Do You Remember The First Time?

[Christopher Keating]

Would any Smiths and Morrissey fans like to share their 'first time' memories with me?

Nothing sordid, mind you...I mean the first time you heard of or 'got into' The Smiths or Morrissey.

Are you an 'original' or a 'late bloomer'?

What was the first song of theirs / his that you heard or loved first?

This should be interesting...

Love
CHRIS KEATING
Manchester, England (a most Humdrum Town)

[SimplyThrilledHoney]

Morrissey - 6th form, some time in 1991. is was ripe'n'ready. I liked the album ("Viva Hate") but only heard it once. Filed away as a 'must check them out' thing.

Went to a party early in 7th form, and heard "Meat is Murder". A friend shoplifted "Bona Drag" the next day and loaned it to me. The songs I fell in love with first were 'Suedehead' and 'Everyday is lIke Sunday'. The rest, as they say, is history.

So it's ten years now. Guess i'm neither a late bloomer nor an 'original'.

[Little Miss Curious]

I sifted through a lot to find this!

Here's an old poll.. and it has about a gazillion in there. I feature somewhere around the middle. Click on the link below.


Lotsa first timers (http://www.morrissey-solo.com/polls/poll23.shtml)

[Naso]

[The Artist Formally Known as "Mud"]

I hated the Smiths when I first heard them.

My younger brother played them and I thought they sounded gayer than a $2 pistol and teased him mercilessly for liking them...

I saw the video for "Stop Me..." and that further convinced me that Moz was a fey self-obsessed faerie...

Then on a road trip my friends put in "Meat is Murder"- and I was revolted until "How Soon Is Now?" came on and I was instantly a huge fan and it's been al over for me ever since... now every gawddamn song I listen to by the Smiths/Moz/Marr is excellent...

Thankfully I opened my mind!!

[Christopher Keating]

Nice one.

As a relative 'newcomer' to this website I was unaware of this past poll. I've read your entry (cool) and I'll have a read of all the others in there too.

Thanks for your assistance Little Miss Curious, you are indeed a star.

CHRIS KEATING
Manchester, England

[Brutalful]

and I thought they sounded gayer than a $2
> pistol

- Umm...yeah...OK??!! Who the hell made up that expression?

[SimplyThrilledHoney]

> - Umm...yeah...OK??!! Who the hell made up that expression?

It's the bent brush that paints it's own handle.

[Ruffian]

> What was the first song of theirs / his that you heard or loved first?

1984.. my mate, 'Oz' Deacon (called Oz, because he ran like an ostrich but looked like James Dean), in his Ford escort, on the way to Sunday football.. He had a tape with Hand In Glove and Handsome Devil on.. I was immediately enthralled and then, a few weeks later, having the 'What Difference Does it make' experience first hand on TOTP.. and I had to be part of this movement, understand this mis-fit called Morrissey who appeared to be talking directly to me.. and then bought everything I could find, and as it came out with eager anticipation.. what excitement that was.. much more than the Moz-Solo years..

But it took me till 1986 see them live.. That's because the girl I was with (would become first wife) was into Shalamar and Shakatak, and I'm ashamed to recollect that I became an armchair collector for a period.. and never went to see the bands who were moving me indoors..

I could go on for hours.. catch me in Leeds if you want 'My Lifes Story'!!

Ruffian soon to be in Russholme!

[The Artist Formally Known as "Mud"]

> and I thought they sounded gayer than a $2

> - Umm...yeah...OK??!! Who the hell made up that expression?

-- I first heard it from a guy named Chris Batt in 1987... He was describing the man who had gotten one of our co-workers pregnant- and he was so shocked because he had always thought the guy was homosexual and described him as "gayer than a $2 pistol" ... turns out the guy was closet heterosexual all along...

[23]

... on a playground, of all places, and the rest is history.
"Oh happy day..."

[The Artist Formally Known as "Mud"]

> It's the bent brush that paints it's own handle.
- well if you are implying that I myself must be gay then guess again... If I was I would most definitely be LOUD and PROUD and gladly banging my tambourine and leading the gay pride parade... but I'm indeed a shameless flaming hetero...

[23]

"All Men have Secrets", with a bunch of Smiths-related stories.

[Little Miss Curious]

> Nice one.

> As a relative 'newcomer' to this website I was unaware of this past poll.
> I've read your entry (cool) and I'll have a read of all the others in
> there too.

> Thanks for your assistance Little Miss Curious, you are indeed a star.

> CHRIS KEATING
> Manchester, England

Aw, shucks. *Blush*

LMC

[SimplyThrilledHoney]

> - well if you are implying that I myself must be gay then guess again...

Hell no I was just think of silly expressions like the "gay as the $2 pistol" and thought the brush one was equally silly. No idea what it means .....

[The Artist Formally Known as "Mud"]

a-ha!!

it seems as if every cliche fits like a glove...

[katherine]

I recall that i was living in the most desperate poverty ever known. I happened across a collectors card with Morrissey upon it. a lovely pic of the Viva Hate session. I recall how dynamic his profile was. It took several months to rise from the depths of my sorrow, and with the first ten dollars i came by, i rushed straight to the nearest wal-mart and purchased my first pressing of Morrissey. It was Bona Drag, and I then realsied that I could never be poor again. That is until i realised that i would have to collect twelve thousand different pressings of the same songs. Never will i complain though......

below the middle,
katherine

> Would any Smiths and Morrissey fans like to share their 'first time'
> memories with me?

> Nothing sordid, mind you...I mean the first time you heard of or 'got
> into' The Smiths or Morrissey.

> Are you an 'original' or a 'late bloomer'?

> What was the first song of theirs / his that you heard or loved first?

> This should be interesting...

> Love
> CHRIS KEATING
> Manchester, England (a most Humdrum Town)

[Mr.Proper]

I remember the firast time i had sex with your mom,it was shear delightful. she's pretty good you know? thought she was a little fat in the ass,but,she gave incredible rimjobs. your mom has a gift,you should be proud,i know I am.

[Mr.Proper]

well your mom was given to me for an early x-mas present one year,but I didn't think you wanted that info to leak out? who gives a crap if you got it for a present jackmutt? noone thats who. so shut the helly hoo up anus.

[suzanne]

nothing sordid? why do you want boring stories?

[Xistenza]

> Would any Smiths and Morrissey fans like to share their 'first time'
> memories with me?

> What was the first song of theirs / his that you heard or loved first?

Good topic.

The first Smiths song I ever heard was "Reel Around the Fountain" on vinyl. I stole it from my older sister (i must have been about 11 yrs old, I guess). Anyway, was instantly a fan and become obsessed with the single. The next song that stole my heart was "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" It's still one of my top favorite songs of The Smiths.

[truly]

> Good topic.

> The first Smiths song I ever heard was "Reel Around the
> Fountain" on vinyl. I stole it from my older sister (i must have been
> about 11 yrs old, I guess). Anyway, was instantly a fan and become
> obsessed with the single. The next song that stole my heart was
> "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" It's still one of my top
> favorite songs of The Smiths.

I have to agree- There is a Light is a corker. Can't quite remember how I got in to The Smiths, but I do remember me and my best friend wearing daffodils in tatty men's cardigans to school and wearing Smtihs T-shirts for P.E. where we stood and did as little as possible! All the other girls were in to Madonna: we didn't understand them and they didn't understand us!

I have to say I'm very excited about Paninc on Friday, and hearing such belters as Barbarism begins at home blasting through the speakers. Who else is going from here?

[Vauxhall Driver]

I used to tape all the good songs off the top 40 on a sunday afternoon and then Panic came on 'straight in at number 17' or whatever! It wasnt until I was a bit older when I started buying albums and thats when I got obsesive - I bought all the albums and most of the singles within a year.
If anyone would like to listen to all The Smiths and Morrissey song that I have then why not come to PANIC this friday.


PANIC ON THE STREETS OF LEEDS (http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/entertainment/music/rock_pop/smiths_panic.shtml)

[Billy Budd]

> Would any Smiths and Morrissey fans like to share their 'first time'
> memories with me?

> Nothing sordid, mind you...I mean the first time you heard of or 'got
> into' The Smiths or Morrissey.

> Are you an 'original' or a 'late bloomer'?

> What was the first song of theirs / his that you heard or loved first?

> This should be interesting...

> Love
> CHRIS KEATING
> Manchester, England (a most Humdrum Town)

What Difference Does It Make was the single that really convinced me that this band would be special, bought the debut album shortly after, and got hold of This Charming Man and Hand In Glove singles. At the time I was looking for something new to get into, I'd played my punk albums to death so they had to be put aside for a while, I liked the ska stuff, but that had come to an end, and I liked some of the New Romantic bands such as Visage, Human League, Japan and Ultrovox, didn't commit any hideous fashion crimes though honest. So The Smiths were a breath of fresh air from that point of view, bands like The Cure and Siouxsie & The Banshees had already been around for a while, even though they were continuing to put out decent stuff, but at the time I could never have envisaged how personel The Smiths would become. First saw them live at Sheffield City Hall early 85, the crowd went on one that night it was really hectic, I ended up clattered and bruised as people bounced of me. Does anyone else recall how hectic The Smiths gigs were, not in any violent way, but the crowd really went for it like there was a release of inbuilt tension or something ?

The Smiths are the best band the world will ever see, well maybe not the world I don't think their legacy has reached Zambia yet.