The Smiths - Ultimate Indie band of all time - Or not??

blowing in the wind

Recently The Smiths were vote by NME as "The Ultimate Indie Band of All time"

As a fan of The Smiths and indeed Most, if not all Indie music, I think that this is a fair assumption, When you think of how the "village geek" Morrissey had an amazing way with words, and how he was twinned with an equally talented guitarist in Johnny The Wizard Marr - And let's not forget their amazing Rhythm section, Joyce and Rourke on Drums & Bass.
They also produced 4 Amazing albums, excluding the 3 Compilations, and how they strived to be different in a very generic world, and passed fashionably!
Their way with artwork/sleeves/album titles/backdrops, etc...

I do believe that The Beatles don't fall into the indie category as such as they were in their early day "Glorified Popstars" (with which Morrissey flew that flag too) But when you think of band's like The Cure/Joy Division/The Clash (Post punk/Indie era)/Oasis/Killers,Primal Scream/Stone Roses etc, Do you think The Smiths really are The Ultimate Indie band of all time??
I Do!
But.....
What's your opinions??

wonderboysam

big indie fan
not a big smiths fan - find morrisseys voice annoying, also his image just irritates me, I know it shouldnt but it does

ItsAWindUp

Absolutely, Morrissey is the most literate man to ever write music. The Smiths have influenced so many bands.

Fishooks12

Love the Smiths, however I think that music is so subjective that any "best of" list is pretty pointless

SilverScreen

I love The Smiths a lot and they did have a huge impact on indie and alternative music. To call them the ultimate indie band of all time is a bit brave. There's been so many great indie bands throughout the past 30 years that it's impossible to pick the single greatest. Sure The Smiths had Johnny Marr's amazing guitar work and Morrissey's lyrical wit but it's really a subjective opinion as to who is the ultimate indie band of all time.

ItsAWindUp

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Love the Smiths, however I think that music is so subjective that any "best of" list is pretty pointless

Very true.

Nolanger

Two words: The fall.

Miguel_Sanchez

Nolanger wrote: »

Two words: The fall.

I enjoy listening to them in all seasons to be honest.

And around here we call it Autumn.

salfordlad

Agree with Fishhooks12 - Music is very Subjective!

The Smiths are such a fantastic band though. I would be an honest fan, but i'm not one of those who would say they're "THE ULTIMATE" Indie band of all time...They're most certainly one of the most remarkable in the work they created/produced!

The Queen is Dead - Greatest Album i ever bought!

Technocentral

Love the smiths but for the real definition of "Indie" I'd say The Fall or Cocteau Twins.

John Doe1

God nme has got so bad, its all regurgitation of the same old bands and best of lists

blowing in the wind

@JohnDoe1 - I Agree... Though i do find it totally deluded when Morrissey is in actual fact taking the NME to court for labelling him as a "Racist"

However, I Don't buy NME Anymore for the simple reason that it has lost all appeal and it's not what it used to be.....It is a matter of Regurgitation indeed!

However, The Smiths are a pretty Great band... but i never got the whole "Ultimacy" "Greatest" "Best of" thing in music as someone earlier on pointed out..."fishhooks" how it is indeed Pointless!

ItsAWindUp

I can't think of an indie band that's better than them.

me-skywalker

Sorrry to hijack, The Smiths are amazing all agreed, best band lista are rubbish all agreed.
Can someone recommend me and couple of good albums from The Fall. I'll listen to the first 3 as I would usually do but I can see they've 29 albums and seems daunting to just randomly pick any others.

stateofflux

ah sweeping statements...gotta love em. smiths were a great indie band, with some classic albums, one of dozens of great indie bands from late 70's / early eighties... magazine, banshees, wire, joy division, bunnymen, the cure, bauhaus, gang of four, scars, to name a few were all at that calibre of quality & innovation imo....i love them all

John Doe1

me-skywalker wrote: »

Sorrry to hijack, The Smiths are amazing all agreed, best band lista are rubbish all agreed.
Can someone recommend me and couple of good albums from The Fall. I'll listen to the first 3 as I would usually do but I can see they've 29 albums and seems daunting to just randomly pick any others.

"our nations saving grace" its a goodin

St.Spodo

I find it hard to formulate an impartial analysis of The Smiths because I absolutely adore them.

It's probably futile, however, to throw around terms like ''ultimate indie band'' when we all have different opinions of what an indie band is/should be.What is hard for anyone to argue is that they had four fantastic albums, a lyrical genius for a frontman, a sonic architect for a guitarist, and have a great legacy.

ElaElaElano

Personally, I see The Smiths as utterly flawless- profound, witty, relevant, addictive. I adore a lot of bands but I know every word of every Smiths song and can't really say that for anyone else, with the exception incidentally of another Smith- Elliott.

purplepanda

Joy Division / New Order on Factory.

I prefer The Smiths but their deal with Rough Trade was heavily financed by Warner Brothers publishing & they were paid to match.

blowing in the wind

@St.Spodo - I Couldn't agree with you more!
I feel the same way about both The Smiths & The Word "Ultimate" - and that's why i don't see as any band as "The Ultimate of all time" but as a Big fan, I would be opinionated & certainly Biased to agree with NME Here.
I just Thank God that we do have The Smiths, and even when we do get pulled in by newer music, or even older artists, I feel life very comfortable knowing that i have The music of The Smiths to both rely, and fall back on!
Sadly, Life is one BIG Competition, but i see music as be Soulful, Therapeutic & Most certainly Relevant!

I would however, and have NO problem in saying this - The Smiths ARE the Most Influential band!

Skulldigger

For Smiths fans there were a Glasweigan band from the eighties called Aztec Camera. They had a massive influence on Johnny Marr. "This Charming Man" was inspired by one of their tunes.

Greatest indie band? I'm a big fan of The Smiths but I generally don't like getting into greatest-type conversations about music. It's all subjective. You can't doubt their influence though, they were a massively important band. Morrisey is still a prick though.

Anyways, here's some Aztec Camera for those who have not heard them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE3lTlPwykE

salfordlad

Aztec Camera - King of Rock n' Roll... Pile of cheese and everyone who ever heard it, secretly (or proudly) loves it!
Pretty decent band!
I know Craig Gannon (5th Smith - The Queen is Dead tour) was a member of this lot for a time.

Yeah I agree, A good, good band!

nlgbbbblth

me-skywalker wrote: »

Sorrry to hijack, The Smiths are amazing all agreed, best band lista are rubbish all agreed.
Can someone recommend me and couple of good albums from The Fall. I'll listen to the first 3 as I would usually do but I can see they've 29 albums and seems daunting to just randomly pick any others.

This Nation's Saving Grace (first one I got - Christmas '85, thanks Mum and Dad)
Grotesque
Hex Enduction Hour
Perverted By Language
The Infotainment Scan

Kold

Ultimate means last right?



So.... k.

Doc

Is it just me or would anyone else really like to punch Morrissey in the face?

You may have guessed that no I don’t think they are the ultimate Indie band of all time.

guitarzero

I'm not terribly good with the word 'Indie' as it has a lot of negative associations for myself in todays music - Oasis and Blur and onward.

All genres aside, I think The Smiths should rightly go down as one of the most talented and extraordinary bands in history.

Morrisseys blunt honesty matched with such an astute and gifted ability to toy with words is still unmatched today (albeit being a huge fan of Julian Casablancas). He spoke out with vocals for a section of society that were scene as unhip, frail, wrong and overlooked which I dont think had happened before them in such a noble way. This took a lot of balls. Even Johnny Marrs playing somehow gave the songs more sense and understanding to the content. Its still beyond me how these two people had the chance to meet, an act of god surely.

blowing in the wind

Guitarzero - I Couldn't agree with you more!
Squire & Brown/Lennon & McCartney/Rose & Slash etc etc etc... Morrissey & Marr had it all - done it all - and proved it all!

The Smiths are Not Ultimate - They're the Greatest band ever! (imo)

Technocentral

Doc wrote: »

Is it just me or would anyone else really like to punch Morrissey in the face?

You may have guessed that no I don’t think they are the ultimate Indie band of all time.

Expect a kick in the eye from him in return.

Technocentral

salfordlad wrote: »

Aztec Camera - King of Rock n' Roll... Pile of cheese and everyone who ever heard it, secretly (or proudly) loves it!
Pretty decent band!
I know Craig Gannon (5th Smith - The Queen is Dead tour) was a member of this lot for a time.

Yeah I agree, A good, good band!

I think your thinking of Prefab Sprout there, who were another great band with much better songs than that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWRgHVamt7g

salfordlad

@Technocentral - YES, You're spot on!
I always mix the 2 up, yet i am pretty familiar with their music and songs.
But the "5th Smiths" Craig Gannon (tqid tour '86) was a member of Aztec Camera..

Technocentral

salfordlad wrote: »

@Technocentral - YES, You're spot on!
I always mix the 2 up, yet i am pretty familiar with their music and songs.
But the "5th Smiths" Craig Gannon (tqid tour '86) was a member of Aztec Camera..

Sure, I was only pointing out that KOR&R was a Sprout song wasn't commenting on the Gannon bit, anyway there were only 2 Smiths (Morrissey & Marr)