An early Smiths recording from 1983 has been unearthed! According to info posted by on You Tube (via Mike Joyce) The Pablo Cuckoo Tape was recorded during a rehearsal session at a warehouse in 1983 (almost a year before the band's first album was released). The You Tube uploader Hipster Disco, obtained the following info from a post on a Smiths fan forum by a fan named bellapintura:
"In May 1983 (exact date unknown), while preparing to record their debut album, The band ran through & recorded a selection of songs at a rehearsal in band manager, Joe Moss' jeans warehouse (Crazy Face). The cassette tape was recorded for Troy Tate in order to give him something to work with before going into the studio. It's pretty rough, but considering it was recorded on cassette with a stereo Mic pointing into the room, the quality isn't too bad. Morrissey's vocals are a bit distorted - maybe singing too close to the mic or maybe the cassette Mic was too close to the PA but everything else is surprisingly clear. There is some tape flutter at various points.
I was lent the master cassette by a source close to the band who made the recording, let's call him Pablo Cuckoo in 1997 with a view of trying to put it out as a semi-official release. As it was recorded before the band had signed to Rough Trade, technically he had the rights to the recording. But a combination of poor sound quality & threats from Warner Bros meant that the idea was shelved."
Mike Joyce tweeted out the link to the recording below, so it's pretty clear he's not unhappy about it making the rounds. So far no comments from Morrissey, Johnny Marr, and Andy Rourke.
Stream the entire tape below (might want to do it before Warner pulls it).
Recorded @ Crazy Face, 13~15 Chapel Walks, Manchester.
You've Got Everything Now
Accept Yourself
What Difference Does It Make
Reel Around The Fountain
These Things Take Time
I Don't Owe You Anything
Hand In Glove
Handsome Devil
Miserable Lie