Hip Priest

by Simon Ford

Genres: Music, Biography

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2003

Reviews

[Andrew Kirschner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is it. This is the holy grail for the fall fan in your life. I can see why mes didn’t take part in this though because when it gets to the 90s part….they tear him apart (though he was completely self deserving of it). There are interviews from almost everyone who has been in the band or worked with them until 2001 when this was published. With the book divided into years for chapters, it abruptly ends; would have liked to seen it spaced out more. The stories everyone tell are insane, the legend only grows after reading this. 4 and a half stars.

[Geoff Winston Leghorn Balme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a fan for nearly 40 yrs, Having chased the enigma, pondered the liner notes wondered what was being said to the cigarette machine, having lost touch mid 90s but caught back up for a London gig just post breakup -I'm reading this book late. I know the real ending. The Fall had many ups and downs but are amazing for the creative output that was steady for for better than 4 decades. I loved the wordy busy MES best. The one compelled to scrawl all over album covers. But I cannot deny the appeal of the later curmudgeon despite drunken ailing and revisionist. This book provides much desired insight into the process and determination as well as possibly psychopathy of the central driving unit. Could he have been a bit nicer overall? Could a Hex Era MES have been maintained. Could he have lived longer pleasing us by letting us buy a new fall record each yr?? Maybe not. This with the Hanley books and Si the drummers book fill in the blanks. ❤️

[Pete daPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always interested in, and a pursuivant of the poptastic from my home town. 'Hip Priest' by Simon Ford (2003) is one of a number of biographies pertaining to Mark E. Smith and The Fall.
I discover that the only link I have with M.E.S. (the man,not the ailment) is we both worked on Salford docks in the early 1970's.
Ford's biography documents the turbulence of twenty five years of The Fall. The vast album back catalogue, the equally immense band line-ups. Smith has fired more musicians than Alan Sugar has had hot dinners. The madness and tumult of the tours. Was it Hunter S. Thompson who wrote, 'when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.' Citizen Smith, leader of the anti-social workers union, fits that adage.
Here is the story of John Peel's favourite band. Certainly not to all tastes. Prepare a reduced stock of punk and mix in diced chunks of Captain Beefheart. Bring to the boil, add cyber insekt and stir in some John Lee Hooker on acid, then season with a pinch of Gong. Simmer for a quarter of a century. Serve cold. Eat when totally wired-ah.

[Mark Desrosiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the infamous biography written without the cooperation of Mark E. Smith. And so it's a tad flawed, but still gossipy and revealing. I didn't know, for example that Mark was such a fiery-eyed feminist at the beginning (which probably explains why there's always been at least one woman in the band). The funny thing is, nowadays Mark does much more to embarrass himself than any unauthorized biography could possibly do. Still, he's my all-time fave.

[Linds]

fantastic Mr Mark E smiths Life

[Nick Reeves]

Bless-ah!

Long live outsider rocknroll.

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