are horrible. I felt insulted reading the writers blatant use of stereotypes(towards Latino & Caucasian) in just about every other sentence. Pile of rubbish.

Not all Morrissey/Smiths fans in L.A. are grease monkeys. Why the media chooses to potray us fans in L.A. like that is something I'd like to know. NONE of my friends who are into Morrissey/Smiths are greasers or rebels. When I saw those pics and the article in that magazine for the first time I was pissed knowing it's all a bunch of shit.

Why don't they interview fans who have been into Morrissey/Smiths for many years, collectors and people who create websites on the Man. If you magazine editors need some people to interview, send me an e-mail. I can give you names of fans in the L.A. area who are worthy of interviewing. Don't go picking off pompadour styling guys and gals from the streets to talk too!

...I found the article interesting and insightful. I think he has "typical" Moz fans pegged as feeling alienated by the man and his new fans, though I concede that they're not indicative of all of us - and he didn't SAY they were.

I've been perplexed by the whole Latino Mozfan subculture and this article was very informative, if not comprehensive.

I don't understand why everyone's bashing it.

Delightful article: it illuminates a healthy skepticism towards all parties, while nevertheless treating seriously fans' ardour.

And if long time fans take umbrage to the evolving nature of Morrissey's audience, on this board and elsewhere, well perhaps that's healthy as well. To guage one's appreciation for an artist by the nature of the artist's other fans has often enough been seen as a big ol' step towards hypocricy (or at least "terminal fakery"). Either you like Morrissey for his music and significance or you don't; either you wish to be a part of a culture (or subculture) celebrating that or you don't. But one NEVER has the option of disagreeing with who wants to join the crowd with you.

And I don't believe that the article is in any way racist or stereotypically indulgent. ("Greasers" was in quotes, yes?) Charges of stereotyping inevitably follow ANY article on ANY ethnic group that maintains even a hint of backbone and perception. And, of course, acknowleging cultural norms and stereotypes -- and describing those qualities which help such types to be defined -- isn't quite the same thing as beating a non-white fellow with a rubber hose. Let's not be squeamish; let's talk (and read) calmly and not yelp when someone brings up a potentially contentious subject.

Open your eyes, theres a huge population of hispanics in California in the first place. Theres lots of fans who are white that would love to go to that convention. I myself am hispanic...but I know lots of people who would die to go to that thing...it just so happens that L.A. has the hispanic morrisseyfans.

The author of this article uses a number of
stereotypes aboout Latino fans, namely that we are all sexist, misogynist, and homophobic. He continually paints the picture of the stereotypic macho man that is unable to express his emotion, using the example of the weeping fan in an ironic way.

I think we all know that sexism, misogyny and homophobia existed and still exist in Manchester-- Morrissey's first and foremost source of inspiration-- just as they do in LA.

As a fan (for almost 15 years), I find that our man Morrissey's art continues to speak to the complexities of surviving in the working class. Now, why doesn't the author write about that for a change? M grew up in the working class, and many of us U.S. Latinos survive in the working class (some of us barely doing so).

Furthermore, as a gay Latino, I find it extremely upsetting the author would expect his readers to believe that gay Latinos don't exist. Just as he ridicules the weeping fan in the beginning for not acting like he is supposed to (as a macho), he erases us gay Latino fans. For him it's the new Hispanic fans vs. the original Anglo fans. I know I'm not the only gay Latino fan since the 80s.

Que se muera el tal Klosterman!

About 2/3 of the way down, the PhD student says, "I think Morrissey would love it if the only people who cared about him were these young Hispanic kids."

The guy is has a point -- Moz has done a LOT to distance himself from the original school of Smiths fans. And I love it. Morrissey's refusal to forever live in 1985 accomplishes two things: it frustrates those who would see him "as no different from Echo and the Bunnymen", and it renders him the perennial outsider. Lovable losers have inspired Moz and informed his work throughout his career; it'd be sad to see him suddenly embrace The Establishment -- i.e. the Rock & Roll Hall of Shame, MTV, etc. The day Morrissey becomes a safe, respectable cultural cornerstone a la the Beatles or Eric Clapton is the day I drive off the cliff.

hey everyone :D if you have a actual copy of the issue , im the guy with the morrissey tattoo....and i dont got the greaser look :) anyways thought id share that , im just full of nonsense ;]

I'm a 21 year old hispanic male from moz angeles Ca. My opinion about this topic is that you do not have to be a part of the hispanic culture or a grease monkey/Rebel to appreciate morrissey' music, all its about is finding your self in his music. I have turned a lot of peoples views and attention around just by having them listen to his words and passion in all of the songs he sings. Morrissey is one of those rare artists that keeps it real, and relates to any one that will just listen.

I found the article interesting. I suppose one can argue endlessly about whether the writer affirms more stereotypes than s/he challenges or the other way round. It probably depends on how you read it. But I don’t feel that Latino Moz fans were portrayed as an exotic oddity to a white readership or ridiculed. I think Morrissey is one of the few singer/lyricists who have the power to appeal to people from such a variety of different backgrounds (ethnical or class backgrounds, age, gender, sexuality, whatever…) He might equally appeal to a British working class guy, a Scandinavian baby-dyke and a Hispanic schoolteacher in L.A. and make them feel understood and represented. (Which is, what I think makes him very different from, say, Echo and the Bunnymen, and all the other white bands singing about misery that are supposed to be the “heirs” of the Smiths in Britain.) And I think, this is always worth a story in a magazine.