Talking Smiths

That's a clever play-on-words referencing the title of a series of monologues written by Alan Bennett. Okay, maybe Morrissey would've gotten that. But I'm not here to talk about him (for once).

The other half of The Smiths are featured in a DVD that will see its release sometime in July. It's called "Inside the Smiths", and neither Morrissey nor Marr agreed to be in it. Which leads the average fan to ask, 'what's the point'? I understand that Morrissey and Marr are the bedrock behind the Smiths, but unlike other fans I do realize the important roles that Joyce and Rourke played in the band. They were not session musicians. The Smiths sound would not be complete without them.



The NME has an interview with Johnny Marr. Here's a segment:
Q: The six things I guarantee I'll never do are...
1) Allow my music to be involved with advertising McDonalds or any meat product.
2) Wear winklepicker shoes.
3) Wear a tie onstage.
4) Have a fringe that faces North instead of South.
5) Lend a drummer my money.
6) Reform The Smiths.

Number one is a good one, glad to know Morrissey's habit has stuck with him even though he hasn't. I don't know what number two is. Number three is either a clever dig at Morrissey or those new hipster emo bands that care more about fashion than music. Number four is definitely a dig at Morrissey while number five is a clear jab at Joyce. Or maybe all drummers are crazy, who knows.

I waver between Number 6. Sometimes it sounds like the best idea in the world, but at other times (and more often) I think they should leave The Smiths dead and buried. I can't see any of them doing a reunion for the right reasons. Joyce and Rourke would do it for the money. Morrissey says he'd rather eat his own testicles than reform the Smiths, but I think his big ego would like to see what would happen if they did do it. If it ever happened there's no way I'd get tickets to see it, so I'd rather it didn't. There is an energy and bravado that they had in their Smiths days that can never be replicated this many years on. I could talk forever on this point, but best to leave it at that.