"It's just like music when you reckon it up. It's like listening to Pavement it's just The Fall in 1985, isn't it? They haven't got an original idea in their heads"

Mark E. Smith's quote reflects his typically acerbic and honest point of view on music, imagination, and creativity in the industry. Smith, the frontman of the prominent post-punk band The Fall, was known for his sharp tongue and crucial views on other artists and bands. This quote highlights a number of themes that were popular in his commentary on music.

Firstly, Smith draws a parallel in between music and arithmetic with the expression "when you reckon it up", recommending that music, just like a sum or formula, can be broken down into its components. This suggests a rather analytical view of music, where creativity and imagination can be quantified or evaluated, exposing what Smith viewed as derivative or lacking in development.

Referring to Pavement, an American indie rock band, Smith makes a direct contrast to The Fall in 1985. This time-specific referral to his own band during a specific period implies that Pavement, in his view, borrows greatly from The Fall's design and sound of that time, lacking creativity in doing so. The Fall's music in the mid-1980s was specified by its raw, unpolished sound and Smith's distinctive vocal delivery, which affected numerous bands in the punk and indie scenes. By specifying "it's just The Fall in 1985", Smith lessens Pavement's artistic contributions, asserting they are merely recycling concepts pioneered by atrioventricular bundle.

The final part of the quote, "They have not got an initial idea in their heads", underscores Smith's criticism of perceived unoriginality in the music market. This shows a wider ridicule for bands or artists who he believes are stagnating music forward or creating something new. Smith's assertion points to a disappointment with how the music landscape can typically valorize repeating over development, echoing a belief that the market can often focus on commercial success over genuine creative expression. Thus, through this quote, Smith interacts both a protective pride over his own innovative achievements and a critique of what he views as the complacency or lack of development in modern music.