Still reading the Smiths (NOT Morrissey) book and still loving it beyond belief. Again, it is not a proper history of the Smiths, but it basically kinda is. It goes through each recorded song and tell the back story - and there are long passages filling in the bands history. Wonderful. Again, it was a wonderful time to be a music fan. I've written this before, but when the SMiths were active, I was one of those waiting for each new '45 to be released and to see what new direction everythig will take. I was totally into the cult of the Smiths B sides. Again, it was like the 1960's when the whole wolrd waited for the new songs by the Stones and Beatles.
And now, the background to all those songs - written by an 'insider' - are in book form, by a nice writer, and lovely. Again, wonderful to finally know just how dedicated, great, and productive Johnny Marr was.
Growing up, obviously, it was all Morrissey. He was the centerpiece of the band, and to us the followers (or frenz, as Morrissey used to want us to be called), and so m uch attention was spent on him. But as I get older, wiser, a bitteen more musical, and an appreciation of hard work - it is Johnny Marr who comes to the fore. This is very much a fanbook of the Smiths - but it is written by a musician- and music takes the fore. It was Johnny who tried to make the band work - with Morrissey taking the 'diva' position. Seems the reason for the breakup of the band was that Johnny Marr had to take over more and more of the business of the band because Morrissey did not want this or that person to be involved with the group. Over time it just burnt Marr out - he wanted to make music, but it turned out he had to book shows and produce LPs and all that. Finally, it got to be too much...
The breakup was terrible. Wasnt supposed to happen - Johnny just took off for LA, and the other thought .... after a few months, the huge force that the band had been just ...... dissapated.... I remember the time. I was catching a train out to South Bend to see my friend who was a girl (Orange) and read the NME or MMaker in the downtown bookstores. Horrible. And now, many years later, we find out why - Morrissey was a bit of a bitch about things. Comically so. And goodbye to the band.
But, the beginning of the book was just thrilling. Again, the first meeting between Morrissey and Marr. The early singles. Like the end of the band above, I have written before on the excitement of follwing nthe band while they were active - like the Stones or Beatles circe 1965, each new single or B side or news about the band was excitedly lived through. Everything was happening @ once, and it was so all kool to be an 'insider'. So, to read all that was gratifying - and a bit of a re-living of it all.
And of course the women. "Ask", of course, Red. "Shelia take a Bow", Orange. "Meat is Murder", ep. "The Boy...", Xenos. "Stop me...", Q. Nice smiles, good feelings, and a chill appreciation of days of yestergirls....
And the funny stories. Early on the band - and even my appreciation(remember I was a slave to regular press back then) - seemed to be bit of a gay troupe, with possible child abuse angles. Funny as hell to read Mike Joyce phoning his parents- 'simple Irish folk' - when "Hand in Glove" ( w. the picture of a dudes bum) was to appear. The impossiblility of playing "How soon is Now" by having to rely on a pedal to deliver that diving whooshig sound. Morrisseys constant inability to tell anybody anyhting - by having Marr deliver all the 'bad news' to the other bandmates. ANd all of the background information on the songs, cover stars, etc etc etc...
And, finally, The End again. The days after Marr left the band Morrissey wanted the name to continue - so a line of Marrwannabees came in and out, all unacceptable to MOrrissey - one because he swore a lot.
Like the Beatles, I believe that the Smiths will never play again. MArr had said that he met Morrissey and hung out a bit in years later - so did Mcartney and Lennon - but Marr (a big contributer to the book) said when they hung out, what was missing - the music - meant that their relationship also was missinmg something.
Growing up, obviously, it was all Morrissey. He was the centerpiece of the band, and to us the followers (or frenz, as Morrissey used to want us to be called), and so m uch attention was spent on him. But as I get older, wiser, a bitteen more musical, and an appreciation of hard work - it is Johnny Marr who comes to the fore. This is very much a fanbook of the Smiths - but it is written by a musician- and music takes the fore. It was Johnny who tried to make the band work - with Morrissey taking the 'diva' position. Seems the reason for the breakup of the band was that Johnny Marr had to take over more and more of the business of the band because Morrissey did not want this or that person to be involved with the group. Over time it just burnt Marr out - he wanted to make music, but it turned out he had to book shows and produce LPs and all that. Finally, it got to be too much...
The breakup was terrible. Wasnt supposed to happen - Johnny just took off for LA, and the other thought .... after a few months, the huge force that the band had been just ...... dissapated.... I remember the time. I was catching a train out to South Bend to see my friend who was a girl (Orange) and read the NME or MMaker in the downtown bookstores. Horrible. And now, many years later, we find out why - Morrissey was a bit of a bitch about things. Comically so. And goodbye to the band.
But, the beginning of the book was just thrilling. Again, the first meeting between Morrissey and Marr. The early singles. Like the end of the band above, I have written before on the excitement of follwing nthe band while they were active - like the Stones or Beatles circe 1965, each new single or B side or news about the band was excitedly lived through. Everything was happening @ once, and it was so all kool to be an 'insider'. So, to read all that was gratifying - and a bit of a re-living of it all.
And of course the women. "Ask", of course, Red. "Shelia take a Bow", Orange. "Meat is Murder", ep. "The Boy...", Xenos. "Stop me...", Q. Nice smiles, good feelings, and a chill appreciation of days of yestergirls....
And the funny stories. Early on the band - and even my appreciation(remember I was a slave to regular press back then) - seemed to be bit of a gay troupe, with possible child abuse angles. Funny as hell to read Mike Joyce phoning his parents- 'simple Irish folk' - when "Hand in Glove" ( w. the picture of a dudes bum) was to appear. The impossiblility of playing "How soon is Now" by having to rely on a pedal to deliver that diving whooshig sound. Morrisseys constant inability to tell anybody anyhting - by having Marr deliver all the 'bad news' to the other bandmates. ANd all of the background information on the songs, cover stars, etc etc etc...
And, finally, The End again. The days after Marr left the band Morrissey wanted the name to continue - so a line of Marrwannabees came in and out, all unacceptable to MOrrissey - one because he swore a lot.
Like the Beatles, I believe that the Smiths will never play again. MArr had said that he met Morrissey and hung out a bit in years later - so did Mcartney and Lennon - but Marr (a big contributer to the book) said when they hung out, what was missing - the music - meant that their relationship also was missinmg something.
1 comment:
I've got that book and it's purty good.
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