Seminal Live

Infobox Album |
Name = Seminal Live
Type = Album
Artist = The Fall


Released = June 1989
Recorded = ???
Genre = Rock
Length = 41:13 (vinyl)
59:59 (CD/cassette)
Label = Beggars Banquet
Producer = Shan Hira,
Mark E. Smith
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gxkzikn6bb59 link]
*"Alternative Press" (favourable) [http://www.visi.com/fall/news/990221.html#ap Nov. 1989]
*"NME" (6/10) [http://www.visi.com/fall/gigography/89junxx.html 24 Jun. 1989]

*"Record Mirror" (3/5) [http://www.visi.com/fall/news/010828.html#recordmirror Jun. 1989] |
Last album = "I Am Kurious Oranj
(1988)
This album = "Seminal Live"
(1989)
Next album = "Extricate"
(1990)

"Seminal Live" is a 1989 album by British rock band The Fall, recorded partly in the studio and partly at live performances in 1988. The album was the last to be released by the group through Beggars Banquet Records, and as such is often seen as a "contractual obligation" album. It was also the last Fall album to feature Brix Smith, former wife of lead singer Mark E. Smith, until her return for 1995's "Cerebral Caustic".

The studio recordings on "Seminal" were all new songs and make up the first five tracks of the album—side one on the original vinyl release. The live recordings on side two, meanwhile, are all versions of previously released tracks. Partly because of this, critical response to the album was somewhat mixed. Andrew Collins, writing in the "NME", suggests, "Seminal Live" is worse than an intellectual letdown, it's a tease."Collins, Andrew (1989). [http://www.visi.com/fall/gigography/89junxx.html "Frenz Again"] . "NME".] The songs themselves also provoked a variety of responses from journalists. Jason Pettigrew of the "Alternative Press" writes, "For pure weirdness value, look no further than "Mollusc in Tyrol", a musique concrete rave-up on top of a Neubauten "Yu-Gung" rhythm track that's been buried alive."Pettigrew, Jason (1989). [http://www.visi.com/fall/news/990221.html#ap Review] . "Alternative Press".] A reviewer for the "Record Mirror", by contrast, says, "'Mollusc In Tyrol' is a totally unbearable drone which should never have found its way from the vaults." [http://www.visi.com/fall/news/010828.html#recordmirror "The Fall—"Seminal Live"] (1989). "Record Mirror"] In fact, it was not really a Fall recording at all, being a reworking by Mark E. Smith of "Donkeys Bearing Cups" by Craig Leon, from his 1981 album "Nommos". Leon went on to produce tracks on the band's next album, "Extricate".

Track listing

Vinyl version

;Side one
# "Dead Beat Descendant" (Mark E. Smith, Brix E. Smith) – 2:25
# "Pinball Machine" (Lonnie Irving) – 2:53
# "HOW" (M. Smith) – 4:18
# "Squid Law" (M. Smith, Steve Hanley, Craig Scanlon) – 3:42
# "Mollusc in Tyrol" (M. Smith, Craig Leon) – 5:10;Side two
# "2 × 4" (M. Smith, B. Smith) – 3:55
# "Elf Prefix"/"L.A." (M. Smith, B. Smith) – 5:02
# "Victoria" (Ray Davies) – 2:57
# "Pay Your Rates" (M. Smith) – 3:52
# "Intro/Cruisers Creek" (M. Smith, Rogers) – 6:58

CD/cassette version

# "Dead Beat Descendant" (Mark E. Smith, Brix E. Smith) – 2:25
# "Pinball Machine" (Lonnie Irving) – 2:53
# "HOW" (M. Smith) – 4:18
# "Squid Law" (M. Smith, Steve Hanley, Craig Scanlon) – 3:42
# "Mollusc in Tyrol" (M. Smith, Craig Leon) – 5:10
# "Kurious Oranj" (M. Smith, Hanley, Simon Wolstencroft) – 5:59
# "Frenz" (M. Smith) – 5:23
# "Hit the North" (M. Smith, Simon Rogers, B. Smith) – 3:12
# "2 × 4" (M. Smith, B. Smith) – 3:55
# "Elf Prefix"/"L.A." (M. Smith, B. Smith) – 5:02
# "Victoria" (Ray Davies) – 2:57
# "Pay Your Rates" (M. Smith) – 3:52
# "Intro/Cruisers Creek" (M. Smith, Rogers) – 6:58
# "In These Times" (M. Smith) – 4:12
*"All additional tracks are further live recordings"

*Tracks 8–10, 12 and 14 recorded at the Arena, Vienna, Austria on 16 April 1988
*Tracks 6, 7, and 11 recorded at an unknown venue, possibly in Manchester, in 1988. Track 13 recorded at Manchester G-Mex; Bill Grundy introduced the band onstage and his intro was used on the album.

Personnel

*The Fall:
**Mark E. Smith – vocals; violin on "Elf Prefix"
**Brix Smith – guitar, vocals
**Craig Scanlon – guitar
**Steve Hanley – bass guitar; banjo on "Pinball Machine"
**Simon Wolstencroft – drums
**Marcia Schofield – keyboards
*Bill Grundy - voice on "Intro" (uncredited)

References

External links

* [http://www.freehosting.hostrave.com/p/fall/lyrics.html?http%3A//www.freehosting.hostrave.com/p/fall/sl.html Lyrics]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:difqxqy5ldhe Review of "Seminal Live"] by Ted Mills, of Allmusic