Mark E. Smith, prolific, abrasive mastermind of post-punk legends The Fall, has died. He was 60 years old. While an exact cause of death has not been revealed, Smith was forced to cancel the Fall’s 2017 tour dates in the United States after being hospitalized for what was referred to at the time as “bizarre and rare medical issues... connected to his throat, mouth/dental & respiratory system,” according to the band's manager, Pamela Vander. Last autumn, he performed on stage in the UK in a wheelchair. Vander announced the news via a statement tweeted by a fan Twitter account and confirmed by Pitchfork.
The statement said: “It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Mark E. Smith. He passed this morning at home. A more detailed statement will follow in the next few days. In the meantime, Pam & Mark’s family request privacy at this sad time.”
Born in 1957, Smith became fascinated with music at a young age, picking up an affinity for bands like Black Sabbath, Can, and the Move. He met Una Baines—who would later go on to become a founding member of the Fall—at age 16, moving in with her after leaving his parents’ house. The Fall’s debut EP Bingo-Master’s Break Out! was released in 1978. That same year, BBC Radio 1 John Peel began his career-long fandom of the band, championing them by having them in-studio to record sessions and playing their music on the airwaves. “They are always different, they are always the same,” Peel said of the group.
A famously difficult personality, Smith cycled through dozens of members of the Fall over the course of the band's three decades. He was also arrested in 1998 for attacking his then-girlfriend, Fall keyboardist Julie Nagle.
Smith was incredibly prolific: The Fall released 32 studio albums over the course of Smith’s life, often issuing multiple albums per year. The 32nd Fall album, New Facts Emerge, was released in 2017. Smith and the Fall were an influence on many bands that followed, helping create the sound of modern indie rock.
In addition to his work with the Fall, Smith collaborated with Gorillaz, Elastica, Coldcut, Mouse on Mars, and others. He published an autobiography, Renegade: The Gospel According to Mark E. Smith, in 2008.
