The Smiths: BBC Radio One 1986 [RADIO BROADCAST]

Why you'll love it

It catches the band in their biggest year, with five songs from The Queen Is Dead and the 1986 singles "Panic" and "Ask." Johnny Marr's guitar and Morrissey's baritone are front and centre across both sides.

About the album

1986 was the year The Smiths stopped being merely important and became untouchable. The Queen Is Dead arrived in June to rave reviews, the singles kept coming, and for a spell the band even grew to a five-piece with second guitarist Craig Gannon. This LP gathers performances broadcast on BBC Radio One that year, catching the band at the height of their powers, loose, loud and clearly enjoying themselves.

The title track opens with all its swagger, and "Bigmouth Strikes Again," "Cemetry Gates," "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" and "I Know It's Over" follow from the same album. "Panic" and "Ask" are here too, alongside newer songs "Is It Really So Strange?" and "London," and the older "Still Ill." Marr's bright, chiming playing and the rhythm section of Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce sound tremendous in the room.

Manchester's finest started out on the independent Rough Trade label and ended up shaping indie rock, jangle pop and Britpop for generations. We've had this one on in the shop more than once, and nobody has asked us to cheer up yet.

Also at Kops: more The Smiths on vinyl · browse Alternative

Tracklist

Listen

On Radio Broadcast (cat# RB17), a reissue of the 1986 album.