MR - Those people(stones/Bowie) were pop art to me because they were so fabulous to look at. But you knew that when you and Morrissey were in the Smiths didn't you?
JM- oh yeah, it was really important how we looked. but i've always been drawn to music that worked on one level whether in style or just being slightly knowing. Contrivance is very unattractive but 'Knowing' can be great. Things have been a little organic and earnest in recent years but i think things are swinging back our way.
he then talks about the Healers but later in the interview:
Jm- Do you think that the pioneers like iggy and ziggy were more intense (than the killers, white stripes & yeah, yeah
MR- i think bands now are more business like, more concerned with the mechanics of promotion. You know without David Bowie there's no way that Lou and iggy would have cottoned on to their image so well. David pioneered that stuff with ziggy stardust. But the smiths really added another layer of sophistication to image. After all not many bands escaped the '80s intact.
JM- the 80's were a weird time though. you have a snap shot of a decade like the 60's in your head and you think of a girl in a mini skirt walking down carnaby street or something. with the 80's you there's only bad images like Duran Duran on their yacht. but there was a lot of great stuff in the 80's like The gun club and Birthday party. and there was a whole inderground pop layer with bands like New Order. You know it's not ofetn i say the 80's were great because it still just doesn't feel quite right in my head to do so.
MR- How do you think the Smiths weathered it then?
JM- its Quite simple...... we spilt up before we got crap. After all when it comes down to it you have to fall back on your body of work.