A previously uncirculated Smiths demo tape has surfaced on a fan web forum. Listen below.
User bellapintura, who posted the so-called “Pablo Cuckoo tape” on smithstorrents.co.uk on March 16, claims the tape was from 1983.
“The Smiths ran through a selection of songs at a rehearsal in a room in manager Joe Moss’ jeans warehouse,” bellapintura wrote. “The tape was recorded for Troy Tate, in order to give him something to work with before going into the studio.”
“I was lent the master cassette by a source close to the band who made the recording – let’s call him Pablo Cuckoo – in 1997, with a view to trying to put it out as a semi official release…” bellapintura continued. “But a combination of the poor sound quality and threats from Warner Bros, meant that the idea was shelved.”
After the tape was posted to the forum, it was subsequently uploaded to YouTube.
The track listing on the Pablo Cuckoo tape is as follows:
You’ve Got Everything Now
Accept Yourself
What Difference Does It Make
Reel Around The Fountain
These Things Take Time
I Don’t Owe You Anything
Hand In Glove
Handsome Devil
Miserable Lie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39qb3Q5mTmk
Read more about The Smiths in our new Ultimate Music Guide: The Smiths.