"Like the Sex Pistols' God Save the Queen, the Smiths' The Queen Is Dead was designed as a state-of-the-nation address. The parallels are many: explicit criticism of the monarchy as a pillar of the existing class system; the toughest hard rock as the most effective method of making your point; lyrics that are a blast of eloquent rage from the standpoint of an outsider – in each case a young man of Irish extraction.
When The Queen Is Dead was released in June 1986, Britain was nearing the end of a second term of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government. The miners were vanquished, the "new right" triumphant. Acid house was still underground, while the Live Aid effect had smeared middle-brow values all over rock music.
There was surprisingly little dissidence expressed in popular culture, as the onset of CD software inaugurated a wave of retro marketing."
John Savage, The Guardian, December 15th, 2010
Twenty five years on, this monumental album is the subject of The Queen Is 25, the very first Cover Lovers exclusive tribute compilation, comprising mostly of young, Greek independent artists and bands. Not unlike 80s Britain, Greece goes through the worst economic, political and institutional crisis of the last 60 years. Greece is burning. The Queen Is Dead is, once again, the perfect soundtrack.
The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band The Smiths. It was released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records and released in the United States on 23 June 1986 through Sire Records.
The album spent twenty-two weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at #2. Across the Atlantic, it reached #28 in Canada on the RPM 100 album chart and #70 on the Billboard 200 chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA in late 1990. It has sold consistently well ever since. The album cover, designed by Morrissey, features Alain Delon from the 1964 film L'Insoumis.
The first song from the album to be recorded, in July 1985, was "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" which was, according to Marr, "an effortless piece of music", and was written on tour in the spring of 1985.
The song's lyrics refer allegorically to the band's experience of the music industry that failed to appreciate it. In 2003, Morrissey named this as his favourite Smiths song.
The album is popularly regarded as The Smiths' best album. Its mix of jangle pop, British Invasion, music hall, rockabilly and punk rock quickly became a British sensation and established The Smiths as one of the biggest bands of their era. Both Morrissey and Marr disagree, however, citing its 1987 successor (and unexpectedly final Smiths LP), Strangeways, Here We Come, as their peak.
All songs written and composed by Morrissey/Marr, except "Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty" (used as an intro to "The Queen Is Dead"), written by A.J. Mills, Fred Godfrey and Bennett Scott.
The Charity Organization ‘Give Hope’ presented Argyris Drolapas' Exhibition at their new offices in the center of Athens (66 Vas. Sofias Avenue).
Eighteen photos about the life in the city, presenting statues taken on an astral dimension, but at the same time trying to keep hold of their earthly shadow. Photographs that they seemed to be taken out of a “different reality”, an imaginary world that only sometimes becomes alive around us.
That was the first cultural event for "Give Hope" Organization. "Give Hope" provides complimentary support and counseling services to various groups and individuals. It supports its philanthropic work with social and medical research, aiming to educate and help achieve better quality of life for everybody.
(from right to left) Nikolaos Barbantonakis – President and Christos Tsarmaklis – Treasurer
GIVE HOPE is comprised and supported by members that share common values and interests to help various groups in need in Greece. They are a non-profit organization with no ties to the government and no funding or support from the public sector. Additionally they do not serve any corporate interest or maintain business relationships with the private sector. More about Give Hope here
I would like to thank very much the "Give Hope" organization for the honor to be the first artist that have ever exhibit at their gallery
"The Dream of a Ridiculous Man" (Russian: Сон смешного человека) is a short story by Fyodor Dostoyevsky written in 1877. It chronicles the experiences of a man who decides that there is nothing to live for in the world, and is therefore determined to commit suicide. A chance encounter with a young girl changes his mind.
The story opens with the narrator wandering the streets of St. Petersburg. He contemplates how he has always been a ridiculous person, and also, how recently, he has come to the realization that nothing much matters to him any more. It is this revelation that leads him to the idea of suicide. The narrator of the story reveals that he had bought a revolver months previous with the intent of shooting himself in the head.... [ more ]
Photos are from the Greek Adaptation of the book. The title is "My friend Dostoyevsky" or in Greek:" Ο φίλος μου ο Ντοστογιέφσκι "
