http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.746&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rssArticulate, broodingly charismatic frontman Morrissey and supple guitarist Johnny Marr made the Smiths one of the most significant English bands of the '80s. An avowed celibate whose lyrics disclosed a sexually ambiguous point of view, Morrissey was given to controversy, whether advocating animal rights or trashing Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and disco. The band's trancelike, guitar-based music angrily rebutted such British synthesizer pop as the Human League and Thompson Twins.<br><br> Son of a hospital porter and a librarian, Morrissey first expressed himself by writing; unemployed in the late '70s, he wrote a book on James Dean and another on the New York Dolls, whose English fan club he headed. He also played briefly in a band called the Nosebleeds. Veteran of such cult groups as Sister Ray and Freaky Party, Marr first met Morrissey at a 1979 Patti Smith concert, and by 1982 they decided to form a band. The pair eventually enlisted drummer Mike Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke for an eponymous debut that, on U.K. indie label Rough Trade (on Sire in the U.S.), entered the British chart at Number Two. An earlier single, "Hand in Glove," was then recorded with Morrissey's favorite female singer, '60s British pop idol Sandie Shaw, and scored Number 27 in the U.K. This coup, along with <I>The Smiths</I>' "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (Number 10 U.K., 1984), established the band.<br><br> The meteoric rise continued with <I>Meat Is Murder</I> debuting at Number One on the British chart; the group also caused a stir with Morrissey's stage presence, the singer wearing a garland of gladioli in tribute to Oscar Wilde, a hearing aid in homage to '50s balladeer Johnnie Ray, and a ducktail haircut patterned after English rocker Billy Fury. Some critics sniped that the group's lyrics referred to child molesting, and Morrissey offended others with sharp comments about the all-star Band Aid benefit single for Ethiopian famine relief. His champions, though, hailed his oblique, angst-driven songs as latter-day examples of Ray Davies-styled social commentary. With ex-Aztec Camera guitarist Craig Gannon added, 1986's <I>The Queen Is Dead</I> (Number Two U.K.) fared handsomely, but a disappointing U.S. tour showed that the Smiths had yet to penetrate the American mainstream. Later that year Johnny Marr was involved in a serious car accident; during his recovery, Gannon was fired. A single, "Sheila Take a Bow," became a Top 10 U.K. hit in mid-1987, but later that year, with Marr deeming their musical approach exhausted, the Smiths disbanded. <I>Strangeways, Here We Come</I> and the live <i>Rank</I> were released posthumously.<br><br> Despite his prolific output &#8212; <I>Viva Hate, Bona Drag, Kill Uncle, Your Arsenal, and Vauxhall</I> and <i>I</I> &#8212; Morrissey's solo career hasn't quite matched his success with the Smiths, although the singer has attracted a rabid cult following in the U.S. He released 1995's <I>Southpaw Grammar</I> (Number 66) and 1997's <I>Maladjusted</I> (Number 61) to an ambivalent critical response. (<i>My Early Burglary Years</I> was a collection of B sides and rarities.) But a tour in 2000 enjoyed sell-out crowds without a new album or even a record deal.<br><br> Besides playing sessions with Bryan Ferry, Talking Heads, the Pet Shop Boys, and Billy Bragg, Marr served for a while with the Pretenders, The The, and Electronic without ever finding a permanent venue. Marr's low profile led to a reputation as British rock's most talented underachiever. But he reemerged in 2000 for the first time at the front of his own band, the Healers, which included former Dub Pistol keyboardist Lee Spender, bassist Alonza Bevan from Kula Shaker, and drummer Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr).<br><br> Rourke and Joyce played with the Adult Net before backing up Sinead O'Connor; Joyce eventually joined the reformed Buzzcocks. In 1996 they both sued Marr and Morrissey, complaining over the unequal sharing of Smiths earnings; Rourke settled out of court, but in 1998 Joyce won his case, with a British judge calling Morrissey "devious, truculent, and unreliable." A reunion is not expected. <br><br> <I>from The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001)</I>Jangle Popen720Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:56:17 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.746&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Articulate, broodingly charismatic frontman Morrissey and supple guitarist Johnny Marr made the Smiths one of the most significant English bands of the '80s. An avowed celibate whose lyrics disclosed a sexually ambiguous point of view, Morrissey was given to controversy, whether advocating animal rights or trashing Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and disco. The band's trancelike, guitar-based music angrily rebutted such British synthesizer pop as the Human League and Thompson Twins.<br><br> Son of a hospital porter and a librarian, Morrissey first expressed himself by writing; unemployed in the late '70s, he wrote a book on James Dean and another on the New York Dolls, whose English fan club he headed. He also played briefly in a band called the Nosebleeds. Veteran of such cult groups as Sister Ray and Freaky Party, Marr first met Morrissey at a 1979 Patti Smith concert, and by 1982 they decided to form a band. The pair eventually enlisted drummer Mike Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke for an eponymous debut that, on U.K. indie label Rough Trade (on Sire in the U.S.), entered the British chart at Number Two. An earlier single, "Hand in Glove," was then recorded with Morrissey's favorite female singer, '60s British pop idol Sandie Shaw, and scored Number 27 in the U.K. This coup, along with <I>The Smiths</I>' "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (Number 10 U.K., 1984), established the band.<br><br> The meteoric rise continued with <I>Meat Is Murder</I> debuting at Number One on the British chart; the group also caused a stir with Morrissey's stage presence, the singer wearing a garland of gladioli in tribute to Oscar Wilde, a hearing aid in homage to '50s balladeer Johnnie Ray, and a ducktail haircut patterned after English rocker Billy Fury. Some critics sniped that the group's lyrics referred to child molesting, and Morrissey offended others with sharp comments about the all-star Band Aid benefit single for Ethiopian famine relief. His champions, though, hailed his oblique, angst-driven songs as latter-day examples of Ray Davies-styled social commentary. With ex-Aztec Camera guitarist Craig Gannon added, 1986's <I>The Queen Is Dead</I> (Number Two U.K.) fared handsomely, but a disappointing U.S. tour showed that the Smiths had yet to penetrate the American mainstream. Later that year Johnny Marr was involved in a serious car accident; during his recovery, Gannon was fired. A single, "Sheila Take a Bow," became a Top 10 U.K. hit in mid-1987, but later that year, with Marr deeming their musical approach exhausted, the Smiths disbanded. <I>Strangeways, Here We Come</I> and the live <i>Rank</I> were released posthumously.<br><br> Despite his prolific output &#8212; <I>Viva Hate, Bona Drag, Kill Uncle, Your Arsenal, and Vauxhall</I> and <i>I</I> &#8212; Morrissey's solo career hasn't quite matched his success with the Smiths, although the singer has attracted a rabid cult following in the U.S. He released 1995's <I>Southpaw Grammar</I> (Number 66) and 1997's <I>Maladjusted</I> (Number 61) to an ambivalent critical response. (<i>My Early Burglary Years</I> was a collection of B sides and rarities.) But a tour in 2000 enjoyed sell-out crowds without a new album or even a record deal.<br><br> Besides playing sessions with Bryan Ferry, Talking Heads, the Pet Shop Boys, and Billy Bragg, Marr served for a while with the Pretenders, The The, and Electronic without ever finding a permanent venue. Marr's low profile led to a reputation as British rock's most talented underachiever. But he reemerged in 2000 for the first time at the front of his own band, the Healers, which included former Dub Pistol keyboardist Lee Spender, bassist Alonza Bevan from Kula Shaker, and drummer Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr).<br><br> Rourke and Joyce played with the Adult Net before backing up Sinead O'Connor; Joyce eventually joined the reformed Buzzcocks. In 1996 they both sued Marr and Morrissey, complaining over the unequal sharing of Smiths earnings; Rourke settled out of court, but in 1998 Joyce won his case, with a British judge calling Morrissey "devious, truculent, and unreliable." A reunion is not expected. <br><br> <I>from The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001)</I> http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.24016536&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Tue, 5 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.24016536 alb.24016536 The Smiths art.746 22.99 The Sound Of The Smiths [Deluxe Edition] alb.24016536 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/3/2/5/1455238_170x170.jpg 2009-05-05 00:00:00.0 2008-11-04 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.24016536&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.24016536&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.24052648&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.24052648 alb.24052648 The Smiths art.746 11.99 The Sound Of The Smiths alb.24052648 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/5/8/8/1458855_170x170.jpg 2008-11-11 00:00:00.0 2008-11-04 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.24052648&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.24052648&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.23659048&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Tue, 4 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.23659048 alb.23659048 The Smiths art.746 0.0 The Sound of the Smiths alb.23659048 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/3/8/1/1441834_170x170.jpg 2008-11-04 00:00:00.0 2008-11-04 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.23659048&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.23659048&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.23361176&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.23361176 alb.23361176 The Smiths art.746 8.99 Rare alb.23361176 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/1/7/6/7/1417671_170x170.jpg 2008-06-14 00:00:00.0 null true false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.23361176&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.23361176&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.20524429&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Thu, 1 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.20524429 alb.20524429 The Smiths art.746 0.0 The Queen Is Dead alb.20524429 2004-01-01 00:00:00.0 null false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.20524429&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.20524429&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.20698712&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Sat, 12 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.20698712 alb.20698712 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Rare alb.20698712 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/9/3/3/1233395_170x170.jpg 2002-01-12 00:00:00.0 null false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.20698712&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.20698712&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.5265819&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Tue, 19 Jun 2001 00:00:00 -0700 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.5265819 alb.5265819 The Smiths art.746 0.0 The Very Best of the Smiths alb.5265819 2001-06-19 00:00:00.0 2001-06-19 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.5265819&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.5265819&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.186873&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Mon, 20 Feb 1995 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.186873 alb.186873 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Singles alb.186873 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/2/5/9/5/685952_170x170.jpg 1995-02-20 00:00:00.0 1995-01-01 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.186873&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.186873&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.190756&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Thu, 5 Feb 2004 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.190756 alb.190756 The Smiths art.746 9.99 The Smiths alb.190756 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/0/8/8/1558806_170x170.jpg 2004-02-05 00:00:00.0 1993-11-15 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.190756&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.190756&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.155093&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Tue, 8 Dec 1992 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.155093 alb.155093 The Smiths art.746 0.0 The Best of the Smiths, Vol. 2 alb.155093 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/7/0/4/414074_170x170.jpg 1992-12-08 00:00:00.0 1992-12-08 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.155093&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.155093&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.309787&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Mon, 17 Aug 1992 00:00:00 -0700 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.309787 alb.309787 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Best... I alb.309787 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/0/6/6/686607_170x170.jpg 1992-08-17 00:00:00.0 1992-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.309787&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.309787&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.109526&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.109526 alb.109526 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Peel Sessions, 18.5.83 [EP] alb.109526 null 1988-10-01 00:00:00.0 false false single http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.109526&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.109526&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.116027&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Mon, 20 Feb 1995 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.116027 alb.116027 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Louder Than Bombs alb.116027 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/2/5/4/624524_170x170.jpg 1995-02-20 00:00:00.0 1987-07-07 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.116027&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.116027&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.89799&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.89799 alb.89799 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Sheila Take a Bow alb.89799 null 1987-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false single http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.89799&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.89799&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.322034&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Thu, 1 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.322034 alb.322034 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Strangeways, Here We Come alb.322034 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/8/0/9/389084_170x170.jpg 2004-01-01 00:00:00.0 1987-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.322034&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.322034&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.9058285&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Thu, 1 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.9058285 alb.9058285 The Smiths art.746 0.0 The World Won't Listen alb.9058285 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/3/0/5/865039_170x170.jpg 2004-01-01 00:00:00.0 1987-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.9058285&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.9058285&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.176498&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.176498 alb.176498 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Interview Picture Disc alb.176498 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/7/0/4/414075_170x170.jpg null 1986-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.176498&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.176498&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.234723&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Thu, 1 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.234723 alb.234723 The Smiths art.746 0.0 The Queen Is Dead alb.234723 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/0/6/6/686603_170x170.jpg 2004-01-01 00:00:00.0 1986-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.234723&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.234723&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.227012&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Tue, 8 Feb 2005 00:00:00 -0800 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.227012 alb.227012 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Meat Is Murder alb.227012 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/7/6/9/389679_170x170.jpg 2005-02-08 00:00:00.0 1985-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.227012&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.227012&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.16528875&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss Jangle Pop Tue, 5 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700 The Smiths Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.16528875 alb.16528875 The Smiths art.746 0.0 Hatful Of Hollow alb.16528875 2005-07-05 00:00:00.0 1984-01-01 00:00:00.0 false false main-release http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.16528875&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.16528875&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-smiths%2Fdiscography.rss