Morrissey: Viva Hate (1988)

Here is my full disclosure statement: I am a huge fan of the Smiths, and have been so ever since I heard them for the first time so many years ago. They were the best band of that era, by far. In my opinion, Morrissey's solo years have been less interesting, and a bit uneven. Even so, I have followed it, and have enjoyed some of it very much.

I know that the final Smiths studio record - Strangeways Here We Come - received generally positive reviews, but for me, it was a bit of a let down, though I would rate it higher than Meat is Murder. In any case, I worried about what Morrissey would come up with on his first post-Smiths outing. I was pleasantly surprised. I think Viva Hate is better than the last Smiths record. Imagine, a good record without Johnny Marr. That might sound a bit sacrilegious, but here we are. Spin, it should be noted, disagrees with me: "without guitarist/composer Johnny Marr at his side, the mahatma of mope rock seems to have gone out for a nice depressing stroll without noticing that he didn't have a stitch to wear" [source]

The crowning achievement of this record has to be Everyday is Like Sunday, which I rate as truly amazing. There is also Suedehead, an especially notable track among a bunch of other really strong tracks. I put this LP in the win column. Oh, and Margaret on the Guillotine makes me chuckle out loud every time I hear it.

Now, the interesting thing about Morrissey -- much like the Beatles and, indeed, the Smiths -- was the use of singles. If you wanted copies of tracks following this record, you had to find the singles (either 7" or 12") or hope that they would be compiled. As it happens, compiled they were, though some of the b-sides were not. But, at the time, one never really knew. Sometimes, you just had to buy the single. At least then, you could get some b-sides that might never end up on a compilation.

I have the original Canadian pressing. The median price on discogs is about $25, but if you see a copy in Toronto, you will have to pay at least $50. Such is the fetishization of all things Morrissey and the Smiths in this town.