How did you become a Morrissey/Smiths fan?

[WHY!]

Dunno if a thread like this is existing. If yes forgive me. Couldn't find anything. But I'm very interesting in the way you became a fan.

Here is my story:

Actually, I come from a totally different musical background and used to listen to electronic music. So I'm a huge Pet Shop Boys Fan since 19 years now. I always liked keyboards and that kind of stuff. I never liked guitars. Never. And when the singer of the Pet Shop Boys came onstage with a acoustic guitar on their Release-Tour I thought the world is official ending now. I couldn't believe it.

That's why I never heard a Morrissey/Smiths song in my live - until last November. Really, I never heard a song of him.

But then, don't know why, I was hanging around on our Pet Shop Boys forum and there was this user with this special avatar. Just the size 80x80 pixel. It was the Ringleader cover and the line "Morrissey is god".

I always thought what a nice and delicious picture it is. Yes, delicious. Like a piece of cake. I wanted to EAT that avatar everytime I've seen it. I know it sounds silly.

So I found out what the current Morrissey album is and was listening to it. I heard the first strings of this strong music and then him singing. I sat here with open-mouth staring at the wall and was flabbergasted!!! The music was so strong and overwhelming not to mention this beautiful voice!!! I tought what kind of brilliant stuff is that? I was listening to Ringleader for days!!

I was infected like I never has been infected before. So I had to find out who this "Morrissey" is. I knew his name all the time and that he was the one with this quiff but I didn't know everything about him.

It was mere coincidence that I was looking if he has a tour soon. And YES! I learnt he is in Germany in December! Just in a few weeks! What a luck! I asked all my friend if they want to go to his concert but almost no one knew him at all! Except from one - my friend, probably my best friend. She loves rock music and all that stuff and when I asked her "Do YOU know who Morrissey is?" and after all these negative answers I heard this: "Sure. I have two albums of him at home." Bingo! I knew I can rely on her. But the problem was she was without job at that time and had no money. But at the end we managed to go to his Berlin gig and now we both are so in love with Moz (my friend only liked his music but no more).

I really had to smile and was surprised when I learnt that Morrissey was the singer of The Smith and that Johnny Marr was the guitarist! Because I knew Johnny from "Electronic" with Bernhard Sumner because the Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant was singing on one their album (I still have that album on cassette!). How small the world is....

It's quite unusual for me that I suddenly like guitars and that kind of music. I don't have an explanation for that. But I'm very glad I discovered Morrissey with his mysterious but strong charisma and his brilliant music and lyrics. It's late and I've missed so many things like previous concerts but better late than never!

Well. Now it's your turn. Tell your story...

[mozmal]

An old friend of mine came round with the first John Peel session on cassette, way back in 1983, and that was it for me. Since then he's been the most important person in music for me. The years of The Smiths were just simply glorious, the melodies, the lyrics, the controversy, the singles and albums and everything else that went with it. I was lucky enough to see them live just five times. And amazingly the man is still here, still making good music. I was at the Gmex gig on 23rd and it was just great, can't wait for the next tour. Viva Morrissey! :D

[WHY!]

And amazingly the man is still here, still making good music.

Yes, I understand! I'm a longtime PSB fan and I'm grown up with them. They accompanied me through my adolescence and were always on my side. And now I'm 32 years old, the men are old and we're still toghether and I can't imagine a life without them. But one day it will happen: they will be dead and.... no - better don't talk about that!!!

I'm really glad Morrissey is still with us making such a good music and I hope he will be onstage when he's 70!


I was at the Gmex gig on 23rd and it was just great, can't wait for the next tour. Viva Morrissey! :D

But the next time you're going to visit two concerts: one for filming and one just for enjoying!!! Ok? :)

[Joe Benzon]

Heard them in my friends car and was hooked

[Sunday Girl]

I saw the video for "There is a light.." on E4 music, a couple of years ago and just loved it instantly, the video, the song, Moz in his NHS specs, everything about it. I felt cheated that i had never got into the smiths/ Moz before. After that i just wanted to find out everything there was to know about him.

But having been born in 1978, meant that I was only five when the Smiths started out, and only nine when they split up. So obviously like most kids of that age, whose lives are fairly carefree and uncomplicated, the band wouldn't have appealed to me then anyway. I have vague memories of hearing "this charming man" during my childhood and i always loved the song, but never knew anything about moz or the smiths. I remember reading a bit about Morrissey in Smash Hits, which i started buying in 1988 around the time he went solo.

The only moz solo song i remember hearing back then was "ouija board", i liked it, but i was only eleven or something and thought it was a bit weird and eerie..partly because my parents were strict christians who had instilled the belief in me that ouija boards were 'evil and demonic' and all that.

Unfortunately for me, the year that i really started to get into good indie music instead of pop (when i was 13/ 14, so in about 1991/2) the bloody NME stopped writing about him and so i never got to know about Moz, even though i used to buy it every week. The Sods.

I remember around that time (1992) on "The Mary Whitehouse Experience" (a comedy show) there was a sketch of someone pretending to be Moz, waving flowers around and being all miserable, the usual stereotype, so i suppose that was my impression of him too, if i had one at all. As far as i remember though, he didn't register much in my mind at all back then. I was right into the Manics, they were 'my' band, i don't think i had much time for other stuff once i got into them.

[rusholmeruffians]

When I was 11 in 1986 my dad who is a big Smiths fan, turned the lights on in our living room and made me lay down and he played Meat is Murder first and I was blown away...the images of the cows and the chain saw amazing and then...he played Suffer Little Children...I really loved my dad for that..


We both went to the MEN arena in 2004, and the Gmex on 22nd...all we did was cry....

[jossu]

I'm a new Morrissey/The Smiths fan, too.:cool:

One day, a year and a half ago, I found Bona Drag from the local library. At first, I didn't like it at all! Well, i did like The Last Of... A month later I listened Bona Drag again and.... somehow all the songs seemed perfect! I couldn't believe this was the same album I had disliked before. After Bona Drag it was The Smiths and after The Smiths it was Meat Is Murder and after that it was Viva Hate..... and so on.

Now I'm obsessed:D

[Kickstand]

I was watching VH1 a good four years ago now and There is a light that never goes out was on and I fell in love with it right way and that's how it started.

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

crack

[wolve]

Dunno if a thread like this is existing. If yes forgive me. Couldn't find anything. But I'm very interesting in the way you became a fan.

Here is my story:

Actually, I come from a totally different musical background and used to listen to electronic music. So I'm a huge Pet Shop Boys Fan since 19 years now. I always liked keyboards and that kind of stuff. I never liked guitars. Never. And when the singer of the Pet Shop Boys came onstage with a acoustic guitar on their Release-Tour I thought the world is official ending now. I couldn't believe it.

That's why I never heard a Morrissey/Smiths song in my live - until last November. Really, I never heard a song of him.

But then, don't know why, I was hanging around on our Pet Shop Boys forum and there was this user with this special avatar. Just the size 80x80 pixel. It was the Ringleader cover and the line "Morrissey is god".

I always thought what a nice and delicious picture it is. Yes, delicious. Like a piece of cake. I wanted to EAT that avatar everytime I've seen it. I know it sounds silly.

So I found out what the current Morrissey album is and was listening to it. I heard the first strings of this strong music and then him singing. I sat here with open-mouth staring at the wall and was flabbergasted!!! The music was so strong and overwhelming not to mention this beautiful voice!!! I tought what kind of brilliant stuff is that? I was listening to Ringleader for days!!

I was infected like I never has been infected before. So I had to find out who this "Morrissey" is. I knew his name all the time and that he was the one with this quiff but I didn't know everything about him.

It was mere coincidence that I was looking if he has a tour soon. And YES! I learnt he is in Germany in December! Just in a few weeks! What a luck! I asked all my friend if they want to go to his concert but almost no one knew him at all! Except from one - my friend, probably my best friend. She loves rock music and all that stuff and when I asked her "Do YOU know who Morrissey is?" and after all these negative answers I heard this: "Sure. I have two albums of him at home." Bingo! I knew I can rely on her. But the problem was she was without job at that time and had no money. But at the end we managed to go to his Berlin gig and now we both are so in love with Moz (my friend only liked his music but no more).

I really had to smile and was surprised when I learnt that Morrissey was the singer of The Smith and that Johnny Marr was the guitarist! Because I knew Johnny from "Electronic" with Bernhard Sumner because the Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant was singing on one their album (I still have that album on cassette!). How small the world is....

It's quite unusual for me that I suddenly like guitars and that kind of music. I don't have an explanation for that. But I'm very glad I discovered Morrissey with his mysterious but strong charisma and his brilliant music and lyrics. It's late and I've missed so many things like previous concerts but better late than never!

Well. Now it's your turn. Tell your story...

There's this band called "the Smiths" where he was in for five years. You should check that one out.

[Julzei]

I was watching VH1 a good four years ago now and There is a light that never goes out was on and I fell in love with it right way and that's how it started.

Same here, except it was only a few months ago when I saw the light. :) I'm a new fan but I'm only 16.

[Kickstand]

That's cool, I'm only a year older and I found them at a young age by accident, I was just slumped infront of the TV, nothing was one so I just put it on VH1 as I hardly watched it before. :D

[WHY!]

There's this band called "the Smiths" where he was in for five years. You should check that one out.

Are you speaking about Johnny Marr? NOW I know he was in the Smiths first but I knew him from "Electronic" with Bernhard Sumner.

[Kickstand]

Don't mind, Wolve. she's a bit cranky today, she's missing her soul mate Chica. She doesn't mean to be a sarcastic wench. :eek: :D

[robertzombie]

Dad: "Listen to this son!" *dad thrusts old smiths cassette into robert's face.
Robert: "ok dad"

and the rest is history...

well not really history, it only happened a few months ago! :p

[WHY!]

@rusholmeruffians and robertzombie:

You have really cool dads!!!! I wish I had...

My father threw my favourite cassette away - in front of my eyes! I was 14 at the time, 1988. I cried for hours and I still have a trauma... Unfortunately I couldn't go into the shop for buying a new one because I was grown up on the wrong side of the wall here in Germany and there just weren't any record shops with music from the "enemy state". How cruel can the live be? It took 3 years until I had that tape back. It's still my favorite record....

[sonandheir]

To be honest, I'm not exactly sure (:eek: ) ... however I distinctly remember watching him being interviewed on the Johnathan Ross show back in 2004 and being rather intrigued. I can only assume that I downloaded a couple of his songs shortly afterwards and was forever hooked.

[the more you explore me!]

quite a while ago... people doing me tapes (not cds), then i bought them myself and had a hair cut like a quiff!

[FlickanMedTörnen]

just a couple of weeks ago. my boyfriend (well, as of yesterday, my ex... heaven knows i'm miserable now...) had queen is dead and played it to me, was surprised I liked it because we don't share the same taste in music. but I put it on my ipod and listened nonstop on a bus journey to gothenburg and that was it of course. have slowly started to build up a collection of smiths/moz since. went through a major fandom-period with another "object" a few years back and don't feel like doing it again, but I've done the short version.. interest-research-worship and now a balanced admiration. I like the music, some of it is the best I've heard, right up there with Händel, Mozart and Belle & sebastian :) as a person he fascinates me, but I jump between admiration, annoyance and dislike every time I read interviews and such. some things we agree on, some we don't. just like with anybody else I guess!

[boyvoyeur]

my brother bought strangeways here we come. i was 10 at the time and i was immedietly hooked, althought there was a lot i didnt understand at that age, there was still a lot that i could relate to. i was always a troubled kid and even at that age morrissey made me feel that i was not alone. im almost 30 now and still adore mozz, i feel i own him a lot....i feel he quite literally saved my life more than once.

[Strange Fear]

my brother bought strangeways here we come. i was 10 at the time and i was immedietly hooked, althought there was a lot i didnt understand at that age, there was still a lot that i could relate to. i was always a troubled kid and even at that age morrissey made me feel that i was not alone. im almost 30 now and still adore mozz, i feel i own him a lot....i feel he quite literally saved my life more than once.

My brother was also the one who got me hooked. When I was 13, which was about a year and a half ago he burned me a copy of Strangeways Here We Come. It was just so different from anything else I had heard. The song that caught my attention the most was Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me. It was just so beautiful. From then on I became addicted to The Smiths and Moz.

[Dave]

I liked reading music magazines growing up and good old Creem magazine would have articles about and interviews with The Smiths. I read the interviews for a while before I bought a tape. I'd never heard them at all, but it was the things Morrissey said that made me want to hear the music finally.

[WHY!]

Question to all the new fans:

Am I'm the only one or do you see the young Moz and the "older" one as completely different people?

As I haven't seen him grow up and getting older I'm now confronted with two different "Morrisseys" when I used to see a picture of him - the young one and the older one. Some pictures are in between.

Always when I see a current photo I try to connect that face with the young-pictured Moz but it's so strange for me because these two (one) people have nothing in common for me. There are very few photos when I think, "Yes, I see the young Morrissey in him". But mostly I think I'm watching to two different people with the same name. It's so strange for me to imagine all my pictures describe the same person.

It's strange, I know. Am I mad now? Or does anyone of you ever had the same thoughts?

[sulkyyouth]

I know what you mean. The older morrissey seems more tougher...even his voice is different

[dizzywhore_1804]

I first saw Morrissey properly on one of the music channels, they were playing 'Irish Blood, English Heart' and I remember being glued to the screen for the whole performance. Then i found out it was on one of the 'Now' albums and played it to death but then pretty much forgot about old Moz.

I suppose I have Russell Brand to blame for this current obsession of mine. He constantly played The Smiths and Morrissey on his radio show, so week after week I was downloading one or two songs via iTunes. Eventually I gave up and just went out and bought most of the albums, then went out not long after that and bought ALL the albums.

Amazing now when I tell people of my age that I like Morrissey and they all know 'First Of The Gang', strange how it's in most peoples consciousness without them probably knowing it.

[mozzer8633@mac.com]

9th grade. At the time I was so lost musically. I had started to lean towards "alternative" music, but not fully. Listening to Crowded House, Aha, Psychedelic Furs, Human League, OMD but I have to admit, I wouldnt turn the station if Robert Palmer, Van Halen, Bangles, etc would come. I was in purgatory. I was a keen artist and this little skater punk asked me to help him with some projects in our art class. He said he didnt have any money to pay me but he would give me a bunch of copied tapes. He brought me all that was out by The Smiths, Depeche Mode, The Cure and New Order. He even had Xeroxed the covers and put them in the little cassete cases. I wasnt hooked right away but I went skiing in canada that year and forgot to pack my tape case. So all I had was the one tape in my walkman which happened to be The Queen is Dead. I listened to it for 9 days. On the plane, in the lodge, on the slopes, etc.. What a great soundtrack for an awkward 13/4 year olds toubled mind. I was hooked instantly. After 2-3 days of bobbing my head to the music, I had nothing to do but start to listen to the lyrics and disect them. The man was brilliant. I have been one of those obsessed ever since and now in my 30s. Morrissey got my head straight, got me out of trouble, got me over hardships, got me laid several times and I am convinced got me through the rest of high school. Amazing.

[lottie]

When I was 11 in 1986 my dad who is a big Smiths fan, turned the lights on in our living room and made me lay down and he played Meat is Murder first and I was blown away...the images of the cows and the chain saw amazing and then...he played Suffer Little Children...I really loved my dad for that..


We both went to the MEN arena in 2004, and the Gmex on 22nd...all we did was cry....

whoa, your dad sounds great.

[lottie]

Question to all the new fans:

Am I'm the only one or do you see the young Moz and the "older" one as completely different people?

As I haven't seen him grow up and getting older I'm now confronted with two different "Morrisseys" when I used to see a picture of him - the young one and the older one. Some pictures are in between.

Always when I see a current photo I try to connect that face with the young-pictured Moz but it's so strange for me because these two (one) people have nothing in common for me. There are very few photos when I think, "Yes, I see the young Morrissey in him". But mostly I think I'm watching to two different people with the same name. It's so strange for me to imagine all my pictures describe the same person.

It's strange, I know. Am I mad now? Or does anyone of you ever had the same thoughts?

Interesting, i don't feel that way myself,
I think you need to do a lot of 'moz' reading if you read soem of his interviews from smiths days and some from now, (same with video interviews) you'll find that you see a guy with the same character and charm and wit and good looks and, oh everything...
LOL

[nightandday]

Question to all the new fans:

Am I'm the only one or do you see the young Moz and the "older" one as completely different people?

As I haven't seen him grow up and getting older I'm now confronted with two different "Morrisseys" when I used to see a picture of him - the young one and the older one. Some pictures are in between.

Always when I see a current photo I try to connect that face with the young-pictured Moz but it's so strange for me because these two (one) people have nothing in common for me. There are very few photos when I think, "Yes, I see the young Morrissey in him". But mostly I think I'm watching to two different people with the same name. It's so strange for me to imagine all my pictures describe the same person.

It's strange, I know. Am I mad now? Or does anyone of you ever had the same thoughts?
Physically, the middle-aged Morrissey of today looks very different from the lad who danced on Top of the Pops in 1984...he even looks very different from the 30 year old hunk of the Kill Uncle/Your Arsenal era. At least he does on pictures/video. When I saw him live for the first time in July 2006 (from the first row :) ) I thought that 1) he looked a lot more like the young Morrissey I know from old pics and videos, and therefore 2) he looked much better in person.

As a person - as lottie has said, it might seem that he's changed a lot, but when I listen to his old Smiths and early era songs and when I read his old interviews - I notice that he is, basically, very much the same person, with the same beliefs, same wit and charm.

I think that he said it best himself:

"And I've been shifting gears all along my life
But I'm still the same underneath" :)

[vAndreav]

Question to all the new fans:

Am I'm the only one or do you see the young Moz and the "older" one as completely different people?

As I haven't seen him grow up and getting older I'm now confronted with two different "Morrisseys" when I used to see a picture of him - the young one and the older one. Some pictures are in between.

Always when I see a current photo I try to connect that face with the young-pictured Moz but it's so strange for me because these two (one) people have nothing in common for me. There are very few photos when I think, "Yes, I see the young Morrissey in him". But mostly I think I'm watching to two different people with the same name. It's so strange for me to imagine all my pictures describe the same person.

It's strange, I know. Am I mad now? Or does anyone of you ever had the same thoughts?

As a new fan I understand this completely because it's happened before with other bands I've liked. But, unlike these other bands Morrissey still remains unchanged, and even at my young age (17) I feel like I can still relate to this 47 year old man.

As for my brief history: I've liked the Smiths since I was 13 after I heard about them probably due to some other 'nineteen-haties' band that was to help me get through my outcast years....Only a few months ago did I discover Morrissey, and fall in love with The Smiths all over again.

[stagger-lee]

I saw 'This charming man' on t.v n fell in love

[geisha_scarlet]

I knew of Morrissey for years. Was always quite curious about him and his music. But never gave him a listen. On a whim four years ago, I bought The Queen is Dead and The Best of Morrissey. After hearing the entire of The Queen is Dead, I was just in shear amazement. His voice, his lyrics spoke to me. Four years later I can comfortable say, I’m a obsessed fan.
And I like it that way...

[Still Tired]

Question to all the new fans:

Am I'm the only one or do you see the young Moz and the "older" one as completely different people?

As I haven't seen him grow up and getting older I'm now confronted with two different "Morrisseys" when I used to see a picture of him - the young one and the older one. Some pictures are in between.

Always when I see a current photo I try to connect that face with the young-pictured Moz but it's so strange for me because these two (one) people have nothing in common for me. There are very few photos when I think, "Yes, I see the young Morrissey in him". But mostly I think I'm watching to two different people with the same name. It's so strange for me to imagine all my pictures describe the same person.

It's strange, I know. Am I mad now? Or does anyone of you ever had the same thoughts?


I feel the same- it is very difficult for me to connect the young Morrissey and the one we see today in my mind, he’s changed so much, not only physically but in his views and his songs- content wise and the use of his voice. I feel a strange nostalgic sadness that I missed out on the young Moz, it must have been wonderful to have had him to guide you through the difficult years. I can relate a lot more to the person he was back then it has to be said. But then on the other hand, I love how relaxed he seems with himself now and his current odd obsession with European culture which I share to a slightly lesser degree!

Sometimes physically you can catch glimpses of his young self, I was watching a recent interview for example and he was chewing his lip and waving his hands around just as on the old interviews. But I do get the feeling of them being two people also, and along with listening to how his songs have developed he really seems such a long way from what he used to be. So I kind of have mixed feelings of sadness that I’ve missed out on what the Smiths were, but I also just love who he is now and how strong he seems, it gives you hope.

Briefly, I discovered the Smiths/ Moz through reading The Wrong Boy, I fell in love with the idea of who they were and the song lyrics before I’d even heard a note! I just knew I was going to like them somehow and when I bought Quarry, that was it- changed my life.

[nightandday]

I feel the same- it is very difficult for me to connect the young Morrissey and the one we see today in my mind, he’s changed so much, not only physically but in his views and his songs- content wise and the use of his voice.

His views have barely changed at all. :confused:

Even his taste in music remains pretty much the same.

[Still Tired]

His views have barely changed at all. :confused:

Even his taste in music remains pretty much the same.

Well, I think they have- maybe only in the matters that are important to me which is why I’ve noticed them. Things like how he used to have no interest in travel or in experiencing other cultures; he seemed very insular in that way during the Smiths. Whereas now of course he seems to quite like flitting about and really immersing himself in his surroundings, just considering his last letter on TTY for example where he was so taken with the beauty of the countryside he was travelling through, I’ve not heard that from him in the past. And then there’s his attitude to relationships and sex, well maybe those haven’t changed too much, but he’s definitely opened up it seems to me and has let people in in the last few years. And I suppose with him no longer living in England it seems he’s been able to distance himself from some of the issues he used to be so passionate about which is no bad thing I know, but I kind of wish he was still here causing trouble! And he seems less obsessed with literature- maybe a minor point but I think it's a shame.

So maybe he’s not changed drastically but he has matured and altered in some ways, which is just my subjective and slightly selfish opinion of course!

[duchess_of_fork]

i became a smiths/morrissey fan when i realized that all musicians that i innitially love lied to me, and all of their fans. then morrissey crept into my life and i received what i askedfor.
it did not hurt that he's absolutely stunningly intelligent and well...he's not such a bad looker....and by "not sucha bad looker" i mean....tsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

does that answer the question????

[WHY!]

Very interesting stories here! I'm very delighted! And I'm surprised how many became fans because of VH1. I usually don't watch television (no time, too crappy, too many other interests) and I thought they only play mainstream bullshit alá Pop Idol. So there's hope for the world!

And I see that many of us fell SO in love with him immediately after listening to his songs. Not a week later or two. No. On the spot. Fascinating.


I think you need to do a lot of 'moz' reading if you read soem of his interviews from smiths days and some from now,

I try to read as much as I can! And I'm waiting for weeks for my 3 Morrissey/Smiths books ordered by amazon but it's getting later and later.... *gggrrrr* And - on - the - weekend - I - missed - an - ebay - auction (an old book) - because - I - was - listening - to - Moz - so - concentrated!!! Aaaaaahhhh! How stupid am I?


you'll find that you see a guy with the same character and charm and wit and good looks and, oh everything...

Yes. And he knows it very well that he's handsome!!!! Bloody bastard! ;) No, it's ok. His charakter is the most interesting thing with him. I'm so fascinated because he's so different from the most men I know and then combined with this look. He's such a breathtaking person and he knows that but on the other hand he's so unhappy. It's driving me mad!


But then on the other hand, I love how relaxed he seems with himself now

Yes, think the same! I'm so relieved about it because I am/was really worried about him.


i became a smiths/morrissey fan when i realized that all musicians that i innitially love lied to me, and all of their fans.

Absolutely! His lyrics are the only ones which are really honest! When he sings something I believe every word. I've never seen it with another artist. And he's not singing stupid stuff only because he needs lines and words for a rhyme.


does that answer the question????

YES! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/liebe/a010.gif Erm, no, not quite. Tell me WHERE did you see him the very first time, on which occasion, when and so on.... :)

[Tomorrow]

I became a Smiths fan after I heard Hand in Glove when it first hit the airwaves.

[duchess_of_fork]

YES! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/liebe/a010.gif Erm, no, not quite. Tell me WHERE did you see him the very first time, on which occasion, when and so on.... :)

ok hmm let's remember.
about 3 years ago my friend told me to download "Girlfriend in a Coma"
I did.
I didn't like it.
I was silly, immature, and it was too early for me. I still had to get over being obsessed with ridiculous bands. I really liked a boy who was into all of the...arena bands...and being a crazy 13-14 year old...I trotted along.
But about a year later, the Smiths song I had kept playing over and over when i turned 'shuffle' on my itunes...at first i giggled at Morrissey's voice...and then once I got familiar with it, I felt all the passion and beauty in it. I quickly downloaded more and more and more and more of smiths stuff and well...the rest is history.
So it's true. I fell in love with Morrissey's voice first...I didn't even find him that attractive at first (i DID get glasses, don't worry...i know, there must have been something wrong with my eyesight!)...but then...well...yeah!
I've only really been very interested in his solo career for less than a year now. I think I needed to exaust my Smiths before I could move on. I think I did it at the right time too.

now does THAT answer your question??? :D:P:p

[vAndreav]

he still twiddles with his ears too :p

[imogen11]

[QUOTE=WHY!;430745]

I always thought what a nice and delicious picture it is. Yes, delicious. Like a piece of cake. I wanted to EAT that avatar everytime I've seen it. I know it sounds silly.
QUOTE]

hehe, Brilliant! Yes, I agree: it is a delicious picture:D

[imogen11]

Question to all the new fans:

Am I'm the only one or do you see the young Moz and the "older" one as completely different people?

As I haven't seen him grow up and getting older I'm now confronted with two different "Morrisseys" when I used to see a picture of him - the young one and the older one. Some pictures are in between.

Always when I see a current photo I try to connect that face with the young-pictured Moz but it's so strange for me because these two (one) people have nothing in common for me. There are very few photos when I think, "Yes, I see the young Morrissey in him". But mostly I think I'm watching to two different people with the same name. It's so strange for me to imagine all my pictures describe the same person.

It's strange, I know. Am I mad now? Or does anyone of you ever had the same thoughts?

oooh no, you're not mad :) I understand what you mean! Sometimes when I'm in the midst of a Smiths obsession (which happens very, very regularly) I forget that it was 20 odd years ago. Then I see Morrissey now and it's hard to comprehend that the young Morrissey I've been obsessing over is all grown up, hehe. It's cool when I sometimes still see the young Morrissey in his face and his mannerisms, though.

Sounds stupid, but oh well :p :)

And, Still Tired, I'm picking up what your'e putting down -I feel a sadness & nostalgia for young Morrissey too (I still adore him, I just miss the young moz). I'm 30, but was still too young in 82-87 to know of The Smiths. Didn't get into them until about 1994 when a friend gave me 'The Best Of Smiths'. The rest is history.

RusholmeRuffians - you've got an extremely cool dad! :)

[westendgirl]

As a new fan I understand this completely because it's happened before with other bands I've liked. But, unlike these other bands Morrissey still remains unchanged, and even at my young age (17) I feel like I can still relate to this 47 year old man.



I totally agree!!! Isn't it strange that at a young age you can relate to him.....
Well I first heard Morrissey on the radio, the only song I've ever heard on the radio.."Irish Blood, English Heart" a couple of years ago I think in 2004. And I fell in love with the song even though I had only heard it a few times...but then forgot all about it. Wish I hadn't forgotten though! But then this past summer I met someone who is now my very close friend & like a big brother and our like in music is extremely similar it's almost scary! There's 8 years difference in age between us, but were like the identical of each other....I'm like the girl version of him...scary huh?? But very cool...Anyways, he told me just to listen to The Smiths to see what I thought since our taste in music is identical. I borrowed Meat Is Murder and loved it!!....then listened to Morrissey and borrowed You Are The Quary...and absolutely fell in love with Morrissey!!! I loved First of The Gang to Die...but initially my very first favorite song was Dissappointed. He was shocked b/c he said it usually takes years for Moz fans to really love that song. But I loved it and still do. I'm now collecting his whole collection...and have about 8-10 cds. I really thought that I would have to wait a few years to see him in concert, but to my surprise....he's gonna be here in less than a month!!!! I'm so incredibly excited!!
There's just something about Morrissey that makes you love him..although he & his music is so different...yet so very unique. For me...it takes a trully special voice for me to absolutely fall in love with....very much in love with.
Just his voice alone is one of the greatest and his lyrics get to me..though many think his music is depressing...his music makes me rather happy and when I listen to it, it takes to me to a different place...that makes me happy...where you have that feeling of happiness and contentness and you feel that Morrissey is the only thing you would ever have to listen to. That may sound strange, but it's very true!! It's a rare thing being able to listen to Morrissey and absolutely love it with a passion so I've heard..and especially for someone my age..[16]...my age and the era he and his music came from don't usually mix for most teenagers..but for me it fits perfectly!!! Anyone who has one bad word to say about him are seriously mad and deluded. That's all there is to it!:D

And for those of you whose dad's introduced you to The Smiths/Morrissey, that is very cool and something to be trully treasured!!

[vAndreav]

^^ agreed. I was sitting in gym class today at school laughing while listening to the headmaster ritual and mentally dancing to pashernate love, just feeling so soothed in my own little world - feeling like the songs were just soundtracks to everything going on around me, with that content heart-sinking feeling...i love that.

[westendgirl]

Isn't it just the best feeling?! Glad I'm not the only one...and knew I wouldn't be....:)

[WHY!]

now does THAT answer your question??? :D:P:p

http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/froehlich/s015.gif Yes! Very Good. That's a nice story!!


he still twiddles with his ears too :p

Yeeees! That's soooo cute!!!

[robertzombie]

And for those of you whose dad's introduced you to The Smiths/Morrissey, that is very cool and something to be trully treasured!!

And it shall be passed on, from generation to generation :D

[westendgirl]

Yes it shall;)

[robertzombie]

Whether the little brats like it OR NOT http://www.myheartland.co.uk/images/smiles/icon_twisted.gif

[westendgirl]

hahahahaha.....exactly! :p

[Dear Hero Imprisoned]

At the age of about 11-12 (I am 17 now) I became fascinated with the 80's music, especially the New Romantic movement. Spandau Ballet were my first love, followed by OMD and Softcell (they all still have a special place in my heart). It took me about a year to discover this perfect band (The Smiths) since they weren't really popular in Serbia. My first contact with them was at the age of 13, when I heard the song There is a light that never goes out and I wanted to die of its beauty! I felt like he knew the exact story of my life, that he could define all of my emotions even better than myself. I downloaded some of the songs and I was pleased but it was not until I heard I know it's over I realised that this man (Morrissey) was The ONE. To me it still is the most beautiful song ever written both musically and lyrically. Now, four years later, my romance with Morrissey's music is still going strong. And it seems that it's getting stronger the older I get... Sometimes I feel that I am naglecting other bands and singers because of him, well, I am. But he's worth it.

[marilyn manson]

irish blood was on vh1

i just loved it

[osiris]

In high school, a friend had mentioned The Smiths to me and I had never heard any of their music. One day I was out at a local record store so I bought one of their albums. I listened to it & I really didn't like it at all. I put in my closet where it stayed for a year or something. I one day pulled it out & gave it another try and .......... here I am today. A total Smiths/Morrissey fan forever.

[Busy Clippers]

I was kidnapped. My family has been trying to get me back ever since.

[Stoner Kebab]

it was either that or get prodded by aliens aboard a spacecraft.

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

become a Morrissey/Smiths fan?
why would anyone do that :confused:


ps: where is kewpie to pull up the old thread for this
i do not want to give a different answer than before :o

[smithskid]

my older cousin got me into the smiths in 1986...have been hooked ever since........

[andreatobrazil]

"the perks of being a wallflower" by stephen chbosky references "asleep" a lot. i read it about 4 years ago and the way it was talked about in there, i just had to download it. that's when i fell in love. i was then given "the queen is dead" and "viva hate" by a friend of mine, i bought "you are the quarry," and then i just started buying and listening like crazy. haven't stopped since. i am in love.

[WinkWink]

^^ agreed. I was sitting in gym class today at school laughing while listening to the headmaster ritual and mentally dancing to pashernate love, just feeling so soothed in my own little world - feeling like the songs were just soundtracks to everything going on around me, with that content heart-sinking feeling...i love that.

I wish i knew girls who would mentally dance to Morrissey while in gym class :eek:

but i didn't, so i really never talked to any of them. but looking back, i could probably guess which ones were 'likely' to have been morrissey/smiths fans. i'm sure i was not the only one in my class. i did go to high school in the mid 90s (growing up pre-bush and pre 9-11 was so nice..sorry off-topic) there were probably more then than now. i would think. where were they? damn preppy catholic high school:mad:

high school would have been better. . .the world would have been better.

but it's all good now:cool: :cool:

edit: well except for bush

[vAndreav]

I wish i knew girls who would mentally dance to Morrissey while in gym class :eek:



looking back at this post now, what i meant by that was dancing in my mind...not dancing in a mental way...:o ah nevermind!

i wish i knew people who even listen to the smiths/moz at my school

[WinkWink]

looking back at this post now, what i meant by that was dancing in my mind...not dancing in a mental way...:o ah nevermind!

i wish i knew people who even listen to the smiths/moz at my school

i understand now. i guess mentally dancing would be kinda weird.

[Work within the law]

Actually, I come from a totally different musical background and used to listen to electronic music. So I'm a huge Pet Shop Boys Fan since 19 years now. I always liked keyboards and that kind of stuff. I never liked guitars. Never. And when the singer of the Pet Shop Boys came onstage with a acoustic guitar on their Release-Tour I thought the world is official ending now. I couldn't believe it.That's kind of funny, because my story is, in some ways, the inverse of that.

In the mid-to-late 80's, I was a sort of punk/post-punk snob. I would only listen to music that I believed to be sufficiently "real"--I wouldn't listen to any "electronic" music. I only liked guitars; couldn't stand electronic keyboard-based music.

I am from the US, and here, the Smiths were never the huge phenomenon that they apparently were in Britain. Somehow, back then, I came under the mistaken idea that the Smiths were part of the then growing camp of British bands that played "electronic" keyboard music, so I never bothered to check them out.

My friend had a copy of "The Queen Is Dead," and she played it for me. I was floored and surprised, because I thought "the Smiths" would sound like Depeche Mode or something.

This was in 1987 or maybe '88. There has been no turning back since.

[Juan]

I´m from Argentina. A long time ago a very big newspaper issued some sort of Rock and Roll Encyclopedia. This must have been around 1994. And I still remember the chapter dedicated to 80´s Brit. The first photo, the one which portrayed the chapter, was one of The Smiths, dorky looking and carrying -just the guy in the middle- a bunch of flowers.

I read the chapter, specially the lines dedicated on the band, and was captured by the fact that the singer of the band was called Morrissey. Plainly Morrissey. Was that his name? His surname? A nick name? Why the hell has he got those flowers for? And why do the four of them look soooo stupid?

I was not the music head i am now, but by that time that photograph really stroke me. They look like really normal-plain-next-door guys making the fool of themselves.

Then, after a couple of years , i was fooling around in a record store, probably looking for local bands records (which by now i detest) and found a record of these smiths guys. A torso in violet and grey colours. The photo came to my memory and i bought the record asap.

I cannot explain the body sensation i had when i played the record back at home. Reel around the fountain: the arpegiato guitar, those almost plastic drums, the piano arrangements and this guy singing with this tone and intensity, bittersweet. Never heard nothing like that. Never did again since then. That is still my favourite Smith´s track. My Initiation. The Initiation. And the lyrics, wow: "People see no worth in you, I doo". The kind of stuff that punches a teenager on the back head.

The rest is the normal smiths/morrissey fan history: i´ll find whatever they recorded. Eventually i did.

Got the chance to see Morrissey live, here in Argentina, on 2004. This country nowadays is allmost the end of the world. But the Mozz came here; there´s a fair fan base down here. And delivered as I never saw anybody deliver. Voice, charisma, mannerism; artistry in performance.

I still believe he´s one of the few nowadays who jumps on a stage and makes the audience believe he´s the last thing they´ll ever see, or they´ll ever want to see.

Speachless: that´s it. You should see my skin.

[Kumo]

Well if you guys have read my posts you know part of the story already.

I grew up in LA, my best friend was about 4 or 5 years older than me. She was really the coolest person I had ever met. I also had the biggest crush in the world on her, but knew she had no such feelings for me. Since I was about 12, she and I started to track down celebs and get their autographs. In the early days neither of us had a camera or the money to pay for film and development. We were both big time KROQ fans (for those of you who don't know KROQ was the best station for British Pop in the 80s, the 90s and beyond it pretty much sucked!) Anyway whenever someone cool was going to be a guest on KROQ usually Rodney's show we would go to the station in Pasadena and wait for them to show up. We met a shit load of one hit wonders and got our 45's signed that we usually bought at this cool indy record shop in Pasadena that was in a converted house, I can't believe I forgot the name, it was on walnut I think. (any LA people know the shop I am talking about?) Anyway they had lots of imports and boots, etc... I think it was around '83 and Duran Duran was going to be on KROQ we went to wait for them and it was us and maybe 50 other fans, (I wouldn't get to meet them until a few years later and only Simon and Nick) at any rate after the mob left we just hung out for a bit disapointed and talking shit. Next thing we knew Rodney was down in the lobby he said hi to us and asked if we heard the interview, we said no and explained how we got shafted. He said to go up to the studio and ask for some promo items and to tell the girl at the front he sent us. So we did, we got some stickers and t-shirts and a hand full of tapes. One of the tapes was the Smiths first record. We were playing in the car my best friend instantly fell in love with it. I thought it was really different Johnny's style was so freaking unique I wasn't ready for it yet, I didn't get it.

FF about a year later. My best friend became a Smiths fanatic, I swear she wore out that tape, she always played everytime we drove anywhere. She got NME's from bleaker bob's that had even the most minor blurb on the Smiths. On one paticular day she got the 2nd Smiths tape, "Hateful of Hollow" we were driving to Hollywood / Melrose to check out what new records came in at a place call Vinyl Fetish. On the way she poped in the tape. I thought it was much better than the first record, and the peel session versions were more energetic. When it got to "How soon is now?" I was freaking hooked, I just never heard anything like that before, who the hell could make a guitar do that. It was the coolest sound I have ever heard. So for the first year I could take or leave em, the 2nd year I was completely enchanted by Johnny's music however my conversion to a true smiths fan was not complete.

FF another year, the Smiths were going to tour for Meat is Murder, Johnny out did himself again! This was the coolest most unique and fresh music I have ever heard. By this time our skills at meeting celebs. had gotten much better we had bumped into other fans at Kroq and made friends with more seasoned autograph hounds. It didn't take us long to figure out where the Smiths were staying. We got there at about 1pm and walked into the lobby and there was Morrissey just sitting there on the sofa, he quickly spotted Smiths records in hand and a big smile appeared on his face. He jokingly said he was waiting for other fans to stop by but I was the only one, so he would have to make due with me. I didn't even notice my friend didn't walk in with me as soon as I saw moz I had tunnel vision, my friend just had a mini panic attack, she was always super cool and clam but something about Moz just sitting there hit her just right. He asked us TONS of questions, what our favorite Smiths song was, what our least favorite was, what other bands we listened to, if they played the Smiths much on the radio. etc. etc. He signed everything I brought with me, about 6, 45s and a poster, tour book. Then after about 15 min. Someone came in a car to pick him up. My friend brought a camera but we got so caught up in the moment and was enjoying the conversation so much we forgot to use it. As we were heading out Mike Joyce was getting off of the elevator. He looked pissed off, he was a big scarry looking guy as it is. So we didn't even try to stop to ask him to sign anything, he spotted us and said "waiting for Johnny?" my friend say "umm yeah" in very meek voice, I was staring at my shoes. Mike told us he was on his way down soon. He went outside to the sidewalk and was pacing back and fourth, he seemed pissed off or something. He kinda freaked me out at the time (we would later find out he was one of the sweetest most gentle persons you could ever meet) Anyway, Johnny sure enough came down, he was wearing a FILA t shirt and red shorts and a gold chain he looked like an early 80s chav wanna be rapper (I know winkwink you want to call bullshit but I swear to you on my father's grave he really was dressed like that!). I had never seen him wear anything like that in magazines. Anyway he only signed a 45 and said his taxi was waiting outside, I looked outside and sure enough Mike was in the cab already. We walked out to the curb with him and as he was getting in the cab he said, "please come back before we leave town... seriously I mean it..." After that I was hooked for life. We didn't meet them again until the Queen is Dead Tour and we never met Andy until the Smiths were broken up and he toured with Sinéad O'Connor on her first US tour. I don't know Andy was never to be found during the Meat is Murder or Queen is Dead Tours. Maybe he was too busy trying to score smack... who knows... We had met lots of people by this point but none of them spent this much time with us and none of them were as important to us as the Smiths.

So that's how I became a Smtihs fan. Johnny's music hooked me and as my friendship with my friend became more difficult, my unreturned affections, and my dejection grew and grew, Morrissey's words seemed to speak to me. He seemed to understand like no other.

As for my friend by the end of the Kill Uncle tour we had seen 7 or more shows in 2 states. We got in a huge argument at the Santa Monica Civic show. It was over nothing really but we were so tired and so frustrated, by the end of the tour Moz had completely shut out the fans. And my friend had completely shut me out too. We haven't spoken since... I have no clue where she is or if she is still fan. Glenda are you out there?

Kumo...

shit, I feel really sad now digging up these old memories...

[WHY!]

I still believe he´s one of the few nowadays who jumps on a stage and makes the audience believe he´s the last thing they´ll ever see, or they´ll ever want to see.

Well said! He's really the only one who is himself onstage and really love it to sing. I believe him every word he's singing and I can't say that with other artists.

[Kumo]

Well said! He's really the only one who is himself onstage and really love it to sing. I believe him every word he's singing and I can't say that with other artists.

I think it's 50/50, how you feel at the time and how well he performs.
I think if you put a death metal fan in a Morrissey show, he would have a very different view... and yet you both saw the same show...

Kumo

[Theo]

I am from the US, and here, the Smiths were never the huge phenomenon that they apparently were in Britain. Somehow, back then, I came under the mistaken idea that the Smiths were part of the then growing camp of British bands that played "electronic" keyboard music, so I never bothered to check them out.

My friend had a copy of "The Queen Is Dead," and she played it for me. I was floored and surprised, because I thought "the Smiths" would sound like Depeche Mode or something.



Is that because of that Dead Milkmen song, "You'll Dance To Anything"?

[left out]

I saw the early TOTP appearances. I remember trying to listen as the family argued loudly in the background :mad: and the image of the Smiths doing BWTTIHS got etched on my brain. I heard the Smiths played on the radio. And then they split up. And occassionally I'd hear some track and realise, like with few great bands, I knew all the words even though I didn't own any albums. Heard once, never forgotten.

Then the years passed and last year a friend gave me a copy of ROTT which I played once and gave back. Then went out and bought my first Morrissey CD the next day. Only 20-odd years after I first heard him!

Hatful of Hollow was my next purchase, and as it all came back to me I wondered how it took me so long...

[treygar]

there was a local top 40 station and every Friday they would play an alternative/indie song to see if it would catch on, think MTV's 120 minutes, 2 hours of alternative once a week.

well these songs would never make it on the radio again...Ned's Atomic Dustbin, the Fatima Mansions, They Might be Giants, stuff like that.

but it was the only way for me to hear the type of music I liked, and that particular Friday they played 'Tomorrow', I went and bout the cassette the next morning and that was it....Morrissey for life!!!!

still the best song I've ever heard.

[mozzery24]

Was a Smiths fan first, but not too into it. It took a boyfriend to unlock the magic for me. We make many Morrissey trips together to see him live and even to visit the sites in Manchester. I'm so in debt, but it's so worth it.

[Very Moz]

My story: By the end of 1987 a boyfriend I had gave me photocopies of the lyrics taken of LP´s and cassettes with the music. He wanted me to translate the lyrics into spanish. Instantly I fell in love with Smiths and later with Moz solo music....The story with the boy ended but the other story with Smiths and Moz lasts forever.

[Work within the law]

Is that because of that Dead Milkmen song, "You'll Dance To Anything"?No. I've never heard that song. I never got into the Dead Milkman. They sounded like a novelty act to me. Kind of "Violent Femmes" meet "Weird Al Yankovic."

[lebon21]

Listening to Sirius satellite hooked me on Morrissey/The Smiths. Unfortunately, the radio stations where I live never played their music while I was growing up, so I never was blessed with hearing the music.

I actually do not know if I would have appreciated Morrissey/The Smiths as a teenager, so I am glad that I became a fan as an adult!

:)

[9 x Fined]

Back when MTV used to play music videos, I saw Stop Me for the first time and loved it. A couple years later (1990) a friend loaned me Strangeways which I liked but was not old enough to fully appreciate. Kill Uncle was the first full fledged Moz LP I bought in 1991, followed by Viva and Bona. Then I went back an bought all the Smiths LPs and have been keeping up with Morrissey's solo releases ever since.

:cool:

[almareallymatters]

On the radio (1983) via John Peel RIP

[MickCable]

Well if you guys have read my posts you know part of the story already.

I grew up in LA, my best friend was about 4 or 5 years older than me. She was really the coolest person I had ever met. I also had the biggest crush in the world on her, but knew she had no such feelings for me. Since I was about 12, she and I started to track down celebs and get their autographs. In the early days neither of us had a camera or the money to pay for film and development. We were both big time KROQ fans (for those of you who don't know KROQ was the best station for British Pop in the 80s, the 90s and beyond it pretty much sucked!) Anyway whenever someone cool was going to be a guest on KROQ usually Rodney's show we would go to the station in Pasadena and wait for them to show up. We met a shit load of one hit wonders and got our 45's signed that we usually bought at this cool indy record shop in Pasadena that was in a converted house, I can't believe I forgot the name, it was on walnut I think. (any LA people know the shop I am talking about?) Anyway they had lots of imports and boots, etc... I think it was around '83 and Duran Duran was going to be on KROQ we went to wait for them and it was us and maybe 50 other fans, (I wouldn't get to meet them until a few years later and only Simon and Nick) at any rate after the mob left we just hung out for a bit disapointed and talking shit. Next thing we knew Rodney was down in the lobby he said hi to us and asked if we heard the interview, we said no and explained how we got shafted. He said to go up to the studio and ask for some promo items and to tell the girl at the front he sent us. So we did, we got some stickers and t-shirts and a hand full of tapes. One of the tapes was the Smiths first record. We were playing in the car my best friend instantly fell in love with it. I thought it was really different Johnny's style was so freaking unique I wasn't ready for it yet, I didn't get it.

FF about a year later. My best friend became a Smiths fanatic, I swear she wore out that tape, she always played everytime we drove anywhere. She got NME's from bleaker bob's that had even the most minor blurb on the Smiths. On one paticular day she got the 2nd Smiths tape, "Hateful of Hollow" we were driving to Hollywood / Melrose to check out what new records came in at a place call Vinyl Fetish. On the way she poped in the tape. I thought it was much better than the first record, and the peel session versions were more energetic. When it got to "How soon is now?" I was freaking hooked, I just never heard anything like that before, who the hell could make a guitar do that. It was the coolest sound I have ever heard. So for the first year I could take or leave em, the 2nd year I was completely enchanted by Johnny's music however my conversion to a true smiths fan was not complete.

FF another year, the Smiths were going to tour for Meat is Murder, Johnny out did himself again! This was the coolest most unique and fresh music I have ever heard. By this time our skills at meeting celebs. had gotten much better we had bumped into other fans at Kroq and made friends with more seasoned autograph hounds. It didn't take us long to figure out where the Smiths were staying. We got there at about 1pm and walked into the lobby and there was Morrissey just sitting there on the sofa, he quickly spotted Smiths records in hand and a big smile appeared on his face. He jokingly said he was waiting for other fans to stop by but I was the only one, so he would have to make due with me. I didn't even notice my friend didn't walk in with me as soon as I saw moz I had tunnel vision, my friend just had a mini panic attack, she was always super cool and clam but something about Moz just sitting there hit her just right. He asked us TONS of questions, what our favorite Smiths song was, what our least favorite was, what other bands we listened to, if they played the Smiths much on the radio. etc. etc. He signed everything I brought with me, about 6, 45s and a poster, tour book. Then after about 15 min. Someone came in a car to pick him up. My friend brought a camera but we got so caught up in the moment and was enjoying the conversation so much we forgot to use it. As we were heading out Mike Joyce was getting off of the elevator. He looked pissed off, he was a big scarry looking guy as it is. So we didn't even try to stop to ask him to sign anything, he spotted us and said "waiting for Johnny?" my friend say "umm yeah" in very meek voice, I was staring at my shoes. Mike told us he was on his way down soon. He went outside to the sidewalk and was pacing back and fourth, he seemed pissed off or something. He kinda freaked me out at the time (we would later find out he was one of the sweetest most gentle persons you could ever meet) Anyway, Johnny sure enough came down, he was wearing a FILA t shirt and red shorts and a gold chain he looked like an early 80s chav wanna be rapper (I know winkwink you want to call bullshit but I swear to you on my father's grave he really was dressed like that!). I had never seen him wear anything like that in magazines. Anyway he only signed a 45 and said his taxi was waiting outside, I looked outside and sure enough Mike was in the cab already. We walked out to the curb with him and as he was getting in the cab he said, "please come back before we leave town... seriously I mean it..." After that I was hooked for life. We didn't meet them again until the Queen is Dead Tour and we never met Andy until the Smiths were broken up and he toured with Sinéad O'Connor on her first US tour. I don't know Andy was never to be found during the Meat is Murder or Queen is Dead Tours. Maybe he was too busy trying to score smack... who knows... We had met lots of people by this point but none of them spent this much time with us and none of them were as important to us as the Smiths.

So that's how I became a Smtihs fan. Johnny's music hooked me and as my friendship with my friend became more difficult, my unreturned affections, and my dejection grew and grew, Morrissey's words seemed to speak to me. He seemed to understand like no other.

As for my friend by the end of the Kill Uncle tour we had seen 7 or more shows in 2 states. We got in a huge argument at the Santa Monica Civic show. It was over nothing really but we were so tired and so frustrated, by the end of the tour Moz had completely shut out the fans. And my friend had completely shut me out too. We haven't spoken since... I have no clue where she is or if she is still fan. Glenda are you out there?

Kumo...

shit, I feel really sad now digging up these old memories...

Amazing!!! FILA!!???!!!??? Amazing...

You lucky bastard!

Mick Cable

[Kumo]

Amazing!!! FILA!!???!!!??? Amazing...

You lucky bastard!

Mick Cable

Indeed I am!

Kumo

[Cot3]

My story: By the end of 1987 a boyfriend I had gave me photocopies of the lyrics taken of LP´s and cassettes with the music. He wanted me to translate the lyrics into spanish. Instantly I fell in love with Smiths and later with Moz solo music....The story with the boy ended but the other story with Smiths and Moz last forever.


cute story!


i started loving Moz/Smiths not long ago (~2003) after i finally knew who were the performers of There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.

[Sharron Needles]

it was either that or get prodded by aliens aboard a spacecraft.

You too?

[Sharron Needles]

Well if you guys have read my posts you know part of the story already.



Well, no.

[nocturn0wl]

My relationship with The Smiths began in December of 2003. My online pal and good friend, Sarah, had sent me a mix CD for my birthday with all sorts of cool 80s alternative tunes on it (many of these songs would go on to inspire great musical loves within me). Two of them were "How Soon Is Now?" by The Smiths (which I had heard somewhere before and had ALWAYS thought sounded cool) and "Everyday is Like Sunday" by Morrissey. At the time, I didn't realize there was a (now obvious) connection between The Smiths and Morrissey, and I reported back to my friend just how much I liked those songs. It was then that she told me that Morrissey was the SINGER in The Smiths! Well, no wonder I liked those two songs so much!! hahaha. I felt so stupid at the time for not making the connection.

I went on to get "The Smiths: Singles" and it wasn't until months later, the spring of 2004, that I obtained my first Morrissey solo CD, "Live at Earl's Court," and "You Are the Quarry" soon thereafter. I think I was actually afraid to purchase Morrissey's solo records because I was SO KEEN on The Smiths that I was scared of being "truly disappointed" (har har) when I finally got to hear Morrissey as a solo artist. BUT, quite the contrary! After many more months of gathering every Smiths and Morrissey CD I could get my hands on, I discovered that, although I still LOVED The Smiths, I actually preferred Morrissey solo over the two! Imagine my shock at that! And here I was hesitating on getting the solo CDs! hahaha.

Now I'm one of those nuts who wallpapers her room with posters of Morrissey, collects obscure, pricey Morrissey collectibles on ebay, and can name just about any Morrissey/Smiths tune within 1-2 notes. ha!

I got to see Morrissey for the first time in concert last November (2006) in Chicago. He played the day before my birthday and I traveled all the way from Maryland just to see him. It was a day I will never forget--the best birthday present I have ever given myself!

[durutti]

:confused: :confused: :confused:

... I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER!!! That is very distressing! You have all your wonderful stories to tell.... and me, NOTHING.
Well, i know it was about 1991-1992, because i remember it was 2-3 years before i finished high school. Until then i dont know if i had heard of the smiths, i hated the Cure-i couldnt make sense of their music, i didnt know anything about Joy Division, new wave etc. I remember liking (dont laugh...) Bon Jovi, u2, the doors, jazz + soul (still do) etc
Then i started listening to other stuff (like Police), then met new people and something changed. I dont remember when or how exactly. There was a new girl to school who used to lend me tapes. Maybe she gave sth from the smiths... It was love at first sight:
The feelings I had back then while listening to The Smiths I had never felt before (still alive), a strange mixture of hapiness, melancholy, poetry, looking into your self, somenone out there having same thoughts and fears like you, I FELT INTIMACY!

that's all, sorry if that was boring but i got carried away. when you remember a certain era you can't help remembering faces, songs, places ( i could have said MORE)

[Banburyist]

great stories from everyone.

i started when i was 13 - was more into OMD, PSB, Psych Furs, Siousxie, Echo and The Cure then. the girl in the flat downstairs was very into Morrissey and converted her collection to CD. i inherited her cassettes, starting w/ 'Bona Drag' and 'Kill Uncle'. i didn't then understand her obssession with the Moz, but liked the music. it was months later that it started to grow on me and i worked back to discover The Smiths - i liked them even more. sonically, i thought they were better, and the lyrics had more meaning to me (yes, even at 13).

i rediscovered 'How Soon is Now' on a borrowed LP and remembered hearing - and relating to it - as a child of 9 or 10. who knew that the seeds of fandom had really started then.

worked through an angst-ridden adolescence (who here didn't?) and can't imagine a life without them. as trite as it sounds - The Smiths really did save my life :)

[Anais Pin]

1988, I was 15, and on a really dismal rainy holiday with my parents in Cornwall... I remember going to Woolworths and buying a cassette of Viva Hate, purely on a whim. Put it in my yellow Sports Walkman and the rest is history...

[meat_is_murder19]

Wierd story i was at my mates having taking stuff:p then one of my mate`s put on the queen is dead i was just sat thier mesmerized by every song on the album we sat thier for like 9 hours listening to every smiths and morrissey album then i found out it was smiths/morrissey thats how it started.

[Arsenal]

It was late 03 or early 04. My friend is a music nut. He grew up during the 70's in New York. Saw the Dolls, Ramones, Costello, PiL, hung out at CBGB's and loves music with a passion.

He started sending me all this old music and among them he intrudoced me to the Smiths. Bigmouth Strikes Again, Sweet and Tender Hooligan and Meat is Murder are the 3 he sent to "test" and see if I cared for the band. I did.

Now I have practically everything by the Smiths and am ammassing quite the Morrissey solo collection as well.

[nugz]

Ironically enough (maybe) it was my job at hot topic five years ago that really got me listening to the Smiths.

I worked there for a few months while I went to college, and one day "How Soon is Now" was playing over the speakers in there...on some compliation my manager brought in. Now, I had always been familiar with that song, and liked it, but never bothered to find out who it was. I had heard the name, The Smiths, but I had always seen their name lumped together with punk bands, it seemed like, and at the time I was totally not into punk music at all (Radiohead was probably my favorite band), so i totally disregarded them.

When "HSIN" came on the speakers at the store, i asked my manager "who sings this?? i always wondered." She said "the Smiths." So i went home that night, got online and downloaded a few Smiths tunes. I'm pretty sure the first ones i heard (other than HSIN) are probably This Charming Man, There is a Light, and Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now. I remember thinking "omg, this stuff is amazinggggg." I went out and bought that Smiths Singles collection and became immediately obsessed.

I didn't get into solo Morrissey until about a year later, when a guy I dated for a few months, introduced me. He was actually a huge SOLO Morrissey fan, and considered his stuff superior than his work with the Smiths. I disagree, but whatever.

It probably wasnt until maybe a year or so ago that I really became interested in Morrissey's life and needing to know every stupid little detail about him. Theres alot of music I like, but its really just a love for the music and could care less about the members of the band.

Without going into too much unnecessary detail about my personal life, my discovery of The Smiths actually came at a perfect time. It was right around the time I was diagnosed with depression and all this shit started happening to me. The past five years I've had so many ups and downs, and seriously Morrissey has helped me through some serious shit. It might sound like an exaggeration, but his music has truly been there for me when no one else was around. when no one else understood, Mozzy did, dammit!! Mozzy did...:rolleyes: :o

[...Four Letter Word]

An advert in which the late, great John Peel said they were "The best band ever" or something along those lines. It was for "Singles", which I subsequently bought. Then, I got into the studio albums.

[jamie.patrick]

I used to read the NME (back when I had less sense) and they reviewed Ringleader of the Tormentors. I never realised before that Morrissey was the same guy that had written 'How Soon Is Now?', so I brought the album with a HMV voucher I'd had for ages. Then I fell in love. I've not been a fan all that long, but I've enjoyed every second of it.

[Musley]

Laid on the settee half watching Top of the Pops, when the intro to This Charming Man came on. I was totally amazed and blown away. I'd never heard music like it and couldn't take my eyes off the strange but captivating figure on the screen in front of me. Everyone (who was into music) was talking about it the next day. Such was the initial impact. Amazing! And twenty four years on and I'm still captivated, it has never waned.

[dogdayafternoon]

{14years old in 83} feeling isolated seeing moz and the boys on tv , realizing he would always mean so much to me ,and he as more and more, much to the annoyance of family and friends, but so what, in the flesh {18 gigs} or records or photos or literature, he never fails to deliver or to impress , but lets face it real fans like us will always forgive him............................... :)