Middle Class Revolt
Encyclopedia
Middle Class Revolt is an album by The Fall, released in 1994 on Permanent Records. It spent one week on the UK album chart at number 48, a marked contrast to the top 10 debut of their preceding album The Infotainment Scan
. The album's full title is Middle Class Revolt A/K/A The Vapourisation Of Reality. Drummer Karl Burns features for the first time since 1985's This Nation's Saving Grace
, having rejoined the band in 1993.
The album spawned two singles, "Behind the Counter" (12/93 - no. 75) and "15 Ways" (04/94 - no. 65). A further five tracks from the album featured as b-sides across the formats of these singles, and, although most were in alternate versions, this meant that the album only contained seven songs that were new to fans upon its release, three of which were cover versions. The album was also controversial for its writing credits in which all Fall originals were credited to Mark E. Smith, Craig Scanlon and Steve Hanley, despite some of the tracks having already been credited differently on the preceding single releases.
The cover versions on the album were notably less mainstream than some of their other recent choices; "War", originally by Henry Cow
, "Shut Up!", originally by The Monks
(whom The Fall had already covered twice on 1990's Extricate
) and a bizarre version of "Junk Man", originally by The Groundhogs
- according to Daryl Easlea's sleevenote for the 2006 reissue, Smith prevailed upon the group to deliver the song from memory and, as a result, MES is backed by minimal drums, bass, kazoo and some tuneless hollering from Burns. Another track "Symbol of Mordgan" is based upon a recording of Scanlon discussing a football match by telephone on John Peel
's Saturday afternoon programme.
Middle Class Revolt is, as Easlea notes, not a uniformly popular album amongst the group's fans. Nevertheless, it houses some popular tracks. Indeed, "Hey! Student" attained the number 2 position in John Peel
's 1994 Festive Fifty
, beaten to the top only by Inspiral Carpets
' "I Want You", which featured Mark E. Smith
as guest vocalist.
, alternate mixes of several album tracks previously issued on singles and a clutch of rare or previously unheard remixes.
Disc one
Disc two
The Infotainment Scan
The Infotainment Scan is an album by The Fall, released in 1993 on Permanent Records in the UK and by Matador Records in the US. It was considered at the time of its release as the band's most accessible album, and came when the band were experiencing unprecedented recognition in the media...
. The album's full title is Middle Class Revolt A/K/A The Vapourisation Of Reality. Drummer Karl Burns features for the first time since 1985's This Nation's Saving Grace
This Nation's Saving Grace
This Nation's Saving Grace is a 1985 LP by The Fall. It reached number 54 in the UK charts. The album is frequently cited as one of the group's strongest and most consistent...
, having rejoined the band in 1993.
The album spawned two singles, "Behind the Counter" (12/93 - no. 75) and "15 Ways" (04/94 - no. 65). A further five tracks from the album featured as b-sides across the formats of these singles, and, although most were in alternate versions, this meant that the album only contained seven songs that were new to fans upon its release, three of which were cover versions. The album was also controversial for its writing credits in which all Fall originals were credited to Mark E. Smith, Craig Scanlon and Steve Hanley, despite some of the tracks having already been credited differently on the preceding single releases.
The cover versions on the album were notably less mainstream than some of their other recent choices; "War", originally by Henry Cow
Henry Cow
Henry Cow were an English avant-rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade together, but drummer Chris Cutler and bassoonist/oboist Lindsay Cooper were important long-term members...
, "Shut Up!", originally by The Monks
The Monks
Monks are a garage rock band, formed by American GIs who were based in Germany in the mid to late 1960s. They reunited in 1999 and have continued to play concerts, although no new studio recordings have been made...
(whom The Fall had already covered twice on 1990's Extricate
Extricate
Extricate is a 1990 album by post-punk band The Fall. It was made immediately after bandleader Mark E. Smith divorced Brix Smith. Brix's departure influenced more than just the subject matter of the album, it also helped define the sound of this album: her background vocals and post-punk guitar,...
) and a bizarre version of "Junk Man", originally by The Groundhogs
The Groundhogs
Groundhogs are a British rock band founded in late 1963, that toured extensively in the 1960s, achieved prominence in the early 1970s and continued sporadically into the 21st century.-Career:...
- according to Daryl Easlea's sleevenote for the 2006 reissue, Smith prevailed upon the group to deliver the song from memory and, as a result, MES is backed by minimal drums, bass, kazoo and some tuneless hollering from Burns. Another track "Symbol of Mordgan" is based upon a recording of Scanlon discussing a football match by telephone on John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's Saturday afternoon programme.
Middle Class Revolt is, as Easlea notes, not a uniformly popular album amongst the group's fans. Nevertheless, it houses some popular tracks. Indeed, "Hey! Student" attained the number 2 position in John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's 1994 Festive Fifty
Festive Fifty
The Festive Fifty was originally an annual list of the year's fifty best songs compiled at the end of the year and voted for by listeners to John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show...
, beaten to the top only by Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets are an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert and Stephen Holt in 1983. The band is named after a clothing shop on their Oldham estate...
' "I Want You", which featured Mark E. Smith
Mark E. Smith
Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
as guest vocalist.
Track listing
- "15 Ways" (Mark E. SmithMark E. SmithMark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
, Craig ScanlonCraig ScanlonCraig Scanlon is a British guitarist, best known as a member of The Fall between 1979 and 1995. During this period he co-wrote over 120 of the group's songs; Mark E. Smith excepted, this tally is unmatched by any other musician to have passed through the group.-Career:Scanlon joined the band...
, Steve HanleySteve Hanley (musician)Steve Hanley is an Irish-born English musician, based in Manchester. He is best known for playing bass guitar in The Fall from 1979 to 1998, and afterwards in The Lovers....
) - "The Reckoning" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley)
- "Behind the Counter" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley) - credited on the single release to (Smith/Karl BurnsKarl BurnsKarl Burns is a British musician best known as drummer for The Fall, featuring in many incarnations of the band between 1977 and 1998....
) - "M5#1" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley) - credited on "Behind The Counter" single to (Dave Bush/Simon WolstencroftSimon WolstencroftSimon Wolstencroft is a musician from Manchester, England, best known for playing drums with The Fall between June 1986 and August 1997.Wolstencroft was a member of an early incarnation of The Stone Roses; having previously been a member of The Weeds and The Colourfield. He was also drummer for...
/Smith) - "Surmount All Obstacles" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley)
- "Middle Class Revolt!" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley)
- "War" (Peter BlegvadPeter BlegvadPeter Blegvad is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and cartoonist. He was a founding member of the avant-pop band Slapp Happy, which later merged briefly with Henry Cow, and has released many solo and collaborative albums...
/Anthony MooreAnthony MooreAnthony Moore is a British experimental music composer, performer and producer. He was a founding member of the band Slapp Happy, worked with Henry Cow and has made a number of solo albums, including Flying Doesn't Help and World Service .As a lyricist, Moore has collaborated with Pink Floyd on...
) - "You're Not Up to Much" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley)
- "Symbol of Mordgan" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley)
- "Hey! Student" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley) - credited on The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004 to (Smith)
- "Junk Man" (McFree) - actually Tony McPheeTony McPheeTony McPhee is an English blues guitarist, and founder of The Groundhogs....
- "The $500 Bottle of Wine" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley)
- "City Dweller" (Smith, Scanlon, Hanley)
- "Shut Up!" (The MonksThe MonksMonks are a garage rock band, formed by American GIs who were based in Germany in the mid to late 1960s. They reunited in 1999 and have continued to play concerts, although no new studio recordings have been made...
)
2006 edition
The album was remastered and reissued as an expanded 2 disc set in 2006. The second disc included the group's 17th session for John PeelJohn Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, alternate mixes of several album tracks previously issued on singles and a clutch of rare or previously unheard remixes.
Disc one
- As per original release
Disc two
- "M5" (Peel Session recording)
- "Behind The Counter" (Peel Session recording)
- "Reckoning" (Peel Session recording)
- "Hey! Student" (Peel Session recording)
- "Behind The Counter (single mix)
- "War" (single mix)
- "Cab Driver"
- "M5" (single mix)
- "Happy Holiday"
- "Behind The Counter" (Remix)
- "15 Ways" (single mix)
- "Happy Holiday" (Promo mix)
- "Middle Class Revolt" (The Drum Club Prozac mix)
- "Middle Class Revolt" (The Drum Club Orange In The Mouth mix)
- "Middle Class Revolt" (Rex Sargeant mix)
- "Surmount All Obstacles" (Rex Sargeant mix)
Personnel
- The Fall:
- Mark E. SmithMark E. SmithMark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
- vocals - Craig ScanlonCraig ScanlonCraig Scanlon is a British guitarist, best known as a member of The Fall between 1979 and 1995. During this period he co-wrote over 120 of the group's songs; Mark E. Smith excepted, this tally is unmatched by any other musician to have passed through the group.-Career:Scanlon joined the band...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, voice on "Symbol Of Mordgan" - Steve HanleySteve Hanley (musician)Steve Hanley is an Irish-born English musician, based in Manchester. He is best known for playing bass guitar in The Fall from 1979 to 1998, and afterwards in The Lovers....
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Simon WolstencroftSimon WolstencroftSimon Wolstencroft is a musician from Manchester, England, best known for playing drums with The Fall between June 1986 and August 1997.Wolstencroft was a member of an early incarnation of The Stone Roses; having previously been a member of The Weeds and The Colourfield. He was also drummer for...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, programming - Karl BurnsKarl BurnsKarl Burns is a British musician best known as drummer for The Fall, featuring in many incarnations of the band between 1977 and 1998....
- drums, guitar, vocals and kazooKazooThe kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
on "Junk Man" - Dave Bush - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, programming
- Mark E. Smith
- John PeelJohn PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
- voice on "Symbol Of Mordgan"