release date: Oct. 5, 1988
format: vinyl (gatefold - ROUGH 126) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Pete Dauncey, Grant Showbiz
label: Rough Trade Records - nationality: England, UK
[ playlist ]
Live album by The Smiths. Although the album has status of an official album release, it is after all 'just' a live album released after The Smiths was no more and one could claim that the band's material 'only' served as money factory for the record company. Still it's really nice to have a live album with the band. In that way it's a fine release with basically one long take recorded at the National Ballroom, Kilburn, on Oct. 23rd 1986, only leaving a few tracks out from the actual concert. Most other live albums are put together with the best performances of specific songs on different occasions rather than from just one and the same concert. The date of the concert is some months after releasing The Queen Is Dead and at a point where they were still holding together, although problems with the record company were subjects of conflict. Despite the fact that the album wasn't released until after the band had split, Morrissey and the others were (contractually) obliged to take part in the release, and he was therefore as usual the man with the idea for the album cover. The British actress, and sex symbol of the 60s, Alexandra Bastedo is depicted in a photograph by John D. Green. Rumor has it that Morrissey suggested that the album be titled "The Smiths in Heat" but that was rejected by the record company, and then he came up with the title Rank - 'J. Arthur Rank' is Cockney rhyming slang for 'wank'... Didn't they know, or maybe they thought it too cryptical? And then Stephen Patrick Morrissey got the last word. I always had trouble with the title, unable to figure out in what way it had to do with 'a ranking', or some kind of 'order'... The up yours! explanation really put that to rest.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]
[ collectors' item - from ~ €35,- ]
