re: The Smiths - Most Influential Band Since the Beatles?

I absolutely wore out the Smiths in high school, that was during their halcion days. So much so I got tired of them.

They were heavily influential on bands like Radiohead. But I think RS has over-stated as far as the bigger picture.

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The Smiths

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I'd vote Roxy Music easily (the Smiths although a nice band to me are nothing but a spinoff of this)
examples-
1973's Mother of Pearl (David Byrne from Talking Heads has even admitted that he ran with Bryan Ferrys look and sound)

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Some of the early Roxy Music songs were considered the proto-type for what would become punk

and then in 1975-Roxy Music came out with the album 'Siren'

It's considered by many to be the watershed album that ushered in New Wave-

example
Both ends Burning--remember, this was 1975!!! not 1982!!
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Roxys first 5 albums all went to #1 in the UK-that's from 1972 to 1975

everyone from U2 to Siouxie and the Banshees to the talking Heads to the Cure to the Smiths to Depeche Mode and so many more were trying to emulate these guys--

That my friend is an impact that the Smiths or any other of these bands can't even come close to.

Now, if your Talking about a guitarist and his guitar playing in a band, I can't speak on that


I'll do u one better
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LINK

just the facts ;)

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The Smiths - Most Influential Band Since the Beatles?

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i can think of 2 bands of that era, Sonic Youth and The Pixies, who were more influential.

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I'd vote Roxy Music easily (the Smiths although a nice band to me are nothing but a spinoff of this)
examples-

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now that's a well constructed argument to support a much stronger theory(I might add), and shows what a little work and effort will do to back up your claim.

Roxy certainly led during the punk/disco era on the alternative front and broke enough ground to claim some rare air.

Check out Eno at the height of his 'look at me'(killz) phase, any number of the 80's era alternate groups were spawned off the backs of greats like these, Lou Reed and Velvet Underground, Bowie and so on.

At the time the Smiths popped up many strong alt groups had arrived, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Psychedelic Furs, The Cure, to name but a few. The glam rock era melted down a nice contingent of the slicker crooning new wavers that the soft children of the 80's could handle far better than the harsh, rough edged punk of The Stooges, Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks.

If anyone can make a legitimate claim for owning the alt-wave era begginings Roxy Music.. would have one of the stronger arguments.

Would agree they had already perfected the Talking Heads sound for them by the time Byrne had become popular.

Bryan Ferry solo just killing it.

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Sonic Youth and The Pixies, who were more influential.

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I don't know about influential but I think Sonic Youth is more innovative, and underated.

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Joy Division

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easily more innovative and original than The Smiths, you could really argue they fathomed out a punk-beat style that was truly original.

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So the Smiths are the reason Rock music sucks today?

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at least the 3 hawt-goody two shoe witch girls had a nice bumper song for their TV show because of them.

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So the Smiths are the reason Rock music sucks today? Gotcha....I can see it.

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what planet do you live on? Music today is better than its been in my lifetime. There is a bit less Rock than there used to be but its still going strong.