Product Description

When The Smiths emerged from Manchester in 1983, Kevin Cummins was ideallyplaced to record the group's progress. The former art and design student hadbeen framing bands in his hometown from the late 70s onwards, carving out a
niche as the city's music photographer laureate. His portraits of the lateIan Curtis, frontman with the influential Joy Division, had helpedimmortalise the singer around the world. As far as local boy turnedsemi-tragic hero was concerned, Smiths singer Morrissey was Curtis's more
flamboyant successor and as The Smiths turned into one of the great British bands of the 80s, bringing poetry, miserablism, celibacy chic and gladioli waving to a grey post-punk music scene, it was entirely natural that
Cummins would become one of their most intimate and astute visual chroniclers. Cummins did their publicity stills, shot countless features for the NME and other magazines, tracked their gigs and travelled the world with Morrissey, Marr,
Rourke and Joyce. The arch conceptualiser in Cummins and the
self-mythologiser in Morrissey was a fecund combination, producing photos which transcend their status as memorabilia. The Smiths by Cummins may not be the last word on the band, but it's certainly the last transparency.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #270719 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Customer Reviews

Re-issue, Re-package, Re-package!
With a title such as 'The Smiths and Beyond' your expectations are high from the start. After reading the book three times or more, I've concluded that a more accurate title would be, 'Morrissey in 1991 and random shots of Johnny Marr.'

There are relatively few shots of the Smiths as a group and no shots of either Mike Joyce or Andy Rourke after 1983. (Although I think there was a picture of a lawnmower on page 35. Does that count?)

Those of you who are long-time fans are bound to have seen 90% of the pictures published elsewhere; in the "NME", online or even on the Morrissey T-shirt you're wearing right now. That having been said, the other 10% of the photos unearthed provide a very pleasant surprise.

As a Smiths and Morrissey fan I haven't followed Electronic; the band that is a collaboration of Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr. Seeing photos of them provided a small albeit incomplete picture of the group.

Some my favorite shots in the The Smiths and Beyond are those not of Morrissey himself, but shots that tell the tale of Morrissey's appeal and fandom; such as: The two old lady fans at the Wolverhampton show December 1988, Japanese fans waiting patiently outside the venue and fans in Wembely arena July 1991.

The photographs of Morrissey on stage, of course, are wonderful and I can't help feeling a ping of jealously that after attending so many Morrissey shows I still haven't been able to capture Morrissey in the same iconic light that Cummins has.

Would I have bought this book if I didn't get it for free? Probably not; but then again I am not a collector. I don't own "Morrissey Shot" a book of photography by former Ludus singer, Linder Sterling who covers the same era of Morrissey's career as Cummins but somewhat more brilliantly.

There's no doubt that Kevin Cummins is a masterful photographer as he has captured the essence of Morrissey on and off stage.

This type book, however, is best suited for those Morrissey disciples who became fans after the "Your Arsenal" era as it provides a nice bit of visual history.

Perhaps my inherit disappointment in the book lies with the fact that I want to see, hear and experience new Morrissey songs/photographs rather than hear/see same ones over and over. Re-issue, re-package, re-package. Stop me if you've think that you've heard this one before...

That Charming Man
If you like The Smiths whether you know it or not you will all ready be familiar with the photographs taken by Kevin Cummins. The most iconic images of Morrissey are all authored by Cummins. The Edith Sitwell quiff, the gladioli in the back pocket, the shirt unbuttoned to the waist. This book contains some familiar photos and also some not so. As the title suggests the photos don't just cover the life of the Smiths but also show Morrissey, Marr and the lads in life after The Smiths. It's not your typical rock photo book. The layout is careful and considered and the pictures are fabulously reproduced on good quality matt finish paper. The words are few but evocative. The fan shots are particularly lovely especially the beaming Japanese guy with his big banner 'Marry Me'. This book is a must for Smiths fans everywhere and for anyone who likes to see well composed, strong images. There is a lovely warm introduction to the book by Danny Kelly and a few reminiscences from the photographer. It had me digging out my old Smiths records. A gem and a bargain...

wonderful smiths book
we have a limited signed original photo by kevin cummings of morrissey and this book is another fine example of his superb work - we are loving this book