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Martin Beddington (born 18 September 1957 in Manchester), better known by his stage name Martin Bramah, is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Fall, Blue Orchids, Thirst, and Factory Star.

In the mid-1970s, he was introduced by his friend Barbara Smith to her brother Mark E. Smith and his friend Una Baines. Smith, Baines, Bramah and Tony Friel shared interests in music, and formed their first band, the Fall. He remained in The Fall until April 1979, having co-written most of the band's repertoire until then, including their debut album Live at the Witch Trials. He quit mid-tour due to tension between him and Smith.
He formed the influential post-punk band Blue Orchids with Baines. They had early success but went on hiatus when the couple married and had a child; they eventually split but still remain friends. Blue Orchids re-emerged in 1985 to released the single Sleepytown, followed by a number of sporadic, but well received, albums thereafter, including 2016's The Battle of Twisted Heel.
Bramah formed Thirst in 1987 with former Fall drummer Karl Burns, bassist Lee Pickering and guitarist Carrie Lawson. The band were more oriented towards garage rock than the influences of his earlier post-punk bands. Thirst only released one EP, Riding the Times.
In 1989, Bramah rejoined The Fall to replace Brix and contributed guitar to Extricate. Bramah's second tenure in The Fall lasted just over a year, as he (together with keyboardist Marcia Schofield) was sacked at the end of the Australasian tour in July 1990. While Mark E. Smith later cited his desire to strip down the band's sound, the actual cause behind the sackings was Smith being unhappy about Bramah and Schofield having an affair.
In 2008, he formed Factory Star, initially featuring Tim Lyons and Brian Benson (of The Sandells), subsequently featuring fellow ex-Fall members Steve Hanley on bass, Paul Hanley on drums and John Paul Moran of Rapid Pig, Gnod and the Monochrome Set on keyboards. The Hanley brothers departed during 2010 to be replaced by Chris Dutton (formerly of Sicknurse and Kill Pretty) and Tom Lewis. Their debut album Enter Castle Perilous was released on Occultation Records in 2011.

APPEARANCES +


The Fall
Singles Live Vol. One 1978-81
2025
House Of All
House Of All Souls
2025, ,
Post-Punk
House Of All
Continuum
2024
House Of All
Gaudy Pop Sensations
2024, ,
Post-Punk
The Fall
Live 1977
2023, LP, Album, RSD, Red, Cherry Red
Blue Orchids
Magpie Heights
2023
House Of All
House Of All
2023
Various
1979 (Revolt Into Style)
2022, 3xCD, Comp + Box, Cherry Red, ,
Post-Punk/Punk/New Wave/Synth-pop/Ska
The Fall
[1970s]
2022, CD, Album, RE + CD, Album, RE + CD, Comp + CD, Com, Cherry Red
Various
1978 (The Year The UK Turned Day-Glo)
2020, 3xCD, Comp, RM + Box, Cherry Red, ,
Acoustic/Alternative Rock/Art Rock/Glam/Mod/New Wave/Poetry/Post-Punk/Power Pop/Punk/Rock & Roll/Ska/Spoken Word/Synth-pop
The Fall
Sheffield Leadmill 16​-​12​-​1989
2019, 18x File, ,
Avantgarde
Tim Burgess & Bob Stanley
Tim Peaks (Songs For A Late-Night Diner)
2019, CD, ,
Alternative Rock/Indie Pop/Post-Punk/New Wave
Blue Orchids
The Magical Record Of Blue Orchids
2019
The Fall
58 Golden Greats
2018, 3xCD, Comp, RM + Box, Cherry Red, ,
Alternative Rock/Indie Rock/Post-Punk
Various
Four Band Comp LP
2018, Vinyl, ,
Indie Pop/Punk/Shoegaze
Blue Orchids
Righteous Harmony Fist
2018
The Fall
The Fontana Years
2017, 3xCD, Album, RE + 3xCD, Comp, RE + Box, Comp, UMC, Fontana, ,
Alternative Rock/Industrial/Post-Punk/Punk
The Fall
Singles 1978 - 2016
2017, 7xCD + Box, Comp, Dlx, RM, Cherry Red, ,
Alternative Rock/New Wave/Post Rock/Post-Punk
Various
Manchester North Of England (A Story Of Independent Music Greater Manchester 1977 - 1993)
2017, 7x CD, Box Set, ,
Indie Rock/Alternative Rock/Dub/Indie Pop/Jazz-Funk/Leftfield/New Wave/Post-Punk/Parody/Progressive House/Punk/Reggae/Techno/Vocal
Various
This Is Radio Punk (1977-1980)
2016, 4xCD, Comp, Universal Music France, ,
Punk/Post-Punk/Ska/Reggae/New Wave
The Fall
Bingo Masters At The Witch Trials
2016, ,
Post-Punk
Various
No More Heroes - 60 Punk & New Wave Anthems
2015, 3xCD, Comp, USM Media, ,
New Wave/Punk/Pub Rock/Ska
The Granite Shore
Once More From The Top
2015
Various
Scared To Get Happy (A Story Of Indie-Pop 1980-1989)
2013, 5x CD, Box Set, ,
Indie Rock/Indie Pop
The Fall
13 Killers
2013
Various
11 Trésors Cachés De Manchester
2012, CD, Comp, Les Inrockuptibles, ,
Alternative Rock/Post-Punk/Indie Rock
Factory Star
New Sacral
2012, ,
Alternative Rock
Factory Star And The Granite Shore
Lucybel
2011, CD, ,
Indie Rock
Crystal Stilts
Radiant Door EP
2011, Vinyl, ,
Psychedelic Rock/Indie Rock
Factory Star
Enter Castle Perilous
2011
The Fall
Rebellious Jukebox Volume Three (Burn It All Down Live!!)
2010, 2xCD, Comp, Secret Records (8),
The Short Stories
The Night Is On Fire
2009, CD, Album, The International Lo-Fi Underground
The Fall
Rebellious Jukebox Volume Two (Psycho Rockabilly Nightmare)
2009, 2xCD, Comp, Secret Records (8), Secret Records (8), ,
Post-Punk
The Fall
The Fall Box Set 1976 - 2007
2007, 5x CD, Box Set, ,
Alternative Rock/New Wave/Indie Rock
Monks Of Doom
What's Left For Kicks?
2006, CD, Album, Magnetic, Pitch-A-Tent, ,
Alternative Rock
Various
North By North West (Departure 1976 Arrival 1984)
2006, 3x CD, Box Set, ,
Alternative Rock/New Wave/Art Rock/Indie Rock/Post-Punk
The Fall
The Complete Peel Sessions 1978 - 2004
2005, 6x CD, Box Set, ,
New Wave/Post-Punk
The Fall
50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong - 39 Golden Greats
2004, 2x CD, ,
Post-Punk/New Wave/Indie Rock
Blue Orchids
The Sleeper
2003, CD, Album, LTM (4)
Various
Rebellious Jukebox
2003, CD, Comp, Uncut (2), ,
Pop Rock/Indie Rock
The Fall
Words Of Expectation: BBC Sessions
2003, 2xCD, Castle Music, Sanctuary, ,
Post-Punk/Alternative Rock
Various
Rough Trade Shops (Post Punk 01)
2003, 2x CD, ,
Garage Rock/Indie Rock/Punk/New Wave/Post-Punk/No Wave/Funk/Dub/Experimental
The Fall
Rebellious Jukebox
2003, 2x CD, DVD, Box Set, ,
New Wave/Post-Punk
The Fall
It's The New Thing! (The Step Forward Years)
2003, CD, ,
Punk/Indie Rock
Blue Orchids
From Severe To Serene (Peel Sessions Plus)
2002, CD, Comp, LTM (4), ,
Indie Rock
Blue Orchids
A Darker Bloom-The Blue Orchids Collection
2002, CD, Comp, Cherry Red
The Fall
Dragnet
2002
Nico
Femme Fatale
2002, CD, ,
Folk Rock/Goth Rock/Psychedelic Rock
Wisdom Of Harry
Caesar Boots
2001, ,
Leftfield/Abstract/Downtempo
The Fall
Live 1977
2000
Nico
An Underground Experience + Heroine
2000, DVD, ,
Art Rock
The Fall
The Peel Sessions
1999, CD, ,
Alternative Rock/New Wave/Indie Rock
The Fall
Levitate
1997
Aztec Camera
Covers & Rare
1994
Various
Playtime Sampler
1992, 7", Ltd, Playtime Records (6), ,
Alternative Rock
Timber
Parts And Labor
1992, ,
Psychedelic Rock/Art Rock/Post Rock/Experimental
Blue Orchids
Diamond Age
1991, Vinyl, ,
Indie Rock
The Fall
Shift-Work
1991, Vinyl, ,
Alternative Rock
Wreck
Soul Train
1990
The Fall
Extricate
1990, Vinyl, ,
Alternative Rock/Synth-pop
The Fall = 「墮」樂團* / Wire = 「電訊」樂團*
The Peel Sessions
1989, Cass, EP, Comp, C26, Crystal (6)
Fish & Roses
We Are Happy To Serve You
1989, Vinyl, ,
Indie Rock
Nico
Live In Denmark
1989
Slovenly
We Shoot For The Moon
1989
Thirst
Riding The Times
1987, 12", EP, Rough Trade
Aztec Camera
Deep & Wide & Tall
1987
The Fall
The Peel Sessions
1987, Vinyl, ,
Alternative Rock/New Wave
The Blue Orchids*
Sleepy Town / Thirst
1985, Vinyl, ,
New Wave
The Fates
Furia
1985
The Adult Net*
Incense And Peppermints
1985, Vinyl, ,
Alternative Rock
Various
Rough Streets
1983, ,
New Wave
Blue Orchids
Agents Of Change EP
1982, 12", EP, Rough Trade, Rough Trade, ,
New Wave
Nico
Do Or Die!
1982, Cassette Yellow, ,
Alternative Rock/Lo-Fi
Blue Orchids
The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)
1982, Vinyl, ,
Post-Punk/Psychedelic Rock/Alternative Rock
Nico
Procession
1982, Vinyl, ,
New Wave/Art Rock
The Fall
77 - Early Years - 79
1981, ,
New Wave/Indie Rock
Blue Orchids
Work
1981, Vinyl, ,
Indie Rock/Post-Punk
Various
I.R.S. Greatest Hits Vols. 2 & 3
1981, 2x Vinyl Gatefold, ,
New Wave/Art Rock/Punk
Various
NME / Rough Trade C81
1981, ,
Punk/Synth-pop/Ska/New Wave/Post-Punk/Jangle Pop
Blue Orchids
The Flood / Disney Boys
1980, Vinyl, ,
New Wave
The Fall
Live At The Witch Trials
1979, Vinyl, ,
New Wave/Post-Punk
Various
Short Circuit - Live At The Electric Circus
1978, Vinyl, ,
Reggae/Comedy/Punk/New Wave
The Fall
It's The New Thing! / Various Times
1978, Vinyl, ,
New Wave/Punk
The Fall
Bingo-Master's Break-Out!
1978, Vinyl, ,
Punk
Various
Cross Current: Rough Trade's Greatest Hits Volume One
LP, Comp, Base Record, ,
No Wave/Post-Punk/Rock & Roll/Art Rock
Various
NME / Rough Trade C81
1982, Cassette, ,
Pop Rock/Punk/Synth-pop/Ska/New Wave
The Fall
The Peel Sessions 1978-1980
LP, Unofficial, Ugly Soda Records, ,
Post-Punk