The Smiths

Far Out Magazine - Jack Whatley (January 2, 2020)

The Story Behind The Song:
The Smiths lay strong foundations on ‘This Charming Man’



Excerpt:

"The story goes that The Smiths were enjoying a two-week break from the road which led to Morrissey sitting down in front of his television ready to take in some of Britain’s finest programming. He happened to land upon the late night showing on BBC1 of the 1972 film Sleuth. The film starred the acclaimed pairing of Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine and it was an exchange between the two which would spark the wheels of the song in motion."

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-smiths-morrissey-marr-this-charming-man-story-behind-the-song/

A look at some formative factors around the song.
Regards,
FWD.

A new channel popped up yesterday with a premiere for a demo of these things take time I asume to be the Troy Tate version because of the length

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Added by joe frady:

They are pretty ropey, but then history often is.

"Slowly degrading in a box since 82/83"...well, haven't we all?

So, Mr Demos is 'premiering' "These Things Take Time" on the 1st of June 2020...

Birthday Gift from Joyce, Michael...?

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Related item:

• MR Demos audio analysis. - Jan. 19, 2020

December 31, 2019.

READERS’ POLL RESULTS: Your All-Time Favorite Album by The Smiths Revealed.

https://www.albumism.com/polls/what-is-your-favorite-album-by-the-smiths

A brief poll article - approx 3k people took part in.
Regards,
FWD.

It's been 24 hours, if anyone has questions....fire away. I will do my best to answer them. I suppose the main question is "why now" ? It's been a long time. I once had a friend, who found a singer, for six months we rehearsed, talked, examined possibilities. The friend convinced me to leave the band I was with, and join him. We were kids, to be fair, but...

It's a sweet, innocent, charming recording and one that I am fond of.
Anyhow, this means a lot more to some people than it does me, it's out there because it brings joy to people.
We change as we age, if you can make people happy then do it, that's "why now". It was set to premiere on my birthday because anticipation is exquisite, we now live in an "on demand" society, I prefer the old ways.

If anyone is old enough to remember the excitement of Thursday evenings, or the countdown on Sundays, cassette recorder at the ready, fingers hovering above play+(red)record, you will remember the old ways.

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Related item...

Good things come to those who wait...
Shared by Dale via his 'Smiths Original Demo' channel on YT (formerly known as 'Domu Kafe').
The date was chosen to mark Dale's birthday.



Available only as a low quality snippet for many, many years and now kindly shared by Dale after a year of counting down.



The track was originally the B-side of The Cookie's Will Power (1963) single.
This single peaked at number 72 in the American charts back in '63 (not charting in the UK).
To view the original song lyrics - please click below:

"Drummer Simon Wolstencroft has a great rock n roll story to tell. He turned down the chance to be in The Smiths; made 11 albums with Mark E Smith and The Fall; and later appeared on Top Of The Pops with his old schoolmate Ian Brown of Stone Roses. Oh yeah, and he hid his heroin addiction from friends and colleagues for 20 years.
(Recorded at Joshua Brooks bar, in Manchester)"

Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podca...and-mark-e-smith/id1463963883?i=1000458957800

Other sources:
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/adrian-goldbergs-talk-show/e/65853863?autoplay=true



Or MP3 to download:
https://we.tl/t-aUUSgvpyD4

Interesting listen - Morrissey & The Smiths discussed / Johnny and the stolen Lowry...

Johnny sharing some amps associated with The Smiths via Instagram.













One for the musos perhaps.
Regards,
FWD.