Perhaps David Quantick could have been the lead singer
― PaulTMA, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:23 (six years ago) link
John the Postman, surely.
https://img.discogs.com/ju7i1NrmtQ7XIwXj0EbFAPCQ7Vo=/fit-in/600x360/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/A-1274814-1468321622-2023.jpeg.jpg
― Poisoned by Johan's pea soup. (Tom D.), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:34 (six years ago) link
Well, Marr made all the music and the 3 piece band could have made as good instrumentals for another singer but a lot of the Smiths fans (not all, of course) worshipped Moz and he was the star of the band (also the importance of his stage presence) so they definitely wouldn't have been as popular without him (not talking about his lyrical/melodic/structural input in the songwriting, as mentionned already).
― AlXTC from Paris, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:41 (six years ago) link
Check out Bryan Ferry's "The Right Stuff"
― Mark G, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 10:54 (six years ago) link
There's an old bootleg live encore of Barbarism Begins at Home with Pete Burns, where M & PB give up (and I presume leave the stage) halfway through and the other three proceed to reveal themselves as a superior jazz funk band, which I guess they felt they couldn't do with Moz around. They could've been a great second division Factory band.
― mahb, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 11:04 (six years ago) link
if Marr wanted to to do jackshit that anyone remembers after the Smiths besides Getting Away With It and whatever Modest Mouse minor hit he played on he sure has had the opportunitiesMorrissey has a ton of iconic solo songsi mean I'm all for reevaluating his career, the recent mark s post someone linked was great and thought provoking about how the press and audience willfully ignored his racismbut to compare their post Smiths careers is so silly
― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 11:23 (six years ago) link
I am a huuuuuuge fan of Marr the session man, love his playing so much, but yeah, no way, Morrissey has a ton of iconic solo songs and Marr remained best at being one of the best support players (for The The, Electronic, Pet Shop Boys, Talking Heads, Bryan Ferry, you name it).
Morrissey's vocal melodies run all over Marr's songs in really strange and unique ways
Did someone post that "Sing the Fifth" video here? That was illuminating.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 11:47 (six years ago) link
Electronic's first album is better than the sum total of Morrissey's solo career, don't @ me
― Neil S, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 13:12 (six years ago) link
sing the third! xp
― 808s & Deep States (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 13:19 (six years ago) link
ha, yeah, the third?
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 13:45 (six years ago) link
Sorry, bad punctuation, on phone.
I agree the first Electronic album is better than any Morrissey album, and you can make a case that is better than the sum total of his career, but given it's the product of Johnny Marr of The Smiths, the singer and guitarist from one of the few other British bands that really gave the Smiths a run for their money, and the Pet Shop Boys thrown in as guest ringers, it better be!
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 13:48 (six years ago) link
― Neil S,
I don't disagree!
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 13:55 (six years ago) link
fuck me, I'd rate a Chas + Dave b-side kazoo version of Flight of the Valkries as better than the sum total of Morrissey's solo career + The Smiths!
― calzino, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 14:00 (six years ago) link
This is blown way out of proportion!
Is it me or is Morrissey's odious late output/persona seriously distorting some people's judgement? IMO, some of his solo stuff is on par with the Smiths at their best.
That been said, The Smiths would've still been pretty good without Morrissey, sure. I imagine with a good singer they would've been the Oasis of the 80s.
― daavid, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:08 (six years ago) link
They would probably have been about as successful as the Chameleons
― chant down basildon (NickB), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:15 (six years ago) link
Or the Woodentops
― chant down basildon (NickB), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:17 (six years ago) link
Is it me or is Morrissey's odious late output/persona seriously distorting some people's judgement?
Otfm. Seriously angry I’m actually being forced to defend him!
Also, Electronic were overwhelmingly full given the members.
― gyac, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:24 (six years ago) link
electronic were great but only on the first album.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:31 (six years ago) link
― Neil S, Wednesday, May 23, 2018 8:12 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
@ u bro
― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:33 (six years ago) link
xxp DULL, jfc @myself
― gyac, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:39 (six years ago) link
Morrissey's 'iconic' solo songs after the 80s, please do list them for me here.
― piscesx, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:42 (six years ago) link
Horst Wessel SongTomorrow Belongs to MeRule BrittaniaThere'll Always Be an England
― Poisoned by Johan's pea soup. (Tom D.), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:49 (six years ago) link
We Hate It When Our Friends Become SuccessfulFirst of the Gang to DieNovember Spawned A MonsterThe More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get
that's all I got
also Seriously angry I’m actually being forced to defend him! otm
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:50 (six years ago) link
Suedehead
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:51 (six years ago) link
lol fuck that came out in 1988 nvm
I mentioned Vauxhall & I already - I skip fewer tracks on that than The Smiths, so.
― gyac, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:56 (six years ago) link
"Now My Heart Is Full" is my favourite Morrissey song.
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 15:58 (six years ago) link
It’s a beaut :)
― gyac, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:05 (six years ago) link
Good chance that's my most-played Morrissey song. As far as later-era stuff goes, I love "Life is a Pigsty."
― early rejecter, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:11 (six years ago) link
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself, Speedway and Spring Heel Jim are great, plus loads of good stuff on Your Arsenal.
― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:18 (six years ago) link
i used to like more morrissey songs
but i guess i've just narrowed it down to vauxhall and i, which is a pretty standard choice for a best morrissey album
― F# A# (∞), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:20 (six years ago) link
, and the Pet Shop Boys thrown in as guest ringers, it better bethe PSB are only on one track on Electronicalso Mind Bomb & Dusk are better than all of Morrissey's solo career. Dusk is a better-recorded band than anything else in Marr's career.
― we used to get our kicks reading surfing MAGAzines (sic), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:31 (six years ago) link
Morrissey has always been so over-rated. Morrissey's lyric-writing/band-leading peers in the 80s were like Robyn Hitchcock, Shane McGowan, Kirsty MacColl, Nick Cave, Mark E. Smith, Paul Heaton, Michael Stipe, Paddy McAloon etc. It's a matter of taste but imo they're all better lyricists than Morrissey.
― everything, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:33 (six years ago) link
the PSB are only on one track on Electronic
well, two if you count Tennant on "Getting Away With It."
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:34 (six years ago) link
Shane McGowan
lol def a good substitute of yr wanting to get away from problematic Moz
― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:35 (six years ago) link
well, two if you count Tennant on "Getting Away With It."non-album singles added to CD re-releases as bonus tracks don't count
― we used to get our kicks reading surfing MAGAzines (sic), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:59 (six years ago) link
(or in foreign territories)
― we used to get our kicks reading surfing MAGAzines (sic), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 17:01 (six years ago) link
Kirsty MacColl fronting The Smiths is like dream level perfection. Wish it could've happened.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 17:29 (six years ago) link
As close as you're gonna get: https://www.discogs.com/Kirsty-MacColl-The-Real-MacColl/release/2324631
This is a great EP.
― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:17 (six years ago) link
Johnny Marr played on half a dozen tracks on Kirsty MacColl's album Kite. Brilliant stuff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfvVslecjwI
― everything, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:21 (six years ago) link
And he's playing on her version of You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby.
― everything, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:23 (six years ago) link
Forget how good Kite is. Need to get a copy as I think I only ever listened to my Dad's
― thomasintrouble, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:26 (six years ago) link
non-album singles added to CD re-releases as bonus tracks don't count
― we used to get our kicks reading surfing MAGAzines (sic), Wednesday, May 23, 2018 12:59 PM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
sure, dude
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:32 (six years ago) link
Marr is on Walking Down Madison and Children Of The Revolution on Electric Landlady too (with The The's David Palmer on drums).
― we used to get our kicks reading surfing MAGAzines (sic), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:34 (six years ago) link
Morrissey is an utter thundercunt, but it's difficult for me to imagine The Smiths without him. It would depend on the vocalist and what they could come up with over the backing tracks.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:38 (six years ago) link
Doesn't Marr still call "Dusk" the best album he's ever played on? Definitely the best sounding!
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:40 (six years ago) link
a good bit of Kite is the core of The The's band. James Eller, David Palmer, and Johnny Marr.
― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:50 (six years ago) link
Didn't The The have ABC's rhythm section for a while? That's Palmer, right, and ... ?
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 20:35 (six years ago) link
Also:
"Get the Message" is consistently cited as a defining track by Electronic. Allmusic picks it as a highlight of the Electronic album in a 4/5 review,[14] while bbc.co.uk states that "the excellent 'Get the Message' still holds its own alongside the best of early '90s Mancunian tunes".[15] In 2007 Johnny Marr said it was "...maybe the track I'm most proud of out of my whole career",[16] and in June 2009 reiterated that it is "the best song I've written".[17]
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 20:37 (six years ago) link