The Smiths' very first press release from Rough Trade - @vivahate72

And on the reverse side, "Dissecting The Smiths" information sheet. Courtesy of the ever excellent @vivahate72 on Twitter:

#thesmiths first ever @roughtrade press information sheet,along with 'dissecting the smiths' band bio. #morrissey

 

[Chickpea]

"The sexes have allowed themselves to be too different." Morrissey is nothing if not consistent!

Sometimes I forget how very, very young three of them were at the time.

 

[Anonymous]

"The sexes have allowed themselves to be too different." Morrissey is nothing if not consistent!

Sometimes I forget how very, very young three of them were at the time.

I was just thinking about that when I saw those ages. Damn. I wonder if he misses looking like he did then and being at the cusp of success. I remember Kurt Cobain said he wished he could go back to when Nirvana was just becoming famous because it was exciting.

 

[Uncleskinny]

I am genuinely amazed that this hasn't got more comments. A true piece of history.

 

[Chickpea]

I am genuinely amazed that this hasn't got more comments. A true piece of history.

Me too.

 

[eugenius]

Still hard to fathom that three-fourths of the band were only 19 when they formed, and Morrissey was considered old at 23.

 

[Adeptly_Inept]

This is interesting to see!

"The sexes have allowed themselves to be too different." Morrissey is nothing if not consistent!

Sometimes I forget how very, very young three of them were at the time.

I never realised they were so young, and that there was such an age gap.

 

[Chickpea]

I love this:

"As a live group, The Smiths believe that it is possible to replenish appetites of both the soul and the pelvis simultaneously. They are urban, but never bleak; there is a humour in tragedy, solace in unity. The voice is the collective rage of all suppressed hysterics: Morrissey will popularise the creased brow."

 

[Anonymouswithapologies]

I am genuinely amazed that this hasn't got more comments. A true piece of history.

yes



p.s. history

 

[Detritus]

More treasure unearthed by @vivahate72. This made my day. Thanks for sharing, Uncleskinny.

I love this:

"As a live group, The Smiths believe that it is possible to replenish appetites of both the soul and the pelvis simultaneously. They are urban, but never bleak; there is a humour in tragedy, solace in unity. The voice is the collective rage of all suppressed hysterics: Morrissey will popularise the creased brow."

This really sums the band up well. I wonder if Morrissey wrote it...

 

[Chickpea]

This really sums the band up well. I wonder if Morrissey wrote it...

It almost reads like Morrissey wrote it and some someone else polished it up before publication, if that makes sense.

 

[Anonymous]

It got particular wording in it that M&M also used in early interviews. Morrissey said in a radio interview that Johnny had "unearthed" him and Johnny said in an interview with a French magazine that "The Smiths" as a name was an antidote to multi-syllable band names.

I take this press release as evidence of the two of them having hammered out the mythology of the band down to the minutiae of vocabulary.

 

[Tammy Waynette]

Always Manchester-based, The Smiths contend that "one has to live somewhere............" and plan to rewrite the history of their city.

- I'd say they succeeded. Great find!

 

[fredkocherpepsi]

This is great, thanks for sharing !

 

[Bradder68]

This ia a quality historical document. It has Morrissey's input all over it and looks almost quaint 31 years on.
It was referenced by David Jensen in a 1983 interview with Morrissey when he asked about the "pelvis and soul " comment and how The Smiths managed to achieve it . Moz's answer (paraphrased) " It's really quite natural - we just follow nature"

Other points - the age gap of 4 years between 19 and 23 year olds is a lot . Not the same when you get older but at that age quite a difference.
Also puts into perspective what they acieved at such a young age during 1983/84.
Also they were in effect split up 4 years after this - the amount they crammed into that time was phenomenal. ( Stone Roses couldn't even do their second album in such a time period)
Hopefully more of this stuff to follow

 

[Stoned]

I am genuinely amazed that this hasn't got more comments. A true piece of history.

Indeed , thanks a million for sharing it. Well these days some people are much more interested in making comments about nonsense stuff......Good Luck!

Cheers Moz

 

[Stephane]

A bit of background on this item:

This is a press release that came with promo copies of "Hand In Glove". The bottom of the page is missing in this photo, it was cropped out by the photographer. From the collectors appendix for "Hand In Glove" on "Passions Just Like Mine":

UK 7" - 1983 promo + press release [Rough Trade RT131]
The original 1983 release of this single was promoted via stock copies of the original 7" with a white Scott Piering (plugger) contact info sticker on the back of the sleeve. Some copies came with a 2-sided Rough Trade press release on white A4 paper titled "Official Biography, 13 May 1983" and featuring biographical information signed by Ivor Jones on one side, and on the other side, "Dissecting the Smiths", a questionnaire filled by all four members. Others copies have been seen with a 2-page 'Appearing' press sheet on blue paper featuring the same text as the 2-sided white paper press sheet described above, but on two 1-sided pages, and with a 'Appearing' logo at the top instead of 'Rough Trade'. The latter press release has been seen paired with photocopies of recently published NME interview and concert review.

See its blue paper counterpart here:


Stephane

 

[Anonymous]

Who is John MP Fox (Mike Joyce's "icon")?

 

[Young And Alive]

"The sexes have allowed themselves to be too different." Morrissey is nothing if not consistent!

Sometimes I forget how very, very young three of them were at the time.

I thought it said "the semen have allowed themselves to be too different"...

 

[Detritus]

Maybe Morrissey and Andy bonded over their mutual appreciation of Joni Mitchell.