The Smiths (music group)

The Smiths was an English indie rock band formed in 1982 in Manchester, England. The group consisted of singer and songwriter Morrissey (born Steven Patrick Morrissey), guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke, and drummer Mike Joyce. The band was an influential part of the independent rock music movement of the 1980s, attaining widespread success without catering to mainstream expectations. The Smiths' layered guitar melodies and lead singer Morrissey's crooning vocals drew from a diverse range of musical genres, including punk, 1960s pop, and rockabilly. The band's music marked the end of the predominately synth-powered new wave music trend of the 1980s, paving the way for the growing alternative and indie rock markets that would dominate the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although Morrissey and Marr often quarrelled behind the scenes, their collaboration produced multiple hit singles and critically successful albums. The Smiths released four studio albums before disbanding in 1987.

Background

Both Morrissey and Marr had been actively involved in the Manchester music scene prior to the Smiths' formation. Marr had been fairly successful and nearly landed a record deal with one of his bands, while Morrissey's vocal style underwhelmed many of the bands for which he auditioned. An avid film and music enthusiast, the young Morrissey focused his energy on writing letters to various magazines reviewing whatever he had just seen or heard. Morrissey saw several of his letters published, and in the late 1970s, he also had two biographical tribute books published that centered on actor James Dean and the music group the New York Dolls. Around the same time, Morrissey met Marr through mutual friends at a Patti Smith concert. The two reconnected in 1982 when Marr was looking to form a new band. In need of a singer, Marr contacted Morrissey, and soon the two were writing songs and recording demos together. That fall, Marr and Morrissey recruited drummer Joyce and bassist Rourke to their lineup so they could begin performing live, naming their band the Smiths.

After making its live debut later that year, the group had garnered a loyal fan base around Manchester and soon began to segue into the London music scene. The band rejected a few record deals before deciding to sign with UK indie label Rough Trade. The label issued the band's debut single, "Hand in Glove," which became a hit within the underground music scene in the United Kingdom and topped the indie charts. The Smiths' live performances were also gaining a reputation due to Morrissey's bizarre antics, which included stuffing plants into his back pockets and wearing a hearing aid on stage. Morrissey's brutal honesty and candid criticism against the mainstream music industry also appealed to the growing alternative rock crowd. The buzz surrounding the Smiths' many quirks propelled the group's next two singles right to the top of the charts. "This Charming Man," released in December of 1983, reached number twenty-five on the UK charts, while "What Difference Does It Make?," released the following February, peaked at number twelve. The Smiths had swiftly risen from obscurity to prominence, capturing the attention of the public and the mass media. Listeners eagerly awaited its debut album, which finally arrived in the spring of 1984.

Overview

The Smiths released its first studio album, The Smiths, to critical and commercial acclaim. The album reached number two on the UK album charts despite the controversy surrounding the track "Suffer Children," a song about the notorious Moors murders of 1960s Manchester. The band then separately issued the single "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" shortly after the album's release; it peaked at number ten on the singles chart. Although the band's popularity continued to grow in the United Kingdom, the Smiths remained unknown in the United States outside the underground music scene. The group finished off 1984 by releasing two hit singles, "William It Was Really Nothing" and "How Soon Is Now," followed by an album of B-sides titled Hatful Hollow that reached the top ten on the album charts.

Despite less than stellar reviews from critics, the band's second album, Meat Is Murder, debuted at number one on the UK charts in February 1985. While the Smiths enjoyed the success of the albums, Morrissey made sure his distaste for the music industry was known. He was also outspokenly hypercritical of British politics, often mocking the administration of British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in interviews. Morrissey was also a strict and opinionated vegetarian. Despite Morrissey's often offensive behavior, the Smiths' fans lauded his conduct as justified social commentary, and the band continued to thrive.

The Smiths released the hit single "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" in the fall of 1985. Its third album, The Queen Is Dead, followed in the spring of 1986 and was a critical and commercial success, reaching number two on the UK charts. The album was the first to land on US charts, proving that the band was finally affecting the overseas audience. The band members enlisted guitarist Craig Gannon to join them on their international tour that year. Shortly after the tour ended, Marr was in a serious car accident. While he recovered, Gannon and Rourke were fired from the band, the latter suffering from heroin addiction. Rourke eventually returned to the band after recovering, but by early 1987, the demands of the music industry began to wear on the Smiths.

After releasing the chart-topping singles "Shoplifters of the World" and "Sheila Take a Bow" in the first quarter of 1987, the group issued a hit B-sides compilation titled The World Won't Listen, which was reissued as Louder Than Bombs in the United States later that year. Despite their success, tensions between Marr and Morrissey continued to grow. Marr was becoming frustrated with Morrissey's refusal to branch out musically, while Morrissey resented Marr's participation in other music projects with artists such as Bryan Ferry and Billy Bragg. Right before the release of the band's fourth album, Strangeways, Here We Come, Marr announced he was leaving the Smiths. The group formally disbanded shortly after Marr's departure.

Morrissey embarked on a successful solo career over the next several decades, while Marr continued playing guitar with a number of acts. Bassist Joyce also continued to play and joined the Buzzcocks for a 1991 reformation. Rourke retired from recording all together. In the years following the group's demise, several compilation albums were released that contained many of the hits the Smiths produced, and the band earned two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations in the 2010s. Rourke later died of pancreatic cancer at the age of fifty-nine on May 19, 2023.

Bibliography

Dowling, Stephen. "The Smiths: The Influential Alliance." BBC, 13 May 2003, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3005033.stm. Accessed 25 Oct. 2016.

Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Smiths Biography." AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/artist/the-smiths-mn0000899530/biography. Accessed 8 June 2023.

Fricke, David. "Keeping Up with the Smiths." Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 1986, www.rollingstone.com/music/news/keeping-up-with-the-smiths-19861009. Accessed 25 Oct. 2016.

Gethard, Chris. "This Charming Band." Slate, 30 Nov. 2012, www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/11/smiths‗and‗morrissey‗biography‗tony‗fletcher‗s‗a‗light‗that‗never‗goes‗out.html. Accessed 25 Oct. 2016.

Law, Tony. "The Smiths: Not Like Any Other Love." BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/arts/0/22442676. Accessed 25 Oct. 2016.

Marshall, Alex, and Alex Williams. "Andy Rourke, Bassist for the Smiths, Dies at 59." The New York Times, 19 May 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/arts/music/andy-rourke-the-smiths-dead.html. Accessed 8 June 2023.

Youngs, Ian. "Johnny Marr on the Smiths and Going Solo." BBC, 17 Feb. 2013, www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-21323467. Accessed 25 Oct. 2016.