Shift-Work

Formed in 1976, by 1990, The Fall had been through 18 line ups, releasing 14 albums and 24 singles. The only constant was leader, vocalist Mark Edward Smith, welded to the work ethic, creating music that stunned in its obscure brilliance; railing against mediocrity, flailing against the status quo. It was all change when The Fall signed to Fontana. Guitarist Martin Bramah, who had founded the group with Smith, returned, replacing Smith's ex-wife Brix, who had been in the group since 1983. There were few cries of sell-out, however, when The Fall signed to a major; it was just part of an evolutionary process. The three Fontana albums, Extricate, Shift-Work, and Code: Selfish were stunningly consistent. With Martin Bramah and keyboard player Marcia Schofield dismissed from the band, The Fall worked as a four-piece (Craig