The World of The Smiths and Morrissey by Angie J Cooke nee Lewis

RECORD COLLECTOR PRESENTS THE SMITHS A Record Collector Magazine Special Edition The cover for Record Collector Presents The Smiths A special bookazine was published in April 2022,  "Record Collector Presents The Smiths" , which unsurprisingly concerns the famed Manchester pop combo. It contains interviews with former band members, the top 100 rarities, updated reviews of their seminal albums and a look at the classic artwork used for their celebrated musical output.  I appear as part of a feature about fans and their treasured collections. My appearance in Record Collector: These Charming Fans - Angie J Cooke  https://shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/RCSMITHS/record-collector-presents-the-smiths

MORRISSEY AND I: An Imagined Conversation The Smiths Tour Poster 1986 Having given the matter a lot of thought over the years, I realise that Morrissey was beckoning to me a good while before I became a devotee of both his and The Smiths. The problem is that I wasn't quite ready yet, at least not until the year in which Mozzer launched his solo career anyway. Better late than never! 1986 - 13/14 Years Old THE SMITHS - PANIC Its infuriating catchiness appealed to the massive Pop Head that I was at the time, despite me not being a fan of The Smiths. I did like Morrissey's stance on the monarchy, however. Panic MORRISSEY: Angie! ANGIE: [Half glances in the direction of Morrissey’s voice] What? MORRISSEY: Come here! ANGIE: I'm busy! THE SMITHS - ASK I absolutely adored the video, and it was another delightfully snappy number which I was somewhat partial to. Ask MORRISSEY: Angie! ANGIE: [Pays just a wee bit more attention than last time] What is it? MORRISSEY: Come over here...

PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF POP THE BAND THAT CHANGED (AND SAVED!!) MY LIFE Dates I bought all my Smiths cassettes in 1988 from my original notebook I was 15 going on 16, it was just after I’d left secondary education in 1988 and I was waiting for my Youth Training Scheme (remember those?!) to kick in.  I’d heard of The Smiths whilst I was at school obviously as they were very successful in terms of hits and presence, but I didn’t think much to them as I had completely the wrong idea.  I didn’t mind  Ask  and  Girlfriend in a Coma , though.  I also recall approving of Morrissey’s stance on the monarchy when I realised they were just glorified benefit scroungers and fit for precisely nothing! What changed everything forever was when I first heard  Everyday is Like Sunday .   Suedehead  had intrigued me I must admit, but I was completely floored when  EILS  floated so beautifully out of the airwaves and TV scre...

EVERYDAY IS LIKE SUNDAY THE SONG THAT CHANGED MY LIFE Immediately after I left Secondary School in 1988 is the memory that springs to mind any time I hear or play the beautiful “Everyday Is Like Sunday”.  I was feeling kind of disillusioned at the time, because I was about to embark on a YTS course (quite why I didn’t just go to college and do some A-Levels I couldn’t tell you!) and I   was pretty nervous about the whole thing.   My little sister and me (with huge goggles!) back in the day I was stuck at home (in dearest Huddersfield, home of the barking mad!) with not a lot to do before I went out into the big wide world.  I was, in the meantime, listening to the radio one day when lo and behold I heard “Everyday…” for the first time.  I was instantly rendered speechless by the poignancy of Morrissey’s lyrics, and  this  would be the song that was to change my life forever, for after I came across it I became helpless...