The Smiths (partially found unreleased tracks from British indie-rock band; 1982-1987)

Status: Lost

The Smiths were a British indie-rock/alternative rock band that formed in 1982 and disbanded in 1987. The lineup consisted of vocalist Stephen Patrick Morrissey (known to many as just Morrissey), guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce. With only four studio albums (The Smiths, their first album, Meat is Murder, the biggest-selling Smiths album, The Queen is Dead, widely considered their masterpiece, and Strangeways, Here We Come, their last album) and a few collections of non-album singles and B-sides (Hatful of Hollow, Louder Than Bombs, and The World Won't Listen) released between 1984 and 1988 on Rough Trade Records, the band has greatly influenced the sound of alt-rock for years to come.

In 2005, when Joyce appeared on the BBC radio show Mint, he claimed to be auctioning off old Smiths paraphernalia and unreleased demo tapes. Joyce played a short segment from one of the tapes on the show, this segment being "Fast One" (also known as "Click Track" and "The Cowbell Track"), a brief instrumental running for 1:10 and is only available as a rip from the broadcast.

It is claimed to be just one of a loose collection of instrumental tracks and unfinished pieces owned by Joyce and possibly the other members (Marr, Morrissey, Rourke), also alluded to by the 2005 unearthing of the previously lost instrumental tracks "I Misses You" and "Heavy Track", which resurfaced on a very rare contemporary bootleg LP; Unreleased Demos and Rarities.

After Joyce's appearance, Marr apparently contacted him and convinced him not to sell any of the unreleased music. To this day it is unknown how many original instrumental demos The Smiths are withholding, although Joyce implied he was in possession of significant quantities of unreleased material.

Gallery

"Fast One", as ripped from Joyce's original 2005 radio interview.

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  The LP cover of Unreleased Demos and Rarities, which contained "I Misses You" and "Heavy Track", tantalizing glimpses of lost Smiths instrumentals.

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  The Smiths in 1983, a year before their first album was released.