For those who have followed the ever-evolving lineage of The Fall, House of All represents something both new and deeply familiar. What began as a one-off project has solidified into a band with its own identity—one that carries the restless, improvisational energy of Mark E. Smith’s legendary outfit while forging its own path. Conceived by Martin Bramah, and featuring Paul and Steve Hanley, Pete Greenaway, Simon Wolstencroft and Karl Burns, it pulls on their former bands tension and energy rather than being a Fall covers outfit, and their own voice is growing louder.
With their third album in as many years – House of All Souls now released, I sat down with Martin Bramah and Karl Burns to discuss the band’s origins, their unconventional approach to recording, and what keeps them pushing forward. As it happens we meet in The Woodthorpe in Prestwich, Mark E Smith’s local Karl and Martin tell me, not by design so much as convenience. What speaks clearly from both of them throughout the conversation is, despite Mark E Smiths reputation – and they both had their own run ins with him, they still have a respect and admiration for him.
House of All emerged in 2022 with a concept that was as much about process as it was about sound. Bramah, a founding member of The Fall, had long been toying with the idea of a band that captured the instinctive nature of his early days in music—where improvisation wasn’t just a tool but the foundation of the songs themselves.
“It was a one-off project initially,” Bramah explains. “I’d had this idea for a while—to bring together some ex-members of The Fall and do a sort of improvised project, rather than sitting down and trying to write songs in the traditional way. There was always a lot of that in The Fall—just working on the spot, capturing a moment rather than overthinking it.”
What changed everything was the idea of using two drummers.
“I bumped into Si in a bar,” Bramah recalls, “and I already knew Paul, Andy, and Steve. When that came together, I thought, ‘Oh yeah, two drummers—now we’ve got something.’”
With a lineup in place, things moved quickly.
“I didn’t want to over-plan it,” Bramah continues. “The moment we all met up, we started recording. I booked three days in the studio, and we basically built the first album from the ground up right there. Thanks to Tiny Global Records, we had the backing, so I just invited everyone to turn up at 10 a.m., and we spent most of the first day just getting the drum sound right. After that, it was all about playing. We got one track down after three takes—that became ‘Anyebite’—and then, before we knew it, we had eight tracks. That was enough for an album, so we stopped there.”
He laughs. “No need to overcomplicate things.”
This spontaneous way of working has become House of All’s defining approach. Each album has been recorded in three days, without demos, extensive rehearsals, or even much discussion beforehand.
“It’s not really about having a theme or ideas,” Bramah says. “The music just comes out of whatever’s happening in the room at that moment. The words—well, that’s a different thing entirely.”
This lack of pre-planning, however, doesn’t mean the music lacks cohesion. Instead, it thrives on a raw, in-the-moment energy—one that harkens back to The Fall’s earliest recordings while feeling fresh and immediate.
Their productivity has been staggering. The first album was recorded in June 2022, the second in January 2023, and by the time their debut was even released in April 2023, the second record was already finished.
This relentless pace caught the attention of Karl Burns, another former Fall member with a reputation as one of the band’s most dynamic and unpredictable drummers.
Burns, whose history with The Fall is long and complex, was intrigued by what Bramah and company were doing.
“I didn’t even know about it until the first two albums were already done,” he admits. “But as soon as I heard what they were up to, I was in.” Bramah recalls how it all came together: “Karl got in touch after seeing a video of us playing. He sent me an email saying he was into it, and before we knew it, he was back in the fold.”
For Burns, stepping back into a band with so many familiar faces was both strange and entirely natural. “It was amazing, man,” he enthuses. “It’d been years since I’d seen some of them—30, maybe 40 years in some cases. But the second we got together, it was like no time had passed. Within five minutes, we weren’t talking—we were just playing.”
And having three drummers in the group, there’s only one track where all three appear, for the most part there’s two of them. Karl says “I think the idea is definitely not to both play the same thing because there’s no point. So each of the personalities shines through, you have a dynamic going on”.
Asked if the new album is maybe more varied and ambitious because they’re getting more used to the process, Bramah broadly agrees. “Well, more confident about what they’ll attempt, yeah”, he offers. “Pete’s guitar lines, you know, were quite ambitious. Like when the first take of something like Queen of Angels, I thought – that is not going to work. He’s playing way out of time. Then all of a sudden third time round he’s got it. And it’s fucking brilliant”.
One of the key elements that has remained constant from The Fall’s era to House of All’s approach is the role of tension in the recording process.
“There has to be tension to make something interesting,” Bramah says. “With Mark, there was always that push-pull, and it created a kind of friction that made things exciting. If there’s no pressure, you don’t get that spark.” Burns agrees. “It’s like diving into the deep end—you don’t know what’s going to happen, but that’s when the best stuff comes out.”
Burns elaborates on the band’s freeform method: “ I had a drum pattern in mind, and we just put it down, everyone added to it, and from there, it all just flowed. We didn’t rehearse beforehand; it’s like we built the track as we went along. It’s spontaneous.”
Comparing it to his days in The Fall, Bramah chimes in: “In the case of ‘Extricate’ and ‘Arms Control Poser,’ I went into the studio, and they had the backing tracks ready, but I was just thrown into the booth, plugged in, and told to improvise. It was wild. You don’t know what key you’re in, but that’s the beauty of it. The uncertainty forces you to find something unique. That’s the thing we took from those days”.
Despite the deep-rooted connections to The Fall, House of All is determined to be seen as its own entity, rather than a tribute act or a nostalgia trip.
“I don’t play in bands anymore,” Burns states flatly. “I’m fussy about who I work with. But this felt right because it’s not about looking backward—it’s about carrying something forward.”
Bramah echoes the sentiment. “It’s not about copying what we did before,” he says. “That would be pointless. But that spirit—that way of working, that unpredictability—that’s still there. It’s the only way we know how to do it. Mark was a brilliant editor”, he continues “I feel I’ve learnt that from him – amongst other things, and adapted that for the lyrics on this record. I think they’re the best I’ve ever written. They create an atmosphere and imagery rather than tell a story”.
With their new album already receiving praise for its raw energy and inventive spirit, House of All has proven that their rapid-fire approach to recording is more than just a gimmick—it’s the key to their sound.
As for what’s next, neither Bramah nor Burns seem too concerned with long-term plans. If there’s another record to be made, they’ll know when the moment arrives.
“We just get in a room and play,” Bramah says. “That’s all there is to it.” With results like House of All Souls, we can all be glad of that.
Catch the band on tour in March.
14 Swansea Bunkhouse
15 Oxford FPCC
16 Leicester International
20 Preston The Ferret
21 Manchester Deaf Institute
22 Edinburgh The Bongo Club
23 Newcastle Cluny
26 Hastings The Piper
27 Brighton Green Door Store
28 London Oslo
29 Hudderseld The Parish
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