> 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.