Mark E Smith

As part of our Mark E Smith tribute in the latest issue of Q, we spoke to illustrious fans, friends and former colleagues of The Fall leader. Here, ex-wife and former Fall guitarist Brix Smith Start recalls her time with the Hip Priest.

Mark E Smith formed The Fall as a teenager in 1976 with the explicit goal of tethering primitive music to intelligent lyrics. By 2015, thirty albums and countless band members later, he remained unusually faithful to that mission. But at what cost? In Smith’s last Q interview, Ted Kessler met him in the boozer to find out.

Mark E Smith was the ultimate outlier, a genius contrarian who carved out one of the most singular bodies of work in British music. His sad passing has prompted thousands of heartfelt obituaries. Q’s Simon McEwen revisits The Fall's 32 studio albums and chooses his six favourites.

Ahead of more festival slots this week, here's the band captured onstage at the recent Dot To Dot event

Speaking to Q – ahead of a extensive feature next month – the singer compares the PM to his old headmaster as he rates the men who would lead the country