Why the Smiths Are a Culturally Significant Band
‘For the most part products are disposable, but just for that extra one song that changes your direction in life, the importance of popular music cannot be stressed enough’ – Steven Patrick Morrisey (Goddard, 2004 – p271)
Why The Smiths are a culturally significant band.
Introduction
80’s Britain can easily be considered one of the most controversial social/political decades of the latter half of the 20th century. The years leading up to this decade manifested the ‘troubles’ in Ireland, Communist threats from Russia and recession once again taking hold of Britain’s economy; all of which would then be politically capitalized upon by one of Britain’s most controversial political leaders. The late Margret Thatcher. Of course, with the UK’s first female Prime Minister being appointed in 1979, issues relating to gender and sexism played on the minds of many. But with Britain in deep recession, perhaps the biggest controversy was yet to come.
At the dawn of Thatcher’s reign, the dramatic rise in unemployment was met with tax raises and spending cuts and other controversial ideological concepts like ‘the right to buy’ (which, with the subsequent rise in mortgage interest rates, left many of the country’s poorest out of pocket). By ‘81 rioting broke out in London and other cities in the north of England, an apparent backlash to the country’s state of affairs. By ‘83 the rate of unemployment exceeded the 3 million mark, the worst Britain had seen since the 1930’s. The already dubbed ‘Iron Lady’ and her Conservative Party displayed no signs of backing down on their austerity measures, and the working classes went unheard.
Thus, it is perhaps to be expected at a time of such uncertainty that the disenfranchised masses of Britain may be able to seek solace in the popular music of the times? The 70’s, after all, saw Punk strike out against the establishment and give a voice to the people, an expression of youthful anger and rebellion, with the likes of The
Why The Smiths are a culturally significant band.
Introduction
80’s Britain can easily be considered one of the most controversial social/political decades of the latter half of the 20th century. The years leading up to this decade manifested the ‘troubles’ in Ireland, Communist threats from Russia and recession once again taking hold of Britain’s economy; all of which would then be politically capitalized upon by one of Britain’s most controversial political leaders. The late Margret Thatcher. Of course, with the UK’s first female Prime Minister being appointed in 1979, issues relating to gender and sexism played on the minds of many. But with Britain in deep recession, perhaps the biggest controversy was yet to come.
At the dawn of Thatcher’s reign, the dramatic rise in unemployment was met with tax raises and spending cuts and other controversial ideological concepts like ‘the right to buy’ (which, with the subsequent rise in mortgage interest rates, left many of the country’s poorest out of pocket). By ‘81 rioting broke out in London and other cities in the north of England, an apparent backlash to the country’s state of affairs. By ‘83 the rate of unemployment exceeded the 3 million mark, the worst Britain had seen since the 1930’s. The already dubbed ‘Iron Lady’ and her Conservative Party displayed no signs of backing down on their austerity measures, and the working classes went unheard.
Thus, it is perhaps to be expected at a time of such uncertainty that the disenfranchised masses of Britain may be able to seek solace in the popular music of the times? The 70’s, after all, saw Punk strike out against the establishment and give a voice to the people, an expression of youthful anger and rebellion, with the likes of The
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