THE SMITHS ON BRITISH TELLY (Part 20)

"We really want to by-pass the whole video market.  I think it's something that's going to die very quickly and I want to herald the death of that."

January 1984.  An interview with Tony Fletcher for 'The Tube' Telly programme.  Recorded at The Hacienda.  Listen to Moz's statement at around 1 minute 50 seconds:-



Fast forward 18 months.

Diehard fans - and I was one of them - felt letdown when a promo for The Boy With The Thorn In His Side was made - and doubly let down when the finished product was so desperately dull and ordinary.

 It was I suppose understandable that a promo was made. Recent singles hadn't performed nearly as well in the charts and with the band doing more touring than ever before, it was worth having something in the bank for use on Top of The Pops instead of racing down to the London studio for a mimed performance.

 Which makes this performance from 3 October 1985 all the more strange:-

  Here's this week's fun covered cover version:-

 mp3 : Bis - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

 And here's a solo version from 11 May 2007, recorded at the Orpheum Theatre, Omaha, Nebraska.*

mp3 : Morrissey - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

Part 21 will be in its rightful place next week....

* Say what you want about the great man, but his devotion to taking music to the masses and to towns and cities that so few stars don't dare to go has to be applauded.