The Queen is Dead - Box Set

Arguably THE album of the 80's gets the full modern day box set/deluxe whatever the phrase is treatment in a brand new re-issue and cops a 10 rating from Pitchfork - a real rarity.

Don't know how many fans of The Smiths there are around here or the price point but thought it worthy of discussion here.

Here is the Pitchfork review.

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-smiths-the-queen-is-dead/amp/

Arguably THE album of the 80's gets the full modern day box set/deluxe whatever the phrase is treatment in a brand new re-issue and cops a 10 rating from Pitchfork - a real rarity.

Don't know how many fans of The Smiths there are around here or the price point but thought it worthy of discussion here.

Here is the Pitchfork review.

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-smiths-the-queen-is-dead/amp/

Love this album, as well as Meat Is Murder, Strangeways Here We Come and the wonderful compilation The World Won't Listen amongst others. Their music never dates for me. It still sounds fresh and relevant today. I love many of Morrissey's solo albums too. Saw him live twice but sadly never got to see The Smiths. I know Morrissey is a Marmite sort of artist but I love Marmite and I love Morrissey!

I freaking love them, and him, and will most definitely be purchasing this!

Another fan of The Smiths (and of marmite)!  I think they got better and better and it's a tragedy they split up so soon.  Strangeways shows them on the crest of breaking out of insularity.  "Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me" is immense, as is "Death of a Disco Dancer", and arguably "Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before" would've been their greatest single if the record company hadn't pulled it before its release.   I think I remember Bono around the time of Zoo TV admitting the Smiths were a better band than U2 and expressing his disappointment they'd split up. 

The Queen is Dead is a great album too, and the blistering version of the title track that starts "Rank" is perhaps the best example out their of how powerful they were live.  A truly cathartic song with a semi-coherent political focus: "past the pub that saps your body, past the church that snatches your money... life is very long when you're lonely."

Like Kmama I am going to look forward to getting this.

Thanks for the link an tha - Simon Reynolds was one of my favourite journalists from the mid-late 80s.

Meanwhile...

https://pitchfork.com/news/morrissey-shares-new-song-i-wish-you-lonely-listen/amp/

I've got hold of the reissue now and it has a pretty decent live show on it from Boston - is that the concert you went to, I wonder, kmama?

In his review of the reissue Simon Reynolds says the Smiths weren't very good live but I think they were once they got the extra guitarist in - which, incidentally, lots of people complained about at the time.  "Rank" is a good album and Morrissey has said it's his favourite Smiths album - probably because it brings him back good memories of the gigs.

I've got hold of the reissue now and it has a pretty decent live show on it from Boston - is that the concert you went to, I wonder, kmama?

In his review of the reissue Simon Reynolds says the Smiths weren't very good live but I think they were once they got the extra guitarist in - which, incidentally, lots of people complained about at the time.  "Rank" is a good album and Morrissey has said it's his favourite Smiths album - probably because it brings him back good memories of the gigs.

I saw them in Detroit.
Haven't made it out to get the boxed set yet....

I like - but don’t love -  the smiths. I certainly get why people love them though.


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Handshakes and maybe even hugs all round...

http://amp.timeinc.net/nme/news/music/morrissey-announces-massive-uk-tour-2018-2153888?source=dam

Handshakes and maybe even hugs all round...

http://amp.timeinc.net/nme/news/music/morrissey-announces-massive-uk-tour-2018-2153888?source=dam

😍

I won't be going to see him if the ticket prices are at his usual rate.

Disappointing he didn't do an interview on Graham Norton last night. 

I won't be going to see him if the ticket prices are at his usual rate.

Disappointing he didn't do an interview on Graham Norton last night.

£40-75 I believe which compared to what u2 have been charging lately is an absolute snip.

It also compares relatively favourably with other artists of his standing...although to be fair they are all a rip off!

Quote from: il_capo on October 28, 2017, 07:03:12 PM

I won't be going to see him if the ticket prices are at his usual rate.

Disappointing he didn't do an interview on Graham Norton last night.

£40-75 I believe which compared to what u2 have been charging lately is an absolute snip.

It also compares relatively favourably with other artists of his standing...although to be fair they are all a rip off!

U2 at least spend a great deal in stage production/visuals (whether we want them or not).  Morrissey does not.   If you're just going to go on stage and play the songs with no razzmatazz then I am not sure there is much justification for £75.  If standing is £40 that's is about the going rate for many artists of his stature, I suppose.

Quote from: an tha on October 28, 2017, 07:10:05 PM

Quote from: il_capo on October 28, 2017, 07:03:12 PM

I won't be going to see him if the ticket prices are at his usual rate.

Disappointing he didn't do an interview on Graham Norton last night.

£40-75 I believe which compared to what u2 have been charging lately is an absolute snip.

It also compares relatively favourably with other artists of his standing...although to be fair they are all a rip off!

U2 at least spend a great deal in stage production/visuals (whether we want them or not).  Morrissey does not.   If you're just going to go on stage and play the songs with no razzmatazz then I am not sure there is much justification for £75.  If standing is £40 that's is about the going rate for many artists of his stature, I suppose.

Weren't we at the thick end of £200 for some seats on the recent tour and I&E?

Sadly most artists seem to be charging more and more and of course as it increasingly becomes the primary source of making money and people are willing to pay prices will keep rising.

Quote from: an tha on October 28, 2017, 07:10:05 PM

Quote from: il_capo on October 28, 2017, 07:03:12 PM

I won't be going to see him if the ticket prices are at his usual rate.

Disappointing he didn't do an interview on Graham Norton last night.

£40-75 I believe which compared to what u2 have been charging lately is an absolute snip.

It also compares relatively favourably with other artists of his standing...although to be fair they are all a rip off!

U2 at least spend a great deal in stage production/visuals (whether we want them or not).  Morrissey does not.   If you're just going to go on stage and play the songs with no razzmatazz then I am not sure there is much justification for £75.  If standing is £40 that's is about the going rate for many artists of his stature, I suppose.

I also consider time played...and this is why I'm torn. Although I am a HUGE fan of Moz, even standing tickets are expensive (albeit in line with most acts these days) and as you point out, it's not like he has a huge stage set up. Also, the last time I saw him, someone in the crowd pissed him off and he just walked off the stage after playing for just under an hour. I was so annoyed I went back to the merch stand and refused to leave until I got a refund (ok, I was a little tipsy and was trying to prove a point). Anyhow, as it stands, I've been checking out set lists and so far he has been playing about 14 songs (one being a cover tune). For a standard GA ticket being $45 plus $12.50 "convenience charges" as well as $10-$25 for parking, I'm on the fence and honestly won't decide until night of if I will be going. Everyone can laugh at me when the day of the show I post I'm on the way to the venue....haha