B
Ben Hollis
Guest
1984 - I was in love. I had treated her a bit bad, but I realised what a fool I'd been and where my heart lay and mended my ways. The spring of '84 and I kept hearing this voice on the radio. Something interesting, but I was far more concerned with other things in life. Then, in May, we were watching Top Of The Pops when this band came on with their new song. I sat there amazed. There was this guy wailing a gorgeous tune with a tree hanging out of his back pocket. I was intrigued. The next day at work all the guys were talking about that 'idiot' on TOTP. But to me there was something more...
I was down the pub with Andy. Someone had put 'What Difference Does It Make' on the juke box. I turned to Andy and said, "I like this song for some reason".
In The Sun there was a 'Sun Comment' complaining about this terrible song about The Moors Murderers, saying it should be banned and that this band The Smiths should be prohibited from playing in front of 'decent people'.
As soon as I read this, I realised the error of my ways. The Smiths were an evil, nasty and shallow group. Thankfully I had the good sense to abandon my reckless desire to embrace such a vile band and throughout the rest of the decade I esconced myself in the wonderful sounds of Guns'n'Roses, Anthrax and Slayer. Bands who wrote lyrics about me and my life and gave me the guidance to live as a good human being.
Now I am 43 and married with four children. Every so often I dig out my battered vinyl copy of "What Difference Does It Make?" and sit, holding my wife's hand, as we pray together for forgiveness. Our love for each other and a quality life help us fight the evil force that still reeks from that 12" single.
We obviously don't play the record, and I have never brought myself to throw it out, simply because it reminds me of the horrific path I could have gone down. Sometimes I show it to my children and tell them about the time that Daddy almost became a bad person.
I don't expect any of you to pay any heed to what I am saying but it comes from the heart. Life has a lot of good to offer--but in the music of The Smiths and Morrissey, you will not find it. If you persist in such fandom you will always remain "Still Ill".
Best Wishes
Ben
I was down the pub with Andy. Someone had put 'What Difference Does It Make' on the juke box. I turned to Andy and said, "I like this song for some reason".
In The Sun there was a 'Sun Comment' complaining about this terrible song about The Moors Murderers, saying it should be banned and that this band The Smiths should be prohibited from playing in front of 'decent people'.
As soon as I read this, I realised the error of my ways. The Smiths were an evil, nasty and shallow group. Thankfully I had the good sense to abandon my reckless desire to embrace such a vile band and throughout the rest of the decade I esconced myself in the wonderful sounds of Guns'n'Roses, Anthrax and Slayer. Bands who wrote lyrics about me and my life and gave me the guidance to live as a good human being.
Now I am 43 and married with four children. Every so often I dig out my battered vinyl copy of "What Difference Does It Make?" and sit, holding my wife's hand, as we pray together for forgiveness. Our love for each other and a quality life help us fight the evil force that still reeks from that 12" single.
We obviously don't play the record, and I have never brought myself to throw it out, simply because it reminds me of the horrific path I could have gone down. Sometimes I show it to my children and tell them about the time that Daddy almost became a bad person.
I don't expect any of you to pay any heed to what I am saying but it comes from the heart. Life has a lot of good to offer--but in the music of The Smiths and Morrissey, you will not find it. If you persist in such fandom you will always remain "Still Ill".
Best Wishes
Ben
