no kurde no, zaliczcie mi to zdanie The ghfSmiths were an English rock band formed sfdsfin Manchester in 1982. Consisting of vocalist Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke, and drummer Mike Joyce, critics consider the band one of the most important to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s. Internal tensions led to their break up in 1987 and subsequent offers to reunite have been refused.[5] In 2012, all four Smiths' studio albums (and a compilation) appeared on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", while "William, It Was Really Nothing" and "How Soon Is Now?" were included in the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Marr, the Smiths' focus on a guitar, bass, and drum sound, and fusion of 1960s rock and post-punk, were a rejection of the synthesiser-based dance-pop of the time. Marr's Rickenbacker guitar work was reminiscent of the jangle pop sound of Roger McGuinn from the Byrds.[6] Morrissey's complex, literate lyrics combined themes of ordinary lives with mordant humour.
The Smiths were signed to the independent label Rough Trade Records. Several Smiths singles reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart and all of their studio albums reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart, including the number-one album Meat Is Murder (1985). They achieved mainstream success in Europe with The Queen Is Dead (1986) and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987), sadaboth of which entered the top twenty of the European Albums Chart.[7] Their live album Rank (1988) reached the top 10 in Europe.[8] Background
On 31 August 1978, a 19-year-old Morrissey was briefly introduced to the 14-year-old Johnny Marr by mutual acquaintances Billy Duffy and Howard Bates at a Patti Smith gig held at Manchester's Apollo Theatre.[9]
Formation and early singles: May 1982–1983
"It's still really clear. It was a sunny day, about one o'clock. There was no advance phone call or anything. I just knocked and he opened the door. As soon as the door opened, Pommy [Pomfret] took two very firm steps back. Which is one of the things that got me to talk so fast, it was just plain exuberance."
— Marr, on arriving at Morrissey's door.[10]
In May 1982 Marr decided that he wanted to establish a new band, and subsequently turned up on the doorstep of Morrissey's house – 384 Kings Road, Stretford– accompanied by mutual friend Steve Pomfret, to ask Morrissey if he was interested in founding a band with himself and Pomfret. Morrissey and Marr bonded with their love of poetry and literature. [11] A fan of the New York Dolls, Marr had been impressed that Morrissey had authored a book on the band, and was inspired to turn up on his doorstep following the example of Jerry Leiber, who had formed his working partnership with Mike Stoller after turning up at the latter's door.[12]
According to Morrissey: "We got on absolutely famously. We were very similar in drive."[13] Conversing, the two found that they were fans of many of the same bands.[14] The next day, Morrissey phoned Marr to confirm that he would be interested in forming a band with him.[10]
A few days later, Morrissey and Marr held their first rehearsal in Marr's rented attic room in Bowdon. Morrissey provided the lyrics for "Don't Blow Your Own Horn", the first song that they worked on; however, they decided against retaining the song, with Marr commenting that "neither of us liked it very much".[10] The next song that they worked on was "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle", which again was based on lyrics produced by Morrissey. Marr included a tempo which was based on the Patti Smith song "Kimberly", and they recorded it on Marr's TEAC three-track cassette recorder. The third track that the duo worked on was "Suffer Little Children".[15] Alongside these original compositions, Morrissey suggested that the band produce a cover of "I Want a Boy for My Birthday", a song by the 1960s American girl band the Cookies; although he had never heard of the song before, Marr agreed, enjoying the subversive element of having a male vocalist sing it, and the song was recorded on his TEAC machine.[16]
By the end of the summer of 1982 Morrissey had chosen the band name "the Smiths",[17] later informing an interviewer that "it was the most ordinary name and I thought it was time that the ordinary folk of the world showed their faces".[18] Around the time of the band's formation, Morrissey decided that he would be publicly known only by his surname,[19] with Marr referring to him as "Mozzer" or "Moz".[20] In 1983 he forbade those around him from using the name "Steven", which he despised.[20]
After remaining with the band for several rehearsals, Pomfret departed acrimoniously.[21] He was replaced by the bass player Dale Hibbert, who worked at Manchester's Decibel Studios, where Marr had met him while recording Freak Party's demo.[18] It was through Hibbert that the Smiths were able to record their first demo at Decibel, doing so one night in August 1982.[22] Aided by drummer Simon Wolstencroft, whom Marr had worked with in Freak Party, the band recorded both "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" and "Suffer Little Children".[23] Wolstencroft was not interested in joining the band, so auditions were held to find a permanent drummer, which resulted in Mike Joyce joining them; he later revealed that he was under the influence of magic mushrooms during his audition performance.[24] Meanwhile, Morrissey took the demo recording to Factory Records, but Factory's Tony Wilson wasn't interested.[25] In October 1982 the Smiths gave their first public performance as a support act for Blue Rondo à la Turk during a student music and fashion show, "An Evening of Pure Pleasure", at Manchester's The Ritz venue.[26] During the performance, they played both their own compositions and "I Want a Boy for My Birthday".[27] Morrissey had organised the gig's aesthetic; the band came onstage to Klaus Nomi's version of Henry Purcell's "The Cold Song" playing through the venue's sound system before his friend James Maker stepped onstage to introduce the band.[28] Maker remained onstage during the performance, relating that "I was given a pair of maracas – an optional extra – and carte blanche. There were no instructions – I think it was generally accepted I would improvise... I was there to drink red wine, make extraneous hand gestures and keep well within the tight, chalked circle that Morrissey had drawn around me."[29] Hibbert however was unhappy with what he perceived as the band's gay aesthetic; in turn, Morrissey and Marr were unhappy with his bass playing, so he was removed from the band and replaced by Marr's old school friend Andy Rourke.[30] Hibbert however denies that he had any issue with the band being perceived as a 'gay' band, and was unsure as to the reasons why he was asked to leave the band.[31]
In December 1982 the band recorded their second demo, this time at the Drone Studios in Chorlton-cum-Hardy; the tracks recorded were "What Difference Does It Make?", "Handsome Devil", and "Miserable Lie".[32] This was used as their audition tape for the record company EMI, who turned the band down.[33] During the rest of that month, the band continued to practice, this time at the upstairs of the Portland Street Crazy Face Clothing company, a space secured for them by their new manager Joe Moss.[34] By Christmas they had created four new songs: "These Things Take Time", "What Do You See in Him?", "Jeane", and "A Matter of Opinion", the last of which they would soon scrap.[35] Their next gig was Manchester's Manhattan in late January 1983, and although Maker would again appear as a go-go dancer, this was the last time that he did so.[36] In early February they performed their third gig, at the city's Haçienda club.[37] + 1sdsd654f6
Equipped Artifacts
Go to Artifacts Showroom >
No artifacts equipped
Following (friends)
No friends found
- of
No Relay content
Recent Achievements
Go to Achievements >
REWARDED
Become Alienware Arena Overlord
2024-03-18
Alienware Arena Loves You
2023-04-30
Getting the Ball Rolling
2022-12-31
Lets get Twitchy
2022-12-31
Collector of all
2022-12-31