UPC: 607618269715
Label: BEGGARS BANQUET US
Format: LP
Release Date: September 5, 2025
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Released by Beggars Banquet in June 1989, Seminal Live was the first of many live/semi-live/pseudo-live albums across The Falls catalog. Its release, at the tail end of the prolific Beggars Banquet era (1984-1989), resulted in it being unfairly regarded as a contractual obligation album. The albums that preceded it are classics, considered pillars of the bands excessive catalog. The studio recordings on Seminal Live were all new songs and make up the first side of the album. The live recordings on side two, meanwhile, are all versions of previously-released tracks. Some of the songs on Seminal Live are amongst the best Fall songs of all time. Side one contains Dead Beat Descendant, and their cover of Lonnie Irvings Pinball Machine is in the well-worn tradition of The Falls country covers.

The live side shows more signs of the collage-like nature of the LP. Not going the route of a single hot set, live tracks were drawn from shows in Vienna or Manchester mostly from 1988. Recording quality is mostly even and like with all Fall live material, there is much to unpack for the true head. This was undoubtedly one of the strongest line-ups of the band ever, and you can absolutely hear it.

The Falls legendary and notorious frontman Mark E. Smith passed away in 2018 at the age of 60 and left us with a massive output. The amount of Fall releases (and band members) was prolific to say the least. The foundation of their unique sound is a near-cacophonous, amelodic jagged jumble of guitars, sing-speak vocals and keyboards which has had an enormous influence on the indie/alternative scene.

Mark E Smiths group of psychedelic post-punks rank as one of the most visionary, singular British bands of all time. THE GUARDIAN

TRACK LIST:

A1. Dead Beat Descendant
A2. Pinball Machine
A3. H.O.W.
A4. Squid Law
A5. Mollusc in Tyrol

B1. 2 By 4
B2. Elf Prefix / L.A.
B3. Victoria
B4. Pay Your Rates
B5. Introduction / Cruisers Creek