The Smiths. The Stone Roses. James.


Do many Agoners listen to any of the above? I am actually rether surprised to see that not one of them has really ever been mentioned. But, then again, I've not checked the archives. These three really are some of my favorite, great music, great lyrics (although carefull with some of The Smiths lyrics- they are often depressing-humouress-sarcastic-dark yet so darn real all at once.)

A great introduction to all three is as follows:

The Smiths- "The Smiths,...Best I" "The Smiths,...Best II"

James- "James, Seven" "James, Laid"

The Stone Roses- "The Stone Roses, The complete Stone Roses"

Yes, the recommended c.d.'s from The Smiths and The Stone Roses are 'best of,' but they really are excellent.

If you are a fan of Radiohead then you probably already know what I am talking about.
fotis_k
All The Smiths albums are great. Meat Is Murder is a good one. I am a big Morrissey fan. Check out "Bona Drag".
About 14 months ago I took my ex to see Morrissey at the Tabernacle here in Atlanta. Warm up guy on acoustic guitar was done. Place was packed. You could feel the electricity building-when they announced he was coming I knew I had to be at this show.
They had this thin black curtain across entire stage but you could see through it a little bit. You could make out these huge letters across the entire back of stage MORRISSEY (like on the Elvis album cover).
People had been moving on the stage for a while but you couldn't make out if they were crew or the band (curtains still closed).
Then out of nowhere you hear the unmistakeable guitar feedback intro to "How Soon Is Now" and as the curtains open and the lights come up

"I am the son, and the heir..."

Unreal! I'm talking wide eyed jaw dropping try to catch your breath WOW. If you're a Smiths fan and were there you know what I mean. I believe it was the most intense openning I've ever seen (I've been going to concerts since 72). You can not put that on a cd or dvd.
The band he toured with is tight-or at least that night they were-they sounded almost exactly like the original recordings. Except for Morrissey. The nuances of a singer songwriter that has performed his work many times. He's a good entertainer too. Talked to the audience a bit.
They ended up doing 6 or 7 Smiths songs that night (they did "There is a light that never goes out" and I am trying to remember which others they did-was anybody reading this there?). Up to that point in the tour that was the most Smiths songs they did in a show and it was the first night of the tour they did "How Soon Is Now".
Enough rambling
Jeff
How Soon Is Now by the Smiths was voted Song of the DECADE for the 1990s by the listeners of WFNX, which at the time was the premier alternative (when alternative actually meant something) rock station in Boston.
The album Laid by James is very good. It was in my top ten faves the year it was released. From start to finish not one bad track. I have various The Smiths on Vinyl but haven't listened to them lately. Liked the one Meat is Murder and the one with girlfrind in a coma. The latest Morrisey's Live is a great recording sound wise and the song selection is good to.
I have all that stuff from my college days in the early eighties. The The, Mighty Lemon Drops, Cocteau Twins, That Petrol Emotion, The Furs, The Stranglers, Love Tractor, The Call, Guadalacanal Diary, Screaming Blue Messiahs, Beat Farmers, The Housemartins, China Crisis, The Woodentops,The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Sisters of Mercy, etc. Wow. I think tonight it's gonna be a stroll down memory(what's left of it)lane!
saw morrissey in the snl studio in nyc years ago....even the cast was freaking out.