Legends of The Fall

Paul Hanley, five years a drummer in The Fall with Stephen Titley

Two former legendary drummers for the legendary group The Fall are coming into internet radio station, Fab Radio International.com ’s studio in Manchester over the next two Fridays, 8 and 15 December at 9 pm. They’ll be picking tracks and talking with host Stephen G. Titley about their life in The Fall and in music in general, in an interview with Stephen Titley, from Oldham.

The Church of The Fall discusses and plays all things Fall plus groups related to the Fall by musical marriage, civil partnership and co-habitation over the 41 years of the group. Host Stephen G. Titley explained that “The Fall are often called a cult band, but The Fall’s music is a ‘broad church’, there is something for everybody. I do the show as much to introduce younger music lovers to The Fall, as anything; some of their parents have told them that Oasis were the best band in the world and, entertaining though Oasis were, they weren’t the best band in Greater Manchester. The Fall are the greatest group of all time. The Fall are my Beatles”

On Friday 8 December, Simon Wolstencroft, eleven years in The Fall but also a drummer for Ian Brown and Johnny Marr among others and famed as the man who turned down the drum seat in The Smiths, will be talking about his life in music as captured in his book “You Can Drum But You Can’t Hide” (Route Publishing). A book that Ian Brown described as “Manchester. Music. Mayhem. A top story! Si tells it as it was.” ‘Funky Si’ as he came to be known joins the dots between many a legendary Manchester band.

Paul Hanley, five years a drummer in The Fall as half of a legendary drum and bass rhythm section with his brother Steve Hanley (also a future guest on the show) is nowadays touring with his brother and Brix Smith-Start in Brix and The Extricated. A band consisting of ex -Fall members that began covering Fall numbers but has since released an acclaimed album of new tracks ‘Part 2’.

Route have recently published his book ‘Leave The Capital’ which is a A History Of Manchester Music In 13 Recordings. Proud Greater Mancunians should be still prouder as they read about the story of Strawberry and Pluto studios in Stockport where producing genius Martin Hannett oversaw early Factory recording including Joy Divsiion and artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Herman’s Hermits, The Fall, Neil Sedaka, The Stone Roses, The Smiths. 10 cc and St Winnifred’s School Choir recorded!

He will be talking about key recordings, including The Fall’s ‘Perverted By Language’ LP and how they were part of the studio’s pivotal contribution to Manchester music from the under-reported Manchester music invasion of America in the sixties and beyond and up to the ground-breaking post punk and Factory era that cemented Manchester as music city to rival and, he would say, surpass Liverpool.

Oldham resident Stephen G.Titley, is a local comedian and writer, broadcasts a weekly radio show on Manchester's Fab Radio.