|
As is befitting a group with such a fanatical following, The Smiths have been memorialized on a large number of unofficial releases (ie "bootlegs") which consist of live recordings, radio sessions, and previously unreleased mixes of their songs. Quite a few of these releases are of exceptional quality and would make excellent additions to any Smiths fans collection. I have listed below as complete a collection of Smiths bootlegs as possible, taken from such sources as Johnny Rogan's Severed Alliance and Visual Documentary, fanzines such as Morri'zine, import record suppliers such as Recordings Unlimited, information supplied by the participants of the Ask mailing list, and my own personal collection. (Special thanks to Brian Gemborys and Stephane Daigle.) Wherever possible I have supplied a critique of the release and I have also highlighted certain CD's from my collection for a more in-depth analysis. If you would like to contribute a review or add a release to this list, please feel free to e-mail me. Thank you and I hope you find this listing of value. *Information/Commentary by The Comtesse DeSpair (TCD), Johnny Rogan (JR), Stephane Daigle (SD), Brian Gemborys (BG), Recordings Unlimited (RU), unknown contributors to Morri'Zine (MZ), and Morri'Zine contributors Phil Burt (PB), Rob Nebeker (RN), Sebastian Aragon (SB), and Steve Relyea (SR). Additional
Smiths bootleg info can be found at the following sites: |
ACID
HEAD (7" EP) Front Scan Back Scan |
Half a Person, Cemetry Gates, I Know It's Over |
| A
poor quality 7-inch single (on red vinyl) featuring the BBC John Peel
session recording of "Half A Person" (at a faster than normal
speed, unfortunately) and two tracks from the National, Kilburn (23 October
1986), which later appeared on Rank. (JR/TCD) See also: The Final Gig, The Final Radio Sessions, Morrissey 1959-1986, Wonderful Woman (Peel Sessions); ...The Bad Boy From A Good Family, Dance With Octopuses, A Nice Bit Of Meat 2, Rank (National Kilburn). |
ALIVE
(7" EP) Front Scan Back Scan |
Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home |
|
A special promotional live E.P. taken from a the March 13, 1984 Manchester gig and given away in the Spanish magazine Wacozine. Brian Gemborys adds the following information: "I listened to this 7" again and after comparing it to The Smiths performance on the Tube on 3/16/84 I've determined that they are one and the same. The Alive boot is just a really bad recording of this 3 song set." (RU)(Image:BG) |
ASLEEP
(CD) Front Scan Back Scan |
Wonderful Woman (Jensen Session); Girl Afraid (Glasgow 3/2/84); Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, How Soon Is Now (Alternate Mixes); William, It Was Really Nothing (Peel Session); The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (instrumental), Frankly Mr. Shankly (instrumental), Bigmouth Strikes Again (instrumental), Rusholme Ruffians (instrumental), Shakespeare's Sister (instrumental), Jeane, What's The World, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (Soundcheck, Dundee Caird Hall 9/26/85); How Soon Is Now? (instrumental), Nowhere Fast (instrumental), Groovy Kind Of Love (instrumental), Accept Yourself (instrumental), There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (instrumental), Asleep (Soundcheck, Inverness Eden Court 10/1/85). |
|
A mish-mash
of tracks from various radio sessions and soundchecks, featuring a large
selection of instrumental tracks for the Marrophyte. "Accept Yourself"
is mistitled as "Every Day". (TCD/SD) |
...THE
BAD BOY FROM A GOOD FAMILY (LP) Front Scan Back Scan |
The Queen Is Dead, Panic, I Want The One I Can't Have, Vicar In A Tutu, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Ask, Rusholme Ruffians/(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame (Medley), Frankly Mr. Shankly, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, What She Said, Is It Really So Strange?, Never Had No One Ever, Cemetry Gates, London, Meat Is Murder, I Know It's Over, The Draize Train, How Soon Is Now?, Still Ill, Bigmouth Strikes Again. |
|
This recording,
taken from the National, Kilburn, London (10/23/86), features the complete
concert from which Rank was adapted. Although the quality is
excellent, the recording speed is disconcertingly awry. (JR) |
BEFORE
LOVE (LP) |
Handsome Devil, Reel Around The Fountain, Miserable Lie (Peel Sessions); These Things Take Time, Hand In Glove, Wonderful Woman (Jensen Sessions); These Things Take Time, Hand In Glove, This Charming Man (live 1983). |
|
A good
quality recording taken from the John Peel and Kid Jensen sessions of
1983, interspersed with interviews on the Jensen show. The last three
tracks are live cuts from 1983. (JR) |
BEFORE LOVE - LIVE IN OXFORD MARCH 18, 1985 (CD) Front Scan Back Scan |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, The Headmaster Ritual, What She Said, Still Ill, Miserable Lie, You've Got Everything Now, Nowhere Fast, Stretch Out And Wait, Shakespeare's Sister, Meat Is Murder, Barbarism Begins At Home (Oxford Apollo); Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Asleep, Unloveable, Purple Haze (soundchecks). |
|
A resequenced
version of the performance at the Apollo Theatre, Oxford (March 18,
1985) taken from the BBC recording of the show. This CD bootleg concludes
with live material, including the soundcheck of "Purple Haze"
prior to their performance at Barrowlands, Glasgow (July 16, 1986).
(JR) |
|
BETTER
LIVE THAN DEAD (CD) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Meat Is Murder, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home. |
|
Excellent
quality recording of the Oxford Apollo show (3/18/85). (JR) |
|
BRIXTON
ACADEMY FRIDAY 20/10/86 (LP) |
The Queen Is Dead, Panic, I Want The One I Can't Have, Vicar In A Tutu, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Ask, Rusholme Ruffians/(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame (Medley), Shakespeare's Sister, Frankly Mr Shankly, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, What She Said/Rubber Ring (Medley), Is It Really So Strange?, London, Meat Is Murder, I Know It's Over, The Draize Train, How Soon Is Now?, Still Ill, Bigmouth Strikes Again. |
|
A fine
quality recording of the Brixton Academy performance on October 24,
1986. (The date is incorrect on the sleeve.) (JR) |
|
THE
BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR (CD) |
Hand In Glove, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Charming Man, Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything, What Difference Does It Make?, Girl Afraid, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Still Ill, These Things Take Time, Handsome Devil (De Meervaart Hall, Amsterdam 4/21/84); These Things Take Time, What Difference Does It Make?, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Handsome Devil, Jeane, What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman), Hand In Glove, Miserable Lie (Hacienda, 2/4/83). |
|
This CD
consists of selections from the Amsterdam Vinyl party on April
21, 1984 (which were subsequently broadcast on Holland's KRO Radio)
and the entire Hacienda show on February 4, 1983. The sound quality
is good, although some of the Amsterdam tracks seem to fall victim to
that most infamous of CD bootleg atrocities - incorrect recording speed.
In this case, "Girl Afraid," "This Night Has Opened My
Eyes," "Still Ill," "These Things Take Time,"
and "Handsome Devil" all drag noticeably. The concert itself
is typically brilliant prime early Smiths, with Morrissey in fine spirits.
The Hacienda recordings are of good quality and are quite fascinating
because they feature The Smiths in front of a rather skeptical audience
(between tracks it sounds like only a couple of people are clapping)
at their first Hacienda appearance (and only their third live show ever).
There are several endearing moments, such as when the young Morrissey
confidently asserts, "The only thing to be in 1983 is handsome..."
Other highlights include early versions of "The Hand That Rocks
The Cradle," "Jeane," and "What Do You See In Him?",
the early blueprint for "Wonderful Woman". Big Music once
again prove themselves to be on the top of the bootleg heap with typically
lovely packaging, including many fine blue-tinted photos of the band,
a picture disk, and a completely accurate and typo-free track listing.
(TCD) |
|
Is It Really So Strange?, London, Sweet And Tender Hooligan, Half A Person (John Peel Session, 12/86); Reel Around The Fountain, You've Got Everything Now, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, Wonderful Woman, Handsome Devil, Hand In Glove, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything, Suffer Little Children, Pretty Girls Make Graves (Troy Tate sessions, 1983); How Soon Is Now? (alternate Italian mix); What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman, Hacienda, 2/4/83); Purple Haze (soundcheck Glasgow, 7/16/86). |
|
|
This well-packaged
bootleg features BBC session appearances, a selection from the Troy
Tate sessions, the alternate "Italian Mix" of "How Soon
Is Now?" (which in my opinion is better than the officially released
version, as Morrissey provides moaning vocals over the duller musical
segments), the original version of "Wonderful Woman" from
the February, 1983 Hacienda show and the soundcheck instrumental "Purple
Haze". The sleeve mistitles the first four tracks as "These
Things Take Time", "What Difference Does It Make?", "Handsome
Devil" and "The Night Has Opened My Eyes". The CD is
obviously copied from the vinyl bootlegs "The Final Radio Sessions"
(which also mistitles the above mentioned tracks in the same manner),
"The Hand That Rocks The Cradle", and "A Nice Bit Of
Meat" and the pops and scratches from the vinyl are clearly audible.
(TCD) |
|
DANCE
WITH OCTOPUSES (CD) |
The Queen Is Dead, Panic, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Ask, Frankly Mr. Shankly, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Is It Really So Strange?, London, I Know It's Over, The Draize Train, How Soon Is Now?, Bigmouth Strikes Again. |
|
Excellent
quality recording of the National Kilburn show from October 23, 1986.
This release includes all of the tracks left off Rank, but
features only 12 of the original 22 tracks. (TCD) |
|
DEVILS
CHARM (2LP) |
Handsome Devil, Still Ill, This Charming Man, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Reel Around The Fountain, What Difference Does It Make?, Miserable Lie, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Hand In Glove, These Things Take Time, You've Got Everything Now, Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Pretty Girls Make Graves, What Difference Does It Make?, Miserable Lie, This Charming Man, Back To The Old House, Reel Around The Fountain, Handsome Devil, Accept Yourself. |
|
A very
good quality double album which comprises the BBC broadcast from The
Assembly Rooms, Derby (12/7/83) and most of the Electric Ballroom (12/19/83).
The first album consists of ten tracks from the Electric Ballroom in
London and is very good. It has an unruly version of "Barbarism
Begins At Home" where Morrissey states, "I am the man to keep
you in place" in the song. The encore is "Accept Yourself".
Album two is an 11-track uneventful concert from the Whistle Test.
Both of them together make a very nice collection. (JR/PB/RN) |
|
ELDORADO
(CD) |
Hand In Glove, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Girl Afraid, This Charming Man, Barbarism Begins At Home, Pretty Girls Make Graves, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Still Ill, You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, What Difference Does It Make?, Barbarism Begins At Home. |
|
Taken from The Smiths' performance at The Theatre, El Dorado, Paris on May 9, 1984, this includes all the tracks played except an encore of "Hand In Glove". The soundboard recording is one of the better recordings you will find of The Smiths' earlier concerts. "We're the Smiths," Morrissey announces matter of factly at the beginning of this show, and he follows it up with a sharp raspberry. This sets the tone for an excellent show filled with Morrissey's typical theatrical grunts, squawks, and squeals. A humorous moment occurs when Moz introduces "Barbarism" with the campily phrased, "This song is called 'Barbarism Begins At Home'... which is true." During the final encore, Morrissey asks the audience, "Johnny wants to do 'Barbarism'. Do you mind? Do you mind? Yes? No? Yes, you do mind? You don't mind? Do you mind?" The majority of the crowd clearly called out "Yes!" but that didn't faze the band, which promptly launched into the song for the second time that night. (And just for the record, I would have been shouting "Yes!" as well. We really don't need to hear this most dull of Smiths numbers twice in the same show...) The packaging is very nice, with a highly appropriate black and white picture of Joyce and Morrissey from the famous 1984 Paris photo session on the front cover and Marr and Rourke on the inside sleeve (this photo session was taken on the same day as the show). The back sleeve is less timely though - with a 1986 era picture of the band. (TCD/JR). |
|
ELECTRIC
STARS (LP) |
Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Pretty Girls Make Graves, You've Got Everything Now, This Charming Man, Back To The Old House, Reel Around The Fountain, Handsome Devil, Accept Yourself. |
|
A re-release
of the first Smiths bootleg Live At The Electric Ballroom, 19 December
1983. (JR) |
|
EURO-MIXX
(LP) |
Medley: Girlfriend In A Coma, Cemetry Gates, Frankly Mr. Shankly, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Pretty Girls Make Graves, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Half A Person, Take Me Back To Dear Old Blighty, Panic, I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Bigmouth Strikes Again, What Difference Does It Make?, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, Ask, Girl Afraid. |
|
Two sides named the Blacksmith and the Goldsmith mix, respectively. This consists of a medley mix of songs culled directly from official releases. (JR) |
|
THE
FINAL GIG (CD) |
Ask, Bigmouth Strikes Again, London/Miserable Lie (Medley), Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Shoplifters Of The World Unite, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Is It Really So Strange?, Cemetry Gates, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Still Ill, Panic, The Queen Is Dead, William, It Was Really Nothing, Hand In Glove (Brixton Academy, 12/12/86); Sweet And Tender Hooligan, Half A Person, Is It Really So Strange?, London (Peel Sessions). |
|
This CD
collects the tracks from The Smiths' final British concert at the Brixton
Academy on December 12, 1986 with the addition of the final Peel session
tracks. (JR) |
|
THE
FINAL RADIO SESSIONS (7" EP) |
Is It Really So Strange?, London, Sweet And Tender Hooligan, Half A Person. |
|
A fair
recording of the John Peel session from 12/17/86. (JR) |
|
FLOWERS
(CD) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, The Headmaster Ritual, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home, You've Got Everything Now (Oxford Apollo, 3/18/85); There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, How Soon Is Now? (National Ballroom, Kilburn 10/23/86). |
|
Another
version of the Oxford Apollo show, with a couple of tracks from the
National Ballroom, Kilburn that were left off of Rank. (TCD/SD) |
GENIUS
STEALS (CD) Front Scan Back Scan |
The Queen Is Dead, Panic, I Want The One I Can't Have, Vicar In A Tutu, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Ask, Rusholme Ruffians/(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame (Medley), Shakespeare's Sister, Frankly Mr. Shankly, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, What She Said/Rubber Ring (Medley), Is It Really So Strange?, London, Meat Is Murder, I Know It's Over, The Draize Train, How Soon Is Now?, Still Ill, Bigmouth Strikes Again. |
| A
fair quality audience recording of The Smiths at the Brixton Academy on
October 24, 1986. This is not exactly the quintessential Smiths live performance,
as Johnny Marr makes numerous guitar miscues (especially noticeable during
"What She Said," where he misses the opening chord badly, and
the sloppy opening of "Meat Is Murder"). He also inserts a bit
of the intro to the Doors' "The End" at the beginning of "Meat
Is Murder" which makes me wonder - was this man on drugs that night??
Morrissey also seems rather unenthusiastic throughout the show. (TCD) See also: Brixton Academy Friday 20/10/86. |
GIRL
AFRAID(CD ) Front Scan Back Scan |
Hand In Glove, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Girl Afraid, This Charming Man, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Miserable Lie, You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, What Difference Does It Make?, These Things Take Time, This Charming Man, Hand In Glove, Barbarism Begins At Home (Markthalle, Hamburg 5/4/84). |
| An
excellent quality recording of the Smiths' upbeat and enthusiastic appearance
on the German television program Rockpalast (also available on
the bootleg video Live Misery). (TCD/SD) See also: The Smiths. |
THE
GLC JOBS FOR A CHANGE FESTIVAL (LP) Front Scan |
Nowhere Fast, Girl Afraid, This Charming Man, William, It Was Really Nothing, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, I Don't Owe You Anything, Still Ill, Jeane, Barbarism Begins At Home, Hand In Glove, What Difference Does It Make?, You've Got Everything Now, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Miserable Lie. |
| A good quality audience recording of The Smiths' gig at the Jubilee Gardens, London, June 10, 1984, which is sullied somewhat by crowd conversation (as per usual). This show is most notable for the premiere of "Nowhere Fast", which became The Smiths' opening number of choice in subsequent shows. This early version features dramatic instrumental pauses which were not featured in the polished studio cut. After playing the track, Morrissey acknowledges the crowd's unfamiliarity with it by introducing the next song ("Girl Afraid") with, "Okay, you know this one, I think, probably..." Morrissey later engages the crowd in a chant of "Smiths! Smiths! Smiths!" that is quite endearing. "Miserable Lie" is unfortunately cut off half-way through.(TCD)(Image: BG) |
GOODBYE
TO ELVIS (7" EP) Front Scan Back Scan |
Still Ill, Rusholme Ruffians, What She Said, What's The World. |
| Fine
quality. Taken from the Capital Theatre, Aberdeen (9/30/85). The audience
sound is okay and the packaging is an amateurish pink sleeve with a poor
photocopied picture of Elvis on the front. Supposedly limited to 300 copies.
(JR/SA) See also: The Playbox. |
| HACIENDA
(LP) |
These Things Take Time, What Difference Does It Make?, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Handsome Devil, Jeane, What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman), Hand In Glove, Miserable Lie. |
| Inferior
version of the Hacienda concert. (JR) See also: The Butterfly Collector (full review), Morrissey 1959-1986, A Nice Bit Of Meat, Reel Around The Fountain, The Smiths, Wilde About Morrissey. |
HAMMERSMITH
(2LP)  |
Miserable Lie, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, This Charming Man, Girl Afraid, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Still Ill, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Barbarism Begins At Home, Back To The Old House, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything (featuring Sandie Shaw), Reel Around The Fountain, Hand In Glove, You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, These Things Take Time. |
| A
double album of very good quality, capturing the entire performance from
the Hammersmith Palais (3/12/84). (JR) See also: Last Of The English Roses, Merry Xmas, Misery Loves Company (full review), Wilde About Morrissey. |
THE
HANDSOME DEVILS (CD) Front Scan Back Scan |
Handsome Devil, Still Ill, This Charming Man, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Reel Around The Fountain, What Difference Does It Make?, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, You've Got Everything Now (Derby 12/7/83); Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Barbarism Begins At Home, Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything, What Difference Does It Make?, Handsome Devil, You've Got Everything Now (Meerward, Amsterdam 4/21/84). |
| This
CD consists of soundboard recordings of the Old Grey Whistle Test
concert from December 7, 1983 and selections from the Amsterdam Vinyl
Party of April 21, 1984. The sound quality is fair on the Derby tracks
and good on the Amsterdam tracks. The Whistle Test tracks are
interesting, as they feature Morrissey-As-Disciplinarian, chastising an
overly-boisterous crowd with a variety of gruff "shushes". This
appearance was made famous by the "stage invasion to end all stage
invasions" during the middle of "You've Got Everything Now".
Morrissey's strained vocals during this song are evidence of the havoc
being wreaked onstage. He is eventually forced to abandon the song prematurely.
Similar difficulties faced him during "Miserable Lie", as he
only manages to get the first few lines out before his mic is heard crashing
to the floor. (A glance at the video from the event makes it apparent
that he was hit in the face by an object thrown from the crowd and he
goes backstage to recover.) Mike, Andy, and Johnny carry on without him,
turning it into a wild instrumental, until Morrissey eventually returns
to voice the shrill cry of "I need advice, I need advice!" At
the end of the song he shouts to the audience, "And so do you!!"
perhaps in reference to the rudeness of forcing him to abandon ship midsong.
On the whole, this is a very entertaining and fun concert, with Morrissey
in good, playful spirits despite his misfortune. The Amsterdam tracks
are of very good quality and show the band in sparkling form in mid-84.
The packaging of this Italian-made CD (from Red Line) is also quite professional,
and - amazingly for a boot - features in track listing and only one itty
bitty error in song titles ("Real Around The Fountain"). (TCD) See also: Devils Charm, Live In Derby Dec. 7th 1983 & Meerward, Amsterdam 1984, Sorrow's Son (Derby); The Butterfly Collector (full review), Live At Amsterdam, Meervaart 1984, Live In Derby Dec. 7th 1983 & Meerward, Amsterdam 1984, Wonderful Woman (Amsterdam). |
|
THE
HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (LP)
|
Reel Around The Fountain, You've Got Everything Now, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, Wonderful Woman, Handsome Devil, Hand In Glove, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything, Suffer Little Children, Pretty Girls Make Graves. |
| This
could have been the first Smiths album - an excellent quality selection
from the scrapped Troy Tate recordings. It's interesting to compare these
versions to the ones eventually released on The Smiths and Hatful
Of Hollow. (TCD) See the CD release below for a full review. |
THE
HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (CD) Front Scan Back Scan |
Reel Around The Fountain, You've Got Everything Now, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, Wonderful Woman, Handsome Devil, Suffer Little Children, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Hand In Glove, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything, Jeane (Troy Tate Sessions); Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything, Reel Around The Fountain, Pretty Girls Make Graves, William, It Was Really Nothing, Rusholme Ruffians, Nowhere Fast (BBC radio sessions). |
| A
good quality CD re-release of the Troy Tate recordings, fleshed out by
several BBC radio session tracks. The Tate sessions are especially interesting
as a historical curio, as they present The Smiths as a young and very
unpolished studio group. These recordings were intended to be the makings
of the first Smiths LP but were rejected because they were not "good
enough" and, on this evidence, it's easy to see why. The Smiths have
never sounded so stiff and unenthusiastic. Some of the songs seem to have
just been written, such is the underwhelming nature of the performance
and most of the tempos are slower than on the re-recorded versions. There
are a few intriguing differences in these early recordings which will
fascinate Smiths obsessives. For instance, the high-octane, super-charged
drumming that opens this hard-rocking version of "These Things Take
Time"; the less pastoral and more basic pop version of "Suffer
Little Children" which ends weakly with a few strums of a guitar,
followed by a lovely, simple little piano figure and the tinkling of a
music box, an interesting ending which was subsequently rejected for the
more straightforward fade-out on the LP; and an unbelievably jaunty version
of "Pretty Girls Make Graves" which features an extremely lovely
cello counterpart to Morrissey's melodramatic vocalizations (played by
bassist Andy Rourke). (The version of "Jeane" included here
was released as the b-side of "Hand In Glove".) The packaging
is good on this Italian-made CD (from "Strangled Records"),
although the sleeve erroneously lists "Shakespeare's Sister"
instead of "Rusholme Ruffians". On the whole, a fascinating
must-have for anyone interested in the early recorded history of The Smiths.
(TCD)(Terence Stamp Image: BG) See also: Asleep, Before Love, May We Have A Record Contract Please, A Nice Bit Of Meat 2, Original Demos, Smithsessions, Unloveable (BBC sessions); The Cradle Snatchers, May We Have A Record Contract Please, Original Demos, Reel Around The Fountain, Wonderful Woman (Troy Tate sessions). |
HEADMASTERS
(LP)  |
Meat Is Murder, Hand In Glove, I Want The One I Can't Have, Nowhere Fast, Shakespeare's Sister, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Stretch Out And Wait, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, What She Said, Still Ill, How Soon Is Now?, Jeane, The Headmaster Ritual, Reel Around The Fountain, William, It Was Really Nothing, This Charming Man, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home. |
| It
seems that, since Rogan published Severed Alliance, it has passed into
popular mythology that Headmasters is an excellent quality boot. I doubt
very much whether Rogan actually heard it. It is actually quite a scratchy
audience recording (and yes I do have the original 2LP pressing) of a
gig dogged by technical problems. Only notable for the 13 minute version
of Barbarism. Every time Andy goes into his final riff Johnny kicks the
song back into another verse, a fanastic moment, if you are prepared to
put up with the dismal sound quality. (Mark Bettis) Brian Gemborys adds an opposing view: "I disagree with Mark Bettis. One has to compare Johnny Rogan's description of this bootleg as excellent with that on his other ratings, and compared to those ratings this could easily qualify as excellent. I'd call it a good quality recording. Whether or not it is an audience recording or a soundboard recording I think is debately. The version of Reel Around The Fountain on it is awesome. Unfortunately only half of Jeane is on the LPs. " |
HEAVY
HORSES (LP)  |
Bigmouth Strikes Again, Panic, Vicar In A Tutu, Frankly Mr Shankly, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Ask, I Want The One I Can't Have, Cemetry Gates, Shakespeare's Sister, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, The Queen Is Dead, I Know It's Over, Hand In Glove. |
| Inferior
quality recording taken from the G-Mex Festival, Manchester (7/19/86).
(JR) See also: Royal Command Performance. |
HELP!
I NEED SOMEBODY (7" EP)
 |
Hand In Glove, Still Ill, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Panic. |
| A fair quality selection of songs from various sources, credited to "The Patels" and featuring the titles, "Hand In Hand," "Still Unwell," "Don't Lie There," and "Picnic". (SD) |
|
HOW
SOON IS NOW REISSUES (CD) |
What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Rusholme Ruffians, The Headmaster Ritual, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now. |
|
This CD
features highlights from the Palace, Manchester (March 31, 1985). (JR) |
|
I
SUFFER (CD) |
Meat Is Murder, The Headmaster Ritual, Reel Around The Fountain, Shakespeare's Sister, Nowhere Fast, I Want The One I Can't Have, This Charming Man, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Stretch Out And Wait, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Still Ill, How Soon Is Now?, William, It Was Really Nothing, Hand In Glove, Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Rusholme Ruffians, Miserable Lie, Jeane. (Beacon Theatre, New York, 6/18/85) |
|
Sullied by a cover image of a Your Arsenal-era Morrissey (does anyone else find it incredibly annoying when Smiths releases feature solo-era images of Morrissey?), this is otherwise a well-packaged and entertaining record of The Smiths' American Meat Is Murder tour (Beacon Theater, New York, June 18, 1985). The quality is good and Morrissey gets in some funny commentary, highlighted by "Apparently last night it was the tomboys and tonight it's the poetic librarians but you're a... nice crowd..." Gets extra points for no errors in the track listing or song titles.(TCD)(Image: BG) |
| William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Meat Is Murder, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home | |
|
Although
wrongly credited on the sleeve as "Live Manchester 1985",
this is actually a trimmed-down release of the Oxford Apollo show on
March 18, 1985.(JR) |
| William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, The Headmaster Ritual, What She Said, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Miserable Lie, You've Got Everything Now. | |
|
An excellent
quality recording of the oft-bootlegged Oxford Apollo show on March
18, 1985.(JR) "Barbarism Begins At Home" is listed on the
LP sleeve, but is not on the LP, thus reinforcing the theory that Stealers
is a re-release of this LP. (BG) |
|
LAST
OF THE ENGLISH ROSES (CD) |
Miserable Lie, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, This Charming Man, Girl Afraid, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Still Ill, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Barbarism Begins At Home, Back To The Old House, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything, Reel Around The Fountain, Hand In Glove, You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, These Things Take Time. |
|
A CD reissue
of Misery Loves Company, with typically excellent packaging
by the Italian Big Music label. The soundboard recording of the Hammersmith
Palais show on March 12, 1984 is of very good quality, although there
is some trouble with the treble and it sounds slightly sped up. The
only other faults with this production are the mistitling of "Girl
Afraid" as "I'll Never Make That Mistake Again" (the
same error was seen on Misery Loves Company), the misidentification
of the source (the sleeve says "recorded live in Europe 1985"),
and the inner sleeve's inappropriate Kill Uncle-era Morrissey
picture. Despite these misgivings, this is a fine CD and the best way
to hear the wonderful Hammersmith show. (TCD) |
| This Charming Man, Still Ill, Miserable Lie, What Difference Does It Make? | |
|
This three
inch CD, featuring tracks from the the Amsterdam Vinyl party
on April 21, 1984, accompanied the Italian songbook, The Smiths.
The quality is very good (soundboard). (JR) |
| Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, You've Got Everything Now, What Difference Does It Make?, Miserable Lie, This Charming Man, Back To The Old House, Reel Around The Fountain, Handsome Devil, Accept Yourself, This Charming Man. | |
|
A re-release
of "Live At The Electric Ballroom, 19 December 1983".(JR) |
|
LIVE
AT THE ELECTRIC BALLROOM, 19 DECEMBER 1983 (LP) |
Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Pretty Girls Make Graves, You've Got Everything Now, This Charming Man, Back To The Old House, Reel Around The Fountain, Handsome Devil, Accept Yourself. |
|
Excellent
quality recording.(JR)(Image: BG) |
|
LIVE
IN DERBY DEC. 7TH 1983 & MEERWARD, AMSTERDAM 1984 (CD) |
Handsome Devil, Still Ill, This Charming Man, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Reel Around The Fountain, What Difference Does It Make?, Miserable Lie, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Hand In Glove, These Things Take Time, You've Got Everything Now (Derby, 12/7/83); Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Barbarism Begins At Home, Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything, What Difference Does It Make?, Handsome Devil, You've Got Everything Now (Amsterdam, 4/21/84). |
|
A track
by track repackaging of The Handsome Devils, with an obnoxious
cover to boot! (TCD) |
|
LIVE
IN MADRID (CD) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, I Want The One I Can't Have, What She Said, How Soon Is Now?, Handsome Devil, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Rusholme Ruffians, The Headmaster Ritual, Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Charming Man, You've Got Everything Now. |
|
This CD
features the complete concert from Paseo De Camoens, Madrid on May 18,
1985. The soundboard quality is excellent, with some songs sounding
speedy. The Smiths played well throughout the basic 18 song set. This
CD was made by "Swinging Pig Records" which put together some
very professional graphics that included a color promotional picture
of the Smiths. (PB)(Image: BG) |
|
LIVE
IN ROME 1985 (LP) |
Introduction, William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, I Want The One I Can't Have, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, Rusholme Ruffians, Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Handsome Devil, This Charming Man, You've Got Everything Now (Tendetrisce, Rome - 5/14/85). |
|
A fair quality audience recording taken from Tendetrisce, Rome (5/14/85) which features some annoyingly abrupt editing and dead air between songs, and some equally annoying mid-song fade-outs. The sleeve does not make mention of "Nowhere Fast" and "Rusholme Ruffians" is mistitled "Headmaster Ritual". The performance itself is one of the poorest on record by The Smiths, and it includes such low-lights as a completely horrible intro to "Rusholme Ruffians" (Marr's guitar rhythm is totally off) and a misplaced bass note at the beginning of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now". "Still Ill" is even more horrible - with the music completely disintegrating into guitarless drumming towards the end, accompanied by a loud groan of frustration by Morrissey. The first verse and chorus of "Handsome Devil" are almost completely instrumental - Morrissey must have been dealing with the stage invaders again. A bouncy version of "This Charming Man" is one of the solitary highlights. (TCD) |
|
LIVE
IN THE USA (CD?) |
How Soon Is Now?, Hand In Glove, I Want The One I Can't Have, Still Ill, Frankly Mr. Shankly, Panic, Never Had No One Ever, Stretch Out And Wait, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Cemetry Gates, What She Said/Rubber Ring (Medley), Is It Really So Strange?, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, The Queen Is Dead, Money Changes Everything, I Know It's Over, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Bigmouth Strikes Again. |
|
A reissue
of So This Is America which features The Smiths' performance
Great Woods Performing Arts Center, Mansfield, Massachusetts on August
5, 1986. (JR) |
|
LIVE
PANIC (CD) |
How Soon Is Now?, Nowhere Fast, I Want The One I Can't Have, Bigmouth Strikes Again, Panic, Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead, I Know It's Over, Hand In Glove, The Headmaster Ritual, You've Got Everything Now. |
|
This is, quite possibly, the worst Smiths bootleg ever made. Really, it's that bad. The atrocities are endless. To begin with, the tracks are a mish-mash from various shows and there are no liner notes to explain the origins of any of them. In fact, the only information provided on the shoddy packaging states, "Recorded live somewhere in the U.K. 1984" which seems unlikely considering some of the tracks weren't even written until 1985. Additionally, the track listing is grossly erroneous and the song titles are hideously deformed ("I Want To Go Home" instead of "The Headmaster Ritual," "You Got Every Now," "It's Over," etc.). As bad as these errors are, they could be forgiven if the quality of the recording was up to par, but here lies the greatest fault of all: "How Soon Is Now?," "Nowhere Fast," "I Want The One I Can't Have," "Meat Is Murder," "The Headmaster Ritual," and "You've Got Everything Now" are all recorded at hyper-speed, so that The Smiths sound like Morrissey was replaced by Alvin the Chipmunk. On an LP, this annoyance can be fixed by adjusting the speed on the turntable; however, on CD, this is an offense that should be punishable by death! "Remember censorship is unAmerican" say the liner notes - sadly, it would appear that ripping people off is not. Avoid at all costs! (TCD) |
|
MAY WE HAVE A RECORD CONTRACT PLEASE (CD) |
Reel Around The Fountain, You've Got Everything Now, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, Wonderful Woman, Handsome Devil, Suffer Little Children, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Hand In Glove, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything, Jeane (Troy Tate sessions); Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything, Reel Around The Fountain, Pretty Girls Make Graves, William, It Was Really Nothing, Shakespeare's Sister, Nowhere Fast (BBC radio sessions). |
|
This release
is identical to The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, featuring the
early Troy Tate demos and several BBC radio session tracks. (TCD/SD) |
|
MERRY
CHRISTCDAS (LP) |
I Don't Owe You Anything, Reel Around The Fountain, Hand In Glove, You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, These Things Take Time, This Charming Man, Girl Afraid, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Still Ill, This Night Has Opened My Eyes. |
|
Very good
quality recording of the Hammersmith Palais gig (March 12, 1984).(JR) |
|
MISERABLE LIES (LP) |
Girl Afraid, This Charming Man, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Still Ill, These Things Take Time, Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything, What Difference Does It Make?, Handsome Devil. |
|
MISERY
LOVES COMPANY (2LP) |
Miserable Lie, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, This Charming Man, Girl Afraid, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Still Ill, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Barbarism Begins At Home, Back To The Old House, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything (featuring Sandie Shaw), Reel Around The Fountain, Hand In Glove, You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, These Things Take Time. |
|
A very
good quality recording of the Hammersmith Palais show on March 12, 1984.
This was one of the best early Smiths shows with several funny between-track
comments from Morrissey, including the proudly-stated "This song
is number 86 in the National 100" before "This Charming
Man". The performance is excellent, the sound quality is good (soundboard)
and the show is further immortalized by the appearance of Sixties-Songstress
Sandie Shaw, who delights the crowd with a performance of "I Don't
Owe You Anything" which made Morrissey proud, judging by his comments
afterwards ("I knew I'd get dethroned eventually..."). The
only complaints that can seriously be made against this Italian-made
boot is the rather sacrilegious editing of "Hand In Glove",
which is missing its first verse and chorus, the slightly speeded-up
recording, and the erroneous titling of "Girl Afraid" as "I'll
Never Make That Mistake Again".(TCD) |
|
MORRISSEY
1959-1986 (CD) |
These Things Take Time, What Difference Does It Make?, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Handsome Devil, Jeane, What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman), Hand In Glove, Miserable Lie (Hacienda, 2/4/83); There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Frankly Mr. Shankly, How Soon Is Now? (National Ballroom, Kilburn 10/23/86); London, Half A Person (Peel sessions); Sheila Take A Bow, Shoplifters Of The World Unite (The Tube, 4/10/87). |
|
A fairly
good CD bootleg featuring the early performance at the Hacienda on February
4, 1983, three songs from the National Kilburn on October 23, 1986 that
were excluded from Rank (included Morrissey's best quip of
the night, "Could I please ask the journalists to stop throwing
things"), "London" and "Half A Person" from
the final Peel Sessions, and "Sheila Take A Bow" and "Shoplifters..."
from the final appearance on The Tube in April, 1987. (JR) |
|
MUSIC
IS MAGNIFICENT (LP) |
The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians, I Want The One I Can't Have, What She Said, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, Shakespeare's Sister, Barbarism Begins At Home, Meat Is Murder. |
|
Inferior quality recording of The Smiths at the Ipswich Gaumont (3/11/85).(JR) |
|
NEVER
HAD NO ONE EVER (2LP) |
Ask, Bigmouth Strikes Again, London, Miserable Lie, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Shoplifters Of The World Unite, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Is It Really So Strange?, Cemetry Gates, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Still Ill, Panic, The Queen Is Dead, William, It Was Really Nothing, Hand In Glove (Brixton Academy 12/12/86); Handsome Devil, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Rusholme Ruffians, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, This Charming Man, You've Got Everything Now (Madrid 5/18/85). |
|
An excellent
quality double album taken from the Brixton Academy (12/12/86) and Paseo
De Camoens, Madrid (5/18/85). (JR) |
|
NEVER
HAD NO ONE EVER (CD) |
Take Me Back To Dear Old Blighty, Ask, Bigmouth Strikes Again, London/Miserable Lie (Medley), Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Shoplifters Of The World Unite, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Is It Really So Strange?, Cemetry Gates, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Still Ill, Panic, The Queen Is Dead, William, It Was Really Nothing, Hand In Glove (Brixton Academy 12/12/86); Handsome Devil (Madrid 3/18/85). |
|
Billed
as "Live In Belgium in 1986" but ignoring the fact that The
Smiths never played Belgium that year, this is actually a recording
from the Brixton Academy, London (December 12, 1986), the final British
appearance by The Smiths. "Handsome Devil," not listed on
the CD, is taken from the performance in Madrid on March 18, 1985. (JR) |
|
A
NICE BIT OF MEAT (LP) |
Panic (The Tube, 7/5/86), Sheila Take A Bow (The Tube, 4/10/86), Purple Haze (Glasgow, 7/16/86), How Soon Is Now? (studio outtake), Barbarism Begins At Home (Royal Albert Hall, 4/6/85), Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (Dublin, 1984), Asleep (Inverness, 10/1/85), Unloveable (Inverness, 10/1/85), What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman) (Hacienda, 2/4/83), Reel Around The Fountain (studio outtake), This Night Has Opened My Eyes (Brixton Academy, 12/12/86). |
|
This is
an excellent mish-mash of songs from various sources which includes
two songs from The Tube ("Panic" and "Sheila
Take A Bow"), two previously unreleased studio mixes ("How
Soon Is Now?" and "Reel Around The Fountain"), live performances
("Barbarism Begins At Home," "Please Please Please Let
Me Get What I Want," "What Do You See In Her?" - an early
version of "Wonderful Woman" - and "This Night Has Opened
My Eyes") and rare soundcheck material ("Purple Haze,"
"Asleep," and "Unloveable"). Although the sound
quality varies from poor to very good, the album is well-worth the price
due to the rarity of the material. The highlights are definitely the
soundcheck songs, which The Smiths never performed in concert; also,
Pete Burns guesting on the Royal Albert Hall version of "Barbarism
Begins At Home"; and the poignant version of "This Night Has
Opened My Eyes," culled from the Brixton concert on December 12,
1986 - the last British concert The Smiths ever played. (TCD) |
|
A
NICE BIT OF MEAT 2 (LP) |
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Frankly Mr. Shankly (The National Kilburn, 10/29/86); This Charming Man (Peel Session); Jeane; Rusholme Ruffians (Peel Session); What's The World; Instrumental, How Soon Is Now? (soundcheck instrumentals); William, It Was Really Nothing (Peel Session); Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before, Disappointed, Interesting Drug, Suedehead, The Last Of The Famous International Playboys, Sister I'm A Poet, Death At One's Elbow, Sweet And Tender Hooligan (Wolverhamption Civic, 12/22/88). |
|
Like it's
predecessor, this is another mish-mash which includes selections from
the National Kilburn (10/29/86), a couple of John Peel sessions, and,
most interestingly, two soundcheck instrumentals, including "How
Soon Is Now?" Side two is a fair quality recording of Morrissey's
first solo performance at Wolverhampton (12/22/88). (JR) |
|
ORIGINAL
DEMOS (CD) |
Reel Around The Fountain, You've Got Everything Now, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, Wonderful Woman, Handsome Devil, Suffer Little Children, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Hand In Glove, What Difference Does It Make?, I Don't Owe You Anything, Jeane (Troy Tate demos); Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything, Reel Around The Fountain, Pretty Girls Make Graves, William, It Was Really Nothing, Rusholme Ruffians, Nowhere Fast (Peel Sessions). |
|
Another
release of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, featuring the Troy
Tate tracks and BBC radio sessions. (TCD/SD) |
|
OXFORD
APOLLO (LP) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Meat Is Murder, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home. |
|
An excellent
quality BBC radio recording (originally broadcast on May 9, 1985) of
the Oxford Apollo show on March 18, 1985. An exceptional "Meat
Is Murder"-era concert, with beautiful guitar from Johnny Marr
and excellent vocals from a very upbeat and playful Morrissey. The highlights
are a quintessential version of "William, It Was Really Nothing"
and the lovely "Miserable Lie" which features a sparkling
new guitar intro by Johnny. The packaging (by Burning Bush records)
is adequate but is sullied by many typos in the track listing ("No
where Fast", "How Soon Is It Now?", "Shakespears
Sister", "Bar barism Beging At Home", etc.) (TCD) |
| Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Jeane, This Charming Man, Hand In Glove. | |
|
Allegedly,
only 200 copies of this rare bootleg were pressed. The concert selections
are taken from the Capital Theatre, Aberdeen (9/30/85). (JR) |
| How Soon Is Now? (Peel Session); What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman) (Hacienda 2/4/83); Reel Around The Fountain, Miserable Lie, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (Troy Tate Sessions); You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, Accept Yourself, What Difference Does It Make?, Reel Around The Fountain, Wonderful Woman, These Things Take Time, I Don't Owe You Anything, Hand In Glove (Fighting Cocks, Birmingham 6/3/83); I Don't Owe You Anything, Jeane (Saturday Live Radio One Session, 4/14/84). | |
|
A very
good quality collection which is highlighted by the June, 1983 show
at the Fighting Cocks in Birmingham. Various session tracks and "What
Do You See In Him?" from the Hacienda show in February, 1983 flesh
out the CD. (TCD/SD) |
| Sheila Take A Bow, Shoplifters Of The World Unite, This Charming Man, Girl Afraid. | |
|
This 7-inch
single provides no details of song sources but they would appear to
have been culled from television broadcasts. (JR) |
|
ROYAL
COMMAND PERFORMANCE (2LP) |
Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, Shoplifters Of The World Unite, Cemetry Gates, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Still Ill, Panic, The Queen Is Dead, William, It Was Really Nothing, Hand In Glove (Brixton Academy 12/12/86); Bigmouth Strikes Again, Vicar In A Tutu, Frankly Mr Shankly, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Ask, I Want The One I Can't Have, Is It Really So Strange?, Shakespeare's Sister, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (G-Mex 7/19/86); Jeane (featuring Sandie Shaw) (unknown origin); I Know It's Over, Rusholme Ruffians/(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame (Medley), London, Miserable Lie, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (G-Mex, 7/19/86); Girl Don't Come (featuring Sandie Shaw). |
|
A double
album humorously credited to The Vegetarians, this above average quality
recording was taken from the G-Mex Festival, Manchester (7/19/86) and
the Brixton Academy, London (12/12/86).(JR) |
|
THE
RUSHOLME RUFFIANS (LP) |
What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, Shakespeare's Sister, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Handsome Devil, Miserable Lie, You've Got Everything Now. |
|
Fair quality
recording taken from the Manchester Palace (3/31/85).(JR) |
| What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Rusholme Ruffians, The Headmaster Ritual, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Handsome Devil, Miserable Lie, You've Got Everything Now. | |
|
A well-packaged
CD bootleg featuring the performance at the Manchester Palace (March
31, 1985), minus the three opening songs ("William, It Was Really
Nothing", "Nowhere Fast", and "I Want The One I
Can't Have"). "Barbarism Begins At Home" is erroneously
listed among the tracks. The sound quality is very good for an audience
recording. Morrissey seems very unimpressed with the crowd's apparent
lack of enthusiasm, saying at one point, "We hope you're just shy
and not bored..." Morrissey's best quip of the evening comes before
the performance of "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore": "This
is a song off our LP 'Breathing Is Murder'..."(JR/TCD) |
|
SAME
DAY AGAIN (CD) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, The Headmaster Ritual, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home, You've Got Everything Now. |
|
This excellent
quality CD features the entire performance from the Oxford Apollo, March
18, 1985, thankfully minus the annoying pops and clicks which sullied
the Stealers CD. The only negative thing which can be said
about this stellar production (from the above-the-fray Italian "Big
Music" company) is the inexplicable absence of the amusing Morrissey
line, "We're the other funny Manchester group". (JR) |
|
THE
SMITHS (LP) |
Hand In Glove, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Girl Afraid, This Charming Man, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, You've Got Everything Now, Handsome Devil, What Difference Does It Make?, These Things Take Time, Barbarism Begins At Home. |
|
An excellent
quality bootleg taken largely from The Smiths' performance at the Markthalle,
Hamburg on May 4, 1984, which was filmed for the television show Rockpalast.
(JR) |
|
THE
SMITHS (7" EP) |
What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman), Jeane (Hacienda 2/4/83); What's The World? |
|
Released
in 1991, this three track single features two songs from the Hacienda
concert on February 4th, 1983 (erroneously dated as December 1982 on
the sleeve) and the James cover "What's The World?". Pressing
was a limited edition of 1,000. (JR) |
|
SMITHSESSIONS
(2LP) |
Accept Yourself, I Don't Owe You Anything, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Reel Around The Fountain, This Charming Man, Still Ill, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Back To The Old House, Handsome Devil, Reel Around The Fountain, Miserable Lie, These Things Take Time, What Difference Does It Make?, You've Got Everything Now, Hand In Glove, Wonderful Woman. |
|
Excellent
quality recording of the John Peel and Kid Jensen sessions from 1983.
The candid interview of a very young Morrissey by David Jensen is excellent.(JR/SR) |
|
SORROW'S
SON (LP) |
Handsome Devil, Still Ill, This Charming Man, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Reel Around The Fountain, What Difference Does It Make?, Miserable Lie, This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Hand In Glove, These Things Take Time, You've Got Everything Now. |
|
An excellent
quality recording from The Old Grey Whistle Test television
broadcast from the Assembly Rooms, Derby (12/7/83).(JR) |
|
SO
THIS IS AMERICA (2LP) |
How Soon Is Now?, Hand In Glove, I Want The One I Can't Have, Still Ill, Frankly Mr Shankly, Panic, Never Had No One Ever, Stretch Out And Wait, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Cemetry Gates, What She Said/Rubber Ring (Medley), Is It Really So Strange?, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, The Queen Is Dead, Money Changes Everything, I Know It's Over, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Bigmouth Strikes Again (Great Woods, Mansfield, Massachusetts - 8/4/86); What She Said, Wire - U2 (NME 7" giveaway). |
|
Good quality
recording from Great Woods, Mansfield, Massachusetts (8/4/86). This
is a fairly routine "Queen Is Dead" show, which features minimal
talking from Morrissey (the best quips are "You have good taste,
thank you..." - which foreshadows the "You have extremely
good taste" comment he made at the final Smiths concert in December
- and "Thank you, you're very kind, very clever") and suffers
from some truly atrocious drumming by Mike Joyce on "I Know It's
Over" (among other tracks). (Hmmm... maybe he didn't deserve those
millions after all...) "What She Said" and U2's "Wire"
are culled from an NME giveaway 7" which also featured tracks
from Bronski Beat and Cocteau Twins. (The version of "What She
Said" from this disk is from a 1985 show.) The packaging of the
album is underwhelming with no track listing on the sleeve and very
erroneous track listings on the labels. (Actually some of the errors
are fairly amusing Smiths titles that never were: "Wishes of the
Poor", "Under the Iron Bridge", "Condition I Have",
and "Hang the D.J.".) There is also an insert with a black
and white photo of Morrissey and the same erroneous track listing. A
good recording but by no means essential. (TCD) |
|
SPANISH
SUN LIVE MADRID 18 MAY 1985 (LP) |
How Soon Is Now?, Handsome Devil, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, Rusholme Ruffians, Hand In Glove, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home. |
|
An Italian
bootleg of excellent quality taken from an FM broadcast of the concert.
(JR) Live In Madrid is by far a better quality recording of this show.
(BG) |
|
STEALERS
(CD) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Stretch Out And Wait, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeare's Sister, The Headmaster Ritual, What She Said, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Miserable Lie, You've Got Everything Now. |
|
An excellent
quality CD reissue of the Oxford Apollo show on March 18, 1985. Audible
pops and clicks between tracks reveal the source of the CD to be the
A Kind Of Loving LP. "Barbarism Begins At Home" is
listed on the cover but is not included. One of the highlights is an
enthusiastic version of "You've Got Everything Now" in which
Morrissey changes the lyrics of the title to "No, I've never had
a job because I've never had an interview" and "...because
I'm too sensible". (JR/TCD) |
|
THANK
YOUR LUCKY STARS (CD) |
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Still Ill, I Want The One I Can't Have, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, How Soon Is Now?, Frankly Mr. Shankly, Panic, Stretch Out And Wait, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Is It Really So Strange?, Cemetry Gates, Never Had No One Ever, Rubber Ring/What She Said (Medley), That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, The Queen Is Dead, Money Changes Everything, I Know It's Over. |
|
This is quite possibly the best Smiths bootleg yet made. This CD features an exceptional quality soundboard recording of The Smiths at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles on August 26, 1986. (The concert is nearly complete - only the concluding "Bigmouth Strikes Again" is absent.) The song selection is excellent, opening with "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" and drifting through such highlights as "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out," "Stretch Out And Wait," and "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore". Morrissey makes numerous comments between the songs and Johnny Marr is in fine form. The concert takes a dramatic turn towards the end, as Morrissey interrupts the tender second verse of "I Know It's Over" with a shout of "Jesus Christ! Don't be so stupid! Leave him alone, you stupid idiot, leave him!" directed at the "neanderthal" security guards who were making the fans miserable. All this puts a dramatic, dark overtone on an incredible concert. The packaging, by the wonderful Italian company Big Music, meets their usual high standards, with numerous excellent photos of the band, a picture disc, and a flawless track listing. An all-around exceptional product and a far better concert momento of the Queen Is Dead tour than the officially released Rank. (TCD) |
|
UNLOVEABLE
(CD) |
Miserable Lie (Peel Session); What Difference Does It Make?, This Night Has Opened My Eyes (Y.E.S., 2/9/84); Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Barbarism Begins At Home (The Tube, 3/16/84); Still Ill, This Charming Man, Hand In Glove (Datarun, 4/7/84); Jeane (featuring Sandie Shaw) (Splat!, 4/84); Bigmouth Strikes Again, Vicar In A Tutu (Whistle Test, 5/20/86); There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Panic (The Eurotube, 7/5/86); Sheila Take A Bow, Shoplifters Of The World Unite (The Tube, 4/10/87); Hand In Glove, Rock 'n' Roll Part Two, Unloveable (#1), Unloveable (#2), There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (soundcheck, Inverness, 10/1/85). |
|
An interesting
collection of television appearances and soundcheck material. Some of
the tracks culled from TV sources are of rather poor quality. "Sheila
Take A Bow" and "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" are
from The Smiths' last live performance on The Tube in April,
1987. (TCD) |
|
UNRULY
BOYS (CD) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, I Want The One I Can't Have, What She Said, How Soon Is Now?, Handsome Devil, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Shakespeares Sister, Rusholme Ruffians, The Headmaster Ritual, Hand In Glove, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Miserable Lie, Barbarism Begins At Home, This Charming Man, You've Got Everything Now (Madrid - May 18, 1985). |
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A very
well-packaged CD-R re-release of the "Spanish Sun"/"Live
In Madrid" bootleg. The recording is good quality but it is sadly
sped up, so that Morrissey bears a strong vocal resemblance to Alvin
Chipmunk. This show contains the classic Morrissey bullfighting reference,
"We have seen your national sport and it's not very kind"
prior to "Meat Is Murder". (TCD) |
|
VERY
WELL MANNERED (CD-R) |
Panic, Still Ill, I Want The One I Can't Have, Vicar In A Tutu, Frankly Mr Shankly, Cemetry Gates, Rubber Ring/What She Said, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, Stretch Out And Wait, Ask, William, It Was Really Nothing, How Soon Is Now?, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, The Queen Is Dead, The Draize Train, Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Bigmouth Strikes Again, Hand In Glove, Meat Is Murder (Centennial Hall, London, Ontario - July 30, 1986). |
|
This recording, of the first North American Smiths gig of the Queen Is Dead tour, is a fair quality audience recording that is unfortunately severely sullied by the lazy bootlegger's obnoxious silence between each song that chops some comments up and generally distracts from the flow of the concert. (It's a real pity too because Morrissey talks quite a lot during this show.) Musically, this recording contains an interesting version of "Still Ill", where Johnny Marr's intricate picking is hidden during the first verse, so that Craig Gannon's rhythm guitar carries the song: a very different effect. Morrissey's best quip provides the CD-R's title: "You're very well mannered. So are we." The packaging is reasonably decent for a CD-R, but the "Maladjusted" tour image of Moz on the disk itself is an annoyance and the song titles are often incorrect ("Nowhere Fast" is entitled "Rusholm Ruffians" [sic] and "The Draize Train" is entitled "Oscillate Wildly"). A shortened version of "Bigmouth..." is performed without Morrissey on vocals - chances are he was off being mauled by fans, as per usual. Regarding the quality: my copy of the CD-R skipped in several places, but this of course does not necessarily indicate a recurring problem. Just a faulty disk... and a personal annoyance. |
|
WILDE
ABOUT MORRISSEY (LP) |
These Things Take Time, What Difference Does It Make?, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Handsome Devil, Jeane, What Do You See In Him? (Wonderful Woman), Hand In Glove, Miserable Lie, I Don't Owe You Anything (featuring Sandie Shaw), Reel Around The Fountain, You've Got Everything Now, These Things Take Time, This Charming Man, Still Ill, Pretty Girls Make Graves. |
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Good quality
recording taken from two sources: Hacienda (2/4/83, not "December,
1982" as it states on the cover) and Hammersmith Palais (not "various
London concerts") (3/12/84). Nice full color graphics, including
several prime shots of the band, but less desirable than other boots
of these shows because of the truncation of "Miserable Lie"
from the Hacienda show and the shortened and jumbled Hammersmith set.(TCD) |
|
WONDERFUL
WOMAN (CD) |
What's The World (Glasgow, 9/25/85); Half A Person, Sweet And Tender Hooligan, Is It Really So Strange?, London (Peel Session); What Difference Does It Make?, Accept Yourself, Wonderful Woman (Troy Tate Sessions); Reel Around The Fountain, What Difference Does It Make?, Wonderful Woman, These Things Take Time, I Don't Owe You Anything, Hand In Glove, Miserable Lie, Accept Yourself, Hand In Glove (Rockgarden, London 7/7/83); You've Got Everything Now (De Meervaart Hall, Amsterdam 4/21/84). |
|
Another
mish-mash of tracks from various sources, highlighted by the July 7,
1983 show at the Rockgarden in London. (TCD/SD) |
|
YOUR
FULL OF SMITH (LP) |
William, It Was Really Nothing, Nowhere Fast, I Want The One I Can't Have, What She Said, Hand In Glove, How Soon Is Now?, Still Ill, Meat Is Murder, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Barbarism Begins At Home, Miserable Lie. |
|
A live recording from the Royal Court, Liverpool (3/27/85). The sleeve wrongly credits several songs. (JR) |
