30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May 13, 1983)

The first Smiths release and single "Hand In Glove" was released 30 years ago today by Rough Trade Records in the UK (original release date: May 13, 1983).

Related links:

• Johnny Marr on "Hand In Glove" - dailymail.co.uk - May 8, 2013
• "Not Like Any Other Love: The Smiths" - The Culture Show, BBC 2 - May 12, 2013 reminder / reports - May 12, 2013
• May 13th, 2013: 30th Anniversary of Hand In Glove - AndyRourke.com. Link posted by Uncleskinny.
• These Charming Men - The Smiths from the archive - The Guardian. Link posted by Uncleskinny.
• Ed Chapman makes Moz Mosaic to mark 30 years since Hand In Glove release - forum post by Uncleskinny
• Daily Telegraph 'debates' ~ The Smiths: best or worst band of the last 30 years? - forum post by joe frady
• "Hand In Glove" - Morrissey-solo Wiki
• Smiths on Screen - "A Taste Of Honey" screening and panel discussion in Stockport:
  
  The Smiths on Screen celebrates 30 years to the day since the release of The Smith's debut single Hand In Glove on 13th May 1983 which was recorded at Strawberry Recording Studios, Stockport.
  
  The presentation will feature exclusive documentary footage and a discussion about the band's cultural influences with guest speakers Len Brown, author of Meetings With Morrissey, and Mick Middles, author of The Smiths' The Complete Story. The afternoon concludes with a screening of one of Morrissey's favourite films A Taste of Honey, written by Shelagh Delaney, which was an inspiration for the lyrics of Hand In Glove and other Smiths' songs. Some scenes were filmed on location in Stockport and feature St Mary's Church and Stockport Viaduct.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

Has anyone else ever noticed that the pose this guy makes on the cover of Hand in Glove is the same pose the characters make on Family Guy when they're dead or passed out?

 

[klaus]

always liked those buns

 

[Uncleskinny]

http://andyrourke.com/2013/05/30th-anniversary-of-hand-in-glove/

 

[Requiescant]

I've found myself of late, listening to, reading about, and missing The Smiths more than any other point in the previous 26 years since their demise. I don't know whether it's this particular anniversary, or the fact that Morrissey's ongoing illnesses may end his live performances permanently, or indeed the onset of my almost unavoidable mid-life crisis....but this song still sounds remarkably fresh, and hasn't dated one jot(a miracle when you consider it features a prominent harmonica!)

THIRTY YEARS!!
Crikey...where did all the time go?

 

[Uncleskinny]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/fro.../the-smiths-morrissey-anniversary-early-years

 

[Raphael Lambach]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

I've written an article about Hand in globe 30th anniversary.. please read it here:

http://nadademeiaspalavras.wordpres...imeiro-single-do-the-smiths-comemora-30-anos/

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

I can't believe 30 years!!!! I am still captivated by The Smiths and immersed in them. I felt my heart ache watching The Culture Show last night. This was a truly spectacular romantic moment in time - just glad I witnessed it!

 

[celibate]

Great song, like smashing the musicindustry toothless at that time, 30 years ago

also thanks for John Peel who picked up the Smiths very early and
kept on playing it and got bag of post for keep playing the Smiths songs

on the other hand I'm getting old, was 18 at that time, but remember
that special moment, like I was hypnotised, and inmeditaly wanted to know everyting about that song,
writing for the 283,571 time that I am not from the UK.

cheers, celebrate 30 years, 'Hand in Glove'

 

[Girlmostlikely]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

I don't know why this anniversary is particularly emotional

Maybe we're all getting older but so are they and it seems all the more remarkable?! I'm very sentimental today. We are lucky to live in the time of such a special band!

 

[BrummieBoy]

It would still sound as radical and push every button if it was released today. The music, the lyrics, the cover art, the whole thing: perfection. As was the blistering second single.

If you create this you don't really have to do anything else, it's amazing that the opening salvo from The Smith's Collective was so good, it hardly matters that after a few years it petered out into rehashing the past. In retrospect, Johnny Marr seems to have been an old head on young shoulders in realising it was over before ending it with dignity and poise.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

 

[prisoner77]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

That video would of made for a better tribute, than 30 minutes of toss.

 

[Skylarker]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

It's a good song I guess but I always skip that real early stuff of theirs; it sounds so flat. I like the lyrics and the sentiment but the song itself is not that exciting...at least not the way it appears on the LP, or the single version. The Troy Tate version is a million times better...actually my favorite arrangement is on the Same Day Again boot from the Oxford Apollo '85 show.

As with Love Me Do by The Beatles, it's easy to see why the first single didn't propel them into stardom. It's not that amazing of a song...maybe in the context of the other modern rock songs of its time, but not when compared to what they still had up their sleeves.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

I can't believe 30 years!!!! I am still captivated by The Smiths and immersed in them. I felt my heart ache watching The Culture Show last night. This was a truly spectacular romantic moment in time - just glad I witnessed it!

Are there any plans for even more "re-issue re-package"s so I can buy them and feel deceived ? Extra tracks and tacky badges etc etc

K Barlow
Corry st

 

[Requiescant]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

It would still sound as radical and push every button if it was released today. The music, the lyrics, the cover art, the whole thing: perfection.

Absolutely!
It's still baffling that it wasn't a much bigger hit, or indeed a hit at all!
I wonder how much of that is in fact down to the cover art itself. Maybe it was all a bit too much for the casual record buyer, especially for adolescent males, back in less enlightened times. Didn't Andy and Mike themselves say that they were embarrassed to show the sleeve to their families? It may seem like nothing now, but remember this was even before the whole Frankie Goes To Hollywood 'Relax' incident.

I'm surprised that there hasn't been any online campaign to try to get it charting on it's anniversary.

 

[Mozza220559]

Re: Article: 30th anniversary of "Hand In Glove" release (original release date: May

Absolutely!
It's still baffling that it wasn't a much bigger hit, or indeed a hit at all!
I wonder how much of that is in fact down to the cover art itself. Maybe it was all a bit too much for the casual record buyer, especially for adolescent males, back in less enlightened times. Didn't Andy and Mike themselves say that they were embarrassed to show the sleeve to their families? It may seem like nothing now, but remember this was even before the whole Frankie Goes To Hollywood 'Relax' incident.

I'm surprised that there hasn't been any online campaign to try to get it charting on it's anniversary.

Nice sig