Yes, yes, The Smiths are beloved by arty types. Uber-hipster designer/artist/musicians like Ben Cho and Brian Degraw even have a long-running NYC club night devoted to the band. "Smiths Night" is literally a Sunday night weekly party where pretty much nothing but Smiths and solo Morrissey jams are played. Despite the fact that hearing "How Soon Is Now" five times in a night is really annoying, the party can be among NYC's most fun.

It's fun in large measure because people LOVE Morrissey in a way that borders on the religious, and that kind of passion makes for a compelling vibe if nothing else. Just check out Irregular Regulars, a brand-new show by another NYC hipster creative type devoted to Morrissey. Ace photo prodigy Ryan McGinley's latest exhibition features large format prints of Moz himself as well as lots of insanely fanatic fans shot while the photographer followed Morrissey on tour over the past couple years.

The photos are amazing of course, but Irregular Regulars is also noteworthy for it's illustration of fanaticism. A deeply unusual rock star, Morrissey is reclusive and asexual and he hasn't ever had a huge hit in the US. Yet his career spans 20 years or so and his fans have never abandoned him, while successive waves of young folks have grown into his cerebral lyrics and signature voice. Surely there are some interesting lessons there for anybody curious about how to build a brand and sustain it's edgy energy.

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