Mark E. Smith (born 5 March 1957) is the lead singer, lyricist, co-composer and frontman of The Fall, a renowned and idiosyncratic offshoot from the UK post-punk / new wave music scenes. Mark Edward Smith was born to a working-class family in Broughton, Salford, in Lancashire, England, moving to nearby Prestwich, near Bury early in his life. He formed The Fall (named after the novel by Camus) with friends after dropping out of college at the age of 19. He gave up his job at Salford docks shortly after to devote his full energies to The Fall, and has continued to do so ever since. Smith has won much acclaim for his unique lyrical style, which mixes elements of social realism, surrealism, and absurdism, dwelling on subjects as far removed as unemployment and football violence to time travel and ghosts, all with the same wit and humour. In interviews, he has cited Colin Wilson, Wyndham Lewis, H. P. Lovecraft, and Philip K. Dick as influences. As well as his work with The Fall, Smith has released the spoken-word albums The Post-Nearly Man (1998) and Pander! Panda! Panzer! (2002). He has supplied guest vocals for the Inspiral Carpets, Elastica, Long Fin Killie, Mouse on Mars, Coldcut and others.
