Really fascinating and informative essay, Jami! Was never on The Smiths at all, which matters little, but I've always been curious about all those 45s and album sleeves I'd see at the stores! I feel as Morrissey and I had a similar pop cultural attraction growing up (he's 4 years younger than I): In the early-'70s, in high school, I was reading all manner of rock press, including things like "Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine," and "hip" rock mags like CREEM and Hit Parader, all of whom seemed to cover the New York "underground" scene, and non-record-making artists like John Waters, Robert Mapplethorpe, Candy Darling, Wayne County (well, she recorded!), Dallesandro, Divine, and all those absolutely fascinating people who seemed so distant and different from the sedate, suburban Houston denizen I grew up in, and was used to!
When I'd see Smiths records, I was always curious as to why Morrissey (or whomever...at the time, I only knew that he was their singer) had all those people I'd read about (and recognized from mag pix) on his sleeves! Thanks again for this enlightening article!
Those covers were brilliant as both concepts and graphic design. They often sent fans down a rabbit hole of research and discovery.
Excellent article!💕 “Louder Than Bombs” was my first Smiths album, and I never thought about the images on the covers.
Really fascinating and informative essay, Jami! Was never on The Smiths at all, which matters little, but I've always been curious about all those 45s and album sleeves I'd see at the stores! I feel as Morrissey and I had a similar pop cultural attraction growing up (he's 4 years younger than I): In the early-'70s, in high school, I was reading all manner of rock press, including things like "Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine," and "hip" rock mags like CREEM and Hit Parader, all of whom seemed to cover the New York "underground" scene, and non-record-making artists like John Waters, Robert Mapplethorpe, Candy Darling, Wayne County (well, she recorded!), Dallesandro, Divine, and all those absolutely fascinating people who seemed so distant and different from the sedate, suburban Houston denizen I grew up in, and was used to!
When I'd see Smiths records, I was always curious as to why Morrissey (or whomever...at the time, I only knew that he was their singer) had all those people I'd read about (and recognized from mag pix) on his sleeves! Thanks again for this enlightening article!
Don’t forget about us straight girls! We like sculpted butts, too! 😏
Fab history. I need to do a deep dive on them as a follow up!