Steve Hanley (born 29 May 1959) is an English musician, based in Manchester. He is best known for playing bass guitar in The Fall from 1979 to 1998, and afterwords in The Lovers.
Hanley's distinctive basslines -- at once propulsive and melodic -- were a signature part of The Fall. He is described by critic Dave Simpson as "one of British music's greatest bassists." Second only to founding vocalist Mark E. Smith in longevity in the group, Hanley c...
more
Steve Hanley (born 29 May 1959) is an English musician, based in Manchester. He is best known for playing bass guitar in The Fall from 1979 to 1998, and afterwords in The Lovers.
Hanley's distinctive basslines -- at once propulsive and melodic -- were a signature part of The Fall. He is described by critic Dave Simpson as "one of British music's greatest bassists." Second only to founding vocalist Mark E. Smith in longevity in the group, Hanley co-wrote over 100 songs on more than a dozen albums. Smith spoke publicly of his admiration for Hanley, telling Melody Maker in 1983 "The most original aspect of The Fall is Steve...I've never heard a bass player like him...I don't have to tell him what to play, he just knows. He is The Fall sound."
1976 he played in The Sirens alongside Marc Riley and Craig Scanlon. When Riley left to join The Fall, they became Staff 9, but disbanded when Hanley and Scanlon joined The Fall themselves in 1979. During the first half of the 1980s, Hanley's...
less
