SMITHS POSTER

I would like to commend Billy Albert on his article in the January edition. It did get me thinking about my own collection and a couple of things from that era. Firstly, I have attached a scan of a slightly different poster for the 1985 spring tour. This one came from superb shop in the centre of Birmingham that stocked far more than I could afford at the time. However, I did get the following large-size 60×40 posters: The Queen Is Dead, Big Mouth Strikes Again, Strangeways and I Started Something. In hindsight, I can recall they stocked Boy, Panic, Ask, Elvis and Sheila…. If only. Furthermore, I do recall a small Avril Angers promo poster, but to add to this, there were T-shirts with the same image. Morrissey and cyclists were wearing them in the video, and I was fortunate to get one after writing away… And yes, I still have it. The final official T-shirt?

The Lollipop image was also used on a T-shirt very shortly after this tour, but whether it was based on a proper tour version, I can’t be entirely sure. Oddly, this was also featured on a postcard sold by the same shop. Interesting times.

Finally, a slightly tenuous link to the live performances is the fanzine Smiths. Indeed, I know it was available on the October 1986 tour, and I had heard that the band agreed for it to be sold within the venue, though I don’t actually recall this. Have these original 1986/87 zines appeared or been priced?

by John Gallagher
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