[Glice]

Ah - yeah, I suppose for me, while their music is entirely brilliant, what sets them apart from every other band is his lyrics. There are cockier bands, probably, but none as erudite ('Just six inches higher than your outstretched middle finger'). And I tend to see a lot of that as being about British humour, Manc football culture, the perversity of council estates and part-time witches washing dishes.

I think that, unlike most indie bands at least, they come from a world where bands play for people to dance to - they don't really sound like a Northern Soul band, but it's that kind of culture they relate to. I get the impression that a lot of DJs listen to them, like they're the only indie band that a lot of the diggers listen to. And the lack of musicianly faff is brilliant. There's a moment on Are you are missing winner where the guitarist goes half a note into what should be a solo, and cuts it dead (perhaps after a glare). Or the RPTLC funk element...

One of these days I'll write a proper article on the Fall. One day...