photographs by Rudolph Vaselino.

"There is also an obvious media shift to delete me from being the central essence of The Smiths, but this cannot work because I invented the group name, the song-titles, the album titles, the artwork, the vocal melodies, and all of the lyrical sentiments came from my heart … and so it's a bit like saying Mick Jagger had nothing to do with the Stones. Several news sites now claim that the initial meeting at Rough Trade Records was with "Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke," even though Andy wasn't even a committed band member at that point. The meeting, of course, was Morrissey and Marr. Even Geoff Travis has now suddenly decided that he "can't remember who was with Johnny," even though Geoff looked me squarely in the eye on that very day and said "we'd like to release Hand In Glove immediately," and he then more importantly said to me that his name was Geoff with a G, not Jeff with a J. The hounds are snapping!

Hand in glove, I stake my claim! I'll fight to the last breath! "

-Morrissey, in conversation, 2023.

Morrissey in Tokyo, 2023, by Ryan Lowry.

"Mike was the Smiths live booking agent … very funny and very irreverent in the spirit of the Blenheim Crescent age. He was also very intelligent whilst being next to incomprehensible … which was perfect for the exciting psychic disorder of Rough Trade. Along with Geoff Travis, Scott Piering, Jo Slee, Martha DeFoe, Richard Boon and Pat Bellis, he worked very hard for the Smiths from the very beginning, and his cramped All Trade hut within the record label was a hideaway sanctum of busy blackboards and choking cigarette smoke. He was much admired by John Peel and John Walters, and this certainly helped the Smiths to move quickly. I was thankful then, and I'm thankful now." Morrissey.

What Difference Does It Make? (Rough Trade Records)