From the NME.
The first-ever demo by The Smiths has surfaced online after the 1982 recording was placed on YouTube, apparently by their original bassist.
Snippets of ‘I Want A Boy For My Birthday’ had circulated among the band’s fan community for several years. But the version seemingly posted by early bassist Dale Hibbert is the first time the full three-minute version has been heard.
‘I Want A Boy For My Birthday’ is a cover of ’60s girl group The Cookies, who released their original version as a B-side in 1963.
Morrissey and Johnny Marr made their version in 1982 on Marr’s TEAC tape recorder so that Hibbert could learn it for the band’s first official demo recordings.
Hibbert left the band after The Smiths’ first gig as Morrissey and Marr were unhappy with his playing. He was replaced by Andy Rourke, who became the band’s permanent bassist.
The existence of the demo was only uncovered in 2013 in Simon Goddard’s Smiths biography Songs That Saved Your Life. Marr said in the book: “I’d never heard the song before, but I thought ‘Great, this will freak them out!’ I was really happy to encourage it.”
Hibbert left the music industry after The Smiths. He went on to run a bar in Manchester and now runs a vegetarian café, Kava, in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, with his wife Svet.
The leaking of the demo comes as Morrissey prepares to release his new album ‘I Am Not A Dog On A Chain’ in March. Marr recently released ‘Single Life’, a box set which compiles the ten 7″ singles he’s released as a solo artist.
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- The Smiths - Rank - Remastered 180 Gram + Poster - Sealed - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £39.99, $50.79, €46.79 (Back In Stock) (arrived 03-Dec-2023 15:43)on December 5, 2023 at 12:19 am
THE SMITHS Rank (2016 UK/EU 14-track double album 2-LP remastered and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight black vinyl. Recorded live at the National Ballroom, London, in October of 1986, roughly six months before they disbanded, these 14 songs capture The Smiths performing in full-on rock-star mode! Gatefold picture sleeve with original cover artwork photo of actress Alexandra Bastedo, designed by Morrissey. Complete with poster insert, hype sticker factory sealed. Recommended)
- The Smiths - Ask - Dutch - 12" vinyl - £40.00, $50.80, €46.80 (New Item) (arrived 28-Nov-2023 13:35)on December 5, 2023 at 12:19 am
THE SMITHS Ask (Rare 1986 Dutch 3-track 12" vinyl single on the Megadisc label, featuring the orange label design with the catalogue number 'RTT 194' & 'MD 125282' both printed, also including Cemetry Gates & Golden Lights, glossy picture sleeve featuring the Yootha Joyce artwork. Both sleeve and vinyl display minimal signs of wear or play MD125282)
- The Smiths - Panic + Inner - VG - UK - 12" vinyl - £15.00, $19.05, €17.55 (New Item) (arrived 23-Nov-2023 14:01)on December 5, 2023 at 12:19 am
THE SMITHS Panic (1986 UK 3-track 12" single, also featuring Vicar In A Tutu & The Draize Train, 'Richard Bradford' picture sleeve with turquoise die-cut inner. The sleeve shows notable edgwear in places like a seam stress at the top edge and some paper loss on the spine but nothing too excessive, the vinyl grades Excellent and has only a few light signs of play, overall an excellent example RTT193)
- The Smiths - Hand In Glove - P/S - Manchester - Solid Centre - UK - 7" vinyl - £125.00, $158.75, €146.25 (New Item) (arrived 23-Nov-2023 14:14)on December 5, 2023 at 12:19 am
THE SMITHS Hand In Glove (In Demand 1983 UK first issue 7" vinyl single, also including a live version of Handsome Devil recorded at The Hacienda in Manchester, housed in the original flipback picture sleeve with the Manchester contact addresson rear. The sleeve and vinyl are both in Excellent condition RT131)
- The Smiths - The Smiths - 2nd - UK - vinyl LP - £50.00, $63.50, €58.50 (New Item) (arrived 25-Nov-2023 11:10)on December 5, 2023 at 12:19 am
THE SMITHS The Smiths (Debut 1984 UK second press 10-track LP with 'Morrissey & Marr' label credits, 'Joe Dallesandro' picture sleeve with illustrated lyric inner. The sleeve shows minimal wear and the vinyl appears barely played ROUGH61)
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