From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V8 #162 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Sunday, August 30 2009 Volume 08 : Number 162 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [loud-fans] Smiths reissues [Markwstaples@aol.com] [loud-fans] Magnet [Markwstaples@aol.com] [loud-fans] Larry Knechtel [Markwstaples@aol.com] Re: [loud-fans] Larry Knechtel [Andrew Hamlin ] [loud-fans] Meat Is Murder/How Soon Is Now? [GlenSarvad@aol.com] Re: [loud-fans] Meat Is Murder/How Soon Is Now? ["R. Kevin Doyle" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Larry Knechtel I did know what he looked like, at least, when he was younger. But then again I'm a freak. Sure do miss Ellie Greenwich too (not to mention Ted Kennedy and Dominick Dunne), Andy "It has been related that dogs drink at the river Nile running along, that they may not be seized by the crocodiles." - --Phaedrus ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:36:58 EDT From: GlenSarvad@aol.com Subject: [loud-fans] Meat Is Murder/How Soon Is Now? I'll agree that MiM also leaves me cold; always struck me as two great songs (Headmaster Ritual and How Soon Is Now, notably the leadoff tracks of the two vinyl sides) followed by a good bit of piffle. Also found it interesting that in the UK the Smiths' next LP God Save the Queen was considered perhaps the best of the entire 80s (has time altered that view?) but I thought the less highly regarded Strangeways was the first time they put together a truly solid start-to-finish album. Gotta diverge with Miles on "How Soon is Now?" though- while it wasn't a "hit" in any traditional sense, it had an immediate and widespread cultural impact. It was *the* club hit of the year, a mainstay of college radio AND any "modern rock" station if you were in a town with such a beast, and it was almost certain to elicit a "what is that?" response from anyone who heard it. My daughter is (was) a Smallville fan and although she likes the song, it pains me to know she prefers the Love Spit Love version. Miles writes: * "How Soon Is Now?" is, to these ears, not only a great song but the best Smiths song. * MEAT IS MURDER, however, still leaves me disinterested, so much so at the time that I just about gave up on the Smiths. It seemed like a more maudlin remake of the debut, and without the appended "How Soon Is Now?" it really wouldn't have much to appeal to me. Thankfully, the Mozzer hit the right balance between pathos and self-depreciation on THE QUEEN IS DEAD and all the goodies that ended up on LOUDER THAN BOMBS. "There Is a Light" exemplifies that balance, with genuin ely moving verses and a chorus that's ridiculously, dramatically over the top. Somehow, the two tastes work together. later, Miles ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:12:11 -1000 From: "R. Kevin Doyle" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Meat Is Murder/How Soon Is Now? For what its worth, I really didn't like The Smiths until I heard "Meat is Murder," ("This Charming Man" and "What Difference Does It Make" were probably the only two songs I'd heard prior to that - my local college station was Western Connecticut's WXCI) specifically "How Soon is Now." I would, in fact, say that I was openly hostile to the band. As much as I enjoy "How Soon Is Now," I recognize that it is an atypical Smiths song. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it now 20+ years later, but its their most assertive song, both lyrically and musically. I think some of their work comes across as mopey (I'd point to "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" as the song that best captures their sound and style), while "How Soon Is Now" comes across a little as "screw all of you - I'm worthwhile, too." Heck, "How Soon Is Now" is an anthem for every shy kid who secretly yearns for, well, almost anything. On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 9:36 AM, wrote: > I'll agree that MiM also leaves me cold; always struck me as two great > songs (Headmaster Ritual and How Soon Is Now, notably the leadoff tracks of the > two vinyl sides) followed by a good bit of piffle. Also found it > interesting that in the UK the Smiths' next LP God Save the Queen was considered > perhaps the best of the entire 80s (has time altered that view?) but I > thought the less highly regarded Strangeways was the first time they put > together a truly solid start-to-finish album. > > Gotta diverge with Miles on "How Soon is Now?" though- while it wasn't a > "hit" in any traditional sense, it had an immediate and widespread cultural > impact. It was *the* club hit of the year, a mainstay of college radio AND > any "modern rock" station if you were in a town with such a beast, and it > was almost certain to elicit a "what is that?" response from anyone who > heard it. > > My daughter is (was) a Smallville fan and although she likes the song, it > pains me to know she prefers the Love Spit Love version. > > Miles writes: > > * "How Soon Is Now?" is, to these ears, not only a great song but the > best Smiths song. > > * MEAT IS MURDER, however, still leaves me disinterested, so much so > at the time that I just about gave up on the Smiths. It seemed like a > more maudlin remake of the debut, and without the appended "How Soon > Is Now?" it really wouldn't have much to appeal to me. Thankfully, > the Mozzer hit the right balance between pathos and self-depreciation > on THE QUEEN IS DEAD and all the goodies that ended up on LOUDER THAN > BOMBS. "There Is a Light" exemplifies that balance, with genuin > ely > moving verses and a chorus that's ridiculously, dramatically over the > top. Somehow, the two tastes work together. > > later, > > Miles ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:33:12 -0400 From: "Stewart Mason" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Meat Is Murder/How Soon Is Now? From: > I'll agree that MiM also leaves me cold; always struck me as two > great > songs (Headmaster Ritual and How Soon Is Now, notably the leadoff > tracks of the > two vinyl sides) followed by a good bit of piffle. Me, I'd say that "two great songs, not much else" is more descriptive of the debut, which I think has a number of fairly weak songs ("Still Ill," "Miserable Lie," etc.): some of the album tracks on MEAT IS MURDER are among my favorites on the album. > Also found it > interesting that in the UK the Smiths' next LP God Save the Queen > was considered > perhaps the best of the entire 80s (has time altered that view?) > but I > thought the less highly regarded Strangeways was the first time they > put > together a truly solid start-to-finish album. I've always been under the impression that the first Stone Roses album was the UK consensus choice for best of the '80s, although I'm of the camp that thinks THE QUEEN IS DEAD is the high point of the proper albums. (Though personally, if I'm reaching for a Smiths album, it's usually either of the singles and sessions discs, HATFUL OF HOLLOW or THE WORLD WON'T LISTEN.) 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