The Smiths & Morrissey thread

[stonerblue]

Anyone got 2 Morrissey tickets they can't use?

 

[Paul powers moustache]

Why the question mark in the title ? I hear you ask .




I have been a big fan of the Smiths since I could muster the stength to start a revolution from my own bedroom and I still am .

Sad I know but very true .

But it has allways been in the back of my mind , Why call a band The Smiths ? .


And it is only this evening that I have discovered maybe the reason why .

Leaving myself open to the ridicule of all that frequent Bluemoon I have to ask the question .


Am I right for a fact or is it just a red wine fuelled theory .


I have had in my collection of downloaded DVD's for quite a while a copy of a drama made a few years ago about the Moors murderers , and it was only today that I decided to sit and watch it .

I was just born as the pair were arrested so the details of the case and its history were never really in my head ( thank god ) .
I know that it is reported that Morrisey is or was obsessed by the murderous couple ( even writing a song about the victims ) and it was just at the end of the dvd that I realised that Hindleys brother in law and sister were called " Smith " So my question is .

Is that why Morrisey and Marr named the band .


I have had a glass of good red wine so if this post reads like a load of Bollox then just ignore it please .



Steve

 

[gaudinho's stolen car]

It's a good theory mate, but I was under the impression that an ordinary voice needed to be heard so they chose the most ordinary name they could (ie boring). I hope your answer's right though because mine is... boring.

 

[Lucky Toma]

Going to see a Smiths tribute band tomorrow night. Cant wait :)

 

[Anonymous]

knowing mr morrisey, i'm sure it crossed his mind.

 

[MCFC BOB]

In a 1984 interview Morrissey stated that he chose the name The Smiths "... because it was the most ordinary name" and because he thought that it was "... time that the ordinary folk of the world showed their faces."

 

[Cheesy]

Cos it's an anagram of them's shit?

 

[Phleeper]

All of this was covered in The Severed Alliance by Johnny Rogan. Alternative names considered were Smithsons and The Smiths Family. He draws upon the Moors Murders link in the book as well, in fact a lot of references are made to the murders in relation to Morrissey's formative years growing up in and around Manchester.

 

[Silvercloud]

Slightly off topic but Morisseys confirmed as playing Glastonbury. Funnily enough the 12 year old daughter isn't as excited about this as me and the wife.

 

[Danbert]

Loved the Smiths in their day - but i'm not sure that they're as timeless as we all like to think they are.

 

[MCFCTrick]

Even more slightly off topic, those of us who were fans of the American rock band, Aerosmith (pre-clean up, good days) over here, referred to them as the 'Smiths (or 'Smiffs) for many years....got a bit confusing after Morrissey and co appeared.....maybe they were secretly fans of the 'Smiths...? : 0

 

[peoffrey]

The Smiths were a very English band so they wanted a very English name.

Simples.

 

[bakerdave76]

i got told there used to be a club in manchester called mr smiths

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

i got told there used to be a club in manchester called mr smiths

Yea and morrissey used to go there and pill his nuts off, so he named his band after the place

 

[gaudinho's stolen car]

i got told there used to be a club in manchester called mr smiths

Yea and morrissey used to go there and pill his nuts off, so he named his band after the place

Plus it was in Warrington.

 

[Fried Onions]

It's a good theory mate, but I was under the impression that an ordinary voice needed to be heard so they chose the most ordinary name they could (ie boring). I hope your answer's right though because mine is... boring.

That's always been the reasoning behind the name as far as I'm aware....

 

[Second Skin]

It's a good theory mate, but I was under the impression that an ordinary voice needed to be heard so they chose the most ordinary name they could (ie boring). I hope your answer's right though because mine is... boring.

That's always been the reasoning behind the name as far as I'm aware....

Also, I am sure I read somewhere it was a reaction against a lot of bands at the time having long and silly names (OMD, Bunnymen, Sigue Sigue Sputnik etc)

 

[MCFCTrick]

That's always been the reasoning behind the name as far as I'm aware....

Also, I am sure I read somewhere it was a reaction against a lot of bands at the time having long and silly names (OMD, Bunnymen, Sigue Sigue Sputnik etc)

And was Morrissey brought in as a reaction against bands like Echo & The Bunnymen having good singers??

 

[swpswp]

I heard it was a tongue in cheek reference/afront to Robert Smith of The Cure. But now I go with the plain name story.

 

[BlueHammer85]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Gee3THtb8&feature=related[/youtube]