You probably won't think it's better on first listen, but you'll more than likely really enjoy it. You should listen to Morrissey's solo stuff in general though, it's the logical continuation of The Smiths.
I recommend listening chronologically, as he's never released a truly lousy album. But if you insist on hearing the most essential do it like this:
Viva Hate - Bona Drag - Your Arsenal - Vauxhall and I - My Early Burglary Years (it's a mess in terms of its assembly, but has many of his best non-album singles) - You Are the Quarry - Ringleader of the Tormentors. But keep in mind, even his lesser regarded albums generally have multiple amazing songs. So if you skip Maladjusted for instance, you won't hear a song like Trouble Loves Me, which is probably his crowning achievement.
It is though
Moz- Smiths vocals
Andy Rourke - Smiths bassist
Mike Joyce - Smiths drummer
Graig Cannon - Smiths backup guitarist
Stephen Street - Smiths producer
All of The Smiths other than Marr play on them, and while I honestly think Playboys is overrated (its still good) if you dislike Interesting Drug, you're just a contrarian. It's obviously as good as what The Smiths were doing in '87.
There are a few songs that are much more "Smiths without Marr", to the point where I'm pretty sure they were written as Smiths songs but Morrissey was allowed to use them, like Lifeguard on Duty
no. people like the smiths primarily because of morrissey's unique singing and lyrics. if just having good jangly tunes was a major reason, bands like orange juice, aztec camera and felt would be a lot more popular.
>while marr doesnt even half the solo career as moz
He saved both Talking Heads and Modest Mouse from being entirely terrible in their later years. Both of the albums are not good but they would've been a lot worse withour Marr
Morrissey fans are very invested in the myth of Morrissey's genius (just like their idol), so it's very difficult for them to admit that Marr was a brilliantly creative writer and player and that they complimented each other perfectly, and that's why his solo career is mid. Its like how when Roger Waters split from Pink Floyd they became less than the sum of their parts, except nobody likes Waters.
marr was an exceptional composer for around 4 years. literally every single one of morrissey's co-writers, including stephen street, composed more interesting music in the years after
Morrissey definitely had a better solo career than Marr, but nothing he did post-Smiths touches The Smiths. Morrissey certainly fell off less, but they both fell off.
3 weeks ago
Anonymous
except for
https://i.imgur.com/Jhz5fCk.jpg
better than any smiths release
and viva hate and your arsenal and vauxhall and i and you are the quarry and kill uncle and the myriad of b-sides/singles
3 weeks ago
Anonymous
When you say nothing he did touches The Smiths, what do you mean exactly? That something like Now My Heart Is Full or Trouble Loves Me or Life Is a Pigsty isn't as good as Death at One's Elbow or Unhappy Birthday? That Vauxhall and I and Bona Drag aren't at the very least as good as Strangeways, Here We Come?
3 weeks ago
Anonymous
No post Smiths album matches up to the average Smiths album, and yeah, I think Strangeways > Bona Drag pretty easily. The 10 worst Smiths songs are not as good as the 10 best Morrissey songs. But if someone asked what Smiths albums to listen to I'd say "they're all good, do whatever", for Morrissey I'd recommend a singles collection, because there's a lot of cruft.
3 weeks ago
Anonymous
People are butthurt that Morrissey became the superstar cult figure
Marr's manager/record label kept telling him to quit the Smiths, and that Morrissey was becoming a has-been... instead Johnny became the dilitante, and lost momentum after a (fucking dreadful) solo Healers album
He should've accepted Morrissey's pleas to reunite in the 90s, on the condition that he stop being so possessive and let Johnny sleep around with other bands occasionally
He's a fine musician but needs a muse to direct the songs. In Morrissey he found that rare guy who arrives with a fully developed, artistic vision.
Pre smiths, Morrissey travelled the USA/UK auditioning for bands, but no one wanted to let him shape the entire aesthetic and musical direction of their work
Just before Marr approached, he was setting up a 3-peice called Angels Are Genderless with his best friend, a feminist singer from a gender bending art band called Ludus. Their vision was prototype Smiths - gender politics, sexuality and poetry - but with her on vocals/lead and Morrissey on drums (!)
Then Johnny appeared, and she persuaded Morrissey to work with him.
In Ludus, she'd perform on stage wearing a dress made of meat (later stolen by Lady Gaga) and a strap on dildo, throwing tampons wrapped in pages from gay porn mags at the audience.
She gave Morrissey themes that would define many Smiths songs, taught him how to sing, and influenced his early stage performance style and his lyric writing
Morrissey really grew into himself towards the end of the Smiths, the first 3 solo albums are heavily sensual. Unapologetically himself around kill uncle/90s live shows. All that 80's vulnerability is gone.
Meanwhile Marr shaved his hair off, got tattoos, and dressed in sports casual and chavvy trainers
Morrissey knew who he was, and Marr envied that strong sense of identity. that jealousy was what drove Marr to trash everything. He's still petty about it, always dropping snide digs on twitter
well....maybe not to the extent of morrissey but theres definitely some delusional types out there who think he carried the band or that he didnt need moz
Marr and Morrissey did make each other better and bring out the best, but its clear Marr needed Morrissey far more than the other way around. Marr's solo career is nothing but a one off dance hit with the New Order guy from 1991 and a guest spot on a post-sellout Modest Mouse album
Morrissey fans are very invested in the myth of Morrissey's genius (just like their idol), so it's very difficult for them to admit that Marr was a brilliantly creative writer and player and that they complimented each other perfectly, and that's why his solo career is mid. Its like how when Roger Waters split from Pink Floyd they became less than the sum of their parts, except nobody likes Waters.
I'm probably an anomaly but I actually heard of Morrissey/was aware of his solo career before I was of The Smiths. I first heard of him when I was a kid around the time You are the Quarry came out. Not sure where I first heard of him but was probably the alt radio station or FIFA 2005
cover looks kind of gay lmao
Its not our fault that you got a boner looking at moz
did not
You should see the music video this album cover comes from
Gay? Mozza?
really? I haven't listened to it
You probably won't think it's better on first listen, but you'll more than likely really enjoy it. You should listen to Morrissey's solo stuff in general though, it's the logical continuation of The Smiths.
just got into deep into smith's where so I go next after this album in his solo
listen to them all in order, then the single compilations
I recommend listening chronologically, as he's never released a truly lousy album. But if you insist on hearing the most essential do it like this:
Viva Hate - Bona Drag - Your Arsenal - Vauxhall and I - My Early Burglary Years (it's a mess in terms of its assembly, but has many of his best non-album singles) - You Are the Quarry - Ringleader of the Tormentors. But keep in mind, even his lesser regarded albums generally have multiple amazing songs. So if you skip Maladjusted for instance, you won't hear a song like Trouble Loves Me, which is probably his crowning achievement.
contrarian take
?
It's good but let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
wrong pic op
should've stuck with the original album title imo
Haven't gotten to his solo work yet but isn't Johnny Marr like 50% why the smiths have such an iconic sound?
These 2 songs are The Smiths without Johnny Marr
nah they're Morrissey songs and they're shit
It is though
Moz- Smiths vocals
Andy Rourke - Smiths bassist
Mike Joyce - Smiths drummer
Graig Cannon - Smiths backup guitarist
Stephen Street - Smiths producer
All of The Smiths other than Marr play on them, and while I honestly think Playboys is overrated (its still good) if you dislike Interesting Drug, you're just a contrarian. It's obviously as good as what The Smiths were doing in '87.
>last of the famous intl playboys
>shit
kys
There are a few songs that are much more "Smiths without Marr", to the point where I'm pretty sure they were written as Smiths songs but Morrissey was allowed to use them, like Lifeguard on Duty
no. people like the smiths primarily because of morrissey's unique singing and lyrics. if just having good jangly tunes was a major reason, bands like orange juice, aztec camera and felt would be a lot more popular.
that's what many would have you believe, but it isn't true
no, morrissey has managed to find the talent to create wonderful work far long after the smiths while marr doesnt even half the solo career as moz
>while marr doesnt even half the solo career as moz
He saved both Talking Heads and Modest Mouse from being entirely terrible in their later years. Both of the albums are not good but they would've been a lot worse withour Marr
Johnny Marr was in Talking Heads? Do you mean The The?
morrisseys solo albums are overrated
no they aren't
Morrissey fans are very invested in the myth of Morrissey's genius (just like their idol), so it's very difficult for them to admit that Marr was a brilliantly creative writer and player and that they complimented each other perfectly, and that's why his solo career is mid. Its like how when Roger Waters split from Pink Floyd they became less than the sum of their parts, except nobody likes Waters.
marr was an exceptional composer for around 4 years. literally every single one of morrissey's co-writers, including stephen street, composed more interesting music in the years after
All true, but there's no cult of personality around Johnny Marr.
because unlike morrissey, he didn't continue to make high quality music after the smiths (with the exception of dusk)
Morrissey definitely had a better solo career than Marr, but nothing he did post-Smiths touches The Smiths. Morrissey certainly fell off less, but they both fell off.
except for
and viva hate and your arsenal and vauxhall and i and you are the quarry and kill uncle and the myriad of b-sides/singles
When you say nothing he did touches The Smiths, what do you mean exactly? That something like Now My Heart Is Full or Trouble Loves Me or Life Is a Pigsty isn't as good as Death at One's Elbow or Unhappy Birthday? That Vauxhall and I and Bona Drag aren't at the very least as good as Strangeways, Here We Come?
No post Smiths album matches up to the average Smiths album, and yeah, I think Strangeways > Bona Drag pretty easily. The 10 worst Smiths songs are not as good as the 10 best Morrissey songs. But if someone asked what Smiths albums to listen to I'd say "they're all good, do whatever", for Morrissey I'd recommend a singles collection, because there's a lot of cruft.
People are butthurt that Morrissey became the superstar cult figure
Marr's manager/record label kept telling him to quit the Smiths, and that Morrissey was becoming a has-been... instead Johnny became the dilitante, and lost momentum after a (fucking dreadful) solo Healers album
He should've accepted Morrissey's pleas to reunite in the 90s, on the condition that he stop being so possessive and let Johnny sleep around with other bands occasionally
He's a fine musician but needs a muse to direct the songs. In Morrissey he found that rare guy who arrives with a fully developed, artistic vision.
Pre smiths, Morrissey travelled the USA/UK auditioning for bands, but no one wanted to let him shape the entire aesthetic and musical direction of their work
Just before Marr approached, he was setting up a 3-peice called Angels Are Genderless with his best friend, a feminist singer from a gender bending art band called Ludus. Their vision was prototype Smiths - gender politics, sexuality and poetry - but with her on vocals/lead and Morrissey on drums (!)
Then Johnny appeared, and she persuaded Morrissey to work with him.
In Ludus, she'd perform on stage wearing a dress made of meat (later stolen by Lady Gaga) and a strap on dildo, throwing tampons wrapped in pages from gay porn mags at the audience.
She gave Morrissey themes that would define many Smiths songs, taught him how to sing, and influenced his early stage performance style and his lyric writing
Morrissey really grew into himself towards the end of the Smiths, the first 3 solo albums are heavily sensual. Unapologetically himself around kill uncle/90s live shows. All that 80's vulnerability is gone.
Meanwhile Marr shaved his hair off, got tattoos, and dressed in sports casual and chavvy trainers
Morrissey knew who he was, and Marr envied that strong sense of identity. that jealousy was what drove Marr to trash everything. He's still petty about it, always dropping snide digs on twitter
>no cult of personality around Johnny Marr.
well....maybe not to the extent of morrissey but theres definitely some delusional types out there who think he carried the band or that he didnt need moz
Marr and Morrissey did make each other better and bring out the best, but its clear Marr needed Morrissey far more than the other way around. Marr's solo career is nothing but a one off dance hit with the New Order guy from 1991 and a guest spot on a post-sellout Modest Mouse album
nope
They're underrated, most people dismiss them because Morrissey's a chud and solo acts are usually worse when were in a band before they went solo
I'm probably an anomaly but I actually heard of Morrissey/was aware of his solo career before I was of The Smiths. I first heard of him when I was a kid around the time You are the Quarry came out. Not sure where I first heard of him but was probably the alt radio station or FIFA 2005