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The Smiths
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
The Smiths was an English band from Manchester, started in 1982 by the guitarist Johnny Marr and the singer Morrissey. Marr knocked on Morrissey's door, following the example of the songwriters Leiber and Stoller, because he had heard that Morrissey wrote good lyrics. They shared a love of poetry, literature and the New York Dolls. The bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce completed the group. Morrissey chose the name because it was the most ordinary name he could think of: time for ordinary people to show themselves.
Music and breakthrough
In 1983 the band signed with the independent label Rough Trade. After Hand in Glove, This Charming Man became the first hit, partly thanks to the support of John Peel on BBC Radio 1. The debut album The Smiths (1984) reached number two in England. Meat Is Murder (1985) was more political and reached number 1. The Queen Is Dead (1986) appears on many lists of the best albums of all time. The single Panic also appeared in 1986. After Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) the band split up, mainly because of tensions between Morrissey and Marr.
Influence
In an age of synthesizers and new romantics, The Smiths chose guitar, bass and drums. Marr's clear, melodic guitar playing stood against Morrissey's baritone and his literary, sarcastic lyrics about loneliness, unrequited love and resistance to authority. With plain clothes and sleeves featuring photos of old film stars they built an image of their own. The Smiths are regarded as forerunners of indie rock and were a great influence on Britpop.
Listening
Panic · The Smiths, 1986Apple Music ↗
Discography
Studio albums
In School of Rock
The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.
- Mixtape 7: The 1980sNL Reader
Mentioned in other articles
- New wave Genre
The movement runs from guitar bands such as The Cure, The Police and The Smiths to synth bands such as Tubeway Army and Depeche Mode.