The Smiths

Johnny Maher (Marr)	and	Andy Rourke

of the 1975 St Augustine's intake
were later the guitarist and bassist in the 80s rock band
"The Smiths".

Comments from the '74 entry:
Johnnie Maher was in the year below. I am quite sure of this since he and Andy Rourke were both in the choir and caused an almighty stir by deciding not to be (a thing hitherto unthinkable for a choir member). The other reason I remember this is that I had more than one ignominious confrontation with them 'in the call of duty' as a 5th form prefect(!).

The band was formed in 1982 after Johnny Marr teamed up with lyricist Steven Morrissey to form their song writing duo. The 4th member was Mike Joyce as drummer. The band broke up in 1987.
Rourke ended up backing Sinead O'Connor.
Marr moved from the Pretenders to The The to Electronic.

Battles over unequal profit shares later brought the band together again in the High Court

Songs

Their hit singles included Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now and Girlfriend in a Coma.

Albums included The Smiths, Hatful of Hollow, Meat is Murder, The Queen is Dead, The World Won't Listen, Louder than Bombs, Strangeways Here We Come and Rank.

Suffer Little Children and Headmaster Ritual both caused considerable controversy.

From "Morrissey & Marr The Severed Alliance" by Johnny Rogan
IBSN 0.7119.3000.7 Omnibus Press

[Johnny Maher] "performed well enough to be allocated a place at the nearby St Augustine's Grammar. This venerable institution was overseen by the awesome Monsignor McGuinness [sic], whose clerical rank alone seemed enough to instill fear into many of the pupils in his charge. The school was a conventional Catholic boys' grammar of the period, with a traditional syllabus that included compulsory Latin during the first two years. Maher's academic performance was initially promising but tailed off disappointingly in the third year when the elitist St Augustine's amalgamated with two other schools and was reorganised along comprehensive lines as St John Pleasington. [sic]"

"A crackdown by Monsignor McGuinness resulted in several recalitrant pupils switching classes and Rourke suddenly found himself in Maher's form. A sympathetic teacher, Mr Thorpe, recognised Andy was having a troubled time and suggested that Johnny pal up with him." . . . "Rourke's recklessness caught up with him following a trip abroad when his drug flirtation was uncovered and he was placed under the supervisory eye of a social worker."

"One teacher who held faith in Maher's ability was the head of music, Mr Jessett. He encouraged Johnny to enrol in a class for music theory, but even that experience was greeted half heartedly. 'It was just something that would get me off doing maths.'"

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