The Smiths special on Radio 1 right now!

[Deleted member 37751]

Not normally a Radio 1 listener anymore, but I'm a big Smiths fan and Zane Lowe is doing a special on one of the greatest bands of all time

 

[Ted]

Hmmmm. I've always thought the only real talent in the Smiths was Johnny Marr.
Morrisey does very little for me.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Hmmmm. I've always thought the only real talent in the Smiths was Johnny Marr.
Morrisey does very little for me.

I think it was a bit of a Ying & Yang, to be honest.
Most of Morriseys lyrics are just unbelievably observant, whereas Marrs riffs were legendary.
They are in my top 3 bands.
In no particular order- The Smiths, Oasis, The Jam

 

[Merco]

I'm very surprised you have Oasis in there! The others I can see totally.

Reminds me of a time I was standing outside a pub in Kentish Town just near the Forum, waiting for a Libertines gig to start. Really drunk guy standing next to me - and who walks down the street on their way to the same gig? Noel Gallagher, complete with Gem Archer and Kelly Wossisname from the Stereophonics. Cue drunk guy whio hadn't actually recognised Noel to be who he is and so shouts out at him -

'Oi you - you reckon you look like that c**t off Oasis dont ya! Well you don't, you just look like a c**t!' Noel scurries by with his head bowed. Very funny!

 

[Londonscottish]

Hmmmm. I've always thought the only real talent in the Smiths was Johnny Marr.
Morrisey does very little for me.

Fantastic backing band Awful vocalist :-(......

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I'm very surprised you have Oasis in there! The others I can see totally. funny!

Oasis were era-defining for me. Their first two albums, singles and b-sides stand alongside pretty much anything else I have discovered. Also, if it wasn't for Noel banging on about them, I would have never discovered The Smiths.
Most people that can't stand Oasis just recall d1ckhead Liam thinking he is 10 men and working from that assumption.
As an aside, I generally think bands go downhill when one of two things happen- when an original member leaves to be replaced by 'a proper musician' and the other is when they release a 'new direction in sound'

 

[Ted]

Oasis were/are better than the Beatles.
And I was around in the Beatles heyday.

Stands back and waits for the flack.........

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Oasis were/are better than the Beatles.
And I was around in the Beatles heyday.

Stands back and waits for the flack.........

The Beatles- The 1960s version of Westlife.
I don't mind them in all honesty but..... they are massively overrated. Massively.
The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Who were in a class above them.

 

[Scott_F]

The Beatles- The 1960s version of Westlife.
I don't mind them in all honesty but..... they are massively overrated. Massively.
The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Who were in a class above them.

Like them or loathe them, the Beatles did define the musical landscape of the 1960's. Their music evolved from outstanding pop tunes through to later ground-breaking psychedelia and beyond. The range and depth of their songwriting is unparalleled to this day.

They can never be described as overrated when, with albums like Sgt Pepper and Let It Be, amongst many others, they have influenced generations of fine musicians in a way that no one else has. Just ask Noel Gallagher.

How can you compare them to micro-managed manufactured tat like Westlife ? Who have they ever influenced ? Boyzone ???

As for Oasis, a great live band but they only released 2 good albums followed by a descent into mediocrity. And even those first 2 albums haven't stood the test of time completely and don't sound quite as good 15 years on.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Songwriting????
Musically, they were all right, but songwriting? Seriously? What did they rwrite about?
The westlife thing was a low bow tbh I'll admit
Name one song better than 'jumping jack flash' 'lola' 'my generation'
I could go on......

 

[camerafodder]

The Beatles- The 1960s version of Westlife.
I don't mind them in all honesty but..... they are massively overrated. Massively.

You can't be serious Mr Sweetpea!

Listen to Sgt Peppers, The White Album, Revolver et al. Some groundbreaking stuff here and that's coming from a 'dyed in the wool' Zep head.

 

[Scott_F]

Songwriting????
Musically, they were all right, but songwriting? Seriously? What did they rwrite about?
The westlife thing was a low bow tbh I'll admit
Name one song better than 'jumping jack flash' 'lola' 'my generation'
I could go on......

The songs that you mention are all timeless classics but no one can deny the talents and the enduring influence of the Lennon / McCartney partnership (or even the skills of George Harrison as a solo songwriter) even if they're not to your taste.

Watching Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend perform My Generation now is an object lesson in why you should know when to quit !

 

[Ted]

I'll second that.
The Beatles did do some pleasant little ditties.
They also did some damn fine songs - but you would expect that given their prodigious output.

I also think that on occasion they did move music forward (Strawberry Fields)

But I look at it this way. If you look at great, simple songs, did Lennon/McCartney ever do anything in the league of 'Fields of Gold'?

I rest my case

 

[lancebond]

westlife of the 60's?


westlife have never written a song.... at least lennon and macca wrote most of the beatles stuff.

and got richards and jagger to write the stones own stuff as well.

 

[lil.smartie]

Missed it last night but they were playing The Smiths stuff all day, I even commented 'what is it Smiths day or something?' doh!

 

[Nasco12]

Name one song better than 'jumping jack flash'...

I am inclined to say: "All of them." I really am amazed that the Rolling Stones have been able to get away with it for as long as they have.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I am inclined to say: "All of them." I really am amazed that the Rolling Stones have been able to get away with it for as long as they have.

As opposed to which band?
For a start, I am on about the 1960s. Not that plodding crap they released in the 70s....

 

[neilrr]

I'm amazed Mick Jagger's been able to get away with it for so very long.

If he started today he'd be pilloried for doing such an obvious & OTT white boy caricature of Southern black blues & soul singers. It would be politically incorrect. He & The Stones used to be interesting artists, about 30 years ago,

The Smiths are one of the greatest bands of all time.

 

[Scott_F]

I'll second that.
The Beatles did do some pleasant little ditties.
They also did some damn fine songs - but you would expect that given their prodigious output.

I also think that on occasion they did move music forward (Strawberry Fields)

But I look at it this way. If you look at great, simple songs, did Lennon/McCartney ever do anything in the league of 'Fields of Gold'?

I rest my case

For simple songs you could try Let It Be, While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Harrison), The Long And Winding Road or a whole host of other songs.

I think your case had better be rested !

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The Smiths are one of the greatest bands of all time.

.....if not THE best....