Simon Ding Archer on Post Script controversy
His post from Facebook group below.
Here it goes:
Although I’m probably gonna get some verbals at my end for breaching an agreed
marketing approach of keeping very quiet about the details behind the forthcoming
album, I am driven to a point of despair and affront by some of the vile comments being aimed
in our direction. People whom I considered friends have now turned their back on me over this
project, citing rumour mill bullshit about source, provenance & credibility. Currently none of you
know any real details about the material on the album and so the most bored, self-important ones
amongst you have made up your own versions and then stated your fantasies as fact or opinion online.
Thank you though, you have helped create more press than we could have ever afforded.
I’m not putting this up as an invitation to ask me for more details, or indeed to put my head on the
block, whilst I expect the regular trolls to cough and splutter, I think release date is looming and having
last night heard the vinyl test pressing, I know the product is good enough to try and subdue
some of the nonsense I’m reading.
1. Where have these songs come from?
You’ll find my name appearing with various degrees of accuracy about my role on 8
of the last 9 albums [not Reformation] and it’s a similar tale when you look at singles and E.Ps
from 2004 onwards. Yeah I played bass for a year, but after that I had a much happier and creative
time around the band being ‘The Fall’s Producer’ . This moniker was given to me by Mark around the
time we were recording FHR and it was backed up by the fact that I am the guy who recorded most, not all
of Mark’s vocal takes from then on, for 12 years ish. That’s a lot of time spent of just me and him
in the studio recording, arranging & producing the music you all debate so heatedly. There were healthy levels
of trust, respect and input in both directions and some of the most challenging demands from artist to engineer
that I have ever encountered and sorely miss.
During these sessions we would often throw down Mark’s freshest ideas away from the tracks that were
the current workload. These were done at Mark’s request to whatever backing he deemed fit at the time,
to a drone; to a drum beat; to something I had on the go; accapella; down a corridor to check the acoustics;
to him playing guitar - all sorts of ways. They were often just for fun or to catch a moment. They would get saved
and re-loaded at intervals and more stuff would get thrown at them. Some of these then moved on to the band
for development and some were dropped. A small number however, went to a different place, they didn’t fit the
required vibe at the time and went into a ‘vault’ with phrases like ‘Put that one in the safe for now” or “ you can
do what you like with that one cock”.
I’d never had the time to ‘do what I like’, or check the ‘safe’ and Post Script provided an opportunity for these
loose ends to be tied up. Ed and I found some gems in there that were just needing some fleshing out and arranging
up to help them realise a full potential. We did this with love and total respect and perhaps most importantly, the
approval of Mark’s family.
2. It’s not the last lineup , It’s not The Fall !!
I only agreed to attempt this album at the 3rd time of asking . It had been way too soon and I was
not at all confident that we would end up with a quality product. It was only the constant re issuing of albums
that made me want to get involved and try. When we started I had every door open for me to remain
anonymous or walk away if I thought we were doing Mark an injustice or just polishing turds.
That, coupled with knowing the history of the songs and that no band members had been involved in the conception
or recording of the ideas made it an easy decision to keep it all in-house with just me and Ed.
Neither of us are attempting to be the last lineup, The use of the word final in the original statement was meant to
indicate it will be the last studio LP of unheard recordings, as I’m pretty sure Ed And I are the only people with such
material. The last recorded album by The Fall was and always will be New Facts Emerge.
Is it The Fall? Well, I know that when Mark was delivering his vocal takes and directing me in what he wanted,
he was being Mark , from The Fall. He was in charge and being The Fall in his demands and expectations.
I thought long and hard about this and agreed to it because MARK IS The Fall. Even if you played with him
for years and years, the only constant was Mark . So,yes, these are Fall songs and to some degree whoever
else was involved is irrelevant.
3. Who’s on Drums?
If you really need to know, the drums were recorded by several different session drummers and sculpted
into place. The drummers did not know what it was the recordings were to be used for as we were being secretive.
We captured specific beats we wanted and then made them fit the music and vocals as we progressed.
Ultimately no one played the full beats you hear on a track just sections that have been restructured and
built upon. That, plus I played a bit and didn’t want crediting.
Also , just so you know there is no AI employed at all - I hate it !!! .
That’s me done now with what I wanted to say. At the end of the day its a record and it doesn’t come with a compulsory
purchase order. I was won over during it’s conception and am very pleased with what we achieved, If you’re not convinced,
don’t buy it.