) January 24, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeWKO_LnFvr/?taken-by=johnnytheho