Phil D., host of Friday’s Friday Clock Out:

The passing of The Fall’s leader Mark E. Smith leaves a huge hole in the heart of post-punk music. Iconoclastic and abrasive, yet full of humor, Smith never looked back nor took a breath on past music endeavors. The Fall created nearly a record a year since 1979. Smith was the only constant member. He was quoted, “If it’s me and yer granny on bongos, it’s The Fall.” He was an influential pioneer of narrative, cryptic style vocals. They were uncanny and immediately recognizable. They paired perfectly with The Fall’s music. Their last album, New Facts Emerge, was as good as the first. The Fall was consistently good and never wavered from their aim to disrupt music industry standards as they continued to put out solid music. “That’s my f-ing aim in life, to keep it going as long as I can, basically.” Thank you, Mark E. Smith. You certainly did and the world is better for it.