The Fall singer Mark E. Smith dead

Influential British rocker Mark E. Smith has died, aged 60.
The Fall frontman died at his home in England on Wednesday morning (24Jan18), according to a statement from the band’s manager Pam Van Damned, who also asked the media and fans to be respectful of his family’s privacy.
Smith had been been ill for quite some some time and The Fall were forced to cancel a number of shows recently.
He performed at gigs in England late last year (17) from a wheelchair.
Smith was the only remaining founding member of The Fall, whose hits include Hit The North, Spoilt Victorian Child, Cruiser’s Creek, Mr. Pharmacist, and a cover of There’s a Ghost in My House.
The edgy post-punk group formed in Manchester in 1976 and went on to become a cult act, performing regularly at British festivals.
Smith and his bandmates released over 30 studio albums and dozens more live records.
BBC broadcaster Lauren Laverne was among the first people to pay tribute to Smith, tweeting: “Oh man. Mark E Smith. One of my biggest heroes. Had a nightmare interviewing him (of course) but then he put me in a song. So sharp, clever and untouchably cool. Thanks for the music, MES.”
Born in Salford, Manchester in 1957, Smith has also collaborated with Gorillaz, Inspiral Carpets and Elastica, among others. His autobiography, Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith, was published in 2008.
His death was previously wrongly announced by the BBC on his 60th birthday in March last year (17).