Iggy on MORRISSEY and the Smiths

Taken from Morrissey-solo.com via http://simongoddardwords.blogspot.com/2010/03/pop-apostle.html :

“So much of that which has earned duckets in the rock industry of the late 80s plods. The Smiths did not plod!”

So said Iggy Pop when I interviewed him a few weeks ago. After a cheerful chat about everything from vacuum cleaners to skiing I pressed his thoughts on those brightest of northern lights. Iggy & The Stooges’ 1973 album Raw Power was a major influence on The Smiths; specifically Johnny’s riffs for Hand In Glove (via Gimme Danger) and Never Had No One Ever (via I Need Somebody) while last year Morrissey also chose Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell among his Desert Island Discs.

I wondered if the respect was mutual, and it is. Iggy saw The Smiths play the London Palladium on 26 October 1986. “A beautiful old theatre with boxes,” Iggy recalled. “It was wonderful. One of those 10 or 12 music shows that I’ve seen in my life that can fulfil the idea of how great it can be.” He added that he “really admired the whole group”, praising Morrissey’s lyrics, Marr’s “incredible use of melody” and deeming Rourke and Joyce “a nice, natural swinging rhythm section.”

Thats great, we always knew the man has taste. Having seen the Smiths live on 3 occasions I can only echo the sentiments. Johnny Marr is a guitar master.

krugersoldier wrote:

Thats great, we always knew the man has taste. Having seen the Smiths live on 3 occasions I can only echo the sentiments. Johnny Marr is a guitar master.

I am surprised I never picked up on the similarities between those tunes. It is pretty obvious on both, but more so on Never Had No One Ever.