The first interview with Mark E Smith to be published in The Wire appeared early on in the life of the magazine: issue 30, dated August 1986, when The Wire was a jazz orientated publication (US saxophonist Chico Freeman graced the cover that issue). Over the next three decades Smith and The Fall were covered extensively in the magazine: he was interviewed at least seven times; appeared on the cover three times; was featured in the Invisible Jukebox section twice (Smith being the only artist to take this honour); and the music of The Fall was assessed in various essays and numerous reviews. Below you can read a selection of those pieces, all of which are stored in our online archive. Click the links to access the articles.

Mark E Smith interviewed by Mark Sinker (continued on page 48). Issue 30 August 1986.

Mark E Smith interviewed by Samantha Batra. Issue 111 May 1993

Mark E Smith’s Invisible Jukebox tested by Dave Haslam. Issue 134 April 1995

Mark Sinker reviews The Fall’s The Light User Syndrome. Issue 150 August 1996

Mark E Smith interviewed by Tony Herrington. Issue 151 September 1996

The Fall come apart on stage in New York as reported by Sasha Frere-Jones and Douglas Wolk. Issue 171 May 1998

Mark E Smith’s second Invisible Jukebox tested by Edwin Pouncey. Issue 203 January 2001

Simon Ford’s account of the circumstances and milieu in which The Fall formed in Manchester, circa 1977. Issue 219 May 2002

Stewart Lee’s Primer on The Fall on record. Issue 266 April 2006

Keith Moliné on a seismic performance by The Fall live in Guildford, 1983. Issue 276 February 2007

Mark Fisher reviews The Fall's Last Stand At Hammersmith Palais. Issue 307 September 2009

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