The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, are regarded as one of the most important to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s.
The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by English rock band The Smiths. Released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records, and on 23 June 1986 in the US by Sire Records, it spent 22 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number two. It also reached No. 70 on the US Billboard 200, and was certified Gold by the RIAA in late 1990. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked The Queen Is Dead 113th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In its 2013 list, the NME named The Queen Is Dead the greatest album of all time.
Meat Is Murder is the second studio album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 11 February 1985 by Rough Trade Records. It became the band's only studio album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, and stayed on the chart for thirteen weeks. The album was an international success: it spent 11 weeks in the European Top 100 Albums chart, peaking at number 29. It also reached number 110 on the US Billboard 200, in the United States.
"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Featured on the band's third studio album The Queen Is Dead, it was not released as a single in the United Kingdom until 1992, five years after their split, to promote the compilation album ...Best II. It peaked at No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 22 on the Irish Singles Chart. The song has received considerable critical acclaim; in 2014, NME listed it as the 12th greatest song of all time.
The Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. The band consists of Luke Pritchard, Hugh Harris and Alexis Nunez (drums).
"This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Released as the group's second single in October 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade, it is defined by Marr's jangle pop guitar riff and Morrissey's characteristically morose lyrics, which revolve around the recurrent Smiths themes of sexual ambiguity and lust.
Inside In / Inside Out is the debut studio album by British indie rock band The Kooks. It was released on 23 January 2006 on Virgin Records. It contains the singles, "Eddie's Gun", "Sofa Song", "You Don't Love Me", "Naïve", "She Moves in Her Own Way", and "Ooh La". The album was produced by Tony Hoffer of record label Virgin Records. Reaching No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart, the album has sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide since its release.
"Suedehead" is the debut solo single of English singer Morrissey, released on 15 February 1988. The track was featured on Morrissey's debut album, Viva Hate, and the compilation album Bona Drag, the latter of which also featured the B-side "Hairdresser on Fire". The artwork of the single features a photo taken by Geri Caulfield during a Smiths gig at the London Palladium.
"Our Frank" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in February 1991. It was the first single taken from the Kill Uncle album. It was also the first of his collaborations with Mark Nevin to be released.
"Ask" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released as a single on 20 October 1986 through Rough Trade Records. Credited to vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, "Ask" is an upbeat, positive pop song built around major chords. Its lyrics discuss shyness and encourage the listeners to overcome their inhibitions. Its multiple guitar parts and complex production led to disagreements regarding its final mix. In addition, Craig Gannon, who at the time was rhythm guitarist for the group, has claimed he wrote – and was denied credit for – the song's chord structure.
"Ooh La" is a song by British indie rock band the Kooks. It was the sixth single from their debut studio album Inside In/Inside Out and was released on 23 October 2006. The song is an alleged dedication to late model Audrey Lindvall. It was featured in the Torchwood episode "Small Worlds" and was an iTunes Single of the Week. A small segment is also featured in the Criminal Minds episode "True Night". The song also featured in an episode of American Idol and in the twentieth series of the pop quiz show Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. Released in November 1987, it reached No. 23 in the UK Singles Chart. It was the second of three UK singles from the band's fourth and final studio album, Strangeways, Here We Come, and was released after the band had announced their split.
"I Have Forgiven Jesus" is an alternative rock song that appears on Morrissey's 2004 album You Are the Quarry. It was co-written by Morrissey and his band member Alain Whyte, and produced by Jerry Finn. The track reflects the singer's upbringing in an Irish Catholic community and his status as a lapsed Catholic. The song is a ballad that tells the story of a child who becomes disillusioned with religion because of his inability to deal with his own desires. The title refers to the character's blame and subsequent forgiveness of Jesus Christ for creating him as a lovely creature that has no chance to express its love. Described as both confessional and humorous, the song has been interpreted as a blasphemous critique of organized religion and an ambivalent way for Morrissey to describe his own religiosity.
"Redondo Beach" is a rock/reggae song written by Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, and Lenny Kaye. It first was released on Patti Smith's 1975 album Horses. It also was published as a poem in Smith's 1972 book kodak under the title "Radando Beach".
"Certain People I Know" is a single by Morrissey released in December 1992. It is the third single to be taken from the Your Arsenal album and is the third and final Morrissey single to be produced by glam rock musician Mick Ronson.
"Dagenham Dave" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in August 1995, a week prior to the release of Southpaw Grammar. It was Morrissey's first release on RCA, the label he had signed to after leaving EMI. This was the second Morrissey solo single not to feature the singer on the cover, instead English football coach and former player Terry Venables is pictured sticking out his tongue. Venables was born in Dagenham.
"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. First released on the group's 1987 album Strangeways, Here We Come, it was later featured on the compilation albums Stop Me and The Very Best of The Smiths. The song is also included in the music video game Rock Band 3.
"Shine On" is a song by British indie rock band The Kooks and is the second single from their 2008 album Konk. It was released on 7 July 2008. Although debuting at a disappointing #63 in the UK Singles Chart the song has received a lot of airplay becoming a radio hit. The release of "Shine On" has also boosted Konk back into the UK top 40 album chart. Upon the physical release of "Shine On", the single climbed to #25, the band's lowest charting single since "Sofa Song".
"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow and on US, Canadian, Australian, and Warner UK editions of Meat Is Murder. Belatedly released as a single in the UK in 1985, it reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart. When re-released in 1992, it reached No. 16.
Steven Patrick Morrissey, known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer, songwriter, and author. He came to prominence as the frontman of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then, he has pursued a successful solo career. Morrissey's music is characterised by his baritone voice and distinctive lyrics with recurring themes of emotional isolation, sexual longing, self-deprecating and dark humour, and anti-establishment stances.
