Smiths, The

Smiths, The, British rock group from Manchester, the most influential of the British independent (“indie”) bands of the 1980s.

Morrissey (born Steven Patrick Morrissey, vocals) and Johnny Marr (born John Maher, guitar) formed the Smiths in 1982, with Mike Joyce (drums) and Andy Rourke (bass) joining later. Morrissey had previously worked as a music journalist, and Marr had played with several other Manchester bands. The Smiths released their debut single “Hand in Glove” in 1983, and their debut album The Smiths (which reached number two in the United Kingdom chart) in 1984. Their first No. 1 album was Meat is Murder (1985). In 1986 the band released The Queen is Dead, a sly and varied album exploring Morrissey’s obsession with a lost England. Marr’s growing reputation as a guitarist won him session-work with established stars (including Bryan Ferry and Paul McCartney) as the Smiths recorded their final album, and when Strangeways Here We Come was released in 1987, the band had already broken up.

The Smiths deliberately chose an unremarkable name, used few pictures of the band on promotional material, and signed to a major label only at the end of their career. Articulate and self-consciously unfashionable, Morrissey’s lyrics dealt with subjects not generally associated with pop music (the victims of the Moors Murderers, Oscar Wilde, the monarchy, and animal rights), and Marr’s subtly innovative music brought a new intelligence to rock guitar.