The Smiths Pictures

Group Hopes to Make The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now?” Number One

Photo: Huan/Michael Ochs Archive/GettyFacebook helped Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” upset The X Factor as the U.K.’s Christmas Number One. Now, another group on the social network has launched asking fans to purchase the Smiths’ hit “How Soon Is Now?” between January 28th and February 6th to make the single Number One on the British charts to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the band’s Meat is Murder, TwentyFourBit reports. While the “Rage Against The X Factor” group that

Published: 2010-01-11 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Hype Monitor: Junius, Dam-Funk, Laura Veirs

Photo by George Dubose The Band: Junius The Buzz: Breathtaking Boston metal band pulls off a perfect hybrid of Neurosis and the Smiths, striking a stunning balance of brutality and beauty. Their latest album, The Martyrdrom of a Catastrophist, is a concept record about catastrophe theorist Immanuel Velikovsky, exploring his insistence on a chaotic universe. Its songs are spellbinding and heartbreaking, gripping from the first note to the last. A hard rock dream come true. Listen If: You dress i

Published: 2009-12-17 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Breaking, Hype Monitor

The Cribs and Johnny Marr on the Smith’s New Role, Bad ’90s Music

For three albums, the Cribs — twin brothers Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger bro Ross — kept things familial on their way to becoming a buzz band in their native England. But for their fourth album Ignore the Ignorant, the U.K. indie trio welcomed a big non-Jarman name as a formal member, recruiting the Smiths — and more recently, Modest Mouse — guitarist Johnny Marr. In this exclusive Rolling Stone interview, Gary Jarman and Marr discuss the genesis of this new union (”We just got togethe

Published: 2009-11-30 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Videos

Breaking: Dawes

Who: These folk-rock rookies started their career as the buzzy post-punk band Simon Dawes, co-fronted by ­Malibu native Taylor Goldsmith. But when the band’s other songwriter bowed out, the remaining members — Goldsmith, his brother Griffin (drums) and bassist Wylie Gelber — shortened the name and traded their Smiths rec­ords for plaid shirts and pedal steel. Sounds Like: True to its Cali roots, the group’s new debut, North Hills, is full of twangy folk rock à la Gram Parsons and Neil Young. “Ta

Published: 2009-11-11 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Breaking

Neil Finn Recruits Wilco, Radiohead Members For 7 Worlds Collide’s “The Sun Came Out”

Photo:Denholm/Getty Eight years after the first 7 Worlds Collide project, Crowded House’s Neil Finn is bringing back his all-star band — which includes the Smiths’ Johnny Marr, Radiohead’s Phil Selway and Ed O’Brien and new additions Wilco — for a new double-disc collection called The Sun Came Out, due out September 29th. Proceeds from the album will benefit Oxfam. The album was recorded over a three-week stretch in New Zealand around Christmas 2008 with KT Tunstall, who interrupted her honeymoo

Published: 2009-07-29 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

See Art Brut Unplug “Emily Kane,” “The Passenger,” More At Rolling Stone

British rockers Art Brut, fronted by the hilarious Eddie Argos, stopped by Rolling Stone recently to share some acoustic versions of songs off their new album Art Brut Vs. Satan. Above is Argos’s ode to a woman named “Emily Kane,” a tale of unrequited love complete with a nod to the Smiths’ classic “There Is a Light and It Never Goes Out.” For their third album, the band recruited the Pixies’ Frank Black to serve as producer, putting the emphasis on catchy post-punk and not sleek production—Argo

Published: 2009-07-23 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

BOYS IN THE BAND

THE Smiths disbanded 20 years ago, and thanks to singer Morrissey's insistence on not talking about the group and guitarist Johnny Marr's tight-lipped approach to the past, the group remains one of the most influential yet least-documented acts in...

Published: 2008-01-20 Provider: New York Post Keywords: Morrissey, Joyce, Rourke, songs, even, group, music

News Ticker: Morrissey, The Pretenders, Van Morrison and “Mamma Mia!”

Photo: Getty Morrissey signed with Lost Highway to release his next album Years of Refusal Stateside. Refusal is due out February 17th, with a single “Black Cloud” out February 2nd. The former Smiths singer will also tour the U.S. The Pretenders will release an iTunes Originals set of their reimagined hits on December 23rd. The band will also unwrap a digital holiday EP, featuring Chrissie Hynde take on songs like “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Blue Christmas.” Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks live from the Hollywood Bowl will be released in early ‘09 on the rocker’s own label, Listen to the Lions Records, which will be distributed by EMI. While CDs struggle, DVDs are seemingly doing pretty well: The ABBA-infused Mamma Mia! film sold 2.25 million copies in the U.S. its first week. In the U.K., the DVD sold 3.2 million to break Titanic’s decade-old first week record.

Published: 2008-12-18 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Morning News Roundup

The Story of Nirvana’s “In Utero”: Download The 33 1/3 Audiobook

Nevermind broke Nirvana, but the band (and many critics, including Rolling Stone’s) preferred its follow-up, In Utero. RS contributor Gillian G. Gaar, who served as project consultant on the Nirvana box set With the Lights Out, spoke with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, engineer Steve Albini and many more Nirvana insiders while writing her 33 1/3 book on the album — and now you can download the full audiobook for the the first time right here. It’s part of Audible.com’s productions of the 33 1/3 book series about classic, critically acclaimed albums (the collection also includes Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited, the Smiths‘ Meat Is Murder and more). Click here to download the free In Utero audiobook for use on your iPod or other player — available in audio for the first time from RollingStone.com thanks to the good folks at Audible.com. Related Stories: • “Cobain Unseen”: Rare Photos, Artwork and Journal Entries • Cover Story: The Last Days of Kurt Cobain • 50 Moments That Changed Rock: Nirvana’s Punk Revolution in 1991

Published: 2008-11-25 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Radiohead Break Out Covers of Smiths, New Order During Webcast

Even though Radiohead slam-dunked their version of Björk’s “Unravel” during last night’s Webcast, it’s become apparent that the band has not got covers completely out of their system. We’re one hour into tonight’s live telecast, and have already enjoyed two covers: The Smiths’ “The Headmaster Ritual” and, for your viewing pleasure above, New Order’s “Ceremony.” The band also mixed in live versions of their own “Reckoner” (the debut performance of its current incarnation) and “Faust Arp,” which was previously recorded and performed in a field with singer Thom Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood. Between performances, the bandmembers have taken turns DJing (who knew drummer Phil Selway loved him some Iron & Wine?) and broadcasting Stanley Donwood animation as well as hilarious skits, like the Se7en-themed music video for “15 Step.” To join in, head over to www.radiohead.tv.

Published: 2007-11-10 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Videos, Radiohead's "In Rainbows"

Morrissey Turned Down Mega-Bucks Smiths Reunion Offer Over Johnny Marr

Morrissey has once again broken the hearts of millions of already-damaged Smiths fans by refusing to reunite the band. The Mozzer’s publicist has confirmed that the crooner declined a $75 million offer to tour as the Smiths in 2008 and/or 2009 even though the only requirement was that Johnny Marr also be a part of the reunion. What does this new information tell us? That the theory surmising that Morrissey’s legal battles with former Smith Mike Joyce were behind his resistance to reuniting the band is flawed. Apparently Morrissey isn’t up for any kind of Smiths reunion … yet. In the meantime, Marr is still an integral part of Modest Mouse, and Joyce is counting the Smiths back pay and royalties he collected in 1996 and releasing an album with his latest band, Vinny Peculiar, in October.

Published: 2007-08-24 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Smiths Fans Ride Bikes To Save Manchester Landmark

Manchester’s loyal Smiths fans are coming to the rescue of the Salford Lad’s Club, which is featured on the cover of the Smith’s 1986 opus The Queen is Dead. The club is currently undergoing an expensive renovation, which has been threatened by a band of (neither sweet nor tender) hooligans who made off with expensive roofing materials. When word spread that the renovation might not proceed as a result, local fans decided to organize a bike tour of iconic Smiths-related Manchester area spots in order to raise awareness of the club’s plight and inspire people to contribute money for replacement materials. The bike ride is scheduled for September 30, pending police approval.

Published: 2007-08-07 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News