With many incarnations, The Fall (1976-2018) were one of the most influential bands to emerge in the British Post-Punk Scene. Their unique sound and distinct iconography have had a lasting impact on music fans and performers alike. This book disassembles The Fall's significant contribution to music. Based on up-to-date original research, the book separates fact from fiction and offers a thorough investigation into The Fall and their founder/leader Mark E Smith, in particular. Given The Fall's complexities (their wide range of influences; multiple line-ups and 'anti-music' stance), the book draws upon a wide range of academic disciplines, including ethnomusicology, sociology, literary theory, linguistics, journalism, cultural studies, and film and media studies, in order to unpack the group's influence and legacy.

Ex-IRA member and former boxing champion Danny Flynn (Daniel Day-Lewis) comes out of prison after fourteen years and returns to his native Belfast. He falls in with his old coach, Ike (Ken Stott), and the pair open a gym together. Danny meets his old flame, Maggie (Emily Watson), and hopes to rekindle their affair until he discovers that while he was inside she married his best friend, also an IRA member and now serving time himself. As Danny and Ike's gym attracts young talent and Danny successfully resurrects his boxing career, pressure from IRA thug Harry, an opponent of the burgeoning peace process, threatens to destroy everything they are working towards.