THE SMITHS - THE QUEEN IS DEAD - LP - BEAUT & VERY SCARCE

	A$		35
	$		23

I OFFER FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE THIS

VERY SCARCE ALBUM OF

THE SMITHS

THE QUEEN IS DEAD 

The Smiths were the definitive British indie rock band of the '80s, marking the end of synth-driven new wave and the beginning of the guitar rock that dominated English rock into the '90s. Sonically, the group was indebted to the British Invasion, crafting ringing, melodic three-minute pop singles, even for their album tracks. But their scope was far broader than that of a revivalist band. The group's core members, vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, were obsessive rock fans inspired by the D.I.Y. ethics of punk, but they also had a fondness for girl groups, pop, and rockabilly. They also represented one of the strangest teams of collaborators in rock history. Marr was the rock traditionalist, looking like an elegant version of Keith Richards during their heyday and meticulously layering his guitar tracks in the studio. Morrissey, on the other hand, broke from rock tradition by singing in a keening, self-absorbed croon, embracing the forlorn, romantic poetry of Oscar Wilde, publicly declaring his celibacy, and making no secret of his disgust for most of his peers. While it eventually led to their early demise, the friction between Morrissey and Marr resulted in a flurry of singles and albums over the course of three years that provided the blueprint for British guitar rock in the following decade.

Before forming The Smiths in 1982, Johnny Marr (born John Maher, October 31, 1963) had played in a variety of Manchester-based rock & roll bands, including Sister Ray, Freaky Part, White Dice, and Paris Valentinos. On occasion, Marr had come close to a record contract - but he never quite made the leap. They met when Marr, who was then looking for a lyricist, through mutual friends in the spring of 1982. The pair began writing songs, eventually recording some demos, and settled on the name The Smiths and recruited Marr's schoolmate Andy Rourke as their bassist and Mike Joyce as their drummer.

The Smiths made their live debut late in 1982, and by the spring of 1983, the group had earned a small but loyal following in their hometown of Manchester and had begun to make inroads in London. Rejecting a record deal with the Mancunian Factory Records, the band signed with Rough Trade for a one-off single, "Hand in Glove." With its veiled references to homosexuality and its ringing riffs, "Hand in Glove" became an underground sensation in the U.K., topping the independent charts and earning the praise of the U.K. music weeklies. Soon Morrissey's performances became notorious as he appeared on-stage wearing a hearing aid and with gladioli stuffed in his back pockets. His interviews were becoming famous for his forthright, often contrary opinions, which helped the band become a media sensation. By the time of the group's second single, "This Charming Man," in late 1983,  they had already been the subject of controversy over "Reel Around the Fountain," a song that had been aired on a BBC radio session and was alleged to condone child abuse. It was the first time that Moeeissey's detached, literary, and ironic lyrics were misinterpreted and it wouldn't be the last.

"This Charming Man" reached number 25 on the British charts in December of 1983, setting the stage for "What Difference Does It Make"'s peak of number 12 in February. Their rise to the upper reaches of the British charts was swift, and the passion of their fans, as well as the U.K. music press, indicated that the group had put an end to the synth-powered new wave that dominated Britain in the early '80s. After rejecting their initial stab at a first album, they released their debut, album in the spring of 1984 to strong reviews and sales - it peaked at number two. A few months later, the group backed '60s pop vocalist Sandie Shaw - who he had publicly praised in an article -- on a version of "Hand in Glove" that was released and reached the Top 40. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" reached number ten, becoming their highest-charting single amid a storm of controversy about its B-side, "Suffer Little Children," which was about the notorious Moors Murders. More controversy appeared when e denounced the hunger-relief efforts of Band Aid, but the group's popularity was not affected. Though they had become the most popular new rock & roll group in Britain, the group failed to make it outside of underground and college radio in the U.S., partially because they never launched a full-scale tour. At the end of the year, "William It Was Really Nothing" became a Top 20 hit and Hatfull of Hollow, a collection of B-sides, BBC sessions, and non-LP singles, went to the Top Ten, followed shortly by "How Soon Is Now," which peaked at number 24.

Meat is Murder, the band's second proper studio album, entered the British charts at number one in February of 1985, despite some criticism. Around the time of the release Morrissey's interviews were becoming increasingly political as he trashed the Thatcher administration and campaigned for vegetarianism; he even claimed that they were all vegetarians, and he forbade the remaining members to be photographed eating meat, even though they were still carnivores. By the time the non-LP "Shakespeare's Sister" reached number 26 in the spring of 1985, they had spawned a rash of soundalike bands.

"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" revived the band's fortunes in the fall of 1985, and their third album, The Queen is Dead,  confirmed their popularity upon its release in the spring of 1986. Greeted with enthusiastic reviews and peaking at number two on the U.K. charts, it also expanded their cult following in the U.S., cracking the Top 100. Shortly before the album was completed, former Aztec Camera guitarist \craig Gannon became the band's rhythm guitarist, and he played with the band throughout their 1986 international tour, including a botched American tour. The non-LP "Panic," which was criticized as racist by some observers for its repeated refrain of "Burn down the disco...hang the DJ," reached number 11 late in the summer. A few months after its release, Marr was seriously injured in a car crash. During his recuperation, Gannon and Rourke, were fired from the band. Rourke, who was suffering from heroin addiction, was later reinstated, Gannon was never replaced.

A few weeks before the release of Strangeways, Here We Come, Marr announced that he was leaving. Morissey disbanded the group shortly afterward and began a solo career, signing with Parlophone in the U.K. and staying with the U.S. label, Reprise.

Rank, a live album recorded on tour, was released in 1988. It debuted at number two in the U.K.

AN AUST ISSUE ON ROUGH TRADE LABEL RELEASED BY CBS IN 1986 - RTRANZ 013

THE UNLAMINATED SLEEVE LOOKS REALLY LOVELY. THE OPENING EDGE AND THE TOP SEAM ARE CLEAN AND SHARP. THERE IS A LITTLE SHELF WEAR ON THE BOTTOM SEAM. THERE ARE SOME LIGHT CREASES IN THE SPINE AND THERE IS A LITTLE VERY LIGHT RING WEAR.

THE HEAVY DUTY PAPER INNER SLEEE IS BEAUT TOO - IT HAS A PHOTO OF THE BAND AND THE LYRICS OF ALL THE SONGS.

THE SHINY VINYL IS BEAUT - JUST A FEW VERY LIGHT MARKS AND SCUFFS

PLAYS LIKE IT LOOKS - BEAUTIFUL - LOUD AND CLEAN.

THE LABELS ARE GREAT TOO -  JUST ONE LIGHT SPINDLE MARK - NO WRITING - NO STICKERS.

TRACKS ARE:

THE QUEEN IS DEAD == FRANKLY, MR. SHANKLY == I KNOW ITS OVER == NEVER HAD NO ONE EER == CEMETRY GATES == BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN == THE BOY WITH THE THORN IN HIS SIDE == VICAR IN A TUTU == THERE IS A LIHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT == SOME GIRLS ARE BIGGER THAN OTERS. 

VERY HARD TO FIND A COPY OF THIS

SCARCE ALBUM

IN ANY CONDITION

THIS ONE HAS A REALLY LOVELY SLEEVE AND

THE SHINY VINYL PLAYS BEAUTIFUL.

HAPPY BIDDING FANS

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