Are You Are Missing Winner
Encyclopedia
Are You Are Missing Winner is an album by British rock band The Fall, released in November 2001 on CD and in January 2002 as a vinyl picture disc. Since the previous year's release of the critically acclaimed The Unutterable
, Fall front man Mark E. Smith
had replaced his entire band with a new line-up, a fact he acknowledges in a refrain in the album's opening track: "We are the new Fall". The Unutterable' s flirtation with drum and bass
is replaced on Are You Are Missing Winner by a more rockabilly
-influenced sound.
The album features a cover version of the northern soul
track "Gotta See Jane", originally by R. Dean Taylor
(The Fall had previously achieved a minor hit in 1987 with a version of Taylor's "There's a Ghost in My House
"). Also featured are versions of Leadbelly
's "The Bourgeois Blues
", as "Bourgeois Town"; and of Iggy Pop
's "African Man", as "Ibis-Afro Man"; the latter being particularly experimental with different recordings of the track frequently playing simultaneously throughout.
"Kick the Can" takes its title from an episode of The Twilight Zone
.
Critical reception to Are You Are Missing Winner was somewhat mixed, often focusing unfavourably on the contrast with The Unutterable. Among the album's more negative reviews is that of John Bush of Allmusic, who suggests, "Are You Are Missing Winner represents a rare misstep for the mighty Fall." Edwin Pouncey, writing in The Wire
, is more upbeat: "…Smith scatterguns half remembered lyrics and conducts a whirlpool of splintered guitar, dishevelled drum and battered bass sounds with a Quasimodic Gene Vincent leather gloved fist that claws even deeper into the raw clay of innovation that birthed rock 'n' roll and continues to fuel Smith's unique vision."
Some CD copies have tracks 4 and 5 in the reverse order, despite the order being listed as above.
"Rude (All The Time)" and "I Wake Up In the City" were previously issued on a 7" single by Flitwick Records in an edition of 500, all of which were given away to subscribers free of charge. "...City", "New Formation Sermon" and "Distilled Mug Art" were the 3 studio tracks on 2G+2
. The live "...Ex-Classmates'..." was included on the single release of "Theme From Sparta F.C. #2". The final track was taken from the controversial "Rude (All The Time)" EP issued by Voiceprint in 2005 and is little more than a recorded discussion amongst the credited personnel.
The Unutterable
The Unutterable is an album by British rock band The Fall, released in 2000. It was recorded with much the same line-up as had appeared on the group's previous album, 1999's The Marshall Suite...
, Fall front man 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:...
had replaced his entire band with a new line-up, a fact he acknowledges in a refrain in the album's opening track: "We are the new Fall". The Unutterable
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
is replaced on Are You Are Missing Winner by a more rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
-influenced sound.
The album features a cover version of the northern soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
track "Gotta See Jane", originally by R. Dean Taylor
R. Dean Taylor
R. Dean Taylor is a Canadian singer, most famous as a recording artist, songwriter and record producer for Motown Records company during the 1960s and 1970s...
(The Fall had previously achieved a minor hit in 1987 with a version of Taylor's "There's a Ghost in My House
There's a Ghost in My House
"There's a Ghost in My House" is a song written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland of Motown Records, together with R. Dean Taylor. It was originally recorded by Taylor in 1966....
"). Also featured are versions of Leadbelly
Leadbelly
Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
's "The Bourgeois Blues
The Bourgeois Blues
"The Bourgeois Blues" is a blues song by Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly. It was written after Lead Belly went to Washington, D.C. at the request of Alan Lomax, to record a number of songs for the Library of Congress. After they had finished, they decided to go out with their wives to...
", as "Bourgeois Town"; and of Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
's "African Man", as "Ibis-Afro Man"; the latter being particularly experimental with different recordings of the track frequently playing simultaneously throughout.
"Kick the Can" takes its title from an episode of The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
.
Critical reception to Are You Are Missing Winner was somewhat mixed, often focusing unfavourably on the contrast with The Unutterable. Among the album's more negative reviews is that of John Bush of Allmusic, who suggests, "Are You Are Missing Winner represents a rare misstep for the mighty Fall." Edwin Pouncey, writing in The Wire
The Wire (magazine)
The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music...
, is more upbeat: "…Smith scatterguns half remembered lyrics and conducts a whirlpool of splintered guitar, dishevelled drum and battered bass sounds with a Quasimodic Gene Vincent leather gloved fist that claws even deeper into the raw clay of innovation that birthed rock 'n' roll and continues to fuel Smith's unique vision."
Track listing
- "Jim's "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:...
, Jim Watts) – 2:39 - "Bourgeois Town" (LeadbellyLeadbellyHuddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
, arr. Smith) – 3:41 (credited incorrectly to Robert Johnson in album liner notes) - "Crop-Dust" (Smith, Spencer Birtwhistle) – 5:31 (based on a sample of "I Just Sing" by The TroggsThe TroggsThe Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
, though uncredited) - "My Ex-Classmates' Kids" (Smith, Ed Blaney) – 4:51
- "Kick the Can" (Smith, Ben Pritchard) – 5:13
- "Gotta See Jane" (R. Dean TaylorR. Dean TaylorR. Dean Taylor is a Canadian singer, most famous as a recording artist, songwriter and record producer for Motown Records company during the 1960s and 1970s...
) – 2:23 - "Ibis-Afro Man" (Iggy PopIggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, Scott ThurstonScott ThurstonScott Troy Thurston is an American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and session musician. He is currently a member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, in which he sings harmony vocals and plays guitar, keyboards, and harmonica....
, Smith, Watts) – 9:32 - "The Acute" (Smith, Brian Fanning) – 3:19
- "Hollow Mind" (Smith, Blaney) – 3:32
- "Reprise: Jane – Prof Mick – Ey Bastardo" (Birtwhistle, Blaney) – 7:00
Some CD copies have tracks 4 and 5 in the reverse order, despite the order being listed as above.
2006 edition
The album was remastered and expanded by Castle Music in 2006. The sound quality is audibly less erratic than on the original edition and 6 extra tracks are added as follows:- "Rude (All The Time)" (Smith, Blaney) – 2:44
- "I Wake Up In The City" (Smith, Blaney) – 4:40
- "New Formation Sermon" (Smith) – 2:04
- "Distilled Mug Art" (Smith, Blaney) – 3:33
- "My Ex-Classmates' Kids (live in Cologne 23rd October 2001)" (Smith, Blaney) – 4:59
- "Where's The Fuckin' Taxi? Cunt" (Smith, Blaney, Fanning, Les Fisher) – 5:09
"Rude (All The Time)" and "I Wake Up In the City" were previously issued on a 7" single by Flitwick Records in an edition of 500, all of which were given away to subscribers free of charge. "...City", "New Formation Sermon" and "Distilled Mug Art" were the 3 studio tracks on 2G+2
2G+2
2G+2 is an album of mixed live and studio material by British rock band The Fall, released in 2002. It features three new songs recorded in the studio—"New Formation Sermon", "I Wake Up in the City" and "Distilled Mug Art"—and the rest of the album was recorded at performances on the group's United...
. The live "...Ex-Classmates'..." was included on the single release of "Theme From Sparta F.C. #2". The final track was taken from the controversial "Rude (All The Time)" EP issued by Voiceprint in 2005 and is little more than a recorded discussion amongst the credited personnel.
Personnel
- 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 - Ben Pritchard – 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...
, vocals - Jim Watts – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar, vocals - Spencer Birtwistle – 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 ....
- Brian Fanning – guitar, vocals
- Ed Blaney – guitar, vocals
- Julia Nagle - 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...
on "Ibis-Afro Man" - uncredited; a section of this track is taken from a live recording from 23 April 2001 at the Mean Fiddler in London. Nagle was still in the band at this point and is clearly heard on the trackhttp://www.visi.com/fall/gigography/gig01.html.