While initially announced as U.K.-only, Rhino Records has decided to release a limited number of The Smiths’ ‘Complete’ box sets in the U.S. exclusively through Rhino.com. Even better: They’ve given us a copy of the deluxe CD-and-vinyl edition to give away to one very lucky Slicing Up Eyeballs reader.

The U.K. arm of Rhino Records this fall will release ‘The Smiths — Complete,’ a ‘super deluxe collectors’ box set’ that will feature remastered versions of the band’s eight albums on both CD and 180-gram audiophile vinyl, plus all 25 of the group’s singles on individual 7-inches.

Twenty-five years ago today, The Smiths released their third — and, arguably, best — album, ‘The Queen is Dead,’ a note-perfect marriage of Johnny Marr’s peerless pop songcraft and Morrissey’s pointed political commentary, lovesick laments and wicked humor.

Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is following up his performance on Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-nominated score for ‘Inception’ with his own debut as a film composer, having scored the new straight-to-video Antonio Banderas thriller ‘The Big Bang.’

This round of tidbits includes stories about The Cure covering Paul McCartney for a new tribute, Johnny Marr quitting The Cribs, the history of The Untouchables’ 1985 album ‘Wild Child’ and rock critic Greg Kot’s 10 favorite Wax Trax! releases.

The latest installment of indie behemoth Amoeba Music’s web series ‘What’s In My Bag?’ asks Johnny Marr the titular question during his recent visit to the chain’s Hollywood store.

This latest round of links and such includes a story on Johnny Marr’s plans to record two solo albums, a look back at Talk Talk, a podcast featuring an interview with Gang of Four, and news that the Pogues’ U.S. tour will be their last.

Exactly 28 years ago today, The Smiths took the stage for only their third concert — and only their second with the final Morrissey/Johnny Marr/Andy Rourke/Mike Joyce lineup — opening for Factory Records funk band 52nd Street at New Order’s infamous Manchester club The Hacienda.

The ongoing brouhaha over British Prime Minister David Cameron’s liking of The Smiths — something both Morrissey and Johnny Marr, in a rare show of public unity, have forbidden — spilled over onto the floor of Parliament yesterday during the always-entertaining Prime Minister’s Questions.

In a rare show of public unity, Morrissey today threw his support behind Johnny Marr after the guitarist ‘forbid’ conservative U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron from liking The Smiths — although in typical fashion, Moz used the occasion to pen a 1,200-word screed against animal cruelty that also takes shots at Prince William and ‘his fiasco (fiancée) Kate Middleton,’ Bryan Ferry and David Beckham.

Whether intending to launch on Johnny Marr’s birthday or not, the crew that brought us the extraordinary Recycle: Joy Division & New Order — The Factory Years blog picked an appropriate date to kick off its next sonic restoration project: The Smiths: Extra Track (and a tacky badge).

Today marks the 47th birthday of one of the signature guitarists of his generation: Johnny Marr of The Smiths. In honor of this peerless player, here’s a full ‘Meat is Murder’-era Smiths show, filmed for Spanish television on May 18, 1985, in Madrid.

Taking a break from the ongoing Crowded House tour, bandleader Neil Finn played a solo show at London’s Jazz Cafe last night, and as he’s wont to do, invited Johnny Marr onstage to perform several songs, including The Smiths’ beloved ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.’