The Chronic: Behind The Smiths Cover Sleeves "Terence Stamp"

The English film star Terence Stamp had passed away at the age of 87, and although the headlines all mentioned his most popular role as the villain General Zod in the first two Superman films...from my point of view I will always remember him as the cover star sleeve of The Smiths' "What Difference Does It Make?" single. 

 

Originally released on January 16, 1984, 'What Difference Does It Make?' was the Smiths’ third single. The song was also featured on the Smiths'  eponymous debut album, which was released little more than a month later.  Peaking at No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart, the song was the Smiths' first significant hit.  

 

The song was released without an accompanying promotional music video at a time when a music video matters. At the time, Morrissey explained that he felt that the music video market was something that was going to "die very quickly" (yeah right), and that he wanted to "herald the death" of it. Morrissey’s usual prescience seems to have taken leave with respect to the continued popularity of music videos at this stage of the Smiths’ career. The video presents Morrissey and group performing the song in front on a small stage with a very colored background and in front of a great audience I assumed are from the Top Of The Pops show.

 

What Difference Does It Make?' was amongst the very first songs written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr (around late autumn 1982). The Smiths introduced the song to the world in a gig at Manhattan Sound, a gay club in Manchester, on January 25, 1983. Aside from being the Smiths’ second concert to date, it was the very first time they performed with their classic line up that included Andy Rourke (at their debut gig in October 1982 at the Hacienda in Manchester, Dale Hibbert played bass).

 

The song was initially recorded during the Smiths' second session at Drone Studios in Manchester in December 1982.  Along with  'Miserable Lie' and 'Handsome Devil', it was sent to EMI in the hopes of securing a record contract. The song was recorded again on May 18, 1983 for the Smiths' very first appearance on John Peel's BBC program, which was broadcast on May 31, 1983, with producer Roger Pusey.  This version of the song is included on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow. 

 

The single's cover art consisted of a photo-still of English actor Terence Stamp, taken on the set of the film The Collector from 1965, Repressed extremist Freddie Clegg holds a pad soaked in chloroform with which to overpower his prey.  Having acquired reproduction rights from the copyright holders of the film, Rough Trade discovered that Terence Stamp objected to his photograph being used. 

 

Stamp's formal permission to use his image had yet to be obtained when the initial pressings of the single were released. As it turned out, Stamp denied permission for his image to be used, which resulted in the use of a near-identical image of Morrissey re-enacting Stamp’s photo-still for a limited number of pressings. The Morrissey version of the cover art sees him holding a glass of milk, as opposed to a chloroform pad in the original. Stamp soon changed his mind and provided his authorisation to use his image, and the original cover art was reinstated for all future pressings.

 

About the incident Morrissey discussesd the cover art in his book, Autobiography: "I use a photograph of Terence Stamp as the sleeve image partly because I am assured that clearance can be gained from Stamp through Geoff's mutual friendship with Sandie Shaw. Once the single is issued, Terence Stamp objects and will say (years later) that 'Morrissey did not ask for approval.' A new shot is panicked together, wherein I imitate the Stamp shot, although I choose to hold a glass of milk in place of Stamp's strychnine-soaked muslin cloth. I am ugly against Stamp's glamor-handsomeness, but it will have to do, since the single has already risen to number 12. Evidently Rough Trade are quite pleased about the sudden censoring of the original sleeve, because it might mean that collectors buy the single with the new sleeve also, thus bumping up sales."

 

The first printings of the 12” sleeve front did not bear the group’s name, which was added later.