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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- Morrissey - We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful - UK - 7" vinyl - £20.00, $25.20, €23.40 (New Item) (arrived 29-Apr-2024 12:36)on May 1, 2024 at 2:21 am
MORRISSEY We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (1992 UK 7" vinyl single, also including a live version of Suedehead, picture sleeve. The sleeve shows a little shelfwear whilst the vinyl shows only light signs of play POP1629)
- Morrissey - Viva Hate - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £20.00, $25.20, €23.40 (New Item) (arrived 18-Mar-2024 15:59)on May 1, 2024 at 2:21 am
MORRISSEY Viva Hate (1988 UK 12-track LP with aid from producer Stephen Street & guitarist Vini Reilly, including Suedehead & Everyday Is Like Sunday, glossy picture sleeve with lyric inner. The sleeve has some light edgewear, whilst the vinylshows minimal signs of play CSD3787)
- Morrissey - Suedehead - EX - UK - 12" vinyl - £12.00, $15.12, €14.04 (New Item) (arrived 14-Mar-2024 11:03)on May 1, 2024 at 2:21 am
MORRISSEY Suedehead (1988 UK 3-track 12" vinyl single, his debut solo single with 'Dreams Are Just Dreams' etched into the runout groove, also including the non-album recordings I Know Very Well How I Got My Name and Hairdresser On Fire, housed in picture sleeve with black die cut inner. The sleeve shows some minor edgewear and a top split due to vinyl shift whilst the vinyl remains in Excellent condition with just a few light hairlines to indicate play 12POP1618)
- Morrissey - Your Arsenal + Inner - Shrink - UK - vinyl LP - £125.00, $157.50, €146.25 (New Item) (arrived 14-Mar-2024 11:50)on May 1, 2024 at 2:21 am
MORRISSEY Your Arsenal (Scarce original 1992 UK HMV 10-track vinyl LP, housed in a great picture sleeve with picture inner. The sleeve retains it's original factory shrinkwrap and vintage price sticker and, aside from a couple of minor scuffs and hairlines, the vinyl displays light signs of play CSD3790)
- Morrissey - Bona Drag - Stickered Sleeve - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £65.00, $81.90, €76.05 (New Item) (arrived 14-Mar-2024 12:00)on May 1, 2024 at 2:21 am
MORRISSEY Bona Drag (1990 UK 14-track vinyl compilation LP, housed in the original song hype-stickered picture sleeve complete with illustrated lyric inner. The sleeve displays some minor wear and some indentations (looks like a past owner hasuse it to write on!!), and the vinyl has some minor cosmetic surface marks. Overall an excellent example CLP3788)
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