Karl Burns
| Karl Burns | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 Manchester, England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Post-punk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums, guitar, bass guitar, percussion, keyboards, vocals |
| Associated acts | Nuclear Angel, The Fall, Public Image Ltd., The Teardrops, Bok Bok, Thirst, Ark |
Karl Burns (born 1958, Manchester, England) is a British musician best known as drummer for The Fall, featuring in many incarnations of the band between 1977 and 1998.
Although several musicians have rejoined The Fall having previously left or been sacked, Burns was reportedly rehired a record nine times. He eventually left for good, alongside longtime bassist Steve Hanley, following an on-stage altercation with group leader Mark E. Smith in New York in April 1998.
Burns was The Fall's first permanent drummer, joining them in time for their second gig. He had previously played in a different band, Nuclear Angel, with founding Fall bassist Tony Friel. Burns is heard on the group's first two singles and their first studio album Live at the Witch Trials.
Burns left in early 1979, joining The Teardrops, with Steve Garvey of Buzzcocks, with whom he formed a brief and parallel project, Bok Bok, and remained in the band until 1981, when they broke up. Burns also played with Elti Fits and, briefly, with John Lydon's Public Image Limited (PIL) in September 1979, but left because he did not get along with other members, including guitarist Keith Levene and bass guitarist Jah Wobble, the latter of whom was long alleged to have attempted to set Burns on fire, although Wobble denied this in 2007.
Burns rejoined The Fall in 1981, initially as a temporary replacement for Paul Hanley who was refused a visa for a US tour due to being too young. Recordings from this tour were released as A Part of America Therein, 1981. Upon the group's return to the UK, Smith invited Burns to stay on and The Fall appeared with two drummers until Paul Hanley's departure in late 1984; Burns would also sometimes play a second guitar or bass guitar during that period. His second tenure in The Fall coincided with a string of critically acclaimed releases, including Hex Enduction Hour and This Nation's Saving Grace. However, he left the band in early 1986 after an argument with Smith, to be replaced by Simon Wolstencroft. After his exit, Burns briefly collaborated with former bandmate Martin Bramah under the name Thirst, and eventually quit up music for several years, becoming a motorcycle courier.
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