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The Rise and Fall of ...

Heaven knows they were brilliant. Heaven knows it ended badly. Five years that changed British music, in their own words.

Radio 6 Music,8 episodes

Episodes

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The Smiths
1. It’s Time The Tale Were Told
The extraordinary story of The Smiths begins with one quiet Manchester dreamer.
13 Jul 2026,15 mins,
The Smiths
2. Hand in Glove
One sunny day in Manchester, a knock on a door changed everything.
13 Jul 2026,16 mins,
The Smiths
3. You’ve Got Everything Now
Top of the Pops, packed venues, and a nation falling in thrall to The Smiths.
13 Jul 2026,19 mins,
The Smiths
4. This Night Has Opened My Eyes
Rock and roll excess, a first trip to America, and a family fracturing.
13 Jul 2026,16 mins,
The Smiths
5. Money Changes Everything
Two signatures, a verbal agreement, and the seeds of a decade of strife.
13 Jul 2026,19 mins,
The Smiths
6. Bigmouth Strikes Again
Endlessly quotable, fiercely provocative: Morrissey and the press, a love-hate story.
13 Jul 2026,21 mins,
The Smiths
7. I Know It's Over
Fish and chips, fraying nerves, and the bombshell that ended The Smiths.
13 Jul 2026,17 mins,
The Smiths
8. A Light That Never Goes Out
A decade on from the split, old friends meet again. In court.
13 Jul 2026,20 mins,