U.S. edition of ‘Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall’ Due in June
Faber Books will release the U.S. edition of Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall. Edited by Bob Stanley and Tessa Norton, the book provides a look at the “ever-influential” world of English musician Mark E. Smith and the Fall through never-before-published essays and ephemera from fans and collectors. Previously only available overseas, the U.S. edition arrives June 22.
“This is not a book about a rock band,” reads a press release. “This is not even a book about Mark E. Smith. This is a book about the Fall group — or, more precisely, their world. Over a prolific 40-year career, the Fall created a world that was influential, idiosyncratic and fiercely original; it was an education. Who wouldn’t want to be armed with a working knowledge of M. R. James, contemporary dance and Manchester City?”
Bringing together previously unseen artwork, rare ephemera and handwritten material, alongside essays by a slate of fans, Excavate! provides a vivid, definitive account of the British band’s history.
Contributors in addition to Norton and Stanley include include Grant Showbiz, Michael Clark, Elain Harwood, Ian Penman, Paul Wilson, Owen Hatherley , Mark Fisher, Mark Sinker, Michael Bracewell & Jon Wilde, Stuart Bertolotti, Bailey, Siân Pattenden , Dan Fox, Adelle Stripe, Scott King and Richard McKenna.
Stanley is the author of Yeah Yeah Yeah : The Story of Modern Pop (Faber, 2013) and Too Darn Hot (Faber, forthcoming) and has written for The Guardian, The Times, NME and The Face. He is also a filmmaker and founding member of the group Saint Etienne. He was Writer in Residence at the British Library in 2017.
Norton writes regularly about art, books and music for various publications such as The Wire and for exhibitions and events including Liverpool Biennial and the Tetley. She published the artists’ book The Fields Here Are Full of Ghosts with Wysing Arts Centre in 2019, and she is a Jerwood Arts Fellow at FACT gallery for 2020-21.
