Steven Patrick Morrissey known simply as Morrissey, came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band The Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. His distinctive lyrics have recurring themes of sexual longing, emotional isolation, self-deprecation, dark humour and anti-establishment stances. He grew up in Manchester and developed a love of literature, kitchen sink realism and 1960s pop music. He formed The Smiths with Johnny Marr in 1982.
Morrisey was in no doubt as to the importance of album and single covers. Following on from watching the power of punk, he was keen to proclaim his personal feelings on vegetarianism, celibacy and anti-royalism not only with his music but in carefully controlling the visual aspect of The Smiths’ brand too.
Brought up in the north he had a natural passion for Manchester and famous 1960s northerners such as Rita Tushingham (from his beloved film A Taste Of Honey of 1961) and Albert Finney. Northern female figures to grace future Smith’s album covers included Shelagh Delaney author of A Taste of Honey, Pat Phoenix and Elsie Tanner from his favourite television programme as a child - Coronation Street.
But he had a fascination for London too. A bit like Peter Blake he was drawn to the capital’s boxing rings, criminals and film stars. This was alongside his intellectual appreciation of Edith Sitwell, Oscar Wilde and Truman Capote, (used on the cover of The Boy With The Thorn In His Side from 1985) and more sensuous feelings for James Dean (Bigmouth Strikes Again, 1986), Elvis (Shoplifters Of The World Unite, 1987), and Billy Fury (Last Night I Dreamt That somebody Loved Me, 1987). All of which feel very Hockneyian.
To take full control of The Smiths imagery, he worked with graphic artist Jo Slee to create monochrome ‘news’ images with heroically camp homoerotica at the fore. Their record label, Rough Trade, seemed happy to give them pretty much free rein. Morrissey and Slee wanted to ensure a continuity across the band’s music cover output and were influenced by French matinee film stars and Andy Warhol’s imagery from his film work. From their debut single, Hand in Glove in 1983, each album and single release would be anticipated by die-hard fans as to who would adorn the next cover.
During Morrissey’s subsequent solo career, the cover star motif was ditched in favour of iconic shots of the singer himself, many by his friend and former flat mate Linder Sterling.
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