The Smiths - The Complete Peel Sessions (Happy Birthday Moz! Part 2)

The Smiths, The Complete Peel Sessions (unlimited downloads)

Ahh, now the real heat. It's hard to discuss Morrissey without discussing The Smiths, although I'm sure that Moz hates that fact and hates me for succombing. But, I came to the man through The Queen Is Dead and without that album I never would have come to the genius whose birthday we celebrate today. As much as I try to stay on the newest rap and indie shit coming out, the mixtapes and blog hype bands, I honestly come back to The Smiths music as much as anything else. I love it all, from the first album to the bootleg concerts.

This above CD is a real treat for Smiths fans, a compilation of all of the appearances the band made on the BBC radio show of the legendary John Peel. Peel was an integral part of the band's history, helping to bring them to a wider audience and giving them a chance to develop their music. Blog Critics have a nice piece on Peel and his influence, including the great tidbit that he loved the Smiths' music so much because he couldn't tell who their influences were.

Check out Ask Me Ask Me Ask Me, Passions Just Like Mine, Cemetary Gates and Shoplifters Union for all of your Smiths fanboy/girl needs. Go and buy all of their CDs, as they are all worth your time and money. Pick up The Queen Is Dead right now, if you don't have it for real. If you are just coming to the band's music, head over to jefitoblog for The Complete Idiot's Guide to The Smiths, a real amazing document. The mp3s are down, but the info is top-rate.

Thanks you Steven, Johnny, Andy and Mike (and Dale & Craig) for all of the great music. Now, get the band back together and play my birthday party this summer. Happy birthday Moz, we'll do this again next year.