New British Canon

'How Soon Is Now?' The B-side that defined The Smiths (2019x2)

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The Smiths were one of the most important bands of the 80s. Fronted by a celibate crooner in love with Oscar Wilde and the New York Dolls, with their music composed by a teenaged Byrds-obsessive, they were at odds with the music of the time. To see Morrissey flouting around with some gladioli on Top of the Pops, with Johnny Marr's jangling Rickenbacker backing him up, was a Eureka moment. They weren't like other bands, and that was the point. The Smiths released four untouchable studio albums and inspired a generation of teenagers. But their prolific output's quality was not constrained to their LPs: Even their b-sides were on par with their best work.