Released by Beggars Banquet in June 1989, Seminal Live was the first of many live/semi-live/pseudo-live albums across The Fall’s catalog. Its release marks the end of the band’s prolific Beggars Banquet era (1984-1989). The albums that preceded Seminal Live via Beggars Banquet - The Wonderful and Frightening World Of, This Nation’s Saving Grace, Bend Sinister, The Frenz Experiment and I Am Kurious Oranj are all considered pillars of the band’s extensive 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. Songs on Seminal Live are now considered Fall classics. Side one contains “Dead Beat Descendant”, and their cover of Lonnie Irving’s “Pinball Machine” is in the well-worn tradition of The Fall’s country covers.
The live side demonstrates the collage-like nature of the LP. Rather than pulling tracks from a single set, live performances were taken from shows in Vienna and Manchester mostly from 1988. Seminal Live features one of the most celebrated line-ups of the band with Brix Smith, Craig Scanlon, Steve Hanley, Simon Wolstencrof, Marcia Schofield and of course Mark E. Smith.
The Fall’s 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.
TRACK LISTING
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 / Cruiser’s Creek