Cult-favorites The Smiths are more popular now than when they ruled the airwaves two decades ago – and a new collection of their remastered albums promises to further secure their reputation as indie gods with this generation’s music lovers.
Founding member and guitarist Johnny Marr – joined by master-engineer Frank Arkwright – has gone back to the original source tapes and assembled each of The Smiths LPs into one, comprehensive set, entitled Complete.
Studio albums The Smiths (1984), Meat Is Murder (1985), The Queen Is Dead (1986), and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) will of course be included, as will the band’s well-loved compilations Hatful of Hollow (1984), The World Won’t Listen (1987) and Louder Than Bombs (1987). Their only official live album, Rank, will round out the package.
A super deluxe edition of Complete – limited to just 3,000 copies – will be available to die-hard fans, including the aforementioned eight albums along with 25 of The Smiths’ 7-inch singles bearing rare artwork, The Complete Picture DVD of the band’s music videos, and eight high quality 12-inch prints of the album sleeves.
Said Marr about the set hitting retailers on September 26: "I’m very happy that the remastered versions of The Smiths albums are finally coming out. I’m pleased with the results."