The Smiths - The Complete Picture

Most music-lovers from the '80s will no doubt be familiar with the name 'The Smiths', though it's likely fewer will actually be able to tell you much about them, other than that the singer was a guy called Morrissey and they were British. They also seem to have released an unusually large number of 'best of' compilations for a band that recorded relatively few studio albums and were only around for a handful of years. Of course they are right on all counts, but The Smiths were a lot more than that.

Formed in 1981 by the core of the group, Stephen Patrick Morrissey (aka Morrissey, Mozzer) and Johnny Marr, the band was rounded out by bass player Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce. With Morrissey providing extraordinary lyrics to Marr’s riff-laden songs, the band quickly became a live favourite, signed to Rough Trade in 1982 and soon after released their debut self-titled album. It included Hand in Glove and the somewhat successful in Australia single, This Charming Man. The band were immediately in controversial territory over some of Morrissey’s lyrics, and while some were disturbed by his often misinterpreted words, others were totally in awe. The band quickly established a large and rabid fan base, and their popularity was boosted by the asexual and intriguing Morrissey, whose enigmatic character would forever polarise him as a depressing, yet incredibly alluring, individual.

The albums and the hits continued until the band's breakup in 1986. They released the albums Meat is Murder, The Queen is Dead, and Strangeways, Here We Come. Hit singles included How Soon is Now?, The Boy With the Thorn in His Side, There is a Light That Never Goes Out, Shoplifters of the World Unite, and Girlfriend in a Coma. If the song titles appear amusing and obscure, the lyrical content within provides hours of fun trying to learn, understand, and dissect. Riddled with possible clues as to the identity of the real Morrissey, few, if any, have managed to convincingly unmask his true identity as such, nor probably ever will.

The band's career is a fascinating tale of drug addiction, bad record deals, inept managers, poor touring schedules, in-fighting, and personal scandal, but the music was never less than brilliant. The uneasy alliance between Morrissey and Marr was the stuff that legend is made of, and The Smiths have certainly became a music legend. Their solo careers are just as intriguing, particularly that of Morrissey, but more of that another day.

The Smiths - The Complete Picture is anything but the complete picture, but no self-respecting fan could possibly pass over this title. It includes 12 clips, combining traditional promo video clips, some mimed Top of the Pops performances, and the short Derek Jarman directed film, The Queen is Dead. While it is a fascinating journey through the band's history, it cannot come close to being in any way definitive or indicative of who The Smiths were, or why they are still loved by so many. What it will do, however, is give a glimpse of what The Smiths could do, seemingly, with ease. They were the darlings of moody and depressed teenagers everywhere, but don't let that fool you. Just as they could bring the mood down with some depressing lyrics juxtaposed with catchy melodies, they could just as easily turn on the charm, and wit, and make you smile with clever, biting, and satirically sharp observations on life. Musically, things don't get much better than The Smiths.

Track listing...

As should be expected with any video compilation from the '80s, the video quality is quite dramatic in its variety, but all are presented in full frame and therefore not 16:9 enhanced. Some of the band's earliest clips such as This Charming Man are badly affected by grain and are looking a little faded. They were not 'big-money' productions to start with, so when the source material is this old and low quality, well there's little point in expecting miracles.

The Top of the Pops performances are a little sharper and again full frame. Being recorded for television they are straightforward affairs and are not exactly visually exciting, but it's always fun to see Morrissey toying with the crowds and the cameras. At the very least they are clean and unmarked.

Some of the clips also have some minor artefacts, but are generally clean. The video for How Soon is Now? is deliberately poor and extremely soft and grainy – it’s called ‘art’. There is no evidence of shimmer, and colours, while varied, are generally solid with just the slightest evidence of bleeding in some of the older videos.

The audio is a solid and clear Linear PCM 48/16 that has quite an impressive range. There is a crispness to the vocals and guitars, and the bass and drums sound well balanced and fill out the bottom end nicely.

There are no obvious problems with audio synch, and Morrissey's intriguing lyrics are clear and audible. This is slightly better than listening to a good CD copy, and as long as you are not expecting a 5.1 mix, there should be no disappointment.

As for extras, "So, Ask Me, Ask Me, Ask Me" and I'll tell you, Frankly, Mr. Shankly, there are none...

The obvious drawback with this DVD is the running time, and at just under 48 minutes it's likely to cause many fans to question whether it offers value for money. There is nothing included that is particularly groundbreaking, though real fans will delight watching Mozzer and the boys in any way, shape, or form. Given that many never saw The Smiths in action, and a Morrissey concert experience is a rare event, then this will have to do. Still, after all is said and done "...the pleasure, the privilege is mine."