The Fall's gnarly ideologue was, circa '83, post-Hex Enduction Hour, one of indie-rock's true underground icons.

According to The Jazz Butcher, aka Pat Fish, an Oxford graduate with literary ambitions heavily factored into his musicality, the "Southern Mark Smith" idea was thieved from a The Blue Aeroplanes review, where singer Gerard Langley was thus summarised. He took is as an intriguing paradox, "like a lush Sahara", and turned it into a rambling debut single, which duly set him up for an under-achieving career ate Creation Records.

Southern Mark Smith

Recorded in the summer of 1983 in a place called Wellingborough, a small town in the middle of England where even the children are scarey!

Glass Records 7"