Morrissey/The Smiths?

joe123

Hey the last few years ive gotten into morrissey. I dont really know much about him but when he released "first of the gang to die" was when i first ever heard of him TBH. Anyways that led me on to buying "you are the quarry" and lately "last of the tormentors" and personally I think they are both great albums....anyways a while back I was watching one of his concerts on channel 4 and he did a few songs id never heard of so then that led me on to buying "the smiths- the very best of" and I think its very good " there is a light that never goes out" has to be the best song on it.

I was just wondering what people generally think of Morrissey as I know he has a cult following but is he popular with many people as not one of my friends like him. Im 19 so maybe that has something to do with it.

BTW what album is the song where he goes " every day is like sunday" its not on the best of smiths nor his two latest albums.

What happened to the smiths? One last questions is Morrissey gay because i was listening to some of his lyrics and i got a bit afraid...lol seriously though.

And if anyone can recommend some songs of his/smiths it would be good. Thanks.

indiewindy

You will find the song "every day is like Sunday" on Viva Hate and its also on suedehead the best of Morrissey. The best of is probably all you need as is solo albums were a bit patchy.

flogen

Yeah, I'm a fan of The Smiths but not so much of his solo stuff; as Indie says it's a bit patchy (and IMO his last two albums have been very hit and miss).

I'd say get some smiths albums if you can, and a best of of Morrissey too; depending on what stuff of morrissey you like you can then decide which of his older solo albums you want to try next.

On the issue of his sexuality, I don't think he's ever made it public (or made a deal of it in public), purely for the reason that it doesn't matter as far as I understand.
The band split up due to a falling-out between Morrissey and Johnny Marr the guitarist/genius of The Smiths.
queue years of will they/won't they rumours about reunions and making amends etc.

Frankly while both have been successful in their solo endeavours and both are to this day producing quality tracks neither have managed to hit the same peak they were at during The Smiths, whatever reason that is.

hoody

[QUOTE= One last questions is Morrissey gay because i was listening to some of his lyrics and i got a bit afraid...lol seriously though.

And if anyone can recommend some songs of his/smiths it would be good. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

There's a book by Mark Simpson called 'Saint Morrissey' which basically suggests that Morrissey doesn't really involve himself in relationships of any shape or colour, and has almost banned himself from doing so. But it also says that he has had sexual experiences with both male and females. It sure is one f88ked up book, the guy is clearly obsessed with Morrissey, but a good, informative read nonetheless.

As for the music itself, Asleep is my current favourite, although it is fierce melancholy, and Panic is another one, any song that repeats the line 'Hang the DJ' over and over can't be too far off the mark!

Lunar Junkie

I agree that his solo CDs have been patchy, but I think it's well worth picking up both "Viva Hate" and "Vauxhall & I", both with a high ratio of good stuff to not-so-good.. The Smiths split mainly, from what I've gathered, because Johnny Marr was getting tired both of the musical limitations of the band and of the huge demands placed on him as main composer and band organiser (they never really had a proper manager for any longer than a few months after the early 80s, Morrissey just couldn't work with most people). If you want to read the whole story "Morrissey & Marr - The Severed Alliance" by Johnny Rogan is a great Smiths book. I'd recommend picking up all of the Smiths albums if you like Morrissey's solo stuff, starting with The Queen Is Dead and Louder Than Bombs maybe and work your way onto the others. As for whether he's gay.... probably (or bisexual maybe, but it doesn't seem he's had relations with a woman for quite a long time) but he always sidesteps any questions about sexual orientation in interviews.

psycho_Bateman

im absolutely addicted to the smiths myself. i hate the repuation certain people give them. im 24 and have been addicted for 2 years. my friends were all "he's so depressing whiney bla bla" until they actually heard a few songs and they quickly changed their tune and some of which went to marley park with me to see im and knew nearly every word.

i have every album and session. i have all of morrisseys solo albums too.
i love every single smiths track which is mainly odd with bands as you would usually dislike the odd few but thats not the case for me with the smiths, i especially love "the boy with the thorn in is side".

morrisseys earlier solo stuff is really good "viva hate", "your arsenal", "vauxhaul and i". some of it is very reminiscent of the smiths. his overall solo career is great but you cant help compare some of his work to his life in the smiths or expect that kind of sound. he's still the worlds greatest songwriter in my book and possibly the most honest man i had ever seen in the limelight.

nlgbbbblth

I've being hearing people whining about The Smiths / Morrissey being 'depressing' for many years. They totally miss the point. They're generally the ones with sh*t taste in music.

go for The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
and Morrissey - Southpaw Grammar.

When buying The Smiths vinyl is best. The original Rough Trade CDs sound good but the Warners/WEA pressings that have existed since the late 1980s are quite poor.

John

I didn't know Rough Trade put the Smiths out on CD. I must see if I can get my hands on them, the Warner CDs are terrible. Them and The Birthday Party have been getting a raw deal on CD for years.

nlgbbbblth

John wrote:

I didn't know Rough Trade put the Smiths out on CD. I must see if I can get my hands on them, the Warner CDs are terrible.

UK CD release dates and catalogue numbers to watch out for:
Smiths, Hatful and Meat CDs were not released simultaneously with the LP and cassette versions.
Louder Than Bombs was an import only release for the first 18 months of its existence.

The Smiths [Oct 1986 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD61]
Hatful Of Hollow [Nov 1985 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD76]
Meat Is Murder [Apr 1985 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD81]
The Queen Is Dead [June 1986 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD96]
The World Won't Listen [Feb 1987 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD101]
Strangeways Here We Come [Sep 1987 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD106]
Rank [Sep 1988 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD126]
Louder Than Bombs [Nov 1988 - Rough Trade ROUGHCD255]

The Warners CDs emerged in 1993, as part of a programme that included a pointless 10" vinyl repressing of each album [except Louder Than Bombs]. The CDs are direct clones of the US Sire releases which were far inferior to the Rough Trade versions.

Apparently the 2001 'Very Best Of' is supposed to sound ok.

Lines

Yeah definitly one of the best bands about.

I was way too young to catch them first time around but they are still really relevant.

Suedehead, despite being a compilation, does play like an album and is really worth getting.

In terms of the Smiths albums, i like Meat is Murder the most and then possibly Strangeways .... really love Queen is Dead also, but i just think the other albums have something more in them.

I always found it weird that people said they were depressing cause alot of the lyrics are really funny and mostly the songs are very touching. Its like when people say Joy Division are depressing, or that they dont like Ian Curtis voice.


Anyway, good work on getting into them, cause they are a band that never get boring.

psycho_Bateman

ive gotten myself a tattoo on my inner wrist just saying MOZ. im 24 and he's had a huge impact on me this past 2 years.. huge impact

joe123

When you say Johnny Marr was the genius, I thought Morrissey wrote all his songs? Does he do all his own on his solo albums? You are the quarry has some great songs as does Last of the tormentors although it needs a few listens.

Ill pick up his suedehead one, what year was it released? Years covered kind of thing? You are the quarry was around 2001 or so...

Well been listening to the "very best of smiths"....Its good, not every song is brilliant but there are songs on it that I really like mainly

The boy with the thorn in his side
William it was really nothing
Some girls are bigger than others
Girlfriend in a coma
There is a light that never goes out
Please let me get what I want
This charming man
How soon is now ( aint bad a bit long :rolleyes: )
Shoplifters (might just make it in )

There are others that arent bad but thats my general taste it in so far...If I could of got a few friends to go to him in Marley Park I would of gone for sure his concerts seem class, but no as you say they all think he talks aload of crap in his songs and think his voice is awful funny for some reason.

noby

Morrissey wrote the lyrics, Marr did the music.

Similar writing relationship in his solo stuff, usually with one or other of the guitarists.

Suedehead covers the solo stuff up to mid '90s. Viva Hate is a good early album, but I would recommend Bona Drag, which is a compilation of early solo singles/b sides. It covers some of the stuff on Suedehead.

After that, Vauxhall & I and Your Arsenal.

Morgans

For the novice listener, I would think that the best Morrissey albums to get are Suedehead and Bona Drag. The best Smiths album for the novice are Louder than Bombs (24 songs, especially the last 5, jesus they had an impact) and The Queen Is Dead...(eventhough The Smiths - the Smiths is very accessible).

Over time, if you are anything like me, you'll mature into regarding Meat is Murder and Vauxhall & I as the best Smiths and Morrissey studio albums respectively.

Those discovering that they like the smiths are probably just about getting started on the best 6 months of your life.

Local Goddess

The Smiths are brilliant, I am mad about them too! Same as you none of my friends are really into Moz or the Smiths(two of them are!), Im 20 so maybe it is an age thing, ha!The Queen Is Dead and How Soon Is Now are really brilliant songs. Asleep and I Know It's Over are really good. On the Smiths albums, Hateful of Hollow is a really nice album, it has a few nice acoustic versions of some of their songs (the version of This Charming Man is brilliant, Moz' voice sounds great!). The Queen Is Dead is a great album too and Meat Is Murder is also worth a listen. Rank too- actually they're all great!ha! The Headmaster Ritual is a really good song too. I like Moz' solo stuff but I don't think it's a patch on the Smiths stuff, the absense of a certain Johnny Marr is definetly evident!

John

May I remind people that no reference to any shows put on by MCD can be made on this site due to the current legal situation.

Attractive Nun

The Queen is Dead is easily one of the top 10 albums ever made. In my opinion, most other Smiths albums pale in comparison to it - and I would definitely say the same about Morrissey's solo stuff. The Smiths and Meat is Murder are certainly worth a buy - I suppose they all are - but TQID should definitely be first on the shopping list, fantastic album.

And I'd agree that Suedehead is worth a buy if you like Morrissey. It's pre-Quarry, but it's the only Morrissey album I own and I've yet to hear a decent Morrissey song from the era it covers that isn't on it.

Tomohawk

Try to go and see Irish band http://www.thesecharmingmen.com/ at one of their Irish gigs. They really are fantastic and have managed to capture something approaching an old Smiths concert in look and sound. Highly reccomended! (They're Mozzer's own favourite tribute act and all!)

BleakestH

Wouldn't mind seeing that tribute band, they sound like they must be pretty good!

Did anyone see that place beside whelans thats opening soon? It's where CYO used to be,its going to be a burger place, cant remember the name. Anyway, they have these posters outside it with the front cover of Meat is Murder, only they've substituted the word 'murder' for 'burger'. Underneath is a caption that reads 'hey Morrissey, we also serve chips'. What a disgrace, I wonder what the man himself would have to say about that?

John

There's a butchers across the road from Whelans called Morrisseys too.

DerekD Goldfish

Its not like he has exclusive right over the name "Morrissesy"

BleakestH

DerekD Goldfish wrote:

Its not like he has exclusive right over the name "Morrissesy"

That has nothing to do with what i just said.