Hatful of Hollow

[Smiths R Us]

This definitely competes as my favorite of the Smiths albums.

From the different rendition of This Charming Man, the inclusion of Handsome Devil as well as some kick @ss songs like: How Soon is now, This night has opened my eyes, What difference does it make and Girl afraid.

It occured to me, as I was listening to this kick @ss CD, that it is bascially a tribute to Johnny Marr's awesome guitar/musical skills. Especially "This night has opened my eyes." This song NEVER gets the credit is deserves. The guitar in this song only rivals There is a light's base.

 

[Pärlhyacint]

> This definitely competes as my favorite of the Smiths albums.

> From the different rendition of This Charming Man, the inclusion of
> Handsome Devil as well as some kick @ss songs like: How Soon is now, This
> night has opened my eyes, What difference does it make and Girl afraid.

> It occured to me, as I was listening to this kick @ss CD, that it is
> bascially a tribute to Johnny Marr's awesome guitar/musical skills.
> Especially "This night has opened my eyes." This song NEVER gets
> the credit is deserves. The guitar in this song only rivals There is a
> light's base.

You know...you make a lot of sense.

 

[Patrick McCann]

> This definitely competes as my favorite of the Smiths albums.

> From the different rendition of This Charming Man, the inclusion of
> Handsome Devil as well as some kick @ss songs like: How Soon is now, This
> night has opened my eyes, What difference does it make and Girl afraid.

> It occured to me, as I was listening to this kick @ss CD, that it is
> bascially a tribute to Johnny Marr's awesome guitar/musical skills.
> Especially "This night has opened my eyes." This song NEVER gets
> the credit is deserves. The guitar in this song only rivals There is a
> light's base.

Couldn't agree more. Awesome indeed. But, hey, you sound like the kind of guys who could maybe help me. I hope so anyway.

As we all know, Johnny has worked with several established artists since the smiths split. He has also had on/off solo projects (currently on).

But in all that time, none of the stuff he has been involved with has really grabbed me. You know, REALLY grabbed me and refused to let go. The way all those smiths songs did.

It's a disappointment and a puzzle. I just don't get it.
Is it him?
Is it the people he's working with?
Do they not inspire him the way Morrissey did?
Did Morrissey's lyrics and suggestions and promptings inspire him in a way that nobody else can?
If anyone can solve this mystery for me, they will have my eternal gratitude.
I'm just off for a guinness. See yeez later.

 

[robbbie]

Well, I would like to agree, however, Cemetary Gates is another album therefore, it aint the best album. The Queen is Dead is their best, and yes, because Cemetary Gates is there. Its just perfect in my eyes!

 

[3/4 Of A Person]

>Is it the people he's working with? Yes.
>Do they not inspire him the way Morrissey did? No.
>Did Morrissey's lyrics and suggestions and promptings inspire him in a way
that nobody else can? Yes.

 

[Pärlhyacint]

It's the fact that you expect Marr to bring you The Smiths, darling. The Smiths were an entire group. Haven't you ever been in a band? You don't go from making music with one band to making music with another, and still have the same sound and same effect on people.

Unless you're At The Drive In/Sparta.

Anyway.

Don't look to Marr to bring you The Smiths again, just take in the music as though he were never a part of The Smiths. Recognize that Johnny's a separate entity, and don't hold him to high expectations. His latest is really good, I'm looking forward to seeing him...much to the chagrin of my closest Morrissey-worshipping buddies. Heh.

Nothing but The Smiths will ever be THE SMITHS.

 

[Smiths R Us]

> Couldn't agree more. Awesome indeed. But, hey, you sound like the kind of
> guys who could maybe help me. I hope so anyway.

> As we all know, Johnny has worked with several established artists since
> the smiths split. He has also had on/off solo projects (currently on).

> But in all that time, none of the stuff he has been involved with has
> really grabbed me. You know, REALLY grabbed me and refused to let go. The
> way all those smiths songs did.

I've asked myself the same question a bunch of times.

I'm not much of a Morrissey solo fan at all. In fact, I really dislike a lot of it. I've also heard some of Johnny's solo stuff, and...uh...it sucks too.

Someone posted this in this thread: "Nothing but The Smiths will ever be THE SMITHS"

It's absolutely true. I used to be one of those people who thought it was Morrissey's ego that split up the band, but when I found out that Johnny walked out because he felt he was too, "constricted in his abilities," I gave Moz the benefit of the doubt. For Johnny, it was like that NYPD Blue famous guy who quit the show and hasn't had a job up until recently.

The CD I dislike the most from the Smiths is Strange Ways. To me, that was the closest it a Smiths album would come to a Solo Morrissey album. There were only a few songs, "Death of a Disco Dancer" "Stop me if you think.." where Johnny's talent was displayed, the rest was pretty much Morrissey going off.

I liked the MUSIC of the Smiths. Man, job that Andy Rourke did on some of those songs, "There is a light" "This Charming Man" (that song about, "at the record company meeting, on their hands a dead star..")...I sit back and wonder, "I know for DAMN sure Morrisey didn't come up with those sounds. The guy can't even freakin play guitar. Marr isn't a base player. So, how can he totally take credit for that?"

I don't know. If you listen to Marr's recent comments about how he,"doesn't expect Morrissey to comment about his new album. But, if he did, it would be nice." Dude, that just gets me stoked. Luckily Andy and Mike Joyce still gig together Moondog one (more crap) but at least they still hang.

At this point though, I would settle for just another Morrissey/Marr reunion.

Here's to seeing The Smiths together again one day. As 50 year olds or not. Better late than never.

 

[ideal]

people should listen the b sides more often i think, the songs on it are better

 

[Patrick McCann]

> It's the fact that you expect Marr to bring you The Smiths, darling.

I don't want Marr or Morrissey to bring me the smiths. I'm more than happy with the post-split Moz stuff. Wish I could say the same for Marr.
You don't go
> from making music with one band to making music with another, and still
> have the same sound and same effect on people.
I'm not bothered if he has the same sound and the same effect. I would just like A sound, any old sound. And I would like AN effect. Any old effect would do.

> Unless you're At The Drive In/Sparta.

> Anyway.

> Don't look to Marr to bring you The Smiths again, just take in the music
> as though he were never a part of The Smiths.
I've tried that. It's still shite.

Recognize that Johnny's a
> separate entity, and don't hold him to high expectations.
My expectations of him are low. And he hasn't met them.

His latest is
> really good, I'm looking forward to seeing him...much to the chagrin of my
> closest Morrissey-worshipping buddies. Heh.

> Nothing but The Smiths will ever be THE SMITHS.
Aye, I know that. And I'm not bothered. Morrissey's solo stuff takes the legs away from me ( although they're not the sturdiest of legs admittedly) so that's good enough for me.

 

[Patrick McCann]

Well done, 3/4 of a person. Full marks.

The rest of you, well, could do better.