The first stage invader?

[Old Mathew]

So I was watching the Smiths Derby show from December 6, 1983, and it occurred to me that this was probably the very first stage invader in the history of the Smiths and Morrissey, and an exuberant one at that:



You can see him jump on stage at around 1:18... and note the look of surprise and bemusement on Andy Rourke's face.

Of course the final song saw a full on fan invasion:



The Derby show took place just over two weeks after The Smiths' first appearance on TOTP for This Charming Man -- arguably an event that needed to happen for Morrissey to make the leap from singer and frontman to genuine pop star that one might consider worth leaping on stage to hug.

The Derby show would be broadcast the following Friday and Saturday on The Old Grey Whistle Test, cementing in the minds of thousands more the relationship between Morrissey, the Smiths and stage invasions.

So it appears that from that rendition of Hand in Glove on December 6, 1983, during the Smiths' 41st gig, a ritual was born.

Or does anyone have any evidence of a prior stage invader? There's no mention of one in any of the prior gigs chronicled on Passions Just Like Mine:

http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/live-smiths.htm

Anyhow, maybe this has been mentioned before or already documented, but I found it an interesting if minor bit of Smiths history and trivia... and a fun way to while away an hour or so on a gray Monday.

 

[Gin N Tonic Jil]

Great topic. Ive often wondered to myself the same thing. Who was the 1st? I have no proof but, somehow I think there must have been someone prior to this one. Im off to ransack my garage and dig through old reviews from NME/Melody Maker from the early 80s.

 

[Old Mathew]

Well, there MIGHT have been one at the 23 November Hacienda gig -- the very night of their TOTP performance. The concert is on YouTube.

I feel like I might have seen one in that concert when I watched it a while ago.

Other than that, I'd strongly doubt there was any stage invasions much before then. Remember, even the Derby gig was only 9 months after their first gig.

I just can't see anyone having gotten up earlier... because a certain critical mass wasn't reached until after This Charming Man came out in October -- and then TOTP launched a rocket.

But... I don't have to be right! Happy if we can find an earlier one.

 

[kissmyshadestoo]

Fun topic OM......the look on Andy's face is priceless......if they only knew what they were in for....

 

[joe frady]

Cute topic...

Meanwhile - I've always sort of wondered when the first "Mo-rr-i-ssee" etc. football style chant made it's debut?

 

[xfranklyx]

possibly the best topic ever on here!

I love Morrissey's smile and the way he just went with it, twirling around.

 

[butley]

Think the Morrissseeey chant started at the Wolverhampton solo gig.

I saw The Smiths on The Queen Is Dead tour and never heard it and remember being a bit put out when I heard it at the Wolverhampton show.

I like it now though

 

[Kewpie]

Re: Morrissey chant

Think the Morrissseeey chant started at the Wolverhampton solo gig.

I saw The Smiths on The Queen Is Dead tour and never heard it and remember being a bit put out when I heard it at the Wolverhampton show.

I like it now though

Actually first Smiths gig I saw was July 1986 Glasgow Barrowlands, people were chanting Morrissey and Johnny Marr.
I managed to see four gigs in July 1986, other three gigs at Newcastle, G-Mex and Salford University people also chanted.

Possibly the chant was started sometime in 1983 or 1984.

Hopefully some Mancunian / Northern users who follow Smiths / Morrissey from 1983 will back up this.

 

[AntonyThePony]

Re: Morrissey chant

Actually first Smiths gig I saw was July 1986 Glasgow Barrowlands, people were chanting Morrissey and Johnny Marr.
I managed to see four gigs in July 1986, other three gigs at Newcastle, G-Mex and Salford University people also chanted.

Possibly the chant was started sometime in 1983 or 1984.

Hopefully some Mancunian / Northern users who follow Smiths / Morrissey from 1983 will back up this.

It can be heard on bootlegs from spring 84, and at the Rockpalast gig (04/05/84). Some bootlegs also have people chanting "Joh-nny Marr, Johnny Marr, Johnny Marr!" in the same tune

 

[CrystalGeezer]

So I was watching the Smiths Derby show from December 6, 1983, and it occurred to me that this was probably the very first stage invader in the history of the Smiths and Morrissey, and an exuberant one at that:



You can see him jump on stage at around 1:18... and note the look of surprise and bemusement on Andy Rourke's face.

Of course the final song saw a full on fan invasion:



The Derby show took place just over two weeks after The Smiths' first appearance on TOTP for This Charming Man -- arguably an event that needed to happen for Morrissey to make the leap from singer and frontman to genuine pop star that one might consider worth leaping on stage to hug.

The Derby show would be broadcast the following Friday and Saturday on The Old Grey Whistle Test, cementing in the minds of thousands more the relationship between Morrissey, the Smiths and stage invasions.

So it appears that from that rendition of Hand in Glove on December 6, 1983, during the Smiths' 41st gig, a ritual was born.

Or does anyone have any evidence of a prior stage invader? There's no mention of one in any of the prior gigs chronicled on Passions Just Like Mine:

http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/live-smiths.htm

Anyhow, maybe this has been mentioned before or already documented, but I found it an interesting if minor bit of Smiths history and trivia... and a fun way to while away an hour or so on a gray Monday.

The first one is interesting because the invader makes his voice heard into Morrissey's mic for quite a while, and Andy's reaction is quite funny. THe second one just gives me agida, I get soooooo tense watching him in the middle of mob. Even though it's a gentle mob, seeing him struggle to sing and not knowing where to go. Hate it. But I LOVE the kid dancing in the very end of it, what was he? Maybe 12?

 

[DAVIE]

If only that stage invader knew he was the first...I'd bet he would be very smug if he had ever found that out...and plus creating a whole "stage invading" army that would go through death to reach Morrissey throughout The Smiths and Morrissey solo

I wish I was the first