The Smiths

One of the most important bands in the evolution of indie-rock, The Smiths broke down conventions of 80s guitar music and influenced a generation of introverted teenagers. Disposing with the angular chords of post-punk, and the ubiquitous synths of new wave, guitarist Johnny Marr modified 60s surf-rock into a more complex form of jangle-pop, while idiosyncratic singer Morrissey sang bookish, witty lyrics in an unashamedly effeminate voice. Morrissey’s style, in particular, helped to legitimate literary intellectualism in rock music. With four proper albums and a clutch of singles in five years, their influence on the pop and rock landscapes was huge, especially in their native Britain. While they struggled to break America during their career, they are now internationally regarded as one of the greatest guitar bands of their decade.

Formed in Manchester in 1982 and completed by Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums), their second single for Rough Trade was the classic indie anthem "This Charming Man". Their appearance performing it on national TV show Top of the Pops won them an army of fans - with the song encapsulating everything great about the band, it also featured a slightly camp Morrissey swinging a bunch of gladioli around his head. Their debut self-titled album was released in 1984 and reached No.2 in the UK charts, while off-cuts compilation Hatful Of Hollow followed mere months later. Both were hugely critically acclaimed and are still thought of among the best records of the decade.

1985’s follow-up (their second proper studio album) was Meat Is Murder, which evidently took a more political stance. It reached No.1 in the UK and was again enthusiastically received by critics. In June 1986 The Smiths released their masterpiece, The Queen is Dead. With a strident opening title-track and aching, complex ballads like “I Know it’s Over” and “There is a Light That Never Goes Out”, The Queen is Dead is regularly regarded as one of the greatest albums of the last 25 years, particularly by British critics. But by this stage the band was struggling to hold everything together: disputes with the label, personality clashes and Rourke’s heroin addiction were causing fissures to appear.

By the time Strangeways, Here We Come appeared in September 1987, Marr had left and Morrissey had disbanded The Smiths. Strangeways... was another critical and commercial success, reaching No.2 in the UK charts. Morrissey went on to enjoy a successful solo career, while Marr formed the band Electronic with Bernard Sumner, collaborated with bands such as The The, Oasis and Beck, and formed his own band Johnny Marr & the Healers in 2000. In 2006 Marr joined Modest Mouse. Despite many lucrative offers from promoters, The Smiths have resisted the temptation to reform for a world tour.