Renegade [Hardcover]

Mark E Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2008

'Reams of stuff have been written about me in the past, but never in my own words: this is the proper one' - Mark E. Smith. Still going after thirty years, The Fall are one of the most distinctive British bands, their music - odd, spare, cranky and circular - an acknowledged influence on The Smiths, The Happy Mondays, Nirvana and Franz Ferdinand. And Mark E. Smith is The Fall. For the first time we get to hear his full, candid take on the ups and downs of a band as notorious for its in-house fighting as for its great music; and on a life that has endured prison in America, drugs, bankruptcy, divorce and the often bleak results of a legendary thirst.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Possibly the funniest music book ever written'. --Andrew O'Hagan, The Observer --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Mark E. Smith grew up in Prestwich, Manchester. He founded The Fall at the age of nineteen and for thirty years has been the hub around which the band has operated. The term 'living legend' is used too easily, but in the case of Mark E. Smith it is entirely appropriate.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Group (April 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670916749
• ISBN-13: 978-0670916740
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,979,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RENEGADE: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith, December 29, 2009

By 

Wayne M. Kukse - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Renegade (Hardcover)

At the very least this book is a must for all Fall fans. For all of the line up changes over the years, the one constant is Mark E. Smith. Over the years I have always read what a jerk he was, w/ no words to the contrary from him. Finally the final word from the man himself. Their place as one of the greatest bands ever already cemented. The book is a heady stream of conciousness filled w/ comical personal attacks. No person, concept, or institution is safe from this caustic wit. For every blast to one (whose fault it always is) that Mark felt crossed him, there are also kind (Mark E. Smith kind) words for those who supported him. For a self avowed socialist, Mr. Smith comes across conservative in many ways, such as marriage, family, and work ethic to name but a few. Mr. Smith is convicted in all of his beliefs, even if they sometimes contradict themselves. He seems to have no regrets. You will not get much insight into any of the Falls material, or Mark E. Smith, the man himself really. What you will get is a thought provoking rant on a myriad of subjects, recommendations on books that I,for one have taken up and found to be right on in their recommendation. Far more laughs than in your average biography, or any other book for that matter. Another man out of his time, a ribald original. I can't recommend this book enough.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, August 7, 2010

By 

Lovblad (Geneva, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith (Paperback)

As expected this makes an excellent read: Mark E Smith is again on excellent form and recounts his adventures and misadventures in the music business. Of course he ends up criticizing everybody and nobody really comes out unscathed by his criticism. Highly recommended. It is a very entertaining read and irt is extremely funny.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Could of been better, April 16, 2009

By 

John S (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith (Paperback)

Mark E. Smith and The Fall are acutely phenomenal in the world of pop music and that alone would be enough for me to pick up their proper biography.

After countless brilliant interviews and on-spot snippets of wit and anger, we finally get an autobiography of Mark E. Smith himself. Considering MES's graphomaniac ability and his long-forgotten aspiratinos to be a writer, one would expect something stylish and literary, or maybe revolutionary. At least, I was inclined to believe so. Wrong. Instead, MES simply rants about this and that, wisely led by the co-writer Austin Collings, whose job, I assume, was to keep everything in order. The cover picture of a drinking MES doesn't help: was the book being made at some Manchester pub over a moutain of beers?

The book starts with settling account with a recently departed member of The Fall, Ben Pritchard, who had given a tell-it-all interview about MES's attics. It's awfully lame for MES to do so, but I see the point. In July 1977 Elvis Presley's bodyguards published an outrageous book exposing the King's behavioral atrocities. Presley was ill-mad at the publication but never had a chance to oppose it as he was announced dead a few weeks later. Luckily MES didn't die before completing the book.

Throughout the book, MES constantly bemoans about England and "these days" and gloriously paints Bo Didley's America and the old socialist Manchester of the 1970s, which is a striking dissonance when compared to the attitude of Tony Wilson & the Factory crowd.

In the end, I found myself to prefer these short brisk outburts of revelation that MES gave us throughout the years: they were different from each other, increasing contradiction and intrigue; once you put it out in form of a book, it is set and Mark is never set. In this regard, I more enjoyed John Lydon's "Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs", which was simply better delivered. On the other hand, "Renegade" serves its purpose, allowing MES to narrate his own autobiography by himself. Everyone would find what they look for in this book and that truly makes up for the patchy, alcoholic style.