Televised interviews and specials

 

27 January 1984 - The Tube (UK, Channel 4)
Morrissey was interviewed by Tony Fletcher at the Hacienda. Morrissey announced that "We have an album released on February 20th and I really do expect the highest of critical praise for it. It's a very, very good album. I think it's a signal post in music." A clip of "This Charming Man" from The Tube was shown.

circa Feb-March 1984 - Good Morning Britain (UK, TV-AM/ITV)
Morrissey interviewed by Paul Gambaccini, with Henry Kelly and Toni Arthur. Topics: band name, the Smiths' approach to music, music videos.

25 May 1984 - Eight Days A Week (UK, BBC2)
George Michael, Tony Blackburn and a very uncomfortable Morrissey get together to review singles (inc Everything But The Girl), books and films.

26 May (or April?) 1984 - Pop Quiz (UK, BBC1)
Game show with appearance of Morrissey as a contestant.

June 1984 - South Of Watford (UK)
Morrissey interview, talking about videos and music.

19 June 1984 - The Tube (UK, Channel 4)
Short Morrissey interview from the Glastonbury festival.

7 July 1984 - Earsay (UK, Channel 4)
Morrissey interview, edited down to 10 minutes. The whole unbroadcast 45 minutes interview has since appeared on bootleg videos/dvds. Topics: family, celibacy, fans, school, childhood, fame, loneliness, the third sex, religion and the plans for the Smiths' future. This broadcast has often been erroneously dated 7 June 1984, but this is not possible because in the full-length interview Morrissey discusses the Smiths appearance at the Glastonbury festival which took place on 23 June 1984.

25 August 1984 - Rock Around The Clock (UK)
Morrissey collects votes by telephone for videos.

12 February 1985 - Whistle Test (UK, BBC2)
An eight minute feature promoting the release of the "Meat Is Murder" album. It's all a bit set up, with the band and Stephen Street at Fallout Shelter putting the finishing touches to the album. The highlights are a full version of "Nowhere Fast" (mimed to the already recorded version) and excerpts of "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore", "Rusholme Ruffians" and "I Want The One I Can't Have". Interview by Mark Allen. Filmed in December 1984.

21 February 1985 - Pebble Mill At One (UK)
Morrissey is interviewed about new video releases.

21 February 1985 - Granada Reports (UK, Granada TV)
The Smiths are interviewed by Tony Wilson during rehearsals for the upcoming Meat Is Murder Tour.

22 March 1985 - Oxford Road Show (UK, BBC2)
Morrissey takes the audience on a tour through his childhood: Old Trafford and Stretford, St. Wilfred's and the secondary school where the events behind "The Headmaster Ritual" were set.

18 May 1985 - Madrid (Spain)
15 minutes interview of Morrissey and Johnny Marr.

24 May (or April?) 1985 - Studio One (UK, ITV)
"Still Ill" and "Barbarims Begins At Home" clips from a March 1984 appearance on The Tube were shown alongside a clip of "Meat Is Murder" made from footage of cows being slaughtered in an abattoir. Morrissey was interviewed by Muriel Grey. He is confronted with an astrologer who comes to the conclusion that Morrissey is a shy person who sees himself as a "flag bearer for future values".

June 1985 - (USA, MTV)
Following the broadcast of the video for "How Soon Is Now?", Morrissey answers questions about music, money, art and celibacy.

July 1985 - A Uan Ba Buluba Balam Bambu (Spain)
Band interview on their coach. "William, It Was Really Nothing" live from the May Madrid show was shown.

28 July 1985 - Liner Notes (USA, MTV)
A three minute interview with Morrissey. This may or may not be the short segment originally broadcast under the title "Getting Serious with the Smiths".

October 1985 - Metropolis (Spain)
Smiths history including bits of interviews of the Smiths while walking around Madrid. Followed by the Spanish television debut of the "Boy With The Thorn In His Side" video.

October 1985 - The Cutting Edge (USA, MTV)
Morrissey interviews himself (60 minutes). This might be called "Morrissey in the Room", a special in which Morrissey was all alone in a room with a video camera, answering questions that he might have pulled out of a box.

4 October 1985 - Arsenal (Spain)
60 minutes of live footage from the 16 May 1985 concert in Barcelona, interspersed with interviews with Morrissey and Johnny Marr, and studio material. Topics: the position of the Smiths in the current music scene, the cover art on Smiths releases, the punk movement, Joy Division and dead groups, Sandie Shaw, free time, Ben & Tracy, making videos. Click on date link above for more information about the live footage. A re-edited 40-minute version of this was broadcast in 2001.

25 October 1985 - The Tube (UK, Channel 4)
Morrissey in conversation with Margi Clarke at Glasgow Barrowlands on 25 September 1985 with soundchecks and live songs from that evening's gig, notably "Hand In Glove", "Meat Is Murder", "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" and Shakespeare's Sister.

27 October 1985 - I.R.S. The Cutting Edge (USA)
A nine minute interview with Morrissey, with the video for "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side".

November 1985 - I.R.S. The Cutting Edge (USA)
Another three minutes of an earlier interview (see 27/10/85, same program)

August 1986 - New Video Hour (USA)
Short clip of Morrissey talking about the Derek Jarman and John Maybury videos.

September 1986 - Rock'n'Roll Evening News (USA, MTV)
Clip featuring live footage from the recent San Diego show

November 1986 - Les Enfants Du Rock (France)
Short interview of Morrissey with footage of the Smiths at Brixton Academy on the 24 October 1986.

1 October 1986 - Eleventh Hour (UK)
A feature on the Red Wedge movement included an interview with Johnny Marr. Rebroadcast 15 December 1986.

23 January 1987 - The Tube (UK)
Morrissey interviews Shaun Duggan, writer of a play titled "William" which was based on the Smiths' song "William It Was Really Nothing".

9 May 1987 - Rage / Rock Arena (Australia)
Johnny Marr interview with a few promo videos and live songs taken from the Old Grey Whistle Test and Elektron Pop.

9 May 1987 - Addicted To Style (USA, MTV)
Three minute interview of Morrissey about favourite shirts.

4 October 1987 - Rock Of Europe (aka Music Box) (Holland, Superchannel)
40-minute Morrissey interview by Sunie. Excerpts from the 1986 gig in Carlisle were also shown.

18 October 1987 - The South Bank Show (UK, ITV)
Documentary including live footage. The timing for this documentary couldn't have been better. It was prepared earlier in the year, but presented shortly after the split of the band. Contains interviews of Morrissey, Marr, Joyce and Rourke, as well as Linder, Shaun Duggan, Jo O'Keefe, John Peel, Nick Kent, Sandie Shaw and Viv Nicholson.

20 October (or May?) 1987 - Network (UK, BBC)
This short film about television pop music programmes includes Morrissey giving his viewpoints on the state of pop music.

20 November 1987 - In Conversation
Morrissey interview.

14 October 1989 - Rapido
Includes a Johnny Marr interview with clips.

early 1990s - Spotlight (Canada, Muchmusic)
Videos by the Smiths interspersed with interview of Morrissey and Marr taken from a promo interview VHS sent to media around the time of release of "Strangeways Here We Come".

30 May 1998 - O-Zone (UK, BBC2)
Coverage of the 1998 Ivor Novello Awards where Morrissey won the Lifetime Achievement Award. Features a clip of Morrissey recieving the award and dedicating it to "John Maher of Wythenshawe". Presenter Rajesh Mirchandani asks Morrissey "How did you get to where you are today?" Morrissey "The 138 to Streatham Hill". Morrissey also comments on how nice it is to win an award and how the Brit Awards are "Fixed"..

9 October 1998 - Television special on the Manchester music scene (UK)
Includes a short interview of Mike Joyce.

22 January 1999 - Young Guns Go For It (UK, BBC2)
"Young Guns Go For It: The Rise And Fall Of The Smiths" is a documentary including footage and interviews of Johnny Marr, Mike Joyce, Andy Rourke as well as other key players in the band's story. Also included are old bits of interviews with Morrissey. This was rebroadcast in 2001 with extra footage on the UK Horizons channel.
Watch offsite at Morrissey-solo

29 August 1999 - John Peel Night: Peel's Sound Of The 80s And 90s (UK, BBC2)
Includes a brief interview with Johnny Marr on how important the Peel sessions were for the Smiths. Clips of "This Charming Man" from Top Of The Pops were also shown.

9 October 2000 - Cover Stories (UK, Granada)
As part of a series on sleeve design, this special episode covered the Smiths and included interviews with Linder, Richard Boon, Dave Haslam, Paul Morley and Mike Joyce.

17 February 2001 - I Love 1984 (UK, BBC2)
The 1984 portion of the "I Love The 80s" series heavily featured the Smiths.

4 March 2001 - Kirsty MacColl Tribute (UK, BBC2)
Johnny Marr was one of many guests interviewed in this tribute to Kirsty MacColl.

24 March 2001 - Top Ten Guitarists (UK, Channel 4)
Johnny Marr placed at #10. The programme included 10 minutes of interviews with the man about the Smiths, Electronic and the Healers.

3 June 2001 - State Of The Independents (UK, Play)
This installment of the State Of The Independents series about the British indie scene includes interviews of Geoff Travis and Tony Wilson about Rough Trade Records, and specifically The Smiths. Video excerpts were also shown.

8 August 2001 - Young Guns Go For It (UK, Horizons)
Rebroadcast of 1999 BBC2 programme (described above), with extra footage.
Watch offsite at Morrissey-solo

8 November 2002 - These Things Take Time (UK, ITV1)
Special feature about the story of the Smiths, with previously unseen performance and behind-the-scenes footage. Includes interview with Mike Joyce, Andy Rourke, Sandie Shaw, John Peel and many others.

4 December 2002 - Lydverket (NRK2, Norway)
Special about the Smiths. Includes interviews with Morrissey, Mike Joyce, Stephen Street and Simon Goddard.

5 November 2003 - Musikbyrån (Sweden)
30-minute special dedicated to the Smiths. Includes interviews with all four members, including unshown bit of Morrissey's interview to Norwegian programme Lydverket in 2002.

May 2003 - BBC Manchester (UK)
News item about the celebrations around the 20th anniversary of the release of the Smiths' first single includes a short interview with Mike Joyce.

6 November 2004 - Tribute To John Peel (UK, BBC2)
90-minute special dedicated to the memory of famous BBC DJ John Peel. Included interviews with Johnny Marr and Geoff Travis about Peel's vital role in helping The Smiths to gain popularity, through his acclaimed sessions in 1983, 1984 and 1986.

6 November 2005- Girls And Boys: Sex And British Pop (UK, BBC2)
Special four-part series about British Pop includes interviews with Johnny Marr (now) and Morrissey (from appr 1984) talking about the Smiths. Topics: making a statement, how the political situation had an influence on the band, message in the music.

24 June 2007- Sky News (UK, Sky)
5-minute interview with Mike Joyce to promote the "Inside The Smiths" DVD documentary on the band.

30 June 2007- The Seven Ages Of Rock (UK, BBC2)
The seventh installment of this BBC series covered the British indie scene. It featured interviews with members of the Smiths, live and backstage footage and video excerpts.

16 July 2007- North West Tonight (UK, BBC)
A 5-minute interview of Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke was shown at the end of that evening's news programme. They were on to promote their "Inside The Smiths" DVD documentary.

17 July 2007- City Centre Social (UK, Channel M)
A 10-minute interview of Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke promoting their "Inside The Smiths" DVD documentary.

?? July 2007- Planet Sound (UK, ITV/Channel4)
Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce interview on the week of release of the "Inside The Smiths" documentary DVD.

20 August 2007- News 24 (UK, BBC)
Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce interview promoting the recent release of the "Inside The Smiths" documentary DVD.

5 October 2008- Legends, The Story Of Guitar (UK, BBC)
Features Johnny Marr discussing the writing and playing bits of "What Difference Does It Make?", "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" and "How Soon Is Now?".

13 March 2009- Do it Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade (UK, BBC4)
This documentary on Rough Trade features footage of the label's biggest band, the Smiths.

October 2009 – Channelbee.com
Video interview with Johnny Marr in which he discusses the creation of the Smiths.

13 February 2013 – NME.com video webcast
In this installment of the NME's Song Stories series, Johnny Marr talks about the creation of the song "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now". View here.

19 February 2013 – The Quietus video webcast
In this Fourth Chapter in the British Masters series, Johnny talks with interviewer Jehn Doran about the writing of various Smiths songs. View here.

12 May 2013- Not Like Any Other Love: The Smiths - A Culture Show Special (UK, BBC2)
On the week of the 30th anniversary of the release of the Smiths' debut single, this 30-minute documentary presented by Tim Samuels is about the band's cultural legacy. Features archive footage from the BBC and fans, as well as interviews with Amy Lame, poet Simon Armitage, Stuart Maconie, fashion designer Wayne Hemingway, Noel Gallagher, Charles Hazelwood, Jo Slee and Labour MP Kerry McCarthy.