{{Short description|2014 autobiographical book by Steve Hanley with Olivia Piekarski}} {{Infobox book | name = The Big Midweek: Life Inside the Fall | image = The Big Midweek Life Inside the Fall.jpg | alt = Book cover with photograph of two men | caption = Cover with early 1980s photograph; left to right: Mark E. Smith, Steve Hanley | author = {{unbulleted list|Steve Hanley|Olivia Piekarski}} | country = United Kingdom | language = English | subject = | genre = Autobiography | publisher = Route Publishing | pub_date = {{start date|2014}} | pages = | awards = | isbn = 978-1-9019-2758-0 }}
'''''The Big Midweek: Life Inside the Fall''''' is the 2014 autobiography by the Irish-born, English rock bassist Steve Hanley, co-written with Olivia Piekarski<ref>Lee, Simon. "[https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/fall/ After The Fall]". Los Angeles Review of Books. Preview: 11 Dec 2014</ref> and published by Route Publishing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.route-online.com/latest-updates/the-big-midweek-paperback.html|title=The Big Midweek - Paperback : Route Online|first=Quba New|last=Media|website=www.route-online.com|accessdate=27 January 2018}}</ref> Hanley was the long-term bass player and a core music writer in The Fall from 1979 to 1998, and is widely regarded for shaping the band's sound and inspiring many other bassists.
Despite his huge contribution to late 20th century alternative music, Hanley has shied from the limelight and has been rarely interviewed. The book received acclaim for its "brilliant" writing, "juicy details", and dry humour.<ref>Robb, John. "[https://louderthanwar.com/the-big-midweek-life-inside-the-fall-by-steve-hanley-book-review/ The Big Midweek: Life Inside the Fall by Steve Hanley: book review]". louderthanwar, 17 September 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2017</ref><ref>Walters, Sarah. "[https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/steve-hanleys-account-life-inside-7791931 Steve Hanley, bassist with The Fall for 20 years, tells all in a new book - and he took out 'more moaning than Morrissey']". ''Manchester Evening News'', 18 September 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2017</ref>
==Content== The autobiography emphasizes that Fall musicians were not interchangeable; within the band, Hanley was second only to the often tyrannical,<ref>Skolnik, Jes. "[https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1386-the-rise-the-fall-and-the-rise-of-brix-smith-start/ The Rise, the Fall, and the Rise of Brix Smith]". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 April 2017</ref> founding vocalist Mark E. Smith in terms of longevity. Hanley wrote the music for over 100 songs<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRK_GhqNVdQ Life in The Fall]. Interview with Hanley, Brix Smith and Mark Riley, 11 October 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2017</ref> across more than a dozen Fall albums; including the tracks "Rowche Rumble", "Fiery Jack", "Container Drivers", "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul", "Totally Wired", "Winter", "The N.W.R.A.", "I Am Damo Suzuki", "U.S. 80's-90's", "Carry Bag Man", "Jerusalem", "Van Plague?", "Yes, O Yes", "Bad News Girl", "Free Range", through to the 90s classics "Bill is Dead" and "Extricate".
The book details the Fall's steady rise to prominence in the late 1970 and early 80s, their songwriting techniques, Hanley’s approach to bass playing, and Smith's often acrimonious relationships with other core Fall members.<ref>Gilbey, Ryan. "[http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2015/02/totally-mired-big-midweek-reveals-dark-side-fall Totally mired: The Big Midweek reveals the dark side of The Fall]". ''New Statesman'', 12 February 2015</ref> It concludes in 1998, when Hanley walked off stage during an infamous incident after Smith interfered with his monitor settings, leading to a physical altercation.<ref>Hoskyns, Barney. "[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/oct/01/the-big-midweek-life-inside-the-fall-review-mark-e-smith-steve-hanley The Big Midweek: Life Inside the Fall]". ''The Guardian'', 1 October 2016</ref>
==Reception== Hanley's autobiography has received widespread acclaim from music critics, literary critics, and fans.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} Speaking of the book's tone, co-writer Piekarski said, "We did have to have a winge-ometer when we were reading through the first draft”.<ref name="Walter2014"/> Hanley wryly concedes that by the end of his tenure in the Fall he felt institutionalized, and that early drafts of the book had "more moaning than Morrissey".<ref name="Walter2014">Walter, Sarah. "[https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/steve-hanleys-account-life-inside-7791931 Steve Hanley, bassist with The Fall for 20 years, tells all in a new book]". ''Manchester Evening News'', 18 September 2014</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== *Hanley, Steve. ''The Big Midweek: Life Inside the Fall''. London: Route, 2014. {{ISBN|978-1-9019-2758-0}}
==External links== * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRK_GhqNVdQ Life in The Fall] – interview with Hanley, Brix Smith and Mark Riley * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpWVk3h2SA8 The Fall – "Totally Wired" (Live in New York, June 1981)]
{{The Fall}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Midweek, The: Life Inside the Fall}} Category:2014 non-fiction books Category:The Fall (band) Category:British autobiographies Category:Music autobiographies Category:Debut books Category:English-language non-fiction books