Tag Archives: 80s

The Smiths – Album Review

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The Cover Showcases Morrissey's Obsession With Pop Culture

The Cover Showcases Morrissey's Obsession With Pop Culture

The Smiths’ debut is often regarded as an album that could have been much better, yet was marred by a production that did the songs no justice. You realize this is true the second “Reel Around The Fountain” starts playing, but it also dawns on you that some selections were not that strong to begin with either, and that no amount of production wizardry could have elevated them. The most obvious case is “Miserable Lie”, a song which actually worked quite well live. There are also a couple of tracks such as “You’ve Got Everything Now” and “I Don’t Owe You Anything” that are pure vitriol – Morrissey is yet to find how to articulate certain feelings and shape them into songs. Continue reading →

The Smiths – General Introduction

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A Very Early Picture Of The Smiths

A Very Early Picture Of The Smiths

The Smiths were an enormously influential 80’s band that hailed from Manchester, England. The group comprised singer Morrissey, guitar luminary Johnny Marr and a rhythm section of Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). The ability of the latter is often overlooked, if only because the band itself was not that democratic – as a matter of fact, Morrissey and Marr received 40 % each of the band’s income while the rhythm men received just 10 % each. The band broke up in 1987 (for the simple reason that Marr and Morrissey could no longer stand each other) and a lawsuit ensued in 1996 over royalties, effectively driving them further apart and wiping out any chance of a reunion (unlikely to begin with). Rourke would eventually settle for less than he was entitled to, but Joyce took it to the bitter end. Continue reading →