Pre-Smiths Marr and Rourke, and Wolstencroft - Freak Party - Crak Therapy demo (1981) posted

Nice find Skinny.

Andy Rourke is a highly underrated component of The Smiths. This is actually a part of the story that I find absolutely fascinating. So Morrissey meets Marr and geniuses collide. OK so that happens. But also Johnny Marr just happens to be best friends with one of the most accomplished bass players in pretty much the world at that time. (Yes I think Andy was that good.) I mean what are the chances? Lennon and McCartney meet and then manage to rope in George f***en Harrison? It's like winning the lottery twice.

This has a very Draize Trainy feel to it.
 
Thank you for posting. Great to hear this stuff.

Andy Rourke clearly showing how great he is / was. Shame we can't hear more of Johnny but I guess funky bass is what they were all about.
 
yeeah andy has outshined marr a couple of times already but you know, the idea persists, jonny did everything musical which gets my goat so to speak. marr has said many people come up to him saying that they love this line or that line which in the end he has to tell them is the bass part and not the guitar. some of my fav songs from moz solo are from when andy briefly rejoined him. he doesnt get enough credit for his work
 
For the anally retentive...

According to both Johnny Rogan and John Robb's Stone Roses book, this was recorded before Si Wolstencroft was in Freak Party. So it may be some other drummer.

In the John Robb book, Johnny Marr is quoted as saying that, towards the end of Freak Party he had intended to try to poach Ian Brown as singer from his band with John Squire, but his scruples got the better of him, which it when he turned his attention to Morrissey.
 


Blurb says - "Written and performed by Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Simon Wolstencroft - live in rehearsal at Decibelle Studios, Manchester."



Gavin also sends the video with the description:

Freak Party - Crak Therapy
Marr, Rourke and Wolstencroft from 1981
 
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Andy's bass is spectacular on this. It really sounds like he's slapping and popping, which I didn't know he ever did.. did he ever play without a pick in the Smiths?
 
This is very, very good. I'd love it if we heard more from Andy nowadays, as well. Seems like a great guy and his playing is jawdropping.
 
Yeah Andy doesn't get the credit he deserves he's a solid bass player with great funk. Shame he's not done more stuff post Smiths.
 
Andy's bass is spectacular on this. It really sounds like he's slapping and popping, which I didn't know he ever did.. did he ever play without a pick in the Smiths?
Yes, occasionally. It is very apparent in this video during the performance of "Meat Is Murder". Start at 9:33. "The Draize Train" also features a prominent slap'n'pop bassline.

 
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Yes, occasionally. It is very apparent in this video during the performance of "Meat Is Murder". Start at 9:33. "The Draize Train" also features a prominent slap'n'pop bassline.



Thank you for posting this video...how young they all were...Where does the time go? Why does the time go? or something to that effect. It reminds me of my college days...who is this guy in the mirror now? Completely unfamiliar to me.
 
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Lest we forget, Andy also contributed great bass parts to some of the early solo songs also (e.g., "Interesting Drug," "Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference," "November Spawned a Monster," "He Knows I'd Love To See Him").

That Stephen Street has admitted blatantly attempting to mimic his style on Viva Hate is a further testament to his importance in the Smiths.
 
Best front page news story of the year! Many thanks Uncle. What a funky sound. To think that was what was coming out of Manchester in 1981. Knocks the socks off what the kids try and produce today.
 
werent they also in a funk band together called white dice before the smiths. the problems is the no physicality to todays funk music as a lot of its made with keys and samples instead on an instrmument vibrating in your hand
 
For the anally retentive...

According to both Johnny Rogan and John Robb's Stone Roses book, this was recorded before Si Wolstencroft was in Freak Party. So it may be some other drummer.

In the John Robb book, Johnny Marr is quoted as saying that, towards the end of Freak Party he had intended to try to poach Ian Brown as singer from his band with John Squire, but his scruples got the better of him, which it when he turned his attention to Morrissey.

i didn't realize that ian brown and squire were playing together that early on. interesting.
 

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