They were the most outstanding British guitar group of the 1980s, and one of the most successful indie acts of all time. Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke, and Mike Joyce—better known as The Smiths—created just four studio albums during their brief career together, but left an influential legacy that can still be heard in many of the groups that followed in their wake. In the new edition of this indispensable guide, the exhaustive track-by-track commentary has the input and full cooperation of Mike Joyce, as well as contributions from Andy Rourke and Johnny Marr. Drawing upon the group’s private collection of studio tapes, Goddard describes numerous previously unheard takes, and reveals for the first time the names and details of songs that were never released. The book is illustrated with outstanding examples of the group’s distinctive record covers, and scores of rare stills.