The Smiths

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I am just now getting into The Smiths (I know, I'm very behind on this one) and they are simply greatness. And Morrissey's solo stuff is also wonderful.



I can't believe I resisted so long just to piss my oldest brother off. (Huge Morrissey fan.)



I can't get "You're The One For Me, Fatty" out of my head.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 24
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    I loved 'em when I was in college. Love in a very schadenfreude-istic kind of way, as in "wow that guy's pathetic, and he writes great songs about how pathetic he is."
  • Reply 2 of 24
    trick falltrick fall Posts: 1,271member
    Was fortunate enough to see them not once, but twice. First I saw them on the Meat is Murder tour at the Beacon theatre, the second time was for the Queen is Dead tour at the Piers in NYC. The first show was absolutely incredible. One of the only times I've been at a show where they brought up the house lights only to have to bring them back down for yet another set of encores. I think they came out four times in all. The second show wasn't quite as good, but still not bad at all. I'd strongly suggest picking up the album Hatfull of Hollow.
  • Reply 3 of 24
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    I've got everything. The second my brother heard me talking about them (listening in on a conversation with my oldest sister) he mailed me all their CDs (and Morrissey's as well).



    He's having a lot of fun rubbing my face in it.
  • Reply 4 of 24
    They're definitely one of my favourite bands of all time.



    I hadn't heard any of Morrissey's recent material until a few weeks ago. 'I Have Forgiven Jesus' is a return to form, after what I considered to be 2 or 3 albums of remarkably boring singles.



    Yeah, so The Smiths are up there, but nothing can knock My Bloody Valentine from #1 on my list.
  • Reply 5 of 24
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    I loved 'em when I was in college. Love in a very schadenfreude-istic kind of way, as in "wow that guy's pathetic, and he writes great songs about how pathetic he is."



    I don't think he hates himself or anything, I think he loves himself to an almost incomprehensible degree. I think he's having a blast. I take it as mean-spirited and cutting, which is just loads of fun.
  • Reply 6 of 24
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    I don't think anything will ever come close to their 'The World Won't Listen Album' (which sadly, does not contain their most interesting song, 'Some girls are bigger than others').



    I find Rubber Ring and Oscillate Wildly to be their top two songs.



    As per Morrissey, have you listened to his 'Kill Uncle' album? Greatness, I tell you. Greatness.
  • Reply 7 of 24
    trick falltrick fall Posts: 1,271member
    I gotta go with Reel Around The Fountain. How Soon Is Now was absolutely mammoth and all enveloping live though.
  • Reply 8 of 24
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    "How Soon Is Now?" is so rock it seems out of place.
  • Reply 9 of 24
    How soon is now is my favorite. I got to see them 3 times including their last show in the US at a small club in NY.
  • Reply 10 of 24
    I thought Velvet Underground was a NY band?
  • Reply 11 of 24
    cakecake Posts: 1,010member
    The Smiths were great.

    Johnny Marr + Morrissey were stunning at times.



    Morrissey's latest doesn't do much for me - he's got one tone and I'm bored with it.



    One small Morrissey story:

    I was with friends at The Cat & Fiddle in Hollywood one night and my friend says, "Jeez, Look at that guy. He so thinks he's Morrissey or something".

    I look over at the guy and it is Morrissey. Look back to my friend to correct him, but he's smiling and laughing.

    I bit and took the bait.
  • Reply 12 of 24
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tonton

    Right you are, but I didn't say they weren't. I said they were important to British music. They were certainly much more important to British music than they were to American music. Can and Kraftwerk were also important to British music, by the way (again, much more than to American music).



    ahh tonton ever the provocateur! I read that statement with eye brow askance, but I knew what you meant.....but by far the most influential american band (other than elvis and chuck berry obviously) has got to be the ramones.

    not one single punk band doesn't sight them as THE major influence.



    i have a can album that I adore....soon over balbuma. it's quite cool.
  • Reply 13 of 24
    the ramones toured england in 76, every soon to be punk group seemed to be in one audience or another.



    in my opinion, (my turn to provoke) no punk then no smiths, no U2, no new order, joy division etc, it all sprung from that original attitude.



    oh and by the way if only for the slide riff in "how soon is now" johnny marr's admittance into heaven is guaranteed.
  • Reply 14 of 24
    Nico is german.
  • Reply 15 of 24
    Quote:

    Originally posted by superkarate monkeydeathcar

    Nico is german.



    And the drummer was a girl.



    Anyway, I am a bastard, because a) I hate The Smiths, and b) I saw The Smiths play at the St Austell Coliseum in Cornwall on the Queen Is Dead tour. Actually, they rocked. Johnny Marr wore a suit and nearly got into a fight with someone in the audience who threw something at him.
  • Reply 16 of 24
    I used to hate the Smiths when I was younger. I can't remember why exactly. It was probably a combination of Morrissey prancing about with gladioli and a hearing aid on Top of The Pops and their fans all seeming like they wished they could be prancing about with gladioli and hearing aids on Top of The Pops. Also, I was a huge Sonic Youth fan at the time and assumed that the Smiths didn't (punk) rock enough. When they broke up I teased my miserable Smiths fan friends about it.



    Later, a year or so after Bona Drag came out, my then girlfriend played me 'Last of The Famous International Playboys' and explained the lyrics to me. I realized that not only was it a great song, but that Morrissey was an amazing lyricist. I had to go back and reevalute and now kind of feel like I missed out by not being a huge Smiths fan when they were still around. Never got too into Morrissey's later stuff though.
  • Reply 17 of 24
    celcocelco Posts: 211member
    I grew up listing to the smiths and the cure with New Order being my favourite band. Its a crime that How soon is now is used on that show "charmed" title. I was introduced to the smiths through meat is murder. Today coincidentally I drove around my fair city listening to old smashing pumpkins... ahh memories of teen angst.. Just wait untill they use the sex pistols for an ad for insurance
  • Reply 18 of 24
    celcocelco Posts: 211member
    That it my premonitions are coming true. Just flicked on the TV to see the news only to see an ad for Whiskers cat foot with the Cure's Love Cats as the score... Next the simpsons will be promoting the church of latter day saints... Help me gebus.
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