The Smiths. One of the greatest bands ever YES/NO?

[twistedAM]

For a change it's actually a very well worded poll with the Top 10 and Top 1000 option but this phrase summed it up for me - they said nothing to me about my life - so it was an easy option what to vote for.

 

[milesy]

they were ace. as is mozza solo.

 

[Roadkill]

Awesome. No two ways about it IMO.

They were excellent musicians - the way the band fitted together was nigh-on perfect, and morrissey and Marr are IMO one of the greatest songwriting partnerships ever.

I don't find them miserable - well, not always. Some of their stuff's genuinely down, but a lot of it's tongue in cheek. Everyone seems to cite 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' as a depressing song, but I can't tsake it seriously - not with a line like 'What she asked of me at the end of the day, Caligula would have blushed.'

I've never been so keen on Morrissey's solo stuff. There's the odd great song (Everyday is like Sunday is one of my favourite records ever - it so perfectly describes where I grew up!), and Vauxhall and I is a brilliant album, but beyond that I cna take it or leave it. IMO Morrissey needed Marr as much as t'other way round. Solo they're both okay, but not half as good as together.

 

[iROBOT]

Hang the DJ!

The Smiths were one of the major bands in my life. I think I've only seen Cabaret Voltaire more times. Went to thier last gig at the royal albert, and when "There is a Light..." was played, everyone in the audience was singing along to it, fantastic atmosphere. Dont listen to them much anymore, but like the editor, when it's on some background thing on TV (as an example)...the quality just shines through.

And I hate groups reforming so this quote from Morrissey reassured me...

“I would rather eat my own testicles than reform The Smiths, and that’s saying something for a vegetarian.”

 

[isvicthere?]

The Smiths emerged as I was seguing into my mid-20s. They were the last band I REALLY cared about. One of my top five of all time.

And as for people who say they were "miserable"? Get the irony, fuckwits!

 

[isvicthere?]

Awesome. No two ways about it IMO.

They were excellent musicians - the way the band fitted together was nigh-on perfect, and morrissey and Marr are IMO one of the greatest songwriting partnerships ever.

I don't find them miserable - well, not always. Some of their stuff's genuinely down, but a lot of it's tongue in cheek. Everyone seems to cite 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' as a depressing song, but I can't tsake it seriously - not with a line like 'What she asked of me at the end of the day, Caligula would have blushed.'

.

Well, exactly.

 

[radiohead]

they were one of the true greats, but they're not in my top 10.. doh

 

[Juice Terry]

Hated them with a passion, which was made even worse cause my girlfriend at the time loved them and even managed to drag me to one of their gigs at Brixton, which I think was their last ever. I remember standing at the back bored out of my mind wishing it would just end as all the miserable students worshipped Morrissey with bunches of flowers.

 

[LDR]

I think The Smyths are much better than The Smiths. For a start, they don't take themselves too seriously.

 

[Roadkill]

My ex still says that being first on stage to hug Morrissey at the end of a gig is the best thing he's done: since he was first, he got a hug back!

 

[May Kasahara]

I've always been a bit sad that I was never able to listen to their music, which from my limited exposure seems quite good, because of my utter overriding loathing and all-consuming pukemaking hatred for Morrissey's voice. Also his lyrics. Don't know much about the man himself (thankfully), but the merest suggestion of that voice leaves me filled with murderous rage. So no.

 

[BadlyDrawnGirl]

My favourite band of all time.

 

[snouty warthog]

I once went to Morrissey's house... but I don't think that's a story I want to tell right now...

Editor, if you like Smiths' covers, have you heard The Ukrainians' EP of Smiths' songs? 'Batyar' (Bigmouth) is a classic...

cool, I found a link to the whole song- halfway down the page...

 

[kupsch]

i cant really be bothered with them. that voice just cuts right through me im afraid. i quite like sheila take a bow though

 

[Dubversion]

If you'd asked me 10 years ago, theyd have made my top 5, i was obsessed by them for a long time. Now i never ever ever listen to them, which doesn't mean they've stopped being a fantastic band, just that there's never a time I want to put them on..

 

[Relahni]

they were ace. as is mozza solo.

I think I prefer Morrissey solo stuff. The Smiths were good, probably one of the greatest bands yeah.

But at the time, when I was growing up, I didn't like them. It was girls music you see lol.

Nice girls music mind!

 

[Iam]

i'm pretty sure most emo bands will count the smiths as an influence presuming they have actully heard of him anyway.

 

[milesy]

in the recent NME "the smiths - the queen is dead" special they had a big article about the smiths inspiring the emos.

i didn't read it, by the way.

 

[milesy]

some of the music for mozza's latest solo stuff originally started life as tracks by johnny panic and the bible of dreams (featuring a couple of member's of mozza's band) but to be honest they sound better with mozza's voice and lyrics.

 

[editor]

Just playing The Queen Is Dead now.

'Tis genius.



('scuse the bump but it seemed the most appropriate thread)

 

[Pickman's model]

if only she was

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I do think Marr was an excellent guitarist, but I can never ever ever get past the dreadful voice. Years go by, my tastes change bit by bit, some things get better, some worse, some stay about the same, but one truth I can never change is that his voice is torture

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

It's odd. I can see something great in them but only actually like two songs. This charming man makes me want to eat my shoes.

 

[Geri]

I don't remember this thread from before, but I would say they are definitely in my top 5 favourite bands - if not my favourite band - of all time.

I think I would have died for Morrissey when I was about 19, I loved him that much.

 

[editor]

Pop lyrics really don't get much better than this!

Punctured bicycle
On a hillside desolate
Will nature make a man of me yet ?

When in this charming car
This charming man

Why pamper life’s complexities
When the leather runs smooth
On the passenger seat ?

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Or this

All the streets are crammed with things
Eager to be held
I know what hands are for
And I'd like to help myself
You ask me the time
But I sense something more
And I would like to give
What I think you're asking for
You handsome devil
Oh, you handsome devil

Let me get my hands
On your mammary glands
And let me get your head
On the conjugal bed
I say, I say, I say

Of course this song needs the absolutely fantastic riff that the band turned out.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

You've all been here:

And in the darkened underpass
I thought Oh God, my chance has come at last
(But then a strange fear gripped me and I
Just couldn't ask)

 

[Geri]

I dreamt about you last night
and I fell out of bed twice
you can pin and mount me
like a butterfly

But take me to the haven of your bed
was something that you never said

Gasping - but somehow still alive
This is the fierce last stand of all I am

Gasping - dying - but somehow still alive
This is the final stand of all I am

Ceiling shadows shimmy by
And when the wardrobe towers like a beast of prey
There's sadness in your beautiful eyes
Oh, your untouched, unsoiled, wonderous eyes

All just beautiful.

 

[purplex]

prefer strangeways myself

 

[Wolveryeti]

My first memory of the Smiths is hearing this awful sound like a cat being slowly run over by a steam roller and getting angry and appalled looks from people when I asked if we could turn the dreadful shite off.