Michael Knowles / YouTube: "First Time Hearing THE SMITHS! Michael REACTS"

 

[Andy W]

Total attendance of those 19 concerts...not much. Not exactly the Steel Wheels tour.

The total is about the same amount of people J Marr plays to opening one show for New Order.

 

[National_Front_Disco]

I don’t know what your agenda is, but carry on.


My point was. That there’s plenty of Moz/Smiths reactionary videos. So why this one on the front page and not the hundred others?

Let’s start there.

The only reason I can think of is that Knowles and the Daily Wire are a pretty big deal in the American political scene. I used to watch him daily until I realised the subversive element of it all.

 

[The Wild Turkey]

Heaven "Knowles" Wild T Is
Miserable Now.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

The only reason I can think of is that Knowles and the Daily Wire are a pretty big deal in the American political scene. I used to watch him daily until I realised the subversive element of it all.

Ah, ok. Thanks.

 

[Redacted]

What the hell is that and why would anyone post it here?

 

[Roman Holiday]

And of course

You should evolve. That’s the thing. A middle rocker should never try to replicate what made him cool when he was in his 20s. I have no idea what the Stones were doing in this picture, but they look hilarious.

They do look hilarious, and it's not just that picture. Mick Jagger was doing much of the same thing throughout the 80s. Additional comedy gold: the video for the Bowie duet of Dancing In The Streets, or the Top of the Pops performance of Let's Work. Jagger and the Stones were irrelevant laughingstocks by the 80s, doing corporate-sponsored tours for nostalgic boomers.

I think it has to be true that Get Off Stage was written for the Stones. Morrissey disowns it now (he has to, because he has his own "misguided trousers") but it speaks a definite truth, and has a beautiful drunken-cabaret melody from Andy Rourke. A prophetic gem in the catalog.

 

[Girlmostlikely]

I watch this until the end because I thought there might be something significant at the end of the video and that's why M and/or company wanted to share with us. Last not much!

However… Do we really need everyone to love the Smiths?? They don't get it but we do! That's why it's so special!

Also… At least he didn't say I used to love the Smiths but now I can't listen because of Morrissey troublesome views!

 

[Gregor Samsa]

They do look hilarious, and it's not just that picture. Mick Jagger was doing much of the same thing throughout the 80s. Additional comedy gold: the video for the Bowie duet of Dancing In The Streets, or the Top of the Pops performance of Let's Work. Jagger and the Stones were irrelevant laughingstocks by the 80s, doing corporate-sponsored tours for nostalgic boomers.

I think it has to be true that Get Off Stage was written for the Stones. Morrissey disowns it now (he has to, because he has his own "misguided trousers") but it speaks a definite truth, and has a beautiful drunken-cabaret melody from Andy Rourke. A prophetic gem in the catalog.

Even though all of this is probably true, they’ve paradoxically never not been able to put on a great show. Mick’s never not been a charismatic frontman with one of the best voices in rocknroll history. So I’m conflicted.

I’m a big fan of Billy Idol (I know it’s not super cool, but I think he’s one of rock’s most underrated performers), and my biggest gripe with the Billy Idol of today is that he tries too hard to resemble and be cool in the same way as the Billy Idol of 1984. Sure, he looks very good for 69 (if you can look past his botoxed forehead), but it’s very unbecoming. John Lydon once christened him the Perry Como of punk and that’s something he should embrace. Billy is a fantastic crooner, his voice is still outstanding, and many of his songs lends themselves to that style. A dark, slightly gothic crooner, slithering his way through suggestive versions of White Wedding and Sweet Sixteen would be so much cooler than the testosterone-filled semi metal stuff he and his current (terribly flawed) band are doing now.

 

[Roman Holiday]

Even though all of this is probably true, they’ve paradoxically never not been able to put on a great show. Mick’s never not been a charismatic frontman with one of the best voices in rocknroll history. So I’m conflicted.

I guess "charismatic" is a matter of opinion. At some point Mick Jagger's dancing became a cartoonish self-parody. I think it's in the video for Start Me Up where he bobs his head and flaps his wings in a rooster strut. Anyone who doesn't laugh at it has no appreciation of physical comedy. Even in the Brian Jones days, though, the undisputed days of the Stones' cool, he was always a bit too energetically "into it" for my tastes—but then, my taste in charismatic is best summed up by Liam Gallagher c. 1994, Jagger's polar opposite.

I’m a big fan of Billy Idol (I know it’s not super cool, but I think he’s one of rock’s most underrated performers), and my biggest gripe with the Billy Idol of today is that he tries too hard to resemble and be cool in the same way as the Billy Idol of 1984. Sure, he looks very good for 69 (if you can look past his botoxed forehead), but it’s very unbecoming. John Lydon once christened him the Perry Como of punk and that’s something he should embrace. Billy is a fantastic crooner, his voice is still outstanding, and many of his songs lends themselves to that style. A dark, slightly gothic crooner, slithering his way through suggestive versions of White Wedding and Sweet Sixteen would be so much cooler than the testosterone-filled semi metal stuff he and his current (terribly flawed) band are doing now.

Interesting. I don't know if there's a good way for someone like Billy Idol to age gracefully. Full disclosure, he means a lot to me: the Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and AC/DC hits on early 80s radio were my first introduction to (and first love of) modern rock. But I haven't paid much attention to him since; ten years later I thought he was hamming it up with Rock The Crade Of Love. There's only so much you can do with a fist pump and a lip curl before you're overdoing it. I think the last time I saw him he was wearing a black trenchcoat: the wardrobe kiss of death for aging rockers. Sounds about right if he's doing "testosterone-filled semi metal." I cringed when I listened to the Andew Watt-produced Iggy Pop song. It's generic AF. For certain artists and art forms there really is something to be said for the adage "live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse." Someone like Billy Idol aged 70 is not going to be making the same level of contributions as Vladimir Nabokov aged 70.

 

[gashonthenail]

I’m a big fan of Billy Idol (I know it’s not super cool, but I think he’s one of rock’s most underrated performers), and my biggest gripe with the Billy Idol of today is that he tries too hard to resemble and be cool in the same way as the Billy Idol of 1984. Sure, he looks very good for 69 (if you can look past his botoxed forehead), but it’s very unbecoming. John Lydon once christened him the Perry Como of punk and that’s something he should embrace. Billy is a fantastic crooner, his voice is still outstanding, and many of his songs lends themselves to that style. A dark, slightly gothic crooner, slithering his way through suggestive versions of White Wedding and Sweet Sixteen would be so much cooler than the testosterone-filled semi metal stuff he and his current (terribly flawed) band are doing now.

Me too. Eyes Without A Face gets me every time.

 

[No 27]

View attachment 148563

Didn't he, though

 

[rivum]

What’s with the “OK” bit at the end?

Is that clever?

i was wondering the same thing. totally bizarre

 

[Gregor Samsa]

I guess "charismatic" is a matter of opinion. At some point Mick Jagger's dancing became a cartoonish self-parody. I think it's in the video for Start Me Up where he bobs his head and flaps his wings in a rooster strut. Anyone who doesn't laugh at it has no appreciation of physical comedy. Even in the Brian Jones days, though, the undisputed days of the Stones' cool, he was always a bit too energetically "into it" for my tastes—but then, my taste in charismatic is best summed up by Liam Gallagher c. 1994, Jagger's polar opposite.

Fair enough. I think there’s room for both, but yes, one is undeniably cooler than the other.

Interesting. I don't know if there's a good way for someone like Billy Idol to age gracefully. Full disclosure, he means a lot to me: the Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and AC/DC hits on early 80s radio were my first introduction to (and first love of) modern rock. But I haven't paid much attention to him since; ten years later I thought he was hamming it up with Rock The Crade Of Love. There's only so much you can do with a fist pump and a lip curl before you're overdoing it. I think the last time I saw him he was wearing a black trenchcoat: the wardrobe kiss of death for aging rockers. Sounds about right if he's doing "testosterone-filled semi metal." I cringed when I listened to the Andew Watt-produced Iggy Pop song. It's generic AF. For certain artists and art forms there really is something to be said for the adage "live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse." Someone like Billy Idol aged 70 is not going to be making the same level of contributions as Vladimir Nabokov aged 70.

Haha…I hear you. I think Cradle of Love is a lovely bit of retro-tinged rocknroll, though. And the Charmed Life album was a move in the right direction, I think. Maturer overall and more personal. A far cry from Rebel Yell (glorious as that album was) . Then came Cyberpunk in 1993, which of course was a cool way of saying ‘f*** off’ to the establishment, but a piss poor album it truly was. And then silence. When he came back in 2005 it was full on testosterone mode and, bar a few brilliant exceptions, he hasn’t looked back since. A damn shame, but like you say, the formula has run its course (especially since the song material is mostly way below par). I hope he acknowledges that himself soon. I want to believe he still has something to offer.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Me too. Eyes Without A Face gets me every time.

It really is a fantastic song. His entire 1980’s output is tragically unappreciated.

 

[DagenhamDan]

It really is a fantastic song. His entire 1980’s output is tragically unappreciated.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Worn to shreds, but still a classic. And that video, directed by none other than Tobe ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Hooper is a work of art!

 

[DagenhamDan]

Worn to shreds, but still a classic. And that video, directed by none other than Tobe ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Hooper is a work of art!

Should have been a big hit Gregor, and I didn't know the video was directed by Tobe Hooper, thanks

 

[Seymour Glass]

Why the f*** would anyone care about some 30 something YouTuber dork's reaction to hearing the Smiths for the first time. We are now officially looking up at rock bottom.