r/thesmiths

Who would you credit for The Smiths? Morrissey, Johnny, Andy, Mike, John, Joe, Stephen?

In my view, The Smiths wouldn't have happened without Johnny's drive. It was Johnny that knocked on Morrissey's door, recruited Mike and Andy, wrote the music, recorded a demo tape and got signed to Rough Trade.

Equally, there's no question that Morrissey's melodies, lyrics, and interviews brought The Smiths to the public's attention. He was the one that people related to.

Forty years later, how do you see it? Where would Morrissey be without Marr? Where would Marr be without Morrissey?

I think that without Marr's drive, Morrissey would be an author or journalist; a Manchester local celebrity known for his acerbic takedowns of popular culture. Without Morrissey's star quality, Marr would be a well-respected session musician along the lines of the Wrecking Crew.

Would it be gauche to quantify it? I'm gonna do it anyway.

• Morrissey - 32%
• Marr - 32%
• Andy - 8%
• Mike - 8%
• John - 8%
• Joe - 6%
• Stephen - 6%

I've read Morrisseys autobiography and am currently reading Johnnys. I looked up what other people have thought and many like Morrisseys more than Johnnys and Im wondering why cause Johnnys is far more interesting to me. I get Morrissey has a different way of describing things (poetically) but I found the book pre-Smiths to be boring and half the time he was describing every single TV show he'd ever watched. After the Smiths ended he talks for 50+ pages about the trial (and like 30 of those 50+ pages is him just bashing the judge and reiterating Mike saying "I cant remember") Even the part where he was in The Smiths hes just talking about how everyone wanted him gone, like he never had a single fun moment in the band and he never talks about the writing process or meanings of any of the songs. Johnnys jumps around quite a bit and isnt as poetically written but at least his book has funny moments and interesting stories (like falling through a roof, getting kissed by a guy, seeing Fleetwood Mac, skipping school, fighting a jack hammer, his beef with cats, getting arrested, friends doing drugs, ect.) Morrisseys book felt tiring to read half the time whereas Johnnys is interesting so I cant help but wonder why so many prefer Morrisseys over Johnnys?