Handsome Devil - Smiths Cover

[ODH]

Cover of the Smiths song from 1983.  My covers now are trying to focus on the songs that have been a big influence on me.  I'm also enjoying faster songs at the moment.

I've been a Smiths fan since '83, when I was at the famous November '83 Hacienda Manchester gig, the same night as they appeared on TOTP with This Charming Man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlCuJ4rK7A8

I've been a guitar player for more than 30 years and a Smiths fan for about the last 28 of them, still there's very few Jonny Marr tracks I can get my fingers around.  Actually I didn't realise until recording this that Andy Rourke's bass playing was so hard.

I hope you enjoy

[FuzzFace]

This is great.
How did you record the drums?
Is there an effect on the vocals?

I love the sound.

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Hi Nick, I came to appreciate the Smiths rather late in their career (it sounds like it's nearly over, I didn't mean it that way) so loved this. I think my fingers would have seized up working that bass line. Top cover job...........Willie

[ODH]

How did you record the drums?
Is there an effect on the vocals?

Drums are programmed into my Boss DR5, recorded using an insert effect on the Zoom called Pavillion. I wanted them to have a live feel. There's a different insert effect on the vocal, a mic sim of some sort.  The Zoom is pretty good for that sort of thing

[Burtog]

YES!

Covering any Smiths song takes guts, everything is so hard to get right. Great job!!

[Oldrottenhead]

great version of one of my favourite songs tho i have rather gone of stephen of late http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2011/jul/28/morrissey-likens-mcdonalds-norwegian-attacks

[Pete C]

Well done Nick - had a couple of listens and love it.  I'm a big fan of The Smiths myself and would love to do a cover but like you said its hard to copy Jonny Marr.  Andy Rourke's a great bassist too - shame he was overshadowed by Marr and Morrisey.
I know people often say The Smiths were depressing but personally I found the lyrics are often funny and I'll listen to them when I need cheering up.  With lyrics like "let me get my hands on your mammary glands" and songs like "some girls are bigger than others" I think they were a bit tongue in cheek really and everybody misunderstood them.
Sorry for rambling on but had a bit too much to drink tonight. Anyway, really great cover and time for another listen!!

[Burtog]

great version of one of my favourite songs tho i have rather gone of stephen of late http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2011/jul/28/morrissey-likens-mcdonalds-norwegian-attacks

Yeah,....Mozza is being a bit of a prick recently.


I also agree that the Smiths were misunderstood by many, humerous lyrics, very clever, they definately cheer me up..................most of the time anyway!

[ODH]

Thanks for the comments, all, had a lot of fun making the song.

I know people often say The Smiths were depressing but personally I found the lyrics are often funny and I'll listen to them when I need cheering up.  With lyrics like "let me get my hands on your mammary glands" and songs like "some girls are bigger than others" I think they were a bit tongue in cheek really and everybody misunderstood them.

My thoughts exactly.  I seem to have spent half my life defending the Smiths to people who insist they're depressing.  Personally I thing Mozza's lyrics are often laugh out loud funny and dry to the point of deadpan.  c.f. Hairdresser on Fire for example.  Pure comedy.  And when not deliberately funny, just beautifully observed, like Girl Afraid, or Pretty Girls Make Graves.  And How Soon is Now? was the title theme to my life for decades.

[ODH]

I know it's not eligible for the fest, but I'm bumping my earlier Smiths cover anyway.  Needs to be heard.