A new tribute album to The Smiths has been arranged featuring The Wedding Present and more.
American Laundromat Records have managed to secure a series of special cover versions by some modern acts. 'Please, Please, Please: A Tribute To The Smiths' is due to be released later this year, and contains a raft of guest appearances. Fellow Northern indie types The Wedding Present have agreed to take part, tackling the band's debut single 'Hand In Glove'.
Elsewhere, The Leisure Society cover 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore' while Katy Goodman - Vivian Girls, La Sera - also contributes. Joy Zipper cover the classic single 'What Difference Does It Make?' while Built To Spill singer Doug Martsch takes on the early album track 'Reel Around The Fountain'.
Available on CD, the tribute album opens with a version of 'London' by David Gedge's other group Cinerama. You can't help but feel that John Peel would have enjoyed listening to this album...
The tribute album will be adorned by a classic picture of Sandie Shaw. The Smiths frequently used 50s and 60s pop culture icons as their cover art, and backed Sandie Shaw on a rendition of 'Hand In Glove' in 1983.
American Laudromat lynchpin Joe Spadaro was delighted by the results of the compilation. "I’m a huge Smiths fan and have been planning a tribute for a few years now. Timing just never seemed right" he explained.
"Then late last year, for several weeks, everywhere I went, I heard The Smiths playing… at the mall, at restaurants, on my car radio. It was weird… I felt like the universe was telling me now was the time. I started reaching-out to artists in November and the response was overwhelmingly positive. This is going to be one of the best tributes we’ve ever produced."
The 'Please, Please, Please: A Tribute To The Smiths' disc is now available for preorder from the label.
Tracklisting:
Cinerama / London
Class Actress / Ask
Dala / Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Doug Martsch (Built To Spill) / Reel Around the Fountain
Elk City / I Know It's Over
Greg Laswell / Half A Person
Joy Zipper / What Difference Does It Make?
Katy Goodman (Vivian Girls, La Sera) / track to be announced
Kitten / track to be announced
Mike Viola / How Soon Is Now?
Sara Lov / track to be announced
Sixpence None the Richer / I Won’t Share You
Tanya Donelly w/Dylan in the Movies / Shoplifters Of The World Unite
The Leisure Society / That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
The Rest / Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
The Wedding Present / Hand In Glove
Trespassers William / There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
William Fitzsimmons / Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
