"The Smiths – The Day I Was There" forthcoming book by Richard Houghton - article in Lancashire Post

Were you there when Morrissey and The Smiths rocked Lancashire - Lancashire Post

The Smiths were one of the best loved bands of the 1980s.
Now a new book is set to look back at their famous live dates and the author needs your help to capture their Lancashire dates, as Mike Hill reports.


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Excerpt:
"Memories of their live dates are the stuff of musical legend and they played in Lancashire several times in their career. These recollections are to be captured in a new book, and a Manchester music historian wants to hear from fans who saw any of their Lancashire appearances to help him compile a ‘people’s history’ of the band. The Smiths, led by charismatic gladioli-clutching singer Morrissey and guitar-slinging sidekick Johnny Marr, performed four shows in Lancashire, appearing at Blackburn, Blackpool, Lancaster and Preston in the space of just over three years. Writer Richard Houghton, who has compiled similar fan histories on The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix, is hoping to hear from people who witnessed any of these shows."

To Help:
Richard’s book, The Smiths – The Day I Was There, is due to be published next summer. If you have any memories, photographs or ticket stubs from The Smiths’ Lancashire gigs Richard would love to hear from you and they may be featured in his book. Richard can be contacted at [email protected]

An article looking for help and a summary of some Smiths gigs in Lancashire.
Regards,
FWD.
 
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Not much to write about the Preston one I attended as some twat threw a coin that hit Morrissey on the head during opener TQID. Band played the rest of the song and then the gig ended. (The gig from the newspaper clipping)

Preston used to have lots of problems back in the day. I saw The Smiths, Ramones, New Order and Carter USM at that venue and apart from the Morrissey incidents there were mass punch ups at the New Order and Carter gigs.
 
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Not much to write about the Preston one I attended as some twat threw a coin that hit Morrissey on the head during opener TQID. Band played the rest of the song and then the gig ended.

Preston used to have lots of problems back in the day. I saw The Smiths, Ramones, New Order and Carter USM at that venue and apart from the Morrissey incidents there were mass punch ups at the New Order and Carter gigs.

Any background on the punch ups?
 
Any background on the punch ups?

New Order one was really nasty between Preston, Blackburn and Burnley gangs. My mate got hit on the head by a womans stiletto heel and needed stitches. New Order actually stopped playing until it all stopped. Carter one was due due a over enthusiastic mosh pit.
 
on a similar theme

reported in our local newspaper here in Wales when the smiths played Newport Centre 1986 when Morrissey ended up in the A and E department in the Royal Gwent hospital

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music/morrissey-night-charming-man-came-6265210

I was at this gig too when the Mozzzer was pulled into the crowd by the newport ruffians -! Half way through the set and was injured in the aftermath

still gots lots of photo's from that night maybe one day i will release to the world !
 
New Order one was really nasty between Preston, Blackburn and Burnley gangs. My mate got hit on the head by a womans stiletto heel and needed stitches. New Order actually stopped playing until it all stopped. Carter one was due due a over enthusiastic mosh pit.

Interesting. Football boys or just postcodes types?
 
New Order one was really nasty between Preston, Blackburn and Burnley gangs. My mate got hit on the head by a womans stiletto heel and needed stitches. New Order actually stopped playing until it all stopped. Carter one was due due a over enthusiastic mosh pit.

I don't recall if it was in Bernard's or Hook's book, but it mentioned that their UK shows in the mid-to-late '80s often got quite rowdy (fights, bottles thrown, etc.) and the shows in other countries were mild in comparison.
 
Interesting. Football boys or just postcodes types?

Probably football as the rivalry round there is fierce particularly between Blackburn and Burnley. King Georges Hall in Blackburn could be as bad. There were problems at New Order, Buzzcocks and Stranglers gigs there that i went to but nothing like the Preston New Order gig, that was awful with a few of people needing hospital treatment.
 
I don't recall if it was in Bernard's or Hook's book, but it mentioned that their UK shows in the mid-to-late '80s often got quite rowdy (fights, bottles thrown, etc.) and the shows in other countries were mild in comparison.

Yes, just mentioned issues at Blackburn as well. Have never seen any problems at their Manchester gigs though.
 
Fek blood reckon of all the photos The California Son had taken of him when he had to be in the Smiths, he hates this one the most. Reckon he was told by Chrissie Hynde and Terence Trent Howard that if he did that crazy punk rocker John Lydon stare, the Smiths would sell more records in Brittin. Me reckon I am going to put this pic up on the bulletin board at Malibu Fitness before The California Son and John Lydon have personal training, maybe it will result in competition between the both of them when John Lydon talks shit to Uncle Steve. Reckon it's gonna be a c*** tit thick wacker mate inn n nnn nnnnn n n nn n nn din't in n nn nn n n it.
 
on a similar theme

reported in our local newspaper here in Wales when the smiths played Newport Centre 1986 when Morrissey ended up in the A and E department in the Royal Gwent hospital

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music/morrissey-night-charming-man-came-6265210

I was at this gig too when the Mozzzer was pulled into the crowd by the newport ruffians -! Half way through the set and was injured in the aftermath

still gots lots of photo's from that night maybe one day i will release to the world !
Great little audio clip capturing the moment! Bit intrigued by the quote, though:

'However, he added he wasn’t surprised being hospitalised in Newport hadn’t made it into Morrissey’s autobiography – despite it being a whopping 457 pages in length.

“Over-long it might be, but there are still huge swathes of his career which are more or less brushed over,” said Craig.'

Can't help wondering what he meant.
 
It was actually a woman who took her shoe off and smacked him on the head with it, he still has the indent in his head today.
that's what you call a chat up line,,ouch.
 
that's what you call a chat up line,,ouch.

The violence at that gig was shocking, problem was you couldn't move as the place was packed so you got dragged into it whether you wanted to or not. Have spoken to Peter Hook about it since then and he remembers it well.
 
I was 14 and I went with my friend, Mark. We'd just gotten into smoking and after the opening act we went under the subway to get some ciggies. I'd left a full length poster of Morrissey under my seat. When I got back it had gone. But we still enjoyed the gig and probably found out we were both gay, but not for each other. But our gig was Nottingham, not Lancashire, sorry.
 
Lancashire people are considered thick as they have sluggish accents and sound as if they have mental problems but we really dont. Lancashire aint the best place to live, but the northeners that live there couldnt be more proud. I live in Lancshire, and i wouldnt move for the world! I bloomin' love Lancashire me
 
The crappist, most unlikely of places to find a decent person........who doesn't like sheep.

Yorkshire Man: Oh shit, sorry lamby, we're gonna have to put you down, that bastard is stuck in your arse again.

Voice from inside sheep: What do you expect? Im from lancashire.
 
The crappist, most unlikely of places to find a decent person........who doesn't like sheep.

Yorkshire Man: Oh shit, sorry lamby, we're gonna have to put you down, that bastard is stuck in your arse again.

Voice from inside sheep: What do you expect? Im from lancashire.
honest your honour I was just trying to push it through a fence.
true story,across the water from me is faslane the nuclear sub base and their used to be a lot of American sailors based their in the 80s and one of them was done with sheepshagging..bbaaaaaaaaa.
 

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