For fans of The Smiths, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
UK/MARCH 14, 2025. Music fans were out in force yesterday when an archive from the British 1980’s band The Smiths went under the hammer at Dawsons auctioneers in the UK. The collection was offered for sale by the family of the band’s agent Mike Hinc, who died last year. Hinc had worked at Rough Trade Records and represented Morrissey, The Smiths and many other important music artists.
The archive of 42 lots realised £37,500 (against a pre-sale estimate of £12,500) and offered a rare and previously unseen insight in to the early years of the band, with original booking contracts from the band’s concerts, each signed by the band’s frontman Morrissey, as well as personal postcards and letters from Morrissey to Mike Hinc.
Dawsons said: “This archive was totally unique, in that it was an insider’s view into the band in their formative years”. It included a letter written to Morrissey from a fan, who was wheelchair-bound and concerned about being able to get into the venue in Glasgow for a concert there on 16th July 1986, asking if he would “put in a good word for me”. The letter features a handwritten note from Morrissey addressed to Mike Hinc “Mike – can you help in any way? Morrissey” (lot 94).
The band’s relationship with Mike Hinc and their rising popularity is seen through numerous letters, with one letter sent to him from Morrissey in c. 1984 reading: “Our requirements are laughably humble”. Amongst a set of five postcards, is one from Morrisey reading: “Dear Michael, Thoughts on Cardiff: No toilets (except public one)!! Dressing room 300 degrees below freezing point!! Stage laughably small, heavies mid-barrier were ultra heavy with happy fan. Crowd were great.” It was signed off: “Love, your pets, The Smiths” (lot 3).
In amongst the correspondence, business matters for the band are interspersed with more comedic details. In a letter typed by Morrissey and signed by him in blue crayon, he says: “The main purpose of the Feb-March tour will be to promote the 2nd LP [‘Meat is Murder’]. If LP is not released by mid-February, we are in deep trouble. I want to avoid antics of Feb-March tour ’84 where LP was released mid-tour.” And in the same letter he says: “We do not want a caterer for the US tour. If the promoters don’t provide ample basic food, we’re going home to our Mothers.” (lot 29)
Peter Mason, Auctioneer & Valuer at Dawsons Auctioneers, commented: “As someone who wasn’t quite old enough to witness The Smiths in concert, it was a treat to research and handle this collection, which provided an intimate glimpse into the early days of one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s.”
Dawsons said: “As expected, there was huge interest from around the globe with collectors and fans bidding competitively to obtain a unique piece of music history, demonstrating the band’s continued popularity and legacy”.