Park Life

My rise and Fall Outspoken singer Mark E Smith has led his group the Fall for 32 years, surviving continual fights with an ever-changing cast of musicians to create dozens of albums in his own maverick style. At 51, he remains one of rock's most individual voices. In this first extract from his autobiography, introduced by Dave Simpson, he looks back at the formative moments of his childhood and the birth of the band Monday April 14, 2008 The Guardian Mark E Smith of The Fall in his younger days. Photograph: Corbis Mark E Smith has been called a drinker, a druggie, a tyrant and a nut. He has spent a night in the cells following one punch-up and been ordered to attend anger management. With his group the Fall, he has become one of the most influential musicians of the past 30 years. However, he is as famous for sacking band members as for his music, having dispensed with more than 50 musicians - including various wives and girlfriends - while making approximately 26 albums (there have been so many that no one seems entirely sure). http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2273418,00.html "That creative tension produces both music and mayhem. Line-ups have imploded before and even during gigs - after one punch-up in 1998, Smith managed to lose an entire Fall. Some ex-Fallers - notably fashion queen Brix Smith and DJ Marc Riley - have gone on to other things, but most have disappeared faster than Lord Lucan. Meanwhile, Smith just dusts himself down, finds more willing recruits, and ploughs a unique furrow in British music. This month's new album, Imperial Wax Solvent, is among the Fall's very best and suggests that Smith's eye for observation is undimmed. "I'm a 50-year-old man," he declares, "and I like it. What are you gonna do about it?" Dave Simpson

Betting on golf, you smoke a pipe as well?

Van Poncey. In all honesty how shit is he?

Scapegoatism only £12.99p per month unlimited usage.

Geraaaaaaard 17 penalty appeals and counting.

Blackburn holding out so far againt the might Pule. .....and what is Kuyt's strike rate for Liverpool anyway?

Fair result Owen could have had one and Defoe certainly. Very happy with that.

We'll be alright they look a bit reticent. Cup final and all that. **Kranjcar needs to be monitored. Ricky to get one of those lofted skippy passes right sooner or later.

Ok I'm going 1-2 Defoe - Owen, Marteeens.

Shoplifters of the world unite and takeover!!!

My mobile say 4.17, my computah says 5.17...This board says 3.17 and the laptop says 6.17... The game is starting in an hour right? 88mph! 1.1 gigawatts!!!!! Yeah, but what time is love? [KLF/]

My mobile say 4.17, my computah says 5.17...This board says 3.17 and the laptop says 6.17... The game is starting in an hour right?

Is this boards clock an hour behind?

Good fee and he can go. Any flim flam and it's the reserves. It's easy this management lark ya kna.

And people say global warming is a bad thing, people cutting CO2 is the ONE thing stopping us from signing Ronaldinho. But we'd still be fucked with French players, they almost always find something to sulk about (little known fact that one of Domi's disappearing tricks was initiated because his demand for a 3 hour working week and his own personal 24/7 strawberry jam caddie had been politely turned down, after his blockade of the showers had been thwarted he was herd to comment that "le boeuf had no idea about the needs of a professional footballer or a civilised society" before he left sobbing into his personal handkerchief carriers handkerchief and had to return immediately to France for 2 weeks to recover from the trauma).

Chatter for twits?

Spill the beans ringo.

Beginning to feel a bit sorry for Stevie G...Life looks like a nightmare.

Ideally we'll have both. There is another young French winger we're looking at as well.

Page 3 wanking material for some though. Right on cue on N-O, from the same people who dismissed the tabloids who claimed he was wanting to leave about a fortnight ago. thought they ie baggy, were your mates Alex ? Baggy has set himself up as the 'voice of reason' on N.O.

I'd be thinking about a little more backlift when I shoot from range.

Not sure of the result but I dreamt about cabbage last night.

It's Torres hype gawn mad innit.

Bin it.