Panic On The Streets: The Smiths Location Guide
by Phill Gatenby

There’s more to life than books you know, but not much more

Panic On The Streets: The Smiths Location Guide

And they say Smiths fans are scarily obsessive. Seriously though, what could be nicer on a spare wet weekend than to don your best cardie, adjust your NHS specs and take a gentle, guided stroll round the two cities that made one of Britain’s favourite bands what they were? Arranged in sections by area and featuring everything from venues to shops that band members worked in, to former places of Smith residence, it’s terrifyingly comprehensive; the casual Smiths fan might not be too enthused by trekking all the way to Clapham Common just to muse on its inclusion in the lyrics to Morrissey’s Mute Witness. Diehards, though, will revel in the variety and depth of information, not just in terms of Smiths trivia, but of local history surrounding each of the 117 sites. The only possible gripe is that some form of�map would be handy. Particularly charming is the inclusion of a separate UK section purely in order to include Newport Pagnell services, where the narrator of Is It Really So Strange? lost his bag; presumably so the Smiths pilgrim can stop off on the way from Manchester to London and attempt to do the same. A charming work of �ber-geekery all round.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Reynolds & Hearn Ltd | ISBN 1905287143

Reviewed by Emily Mackay
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