Just pulled out my original vinyl copy of Totale's Turns and found a bit of paper inside with a review of it that I wrote in "Spring '80". I worr but a lad!
" 'Probably the most accurate document of The Fall ever recorded' - that says it all really. Witch Trials was great but not quite right. Dragnet was almost there but Totale's Turns is the truest sound, the live gig, the place where The Fall really are The Fall. No studio hardware, knobs, sliders etc, just plug in, play and switch the tape recorder on - perfect. Comparing these live versions to the originals (what am I saying? - these ARE the originals!) is stupid - no comparisons. Live, the sound is harder, Smith is twice as vicious, twice as funny. The between-song and mid-song ad libs are ace and after a hesitant start (a shakey "Intro") the music rattles along with great spirit and feel - great Dance music!
Rowche Rumble, In My Area, Fiery Jack and John Quays are all classics. The really exciting part of this record though is the mid-section of side 2 - three new songs; one live (Cary Grant's Wedding), one studio (That Man); one in someone's front room on a cassette (New Puritan). All different, all extreme in one way or another. All better than anything else The Fall have done.
Here in the sunny spring of 1980 The Fall are better than ever. The only new wave band (excuse the classifications!) along with The Jam who mean more now than when they began. That, in this here-today-gone-tomorrow world is saying one hell of a lot. As Mick Middles said 'The Fall will last forever'"
Ahh memories! You can see why I never made it as a music journalist but my heart was in the right place!
Cheers
Rich
PS The Jam?!