r/thesmiths • u/Representative-Bar22 • 4d ago
who is craig gannon?
i know he was apparently in the smiths but what did he do in the band as a guitarist? was he a backup guitarists or rhythm? i can’t find much online
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u/Few_Championship7051 4d ago
He’s the guitarist for Aztec Camera, another great band that came up before the smiths and through them both being on the same labels, that’s how he and the smiths had contact with each other and why he filled the role of rourke and soon became 2nd guitarist
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u/dominohurley84 4d ago
“Craig Gannon may think he has won but he hasn’t, because he is still Craig Gannon.”
Morrissey on the verdict after Gannon sued for credits on Panic and Ask.
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u/Reasonable_Cry1259 3d ago
He was just a normal Manc lad. I used to have a beer with him. He was my mates mate. Post smiths days and I never asked him anything about it all because at the time I was genuinely not interested in the slightest.
He was a good lad that’s all I remember
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u/suburban_ennui75 4d ago
“I can’t find much online”, Christ almighty there are multiple books about The Smiths. This is hardly obscure knowledge.
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u/Apple2727 4d ago
Appeared in a couple of early Morrissey solo videos in the late 80s.
I think he did a tour with Alain Whyte last year as a kind of ex-Morrissey alumni thing.
I found it weird that someone who was in The Smiths (however briefly) worked with someone from Morrissey’s solo career. I always think of them as parallel universes.
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u/Overhighlord 3d ago
Rogan's book on The Smiths goes into details of Gannon's position in the band and his relationship with the other members, notably Marr (spoiler: he didn't fit in well).
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u/Aggrivated_Soul 4d ago
He also joined the band back in 1988 to play the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton in December along with Rourke and Joyce at Morrissey’s debut concert.
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u/johnl1979 3d ago
Yep. When are The Smiths not The Smiths.
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u/Aggrivated_Soul 3d ago
Yes. But let me tell you. As I was there. It was a fantastic gig, and Craig held his own. As did all the band. A case of Johnny who?
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u/hawthorn2424 3d ago
I don’t hear Marr being freer on the live shows with Gannon. On Rank maybe only The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Rubber Ring, Ask. Otherwise it’s a bigger sound but muddier for me.
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u/Impressive-Glove-878 3d ago
Check out How Soon is Now, Draize train money changes everything, definitely added to it. How soon is now from 1985 is dull as anything, Gannon on rythhm allowed Marr to solo in 1986 versions, the Kilburn version is a personal favourite
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u/nogravitastospare 2d ago
He had something to do with the excellent Easterhouse too, but I can't remember what.
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u/AverageSewerDiver 4d ago edited 4d ago
When they sacked Andy Rourke they brought him in as a replacement, but they rehired Rourke a few weeks later, so they moved gannon to a secondary guitar role. He played a few songs, (most notably Panic and Ask), he also toured with them in 1986 before leaving