Charm offensive

mark thompson pays tribute to the smiths’ this charming man on the 25th anniversary of its release

On a dark and cold Thursday evening in late November 1983, a small part of BBC Television Centre in Shepherds Bush in west London is a hive of activity, as final preparations are being made for the live broadcast of the BBC’s flagship music programme, Top Of The Pops. A young Manchester group that goes by the distinctly unfashionable name of the Smiths are nervously waiting to make their debut appearance on the venerable programme. Lead singer Steven Morrissey knows how important the programme could be to the band’s future.

The band is surrounded by the good, the bad and the downright ugly of early 80s pop. On the show that night, the Smiths will be delicately crow-barred between the laughable gender realignment of Marilyn and the stylefree conceits of the Thompson Twins. As the band are sitting in the Top Of The Pops dressing room waiting to go on, someone asks drummer Mike Joyce when the band will be getting changed into their stage clothes. His reply that this was it doesn’t go down well. Morrissey’s Evans’ blouse, beads and flailing gladioli are as flamboyant as it gets.

However, this is no ordinary group and they are promoting no ordinary single. This Charming Man, the song they will be miming to in a few moments time, is an early peak in what is set to be an …

by mark thompson
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