The Smiths Fun Facts, Quotes and Tweets
11th December 2014
Quote: "It's nonsense. We weren't boring or miserable. It's like saying ballet is s**t or Bono is a t**t. Ballet is amazing and they don't know Bono. People like easy targets." Former The Smiths drummer Mike Joyce hits back at critics who brand the group miserable.
23rd May 2014
Fact: Fans serenaded rocker Morrissey by singing a rendition of Happy Birthday during his concert in Dallas, Texas on Thursday (22May14) to celebrate the former The Smiths singer turning 55.
12th May 2014
Tweet: "Ok, Let's get the guitars out." Former The Smiths star Johnny Marr has suggested he and pal Noel Gallagher are planning to record a Manchester City victory anthem after watching their favourite soccer team clinch the English Premier League trophy on Sunday (11May14). Marr posted a photo of the two rockers at Sunday's 2-0 victory over West Ham United in Twitter.com.
3rd January 2014
Quote: "I've not read (Morrissey's) book, and I never will. I've got a pretty good idea of what's in there. I don't want to go down that route of putting out a statement saying this or that is wrong." Former The Smiths drummer Mike Joyce has no desire to read his ex-bandmate's hit memoir.
17th November 2013
Fact: Guitarist Johnny Marr staged a mini-The Smiths reunion onstage in New York on Saturday night (16Nov13) when he introduced former bandmate Andy Rourke to join him at the Webster Hall in Manhattan. The bassist accompanied Marr on two Smiths songs, How Soon Is Now? and Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want. It's the second time the two old pals have shared a New York stage together this year - Rourke performed with Marr at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn back in May (13).
20th September 2013
Quote: "The oddest one was that Russian girl duo t.A.T.u. who did a version of How Soon Is Now? That was puzzling. It was all right, trite pop, but there's a place for that." Former The Smiths star Johnny Marr was baffled by the Russian pop duo's cover of his band's signature song.
17th September 2013
Quote: "I've always had a blind spot to the music of Queen... I'm sure they're nice fellas but it never did anything for me at all. Perhaps it's because it's very choral and written on piano. I just couldn't click with it. I like Brian May, I just don't like Queen." Former The Smiths star Johnny Marr isn't a fan of Queen.
14th August 2013
Quote: "Such sad news about the death of Jon Brookes. Like all of The Charlatans Jon was one of the good guys. Love and respect". The Smiths veteran Johnny Marr pays tribute to British drummer Jon Brookes, who lost his battle with brain cancer on Tuesday (13Aug13), aged 44.
25th October 2012
Fact: Former The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is set to join grunge stars Dinosaur Jr. onstage in New York to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band's classic album You're Living All Over Me. Dinosaur Jr. will mark the occasion by performing the 1987 album in its entirety during the first part of their show at Terminal 5 in December (12).
19th June 2012
Fact: Former The Smiths star Morrissey has landed Iggy Pop & The Stooges as his support act for an upcoming November (12) gig at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
30th November 2011
Fact: A special edition of Mojo magazine in December (11) will contain never-before-seen photographs from inside the London home of The Smiths rocker Morrissey during the band's 1980s heyday.
5th August 2011
Fact: The Smiths' classic songs are to be turned into comic books. Lyrics from 13 of the cult British band's back catalogue are to be reworked as comic strips for artist Shawn Demumbrum's new venture. Demumbrum says, "There was always something about the Smiths' Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want. It tapped into my teenage psyche, a combination of loneliness and yet hopeful optimism, that only Morrissey's vocals seem to capture."
2nd March 2011
Fact: Former The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is to release two solo albums before the end of 2012 - his first records under his own name since 2003's Boomslang.
24th November 2010
Fact: Lil Wayne pays tribute to cult British band The Smiths on the cover of his new album I AM NOT A HUMAN BEING - the rapper sports a t-shirt bearing the words, "And if the people stare, then the people stare" - a lyric from the group's 1983 debut single HAND IN GLOVE.
11th August 2010
Fact: The Cribs rockers RYAN and GARY JARMAN have posed in drag for the cover of their new single, Housewife. But their guitarist, former The Smiths star Johnny Marr, refused to don a dress for the shot.
23rd September 2009
Quote: "It's not necessarily the case that we're not talking. We have email... Who's got time for a feud? Right now I have got screwdrivers inside guitars, my car broke down yesterday... I've got no time for a feud." Former The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has ended his war of words with former bandmate Morrissey.
27th June 2009
Quote: "The most valuable in my collection is Morrissey from The Smiths as I just love his music." British comic David Walliams collects the autographs of his idols.
21st March 2009
Quote: "I do get mistaken for Morrissey. Not so much these days but I used to a lot." SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE director Danny Boyle reckons he's the spitting image of the former The Smiths frontman.
13th November 2008
Fact: Red Hot Chili Peppers star John Frusciante has recruited bandmate Flea and former The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr for his new solo album THE EMPYREAN.
19th September 2008
Fact: Former The Smiths star Morrissey has penned the afterword for legendary rock photographer BOB GRUEN's new book about the New York Dolls. The Brit is a major fan of the reunited glam punk band.
28th November 2007
Fact: Primal Scream star MANI and former The Smiths bassist ANDY ROURKE will mark the fifth anniversary of the death of Clash frontman Joe Strummer on 22 December (07) at a tribute show, called LONDON CALLING: REMEMBERING JOE STRUMMER, in Brixton, London.
29th August 2007
Quote: "There was a minor scare when this one guy said, 'I actually want to stab you, but he didn't look like the sort that would be agile with a knife." Celebrity DJ MARK RONSON admits not everyone was a fan of his remix of The Smiths' STOP ME IF YOU THINK YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE.
24th August 2007
Fact: Morrissey's publicist has confirmed the singer refused a $75 million (GBP37.5 million) offer to tour with Johnny Marr as The Smiths in 2008 and 2009.
26th March 2007
Fact: Legendary British record label Rough Trade is to open the country's largest music-only store in London's East End. The company, which launched the career of veteran rockers The Smiths, will also use the shop as a music venue promoting "exciting new music".
27th September 2005
Quote: <p>"I'll be shot - probably by one of the ex-Smiths." Former The Smiths frontman Morrissey predicts his own demise. </p>
The Smiths
