Smiths 1983 Rare Rehearsal Recordings Surface Online
If you thought yesterday's posting of a Nine Inch Nails documentary from the mid-90s was nostalgic bliss, your mind is about the be blown. You're about to slide down the rainbow and belly-flop into a huge pot of gold, as a 39-minute rehearsal recording, titled 'The Pablo Cuckoo Tape,' from the Smiths has surfaced online. Drummer Mike Joyce even tweeted about the unearthed gems -- posted by an anonymous user -- and said that he thought he was the only one who collects such classic and "lost" material.
Here's the vital info: The 'Pablo Cuckoo Tape' was made in 1983, just as Joyce, singer Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr and bassist Andy Rourke were preparing to record the Smiths' self-titled debut album. The sound quality is poor, but as Joyce reveals, that's because the tape recorded on the floor in the practice space. Not exactly state of the art, but it's certainly real and raw.
The NME reports that the tape was supposedly recorded in the Crazy Face jeans warehouse in Manchester, a shop owned by their then-manager, Joe Moss. The Smiths apparently recorded their practice in order to give producer Troy Tate some idea of what he would be working with before the band entered the studio to start its debut. As Smiths diehards know, Tate was eventually replaced by John Porter, though his original recordings have been widely bootlegged.
'The Pablo Cuckoo Tape' Track Listing:
'You've Got Everything Now'
'Accept Yourself'
'What Difference Does It Make?'
'Reel Around The Fountain'
'These Things Take Time'
'I Don't Owe You Anything'
'Hand In Glove'
'Handsome Devil'
'Miserable Lie'