What is npr exactly? I've heard mention of it, but I've never caught it.

(sorry, those should be caps, but the filter wouldn't let me do it, which is STUPID!!!)

I had also suggested this story:

A major media coup for Morrissey: a new Joe Pernice novel about the Smiths' album "Meat is Murder" was discussed on the National Public Radio show "Fresh Air," hosted by Terry Gross (Oct. 29). NPR is not known for highlighting pop culture. Their specialty is international news and classical music. NPR's audiece is primarily white, educated and wealthy, and this shows once again that Morrissey has transcended traditional rock social barriers. By being discussed in a 25-minute interview on NPR, Morrissey has possibly tapped into a new audience that may otherwise have never heard of him.

About the show: Joe Pernice leads the band "Pernice Brothers," and his novel, entitled "Meat is Murder," is a sort of autobiography about the powerful way that the Smiths' album affected him in the 1980s. Be warned: he refers to the Smiths as a "faggoty British band," and describes Morrissey's sexuality as simply "gay." We all know better, but apparently he doesn't. Nonetheless, he describes "Headmaster Ritual" as the best pop song of the 1980s, and then Gross proceeds to play it! Several other songs from "Meat is Murder" are sampled on the show.

Listen for yourself:
http://freshair.npr.org/day_fa.jhtml?todayDate=10/29/2003

ggested this story also:

Joe NEVER calls The Smiths a "faggoty" band. When he says that he is referring to the way others viewed them when he was a youth.

Surely we've all had that experience: meatheads in high school calling them a "fag band" or "sissy band".

I just wanted to make this clear because Joe is a bright, intelligent and talented man who would NEVER take a cheap shots at gays or anyone else.

thus far, the Pernice Brothers album "Yours, Mine & Ours" is THE standout album of the year for 2003. Just a brilliant, tuneful intelligent pop album. Don't let the alt.country tag put you off ...

Joe's book, "Meat Is Murder" is an almost perfect description of growing up in the suburbs listening to a "faggy English band".

Buy'em both ... you won't be disappointed.

Lawrence

I'm afraid I have to comment on the idea that Fresh Air is a program usually dedicated to news and classical music. I just don't think that's true. Now, I don't consider myself an avid listener, but I do hear it quite a lot while I'm in the car, and usually the show does cover popular entertainment type things, wether its music, movies, comics, or books. True, it does seem to be about books quite a lot of the time, but I would say Fresh air is geared more towards arts/entertainment.

Yeah--unfortunately making intelligent, literate music tends to get one thrown into the fag category. I can only quote John Waters' character Aunt Ida in "Female Trouble:"

"I just use common sense. If they're smart, they're queer--and if they're stupid, they're straight--right, Ernie?"

I enjoyed hearing that, thanks for the link.

I wrote it several times, but I'm glad to
read Joe is on my side regarding the very
underestimated but brilliant song
the headmasters ritual

I listen to it ALL the time
I'm listening to it right now

I heard the Fresh Air segment while I was at work
and for about a half hour I was transported.

It was a mini vacation, and I LOVED IT

Thanks, Terry Gross!

Although it was a nice surprise to hear about Joe's novel based on the Meat Is Murder album, for an avid Smith's fan the interview was not very enlightening. This is not a criticism of Terry Gross, who seemed to be more informed on the subject than the author. He seemed to be sold on the same old cliches perpetuating the view of Morrissey as a depressed, maladjusted individual drowning in his own sorrow. Morrissey himself has consciously sold this image of himself to his audience, but he also cut it up, serving it up with a keen sense of humour and style. Joe seems to have missed that. He also believes that Morrissey attended a privileged private school, when he actually dropped out of a rough, gang-ridden high school in a blue collar neighborhood.

That’s my bit. What a geek I am for commenting!

Cheers- CK