Oh! Brother

Recorded live at Futures and Pasts, this special episode of Oh! Brother sees Paul and Steve joined on stage by the Poet Laureate himself, Simon Armitage. Simon looks back on discovering The Fall as a teenager, his early gigs, and what it is about Mark E. Smith's lyrics that has captivated so many writers.

There's talk of poetry, songwriting and life as Poet Laureate, a few brief encounters with Mark, and a moving poem written after his death. Thanks again to Simon and everyone involved with Futures and Pasts, hope you enjoy!

This week Paul and Steve welcome Liverpool musician Barry Sutton, former Fall roadie and founder of Beatnik Hurricane. Barry recalls hearing Slates at 15, abandoning prog on the spot and beginning his long association with The Fall.
He also covers the drum stands he may or may not have set up, his expulsion from school and his family's habit of setting off fire alarms. Paul and Steve also ask him about Beatnik Hurricane's film Sketches of Skem. Hope you enjoy!

This week on Oh! Brother, we were thrilled to welcome Manchester music legend and Mercury Prize-winner Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) to the show. Damon talks us through his early days as a tape-op at Square One Studios in Bury, his years at print works and music college, and how hearing Springsteen and The Stranglers sparked his obsession with sound. We also hear the full story of how Mark E. Smith mistook him for a taxi driver outside Night and Day — complete with false teeth and a Pet Sounds cassette — leading to their collaboration on "Calendar", plus Damon reflects on life after quitting the booze, his friendship with Mark over the years, and the John Spencer Blues Explosion gig that changed everything. Hope you enjoy!

This week on Oh! Brother, we welcome BC Camplight — aka Brian Christinzio. Brian discusses discovering the piano as a child, beginning his career in Philadelphia and finding a new home in Manchester. He also recalls his unusual introduction to The Fall, reflects on his approach to recording and production, and prepares to reinterpret songs covered by the band for Futures and Pasts. Hope you enjoy!

This week on Oh! Brother, we were delighted to welcome drummer and academic Kate Themen to the show. Kate talks us through being recruited by Julia Nagle to play three shows with The Fall in April 1998, rehearsing the material at short notice, and joining Mark E. Smith and Julia on stage at Dingwalls and Reading — where the unpredictable performances included a brief appearance from dancer Michael Clark and objects being thrown from the audience. We also hear about Kate’s band Polythene, her later musical projects, and her memories of appearing as an extra alongside Karen Leatham in the independent film Glow Boys. Plus, Kate discusses her academic work on women’s football, the continuing struggle for equality within the game, football clubs’ responsibilities to their communities, and her hopes of returning to drumming after recovering from injury.