The Smiths - An Artist Deep-Dive

The Smiths were one of the defining alternative rock bands of the 1980s. Over a span of only four years they left an indelible mark on music that still hasn't been matched in terms of wit, identity, and songwriting craft. In this podcast we'll take you through the highs and lows of The Smiths' discography and legacy.

[@barnes92196]

Loved this! Some deep dive suggestions: The Pixies R.E.M Nirvana Pavement Wilco Velvet Undergroud

[@unoriginaljoe7159]

Velvet underground or pixies pleeeease

[@Afro_Matt]

Wilco would be great but oh my goodness would they have a huge undertaking there.

[@lukegosling9066]

I feel like you unplayable the importance of johnny marr to the smiths. you said the smiths would have never been successfully or the music been as good without morrisey songwriting, wit and vocal performance which is correct but the same can be said about johnny marr with out johnny skill, creativity personality and emotional connectivity on guitar and ability to conduct the band music would any smith song hit you as hard as they do. without marr they is no smiths as with Morrisey

[@samholik8127]

I totally agree.

[@fragstainz8668]

Favourite song: The headmaster's ritual Favourite Album: Hatful of Hollow Favourite Studio album: Strangeways, here we come

[@eskil9800]

Miserable Lie is a top 10 song

[@Demention94]

What I really like about this channel is how passionate these guys are about music and specific bands and maintain a fair objective analysis with some bias but without any snobbery.

[@velocitiesinmusic]

Much appreciated!

[@drewallen55]

I miss seeing you guys behind the camera. It made the videos feel more personal. However still loving the show guys. I'm trying to catch up on stuff I've missed from you guys.

[@NKRevolution]

My favorite artist of all time thank you for making this video.

[@Mayoninja]

I DARE you guys to do a Deep Dive of the Fall. I DARE you.

[@ronanferguson91]

great analysis of the band, easily one of my favourite bands ever! Completely agreed with everything you said about their masterful song writing in terms of song structure. Was surprised you didn't like Miserable Lie and Hand That Rocks the Cradle; I loved the shift in intensity of Miserable Lie and I feel that the lyrics are some of his best because of how it approaches the pressure of meeting girls, sex etc. And The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is such an under rated songs in my opinion because all of the attention is on Morrissey's vocals and I just love the ambiguity of the lyrics (elements of child molestation along with the typical parent speaking to child motif). Maybe some day you'll attach to them though

[@makakn3275]

You guys should do one of this on Tom Waits

[@nothingreally6680]

Suggestions from me: Black Dice Talk Talk Kate Bush Red House Painters

[@benjaminkramer1647]

I disagree with the assertion that no other song by the Smiths sounds similar to "How Soon is Now". "Shoplifters of the World" is similar.

[@traviscarver4708]

“Name me one song where the baseline or guitar stand out...” Last night I dreamt somebody loves me? The guitar on this track, along with the lyric, is fantastic.

[@benjaminkramer1647]

No mention of "Bigmouth Strikes Again"?! That was the first energetic, aggressive-sounding song that wasn't metal that I ever heard. I heard The Smiths for the first time in 1987, at age 14. Prior to that, I was listening to Metallica, Anthrax, Black Sabbath, KISS, Dio, etc. The Smiths blew my mind. They are still my favorite band.

[@MrMurph73]

Seriously guys - Hatful of Hollow deserves so much more respect. Those session versions of the tracks show the Smiths at their raw best. Love the Artist Deep Dive :)

[@TheSuperMrG13]

Defenetly like the new format a lot, feels a lot more natural and genuine, nothing greater then hearing two friends bug out about music, keep up the good work

[@gmarthews]

I love Strangeways as an album, now, as I did at its release. I just like the exploration of the production.

[@elenaevans0451]

Funnily enough, while The Queen Is Dead is my favourite Smiths record, I really love Strangeways. I quite like the synthesized strings and production. While it is different from the post-punk of their self-titled, the abrasiveness of Meat Is Murder and the jangle guitar pop of The Queen Is Dead, I think a new direction for The Smiths was needed. And I really love nearly every song on Strangeways a lot, the only weak track for me is Unhappy Birthday. I feel that Strangeways was an experimental record that just could've been polished more (as you said, more drum, bass and guitar along with production would've helped it.) I feel it was The Smiths on the verge of another great record. It kinda sucks that they had such a short run. Good deep-dive though. Looking forward to more.

[@meatwoodflacmedia]

Miserable Lie was better on live performances

[@renmusical]

Great episode on one of my most favorite bands. Was really surprised that Tom wasn't too big on Hatful of Hallow, I find some of John Peel sessions of the songs from their debut better (i.e. What Difference Does It Make? and This Charming Man). I agree with most of what you guys say, especially how inaccessible they can be to someone new to them (I'll admit I was like that too when I first listen to them). If I could suggest for the next Artist Deep-Dive it would be R.E.M. I find some similar things between both Smiths and R.E.M., such as introverted frontmen, guitarists who cared more about songwriting than musicianship, and how massively influential they were to Alternative rock. I would love it if you guys did R.E.M. and hear your thoughts on their music. Keep up with these podcasts, I get excited every time you upload a new episode (especially this one!)

[@MostlyLoveOfMusic]

This is one band that I really don't feel too much about - they don't interest me and the albums I've heard didn't really stand out. I'm willing to be proved wrong in the future.

[@NKRevolution]

Have you heard the queen is dead. It's my 2nd favorite album of all time

[@MonkeyMagicMonk]

+N.K. Revolution yeah smiths are pure genius.. all roads lead to the smiths

[@toddmusic]

Felt the same way...didn't like his voice.....now like Brussel Sprouts and Cauliflower -I can't get enough -but wasn't for me once upon a time. Give them another listen. Focus on Marr and then it'll wake you up to Morrissey's brilliance.

[@mattreedah]

Ha. Girlfriend in a coma is one of my favorites. But Cemetry Gates is by far my favorite smiths song and I have done the 10x in a row thing before.

[@emptysresponse]

I think Meat is Murder is their best album. It's varied and cohesive at the same time. It also has one of my favourite opening lines of any album I've heard, "Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools.' Immediately shots are fired. It also has some of Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke's best musicianship on it. Johnny's guitars and compositional prowess is evident all over the album, especially on tracks like That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder, The Headmaster Ritual, ...well, all of the songs I reckon. Andy Rourke's uniquely inventive and competent bass playing is all over the album. In fact the whole band is on fire for the whole duration of it. I agree that The Queen is Dead is a masterpiece, for There is a Light That Never Goes Out, I Know it's Over, and Bigmouth Strikes Again, alone. Also Marr's guitars in Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others are superb. It used to be my fav album by them, however I feel that Frankly Mr. Shankly, Never Had No One Ever, and Vicar in a Tutu are pretty much filler compared to those other epic, masterpiece compositions. Meat is Murder has no 'filler' as far as I'm concerned.

[@traviscarver4708]

Hatful of hollow’s “back to the old house?!?!” What is wrong with you?... How did you not mention this track?

[@werleybird]

finally someone agrees with me about how great cemetry gates is. everyone else i’ve spoke to thinks it’s decent but nothing special but for me, it’s their best song

[@samsule8339]

I like to learn music theory of these musicians, because I hope to be a better producer. pls help tips

[@TenderHooligan]

Cant believe you didnt cover there is a light that never goes out more, but cool video

[@lucavandresh9788]

what you said about TQID and Doolittle both taking several different sounds and managing to create a unified sound is so bang on, they are two albums I absolutely adore and now I have a perfect way to sum up why so thanks for that :)

[@velocitiesinmusic]

You're welcome!

[@omaralmalky6213]

While i enjoy everything u do, this segment in particular is my least favourite. Either the artist doesn't interest me or i already know everything about them. i wish u would do more musical topics like the personality one. ur views on those are pretty interesting. imma keep following however regardless.

[@velocitiesinmusic]

+Omar Almalky Thanks for the feedback-- we understand that not all of the artist deep-dives will necessarily pique everyone's interest. We do have some more general music topics on the horizon, and we plan on having a varied mix of artist deep-dives, general topics, list, and album wrap-ups.

[@burndownthedisco]

please do an artist deep dive on the cure!!

[@ritapham5322]

Can you a podcast on Morrissey? 😁

[@BassMonster1723]

So weird, I actually just started listening to their self-titled today. Loving what I hear so far.

[@NKRevolution]

Listen to the queen is dead next. It's freaking amazing.

[@musicplaylists1461]

Nice vid, queen is dead is my fav :) i think theyre super overrated tbh tho. Suggestions: Pixies Velvet Underground The Beatles Bob dylan

[@basehead617]

Personally I love Strangeways. There's a few bad production choices but there's plenty of phenomenal songs.

[@nothingreally6680]

There is a Light That Never Goes Out is probably my favorite song of the eighties. You guys didn't talk about it, but I assume that you love it among the other giants on The Queen is Dead. Also, I think that a Red House Painters deep dive would be wonderful since the group is very ignored by the mainstream media. You hardly ever hear about them, and it would be nice to have that up for people who are just off of hearing Benji for the first time to be able to quest through Mark Kozelek's stuff. But anyways, great video! I love the song clip inclusions. Made it easier to directly apply the things that you guys were talking about without having to go back and find the parts of each song myself.

[@benjaminkramer1647]

I wish they would've mentioned the influence of reggae on The Smiths' music. "Pretty Girls Make Graves", and "Girlfriend in a Coma" are examples of this.

[@josephinearthur3942]

Soz lads but I think you've missed the point. The Smiths were a singles band, always were.

[@Anytime99]

Have you thought about doing a deep dive on the red house painters?

[@unoriginaljoe7159]

Arcade Fire deep dive would be great :)

[@BassMonster1723]

I really like the artist deep dives. I've been waiting for a segment like this from the KZbin review community for a while.

[@velocitiesinmusic]

+apow. Thank you! Great to hear it.

[@samstevenson5328]

It is a criminal act that you guys haven't done an artist deep dive on Radiohead yet!!

[@lukegosling9066]

Yes!

[@edwfojfewioefejujrfequgvri6432]

hey are you going to do a deep dive on blur?? big fan of theirs and they're my favourite band

[@nothingreally6680]

of course they will. Not sure if they're going to wait until after the year-end list or before that to talk about The Magic Whip.

[@velocitiesinmusic]

+Nothing Really What's The Magic Whip?

[@nothingreally6680]

Velocities In Music The tool I used to encourage Blur to make a new studio album. They named it after that.