The Smiths

**The Smiths** were a British indie group active between 1982 and 1987. The group was a four-piece consisting of vocalist Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce.

After gaining some critical success on the indie circuit, including airplay and session recordings for John Peel, the group began to achieve mainstream pop culture success in late 1983 with the single This Charming Man, followed by a no.2 eponymous debut album and a string of hits from 1984 onwards. Their last UK top 30 single came at the end of 1987.

The group released four studio albums, including one no.1 (*Meat is Murder,* 1985) and three no.2s in the UK. A 1987 compilation album and a posthumous live album also reached no.2

The band effectively split in September 1987, although Marr had already left some months earlier.

The Smiths are considered one of the most important 'indie' groups of the twentieth century, with their legacy continuing long after they ceased recording and playing together.

## Links to Janice

* On Smiths' song There Is a Light That Never Goes Out:

> *I do love ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ because there was a holiday where Paul and I were driving through Wales and we saw this rainbow, and we drove through the whole of the rainbow to that song. So it always gets me going. [..]..we got actually married three years ago at the Florrie Institute in Liverpool. I walked in with our daughter Blue and she gave me away to ‘Love Song’ by The Cure. Paul and I walked out to ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ by The Smiths.*
>
>

## Sessions

* none

The Smiths recorded four sessions for John Peel and two for David Jensen between 1983 and 1986.

See also: A Tribute to Janice Long (Gideon Coe) (1986 live concert highlights)

## Live

* May 1985 - this YouTube upload states a Smiths concert recorded in Oxford in March of that year was broadcast on Janet's show. (*to be confirmed*)

## Shows played

#### 1980s

* 24 September 1984 - William, It Was Really Nothing + interview with Morrissey
* 13 February 1985 - What She Said (album *Meat Is Murder*, 1985) + interview with Morrissey
* 14 May 1986 - Money Changes Everything
* 14 July 1986 - Panic
* 29 January 1987 - Shoplifters of the World Unite
* 02 February 1987 - Shoplifters of the World Unite
* 03 August 1987 ‎ - Panic

#### 2000s

* 03 October 2002 ‎ - Panic *(prior to Morrissey interview and session)*
* 19 December 2008 - Panic
* 16 March 2009 - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
* 07 April 2009 - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
* 07 May 2009 - How Soon Is Now?
* 08 May 2009 - Ask

#### 2010s

* 24 March 2010 - Girlfriend In A Coma
* 03 May 2010 - Rubber Ring
* 20 July 2010 - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (*chosen by Willy Russell*)
* 01 September 2010 - William, It Was Really Nothing
* 03 January 2011 - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
* 24 March 2011 - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
* 04 March 2011 ‎- This Charming Man
* 11 March 2011 - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
* 11 April 2011 - Rubber Ring
* 03 May 2011 - How Soon Is Now?
* 24 May 2011 - This Charming Man
* 23 March 2012 - This Charming Man
* 06 April 2012 - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
* 18 April 2012 - Ask
* 04 June 2012 (11 pm show) - William, It Was Really Nothing
* 20 March 2013 - This Charming Man
* 03 May 2013 - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
* 28 August 2013 - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
* 31 March 2014 - This Charming Man
* 04 April 2014 - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
* 11 April 2014 - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
* 06 April 2016 - This Charming Man
* 12 November 2015 - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
* 10 April 2017 ‎ - Reel Around The Fountain
* 22 May 2017 ‎- The Boy with the Thorn in His Side
* 26 January 2017 ‎ - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
* 20 July 2017 - Sheila Take A Bow
* 22 March 2018 - Still Ill
* 03 April 2018 - William, It Was Really Nothing

### TV

* 14 February 1985 (TOTP) - How Soon Is Now?
* 26 April 1984 (TOTP) - Hand in Glove - with Sandie Shaw (without Morrisey)
* 22 February 1985 (ORS) ‎ - live performance
* 31 July 1986 (TOTP) - Panic (breaker)
* 30 October 1986 (TOTP) - Ask (breaker)
* 05 February 1987 (TOTP) - Shoplifters Of The World Unite
* 20 August 1987 (TOTP) - Girlfriend in a Coma (breaker)

## Notes

1. ↑ interview transcript on planetradio.co.uk *Remembering Janice: A celebration of the life and work of Janice Long*, 02 Jan 2022
2. ↑ John Peel mentions on his 14 May 1986 show that Janice played the song on her show.
3. ↑ John Peel mentions on his 14 July 1986 show that Janice played the song on her show.
4. ↑ John Peel mentions on his 02 February 1987 show that Janice played the song on her show.

## Covered

Cover versions of songs by this artist played by Janice.

Artist | Track | First Known Play

* Sandie Shaw - Hand in Glove (*with The Smiths*) 05 May 2009
* The Dream Academy - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want 04 March 2010
* Litmus - This Charming Man 23 July 2010

## See also

* *Rock Around the Clock* (1986)
* Top of the Pops - The Story of 1983 (2017)
* Janice Long Remembered (GHR) (2022)
* Sandie Shaw
* Red Guitars
* Michael Dennis