Previously unreleased track to feature on Smiths’ The Boy With The Thorn In His Side vinyl single


Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths, live in London (Photo: Andy Crossland for Live4ever Media)

Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths, live in London (Photo: Andy Crossland for Live4ever Media)




A previously unreleased version of Rubber Ring will feature on a newly issued vinyl single of the Smiths classic The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, reports True To You.

In grand tradition, the artwork has been designed by the band’s frontman Morrissey, and is to be available as a 45 though concrete release details haven’t yet been forthcoming.

Rubber Ring first appeared behind The Boy With The Thorn In His Side back in the eighties and along with most other Smiths b-sides has been on various compilations since.

This is probably a good moment to reflect on the latest line in the Smiths reunion saga which reared its head last month when an extract of Johnny Marr‘s autobiography Set The Boy Free was published in The Guardian, revealing he had come close to putting the iconic band back in motion in 2008.

“The drinks kept coming and we sat talking for hours,” he wrote of a meeting with Morrissey. “We chatted, as we always did, about the records we loved, and eventually we moved on to “that subject”. There had been rumours for years that The Smiths were about to re-form, and they were always untrue. I had never pursued any offer.”

“Morrissey and I continued our dialogue and planned to meet up again. I went to Mexico with the Cribs, and then suddenly there was radio silence.”


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