“Here’s my recollection of the first time I heard The Smiths…
I don’t have older siblings so was never able to piggy back off their taste in music and my parents didn’t seem to like music, apart from my dad, who would listen to Slim Whitman with his headphones on, scaring the bejesus out of me with his falsetto warbling when my mum was out at the bingo. My first single was, “Oh Julie” by Shakin’ Stevens and my first album was, “Absolutely” by Madness so I knew what was good for my ears! The first few Smiths appearances on Top of the Pops passed me by and it was only when I saw them on Channel 4s Euro Tube in July 1986 that I was mesmerised. “There is a light…”and, “Panic” were played and I just couldn’t get my head round why there was a school boy singing and dancing on stage.
I bought the debut album on cassette immediately and listened on my treasured red ghetto blaster until Suffer little children started. I couldn’t breathe. It was like being punched in the gut. I listened to the end of the song, goosebumps, head spinning. I ran downstairs and literally dragged the only person in the house, my mum, upstairs to listen to the song again. She hated it. Thought it was in poor taste and went back downstairs. I knew then that The Smiths were the band for me. A lifelong affair”
– Nigel Pierce
Letters to Morrissey 