Such crushing negativity.
The point I was trying to make is that this comp is aimed at attracting a new generation of fans. We have to remember that somebody who is 18 in 2008 was born after they split up and was still only 11 when the last "new" Smiths best of came out in 2001 (the horrible Hawtrey affair). I was thinking that maybe this could be something like The Clash Story Of The Clash which came out in 1988 and got a new bunch of kids into The Clash. Well, I can dream...
All great bands are reissued/repackaged - look at Joy Division! - and it's something we - the old got-it-all-on-vinyl-so-what's-the-point curmudgeons - have to accept and we should only begrudge if it's done shoddily. The Hawtrey best of WAS shoddy (the sleevenotes even spelt Steven as Stephen for god's sake) and deserves to be lambasted. The 1995 Singles album was actually a worthwhile release (and the cover was even one Morrissey had picked out before) even if some of the tracks weren't single mixes.
Yes, we may not necessarily need this new Super Duper Greatest Hits of The Smiths (which may be a 7 inch single seeing as they only had two top 10 hits in their lifetime), but as long as it's done properly and respectfully then good luck to all those young fans yet to discover the best band in history whose minds may be blown by whatever it contains.
And if it does feature Hilda Baker on the cover, I'll be first to slit me wrists...