We’re more than two months out from hearing Laundromat Records’ Sing Me to Sleep, a charity compilation of lullabies and other songs, but the Mystic, CT based indie label is offering up a preview of the forthcoming covers project in the meantime. Currently streaming on their online radio page is Stars’ rendition of the Smiths’ “Asleep,” the B-side to their 1985 hit single “The Boy With the Thorn In His Side,” as well as other well-chosen cover songs, including Dean & Britta’s take on the Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love” from a separate tribute album that came out in January.
It’s no wonder they’ve chosen Stars’ cover as a preview for this compilation: Amy Millan’s dreamy and forlorn lead vocal pretty much hits the indie pseudo-lullaby vibe on the head with her reverb-drenched take on Morrissey’s original. Notably absent are the Smiths’ faux-wind sound effects.
All proceeds go to children’s health care charity The Valerie Fund, so pre-order here, grab a cup of chamomile tea, and stream away here (Stars are track #17).
The Manchester District Music Archive has uncovered the first ever known Smiths live review (see below), from the City Fun fanzine, of the second Smiths gig ever (and first with their classic lineup) at Manchester’s Manhattan Sound. You could pull any number of quotes from this fascinating artifact for Smiths fans and music nerds historians to enjoy, but my personal favorite is this bit at the end, which refers to the band’s 23-year-old frontman: “If the boy’s head is anything to go by, The Smiths are going to be B-I-G.” Well played, indeed.
Between scoring Antonio Banderas-starring films, TV shows, jamming with the Cribs, and fielding a daily barrage of Smiths reunion questions, Johnny Marr has apparently found time for a one-off art film project. Well, 30 seconds at least. Southbank Centre reports that director Fiona Skinner’s entry in a competition to produce a 30-second video representing artist Ed Ruscha’s “Fifty Years of Painting” exhibition has been declared the victor.
That alone wouldn’t compel us to post, but then there’s this bit: Skinner tapped Smiths legend Johnny Marr to narrate and score the video, which pays homage to Ruscha’s piece “Noise.”
Check out Morrissey’s former guitarist’s work here or below:
No word yet on whether Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood will be following up his thrilling soundtrack to There Will Be Blood anytime soon, but we now have one more famous axe slinger-penned film score to look forward to: Ex-Smiths and current Cribs/Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr is set to write the first film score of his career, reports MovieScore (via Playlist).
According to producer Reece Pearson, Marr will compose original music for The Big Bang, “a neo-noir detective story” starring Antonio Banderas as a Los Angeles-based private eye who’s investigating the murder of a stripper.
At this point, Smiths reunion and eight figure one-off concert rumors have become just as integral to the iconic band’s legacy as their undeniably great collection of singles. And based on the few recent interviews with Morrissey and Johnny Marr I’ve read, it seems the estranged songwriting team are in agreement that it can’t hurt, at this point, to flaunt their indifference to possessing such a potential cash cow.
Check out Johnny Marr’s brilliant combination of slagging off of the same band the Smiths rebelled against in the 80s, the recently reunited Spandau Ballet, and mischievous rumor-stoking. Via Mail Online (emphasis mine):
I can’t bear the thought of a Spandau Ballet-style comeback. What’s the point? Spandau are reforming, so they put on a big chicken-in-the-basket event, which is all they amounted to in the first place. Maybe someone should pay them £20 million not to reform. Supposedly we were offered $10 million to play a handful of Smiths gigs in 2007 and I wasn’t remotely tempted. I can’t speak for Morrissey, but I know that I’m too busy right now to get the Smiths on the road again. Is that likely to change? Who knows?
Coming from a vegan, Marr’s calling Spandau Ballet a money whore via meat metaphor could make for a tough comeback (Tofurkey-in-a-basket?).
Reunion rumors surrounding The Smiths pop up at least a few times per year, but one rumor that the band were offered, according to “a published report,” $75 million to play 50 shows has refused to die out with the others. In an interview with Xfm London, Johnny Marr confirmed that there was some truth to all that talk about insanely lucrative reunion offers. Sorry to put it “all over the internet,” Johnny, but here’s the quote:
“I think we were offered 50 million dollars for three… possibly five shows,” Marr said. “It’s pretty obscene, it’s pretty gross.” Sure, Coldplay can get $2 million for a gig at the Emirates Palace, but $50 million for a handful of shows is higher than even the rumormongers could dream up.
The Smiths are definitely not reuniting, but Marr adds that “It’s absolutely nothing to do with money.” Well that’s kind of obvious at this point.
We’re more than two months out from hearing Laundromat Records’ Sing Me to Sleep, a charity compilation of lullabies and other songs, but the Mystic, CT based indie label is offering up a preview of the forthcoming covers project in the meantime. Currently streaming on their online radio page is Stars’ rendition of the Smiths’ “Asleep,” the B-side to their 1985 hit single “The Boy With the Thorn In His Side,” as well as other well-chosen cover songs, including Dean & Britta’s take on the Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love” from a separate tribute album that came out in January.
No word yet on whether Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood will be following up his thrilling soundtrack to There Will Be Blood anytime soon, but we now have one more famous axe slinger-penned film score to look forward to: Ex-Smiths and current Cribs/Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr is set to write the first film score of his career, 
At this point, Smiths reunion and eight figure one-off concert 
Reunion rumors surrounding The Smiths pop up at least a few times per year, but one rumor that the band were offered, 
