The Fall frontman, who has died aged 60, remained combative and funny to the last. Here is his final Guardian interview, conducted in autumn 2017
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Mark E Smith the final interview: ‘I can clear a pub when I want to’
Nice to see you again, Dan. I didnt realise it was going to be you interviewing me. I thought youd be some fucking London Billy Bragg type. The LP [1] has taken a while to come out as I was a bit poorly but Im okay now.
Im glad youre feeling better. The Fall turned 40 last year, did you celebrate?
I have to be reminded of these things. I dont fucking think about it.
Was there any period when you thought the Fall wasnt going to make it to another major milestone?
About every fucking three years! But Im very pleased with the group now. They are the real Fall, I dont count the rest before them.
Hows life in the band without Elena? [2]
Fine. A new bloke, Mike, has come in. Princes manager once told me that I was the only person other than Prince who can recruit from the streets. Which was very flattering.
Are you a Prince fan?
No. Theyre weird arent they, Prince fans?
I guess Im weird then. Do you like much new music?
The standard of music these days is fucking terrible. Being poorly you have to watch shit like Jools Holland. A lot of it sounds like when I was 15 and Id go round to a long-haired guys flat to score a joint and theyd always put on some fucking lousy Elton John LP. That sounds like Ed Sheeran to me, a duff singer songwriter from the 70s you find in charity shops.
How did you feel about the BBC reporting you were dead? [3]
Obviously it was the BBC, the idiots. It was stopped in minutes by Fall fans. I was still ill around that time but was starting to feel better and somebody comes in and says, by the way, youre dead.
Have you ever heard the song I Am Mark E Smith by the Fat White Family?
No but people say its really good.
They played before you at Glastonbury in 2015, did you see them?
[Starts laughing maniacally] They got a bit cheeky so they were taught a lesson, I dont think theyre fans anymore. They came and sat next to us and thought they were it. Big mistake. I was giving a glass of champagne to the lads before we went on and one of them just walks up and I just threw it in his face. He was showing off and there was a bit of a standoff. [4] I like the stuff of theirs Ive heard though. It was a pretty weird day that, the Dalai Lama was there.
What do you like to do at home?
I write a lot. Im getting into DVDs. Im not a box set man, Breaking Bad and all that, thats going fucking nowhere. I read a lot of journals on old sci-fi.
I think the original Blade Runner is the most obscene film ever made, I fucking hated it. The Man in the High Castle is one of my favourite books; how they fucked that TV show up I dont know. It gets blander and blander. In the book the level of comprehension of that world is fucking astounding, in the show its just everybody going around normally except theyve got swastika armbands on. The only good Philip K Dick film is Total Recall, its faithful to the book. Arnie gets it. I was physically sick watching A Scanner Darkly, it was like an episode of Cheers painted over [5] except they all smoke dope and imagine women with no clothes on.
Is it important for you to remain angry?
Yeah. People still cross the road from me; Ive still got that. I can clear a pub when I want to. Its a talent.
Did you vote in the general election?
I didnt make it out. There is a Labour woman from Salford I like though [6]. I enjoyed Nick Clegg losing his seat and it also proved how clueless all these political journalists are. The barmaid knows more about politics then they do, theyre all fucking bluffers.
Years ago you told me you were offered a BBC 6Music show, would you like to do one yet?
No, Id love to do radio but think of the politics involved. I mean they have Guy fucking Garvey on, dont they? Its the kiss of death. Imagine having to say hello to Marc Riley every day. [7]
Do you ever get nervous before a gig?
Yeah, I get it bad for hours before. All these cities I go to, I never see them. They may be the most beautiful places in the world but Ill just usually go to the nearest bar. I need a couple of hours by myself. Id worry if I didnt feel that way. Im not a frightened person but Im usually shitting myself.
Who would play you in a film of your life?
Rip Torn. Oh, hes dead isnt he? [8] Id really like a dwarf. I like things like that. [9]
Footnotes
[1] The final Fall album, New Facts Emerge, was released in July 2017.
[2] Smiths wife and band member, Elena Poulou, left the group in 2016.
[3] When Smith turned 60 this year the BBC mistakenly reported his death.
[4] This altercation and exchange of drinks explains Smiths wet trousers at Glastonbury, which some publications suggested was urine.
[5] Richard Linklaters film employs an interpolated rotoscope animation technique.
[6] Rebecca Long-Bailey.
[7] DJ Marc Riley is an ex member of the Fall, who Smith fired.
[8] Rip Torn is alive.
[9] Michael J Anderson perhaps?