Minor Smiths mention in "Depeche Mode 101" review

The Seeker of Good Songs

Well-Known Member
from: https://rockandrollglobe.com/new-wave/depeche-mode-101-revisited/

"...As DM had moved from being more of an underground phenomenon to experiencing widespread American success, their fans had shifted from being urban to more suburban. Other UK bands had landed at this intersection in the US: New Order, The Cure, and The Smiths had all occupied similar space. And there’s surely nothing new about sanded-down elements of fringe culture being absorbed by the masses..."
 
101 is a cracking documentary and live show, a real peak as a massive Mode fan. Nothing sweeter than my favourite fellow Brits cracking America on their own terms.
 
All of those bands had lots of well-written songs and I think that's the difference between them and the bands that didn't really break in America. The reason these bands all took longer to break in the suburbs was because they had to get on MTV to be heard. Radio stations that might have played these bands didn't really exist outside of larger urban areas.
To say that these bands were sanded down is wrong unless that means they had better songwriting.
 
I don't recall a lot of those bands getting much MTV airplay in the late 80s other than on 120 Minutes which is where you would see "alternative" bands. Of course, Depeche Mode enjoyed a lot of crossover success with the Violator album and those videos especially Enjoy the Silence were all over MTV. I could be wrong but I seem to recall DM touring a lot more in the US and to smaller markets than bands like New Order and The Smiths. I would think that also contributed to their larger success.
 
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Oh the hours spent struggling through Def Leopard and the like waiting for a good video to watch.
 
The Cure kind f broke primetime MTV with "Fascination Street." that record was kind of goth-light and appealed to dressed-in-black suburban teens. It was full of good simple singles like "Pictures Of You," too so it had staying power. The first time I saw Depeche Mode on television was on a short-lived American version of Top of The Pops. They were pretty much restricted to 120 minutes until Violator. New Order never really broke except on 120 minutes but then Electronic seemed to get a little more play. I don't think I ever saw The Smiths on US television but Morrissey was in the rock magazines because he gave good quotes. And when he put out Viva Hate he was a featured new release in mainstream record stores. When he toured for Kill Uncle he was bigger in the US than The Smiths ever were. And by then there were radio stations in smaller markets that were playing this stuff. It was very exciting to hear it on the radio for the first time but it didn't last.
Rock radio now, the last time I heard it was when my neighbor hired some housepainters and they were playing old Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and yes, Def Leppard, like the 90's never happened. Even something that is kind of grunge metal like Alice in Chains is treated like it's not quite proven yet and you'll never hear dinosaur, jr.


Depeche Mode 1987 Top of the Pops CBS (US)
 
The Cure kind f broke primetime MTV with "Fascination Street." that record was kind of goth-light and appealed to dressed-in-black suburban teens. It was full of good simple singles like "Pictures Of You," too so it had staying power. The first time I saw Depeche Mode on television was on a short-lived American version of Top of The Pops. They were pretty much restricted to 120 minutes until Violator. New Order never really broke except on 120 minutes but then Electronic seemed to get a little more play. I don't think I ever saw The Smiths on US television but Morrissey was in the rock magazines because he gave good quotes. And when he put out Viva Hate he was a featured new release in mainstream record stores. When he toured for Kill Uncle he was bigger in the US than The Smiths ever were. And by then there were radio stations in smaller markets that were playing this stuff. It was very exciting to hear it on the radio for the first time but it didn't last.
Rock radio now, the last time I heard it was when my neighbor hired some housepainters and they were playing old Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and yes, Def Leppard, like the 90's never happened. Even something that is kind of grunge metal like Alice in Chains is treated like it's not quite proven yet and you'll never hear dinosaur, jr.


Depeche Mode 1987 Top of the Pops CBS (US)


Wow, I don't remember a US version of TOTPs... I would have watched for sure. I do recall DM on the MTV music awards in 1988... found the clip:



Yeah, I don't think The Smiths were ever on US TV... unless you count 120 Minutes.

It's true the music landscape in the US had really changed between the time of The Smiths split and Morrissey's first tour in 1991. Then we're seeing Morrissey on Johnny Carson and he's also featured on ABC's In Concert in 1992 he's the musical guest on SNL.
 
Yeah, I don't think The Smiths were ever on US TV... unless you count 120 Minutes.
There wasn't much of The Smiths to put on MTV even if they were willing to do so.
 
That was a major, major misstep for a band as good looking as the Smiths. Especially seeing as how both Moz and Johnny made videos immediately after the Smiths.
I always thought that. Morrissey’s refusal to do videos was a bone of contention apparently with JM and caused a rift. Then solo Morrissey makes video after video. Oddness from our favourite oddity.
 
I always thought that. Morrissey’s refusal to do videos was a bone of contention apparently with JM and caused a rift.
Yes there was one episode where Morrissey didn’t show up for the shoot that Johnny had to set up because they didn’t have a manager ( think I’m remembering that correctly?) Though Morrissey didn’t show up again for Everyday is like Sunday.

Though they were both against making videos in the beginning it seems.
Then solo Morrissey makes video after video. Oddness from our favourite oddity.

Well he met Tim Board. Starting with Girlfriend in a Coma and the Stop me video. So it just took the right person I guess.
 
I always thought that. Morrissey’s refusal to do videos was a bone of contention apparently with JM and caused a rift. Then solo Morrissey makes video after video. Oddness from our favourite oddity.
It seems by 1986 with Ask and then the videos for Girlfriend... and Stop Me... there was at least a reluctant acceptance that music videos were a necessary evil - unless they wanted to miss out on all the exposure that MTV could provide.

EDIT: They made a video for This Charming Man... did Morrissey just not enjoy it and that's where this "no video" policy originated?
 
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