Mark E. Smith’s former manager has blasted The Fall’s final album, calling it a “cash grab” and “ethically wrong”.
Pamela Vander, who was also Smith’s fiancée, hit out at Post Script, which features unused studio audio of the late frontman between 2001 and 2014.
In an interview with The Guardian, Pamela insisted that Smith, who died in 2018 after losing his battle with lung and kidney cancer, had told her that The Fall’s 2017 album New Facts Emerge would be the band’s final record.
Of Post Script, which is due for release on October 2, Pamela said: “They’re selling it as ‘the final album’ so people will think Mark made it on his deathbed, but none of it [vocally] was made after New Facts Emerge.
“I have Mark’s actual last recordings – he was working on a cover of Madonna’s ‘Material Girl’ – but by the time of his death he had made the decision that ‘New Facts Emerge’ was the final album, made by the longest-lasting line-up of The Fall, who were with Mark for 10 years.
“So I don’t think anyone else should override a decision he made when he was alive.”
Pamela, who became Smith’s carer while in a relationship with him for the final three years of his life, also slammed the decision to release Post Script as an album from The Fall.
She mused: “Mark’s life was complicated and Mark was very disorganised when it came to any sort of protection for his legacy. I was the manager and I’m not even sure who owns the name The Fall.
“It’s a cash grab, just a collection of some shit from the cutting room floor. I wouldn’t have minded if it was being released as ‘the Mark E Smith archive’ or something, but there’s something ethically wrong with releasing it as The Fall.”
However, The Fall member Ed Blaney hit back at Pamela’s allegations, telling The Guardian that Post Script was always intended to be a “fitting tribute” to Mark and The Fall, “because the vocals were there waiting to be put to good use”.
He added:“Words like ‘cashing in’ make me laugh. It was about love and respect for Mark: he was The Fall, and Mark’s vocals were recorded as The Fall, hence it’s being released as The Fall.
“Mark sounds great and it’s a great, positive record.”