Some Bands are better than others

Post by **mccutcheon** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:03 am

LONDON (AFP) - Their records only sold modestly, but 1980s British rock band The Smiths inspired unwavering loyalty from their fans -- and now, 18 years after they split, an entire academic conference devoted to their music and lyrics.

The unusual honour has been organised by Manchester Metropolitan University, in the band's own home town in the northwest of England, The Times newspaper reported in its Tuesday edition.

Academics from Britain, the United States, Portugal, Japan, Ireland, Norway, Turkey and Australia will present papers examining the cultural message of The Smiths' music.

A group, who only released four studio albums, were chiefly known for the lyrics of singer and co-songwriter Steven Morrissey.

He became infamous for penning wordy and often highly arch discourses on all manner of subjects, with titles including the likes of "Girlfriend in a Coma" and "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others".

Papers to be presented will include one by an Irish academic on "Subjectivity, Suicide and the Smiths", while one from Oslo University will concentrate on the poetry of a single song, "The Boy with the Thorn in his Side", the newspaper said.

Many other rock artists, more usually the likes of Bob Dylan and the Beatles, have had their cultural significance examined by academics, and one participant at this week's conference said it was overdue.

"The Smiths had a lot to say about issues of class, gender and sexuality, subjects that have been at the forefront of cultural studies," said Kaye Mitchell from Britain's University of Westminster.

"They also had a preoccupation with a certain kind of Englishness, simultaneously profound and introspective but also rather parochial. They make you think of draughty seaside towns and teashops and slightly odd old people."

marky · Post by **marky** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:03 pm

Normally that kind of academic overanalyzation of things irritates me a little, but here I think it's a fabulous idea, because I'm not so sure Smiths lyrics really get the attention/respect they deserve. I got a little upset on the other board when someone misquoted a Smiths lyric and thereby changed the meaning of it. I just feel like if people are really Smiths fans then they ought to know all the lyrics backwards and forwards. I mean even if you don't appreciate what they're actually expressing, they're so much fun to sing (or hum) with over and over, so how can you not? But that's just my opinion. I feel very strongly about Smiths lyrics in a way I don't with any other lyrics really.

marky · Post by **marky** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:04 pm

Also that was a cool play on words for the thread title, McC.

Post by **mccutcheon** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:37 pm

I hope Steph would be proud. I like Joy Division lyrics the best, but then the last time I was doing Ecstasy and coming down I played Joy Division on my headphones and thought Ian Curtis was the devil and was scared shitless and I understood why he killed himself. It totally spooked me out for a while. Becasue I think of Joy Division as a pop band. The best pop band ever. My fav band ever.

marky · Post by **marky** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:38 pm

Ian Curtis the devil! Hahahaha Okay I mean I'm sure it was hell at the time but you can't blame me for laughing.

Interesting you call JD a pop band, too - that was another thing I got into a bit of a scuffle with someone about. You see the last track on the new New Order album is very rock sounding, a little like Fall/Strokes, and he doesn't like this song and had said "New Order aren't a rock band and they fail miserably when they try to be one" I pointed out JD to him as an example of rock music and he said he didn't consider them rock. And I said "but what about songs like Interzone or Novelty? What kind of music does that sound like to you?" He just said he liked Closer better than Unknown Pleasures. I just said "okay we are just going to have to agree to disagree". Anyway later he pretty much retracted it after hearing an interview where New Order themselves categorized one of their new songs as a 'rock reggae fusion'.

Anyway, I don't care if people see JD as a pop band or whatever, but I do believe New Order would be pretty insulted if someone said they weren't a rock band or didn't have the capability to be one. They were influenced by Stooges & VU!

Tommy Martyn · Post by **Tommy Martyn** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 8:56 pm

The bloke I have lined up to read my eulogy/scatter my ashes, can take any subject of conversation and filter it through the prism of Mr Morrissey. Needless to say that this results in the most wonderful lyrical gibberish. I thank Mr M everytime I put the phone down after one of our chats.

I'm going out to see a "name" band next week. Camper van beethoven. Rock on.

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 11:14 pm

hey mc, you ever hear the ween song "I hate the smiths"

goes like this

All you do is hate life and tell me about it
D G A D
You're a homosexual, just keep me out of it
D G
All your music sounds the same
A D
I don't even like your art fag name
D G A D
Cause I hate The Smiths and Steven Morrissey
D G A D
I hate The Smiths and Steven Morrissey

(bridge)
1++2++++3++++4
C G G7 C D

C G7 A A

You're always depressed and you're never glad
Maybe it's something to do with your dad
I like to be happy, I think that it's good
Hey, you're no bud, you're no dude

Cause I hate The Smiths and Steven Morrissey

I hate The Smiths and Steven Morrissey

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:30 pm

I like how jake included the guitar tab in the lyrics post, in case anyone wanted to play the song...

marky · Post by **marky** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 7:32 am

Hahahahaha

Well it's been awhile since I picked up a guitar, but I'll get right on it!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:30 pm

The Smiths, ha! I'd like to punch them all out because, you know, why not?

Tommy Martyn · Post by **Tommy Martyn** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:13 am

I've often got a kick out of the fact that in the world of rock and roll you are your lyrics. ie folks often think of bands like "The Smiths" as a gang of wimps of the first order and the likes of Metallica, with their tiresome growling, as tough. Mr Morrisey himself has pointed out that he is well over six foot and grew up the first born son of Irish immigrants, in a not particularly friendly part of the northwest of England. If you put him up against the motormouth drummer from Metallica or that dwarf who used to sing in Guns'n'roses, then my money is on the Moz. Good luck punching him out tough guy.

Post by **Sloth** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:03 am

Those lyrics were written and sung by Ween, a joke band. I am drunk in sweden but i hate ween for making fun of morrissey even if they are they are the greatest joke band of all time. fuck them, the joke band i hate while i try not to puke humming bananas and blow

Post by **Sloth** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:05 am

also fuck all southerners like martino you southern fucking german hick. ha ha i am so northern now. take off to the great white north where it snows in aprill... ha ha

Post by **Sloth** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:05 am

hA JA BORK BORK BORK BORK

bfj · Post by **bfj** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:06 am

i threw it up cause it was half pertinent and half cause i knew it would just about piss everyone off on this board, but tommy the midget sang for kid rock and never, never, this guns n' roses would go for that shit, because from 87-91 they were the best band. and metallica has nothing to do with this shit.

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Some Bands are better than others

Some Bands are better than others

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