i've not heard it on radio or seen on telly - lets hope it fairs well

if anyone's interested, KAOS records has had the US edition since friday. the shop got 20 in last week and there were about 15 left when i bought my copy friday afternoon. anyone in the area can probably still get one of the last copies.

Read recently that AOL was to live stream the Reading Festival. This was to include live performances and exclusive backstage access and performances also (source- computer active magazine).
I was going to send the article in as a news item. but lost the article. Only available on AOL - which means i'm stuffed. Can anyone on AOL capture this stream and share it???

Well, I've already posted my comments on this on another thread before this one appeared. As I said there, I have been underwhelmed by the YATQ album and so was very pleasantly surprised by two of the three b-sides to this single. They give me hope for the future.

1. First Of The Gang - a corking pop song. Best track on Quarry by a country mile. Currently at number 8 apparently, it deserves to be a bigger hit.

2. 'My Life Is A Succession...' - this is a LOVELY track. Can't understand at all why this was not on the album. If you listen closely you can hear some really nice acoustic textures. Alain plays a beautiful, evocative harp-like glissando. The whole track is evocative of the regretful, resigned lyrics - I like the line about all the good things in life being behind glass and Moz's enunciation of "flesh" is sublime. Jerry Finn produces this one well - unobtrusively. A really lovely song - no references to court cases, just a poignant, evocative torch ballad which supports the idea that Moz could indeed become the "alternative Sinatra". And this is from someone who's not keen on the album as a whole. This track is much better IMO that about 5 of the album tracks!

3. 'Teenage Dad On His Estate' - music seems a bit plodding to start with but builds up nicely with some nice picking from Alain at intervals. What I do like about this track is the lyrics - witty and insightful, particularly Moz's references to marriage and how it is forced upon people by society, opening a newspaper but finding no news and jealousy of the teenage dad "with his methodone". Good stuff - and again, I think that some of the lyrics on Quarry are sub-par by his standards, but this is good stuff.

3. 'Mexico' - the weakest of the three b-sides, but still better than 'All The Lazy Dykes'.

So, still think Quarry is mediocre but you can't argue with First Of The Gang, which is super, and I think 'Succession' is lovely and 'Teenage Dad' lyrically witty. Let's hope his next album continues in this vein - poignancy, wit and beauty rather than botched lines ("I was a good kid...") and references to court cases.

FOTGTD u.s. single is out this week, not next week.

Does anyone know if FOTGTD will be released on I Tunes like IBEH was?

Moz: You should get involved in the art of your albums and singles as you were befere...
Im assuming you are not involved because its really crappy!!!

how is it possible that BG is allowed to post anything on this site after all his spiteful behaviours.

I thought it was out already but haven't seen it any shops. I've yet to hear it on the radio or see it on the t.v. so I doubt it'll be as big a hit as IBEH.

Whoever was in charge of the artwork on 'Irish Blood, English Heart', You Are The Quarry and now 'First Of The Gang To Die' is completely insane, in my opinion. 'FOTGTD' looks like it was knocked up on Adobe Photoshop, for god's sake. And I hate the way it reads "First Morrissey Of The Gang To Die". Yuck. And I'm still outraged at "Morrissey, you are the Quarry". What the heck was that about? I am the quarry - we are the quarry - not him! Sorry. Maybe I'm still irritated that 'Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice' isn't on the single, in any of its twelve hundred formats. It was mind-blowing when he did it in Manchester...

I don't understand all of the hate over the production on Mexico. I have been one of "Mexico's" greatest critics, but I think it turned out beautifully under Jerry Finn. I still think the lyrics are a bit pandering, but those haunting, overdubbed croons are just beautiful. It gives it a very fifities ballad feel. Very ehtereal, and romantic. it sounds a lot like The Ocean Blue's recent "Waterworks" EP.

Sometimes I wonder if people

It seems that almost everything that I like, and dislike about Moz's recent work, is the opposite with everyone else.

Best: IHFJ, IBEH I'm not Sorry, ATLD, Let Me Kiss You, FOTGTD b-sides.

ATLD is my second favorite song on the album, after "I'm Not Sorry," which I rank in my top five of his solo career.

"The First Of The Gang To Die" is a good song, but is pretty much paint by numbers Morrissey to me. It reminds me of Alma Matters in its radio friendliness. It just sounds very predictable, and ot be honest, the off key falsetto should have been left out on it, and "I Like You." It's embarrassing.

I meant to say, I wonder if people don't end up disliking something because they don't understand the intended context of the production.

Does anyone know for sure that the US single has all three b-sides, but not the video? And, is the video on the UK single Region 2, or will it play on US Region 1 DVD players?

moz appears to be at three in the midweek chart according to andy pye who gets the figures for the top 5, and was correct for IBEH (based on mondays sales up to 2pm), he may drop further so GET BUYING PEOPLE! here's the competition

4 Strings - Turn It Round
Almighty Allstars - Passion
B-Boys - Shake Da Body
Beats For Beginners - Summer Lovers
Beta Band - Out-Side
Bloc Party - Little Thoughts/Tulips
Clinic - Magician
Cornershop - Topknot
Ed Real & The Coalition - 20,000 Hardcore Members
Flip & Fill featuring Karen Parry - Discoland
FYA - Too Hot
Hypo Psycho - Public Enemy No.1
International Noise Conspiracy - Black Mask
J-Kwon - Tipsy
Jamelia - See It In A Boy's Eyes
Kings Of Tomorrow - Dreams
Lenny Kravitz - California
Magnolia - It's All Vain
Marillion - Don't Hurt Yourself
Master Blaster - Hypnotic Tango
Morrissey - First Of The Gang To Die
Mull Historical Society - How 'Bout I Love You More?
Nelly Furtado - Força
Phoenix - Everything Is Everything
Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
ShapeShifters - Lola's Theme
Sigur Rós - Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do
Snow Patrol - Spitting Games
Velvet Revolver - Slither

shapeshifters and rachel stevens are currently ahead

moby

come on, this is his best chance for a number one single, and FOTGTD deserves it too, get buying all three formats, and ask when you buy if the sales count toward the official chart.

It's worth it for the FOTGTD video and 3 exclusive b sides, this is the best chance that HAS ever and MAY ever come along

moby

At present, and though he may drop down by the end of the week, Morrissey is at number TWO! Even better than IBEH, and deservedly so, for 'First Of The Gang' is the better song - actually, no equivocation, it's superb. 'My Life Is A Succession' is beautiful also. Pity about the whole DVD issue cos I like to listen to Moz in private rather than having to use the communal TV! Anyway, Moz is at two, with Shapeshifters at one (not sure who they are, but shit no doubt) and Rachel Stevens with her god awful sport reflief song at three. This time, unlike when IBEH was in (a good but not great song), Moz really does have one of the very best songs in the charts at the moment. I will be purchasing two more copies forthwith to do my bit to make sure he stays at number two - though I appreciate not everyone can afford this!! Down with the talentless harpie R.Stevens and up with Moz!! If he deserves a hit with any song, it's this one!

Moz looks exactly like the actor on Nip / Tuck (USA) in this cover sleve picture! Maybe a cameo...

At least I can say that there is no other sleve by Morrissey that looks like this. Its the Inside that counts right.Well support Moz people, where are all the fans?

I was at the MEN gig and the DVD quality on the fotgtd is fantastic - please god they have to get the whole show out on dvd. Moz is truly a mesmorising performer. What do we have at the moment in the uk - hulmerist, malady and the dallas show. Great... From a legal/royalties point of view with the Smiths songs is it possible, I can never remember? It would be a great way to round up the summer of gigs with a high quality package with stills/footage from other gigs and heck a commentary would be outstanding.

As for Teenage Dad, agree with the poster about them being really quite inciteful lyrics and wish it, Mexico and 'Never played Symphonies' had ended up on the album as opposed to maybe America and a few others? Who can say. That said has quite a dedicated Smiths/Moz fan the album is definitely a grower.

'How Can Anybody Possibly Know?' is a good example, as at first I really wasnt keen but now see it as quite a raw addictive track...

http://www.lnreview.co.uk/music/blog/002538.php

*chuckle*

The album is back up to 25 in the midweeks!

It's sad that you can't even manage to buy both formats as a devoted fan.

I'll go out of my way to find both, but things like this aren't going to help it make the top 5.

i just came from the torrance, california, tower records and they had the single out back with their system saying not available for sale until 7/20?!?! what's the deal with that? i couldn't buy it. and isn't tower records one of the largest retailers?? hmmmm...

I bought my single first thing this morning at Tower Records in OC. It's incredible, some of the tracks should have been on YATQ. Mexico sounds different, but very good. I am much happier with this single than with the IBEH single.

Obviously FOTGTD is a great new single but how about Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice as a future single. It sounds like a classic the more I hear it.

While the gorgeous "Succession" is some consolation, trust it to Moz to let the best song he's had his hands on in ages slip through his fingers, not metaphorically but literally...in its live incarnation this tune was heartbreaking one moment and rousing the next, gorgeous changes made more stirring by the declamatory guitars, the graceful waltz tempo...now we're left with a sleepy, noncommital meander. Shame on Jerry Finn, who I suspect of coming up with the idea...

  And "Teenage Dad" sounds like an Echobelly b-side, for good measure...

common people they probably spent days and or probably years on creating this music and MOz fans complain About Everything. Become a music producer show me how much better of a job you can do.One thing is having an Opinion or your critique about art or music. But just puting every thing down Just makes me so aaah

Any kind person could write the b-side's lyrics?. There aren’t neither morrisseymusic.com nor youarethequarry.net. The non-english fans (like me) will appreciate it. Thanks

The lyrics are my favourite of any new songs; they are spiteful, cutting and have a listen-to-me-closely quality to them. Lovely, simply lovely.

...until you've seen the stars reflect on the reservoirs" is probably the best opening line to any Morrissey song - ever. This has to be one of my favourite Morrissey songs as well.... despite this, I don't think it'll go much higher than 9 or 10. The "new material" appetite was largely quenched when YATQ came out. The DVD single debacle will affect sales also. It's wrong to say that this song is "Morrissey by numbers" This is the type of Morrissey song that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up - witty, sincere and genuinely euphoric and anthemic. Camp? So what!

This is a classic Morrissey song - probably history will look back on this song as one of his very best. Buy all three versions and get your fingers crossed!

I got my copy from Ray @ Kaos on Saturday night @ his Club Planet Earth and finally got around to listening to it recently- we already knew FOTGTD was amazing but we also get AWESOME B-Sides!

And this will sound a bit shallow but using the "shower window" perspectve on the sleeve pic may actually help sales to appeal to the younger hip crowd as it appears to make Moz look 20 years younger by blurring out all his wrinkles and no visible grey hair ;^)

Cheers,

Jay

The video is really good, i think it really shows the energy of the Manc gig with the crowd bits and the (attempted) stage invasions and everything, i love it!!!

Has anybody spotted themselves?? i think i can see me in one of the crowd bits, but it is quite blurry so i'm not sure!!!!

But the couple who were standing next to me are on there really clearly!!!!

Just seen the video for this song, great performance, but I am afraid those trousers really do make him look really middle aged

Just left Tower Records in Atlanta where they said they're holding back the single because the domestic release date was changed to 7/20/04, next Tuesday...I called them out on it, but they said it was a "final hour" decision?

So, are they wrong, or is the US release 7/20/04, or, has it always been that date?

Please, load my gun. Thanks.

I do not like amazon.com or cduniverse.com.

Furthermore, there seems to be confusion about what has been released and when.

Can someone suggest to me a great website for ordering this single, and other CD's? I would be most appreciative.

Just looking for some friendly advice.

Sorry to add to what is an already an interminably long thread and I know we Canadians are low on the food chain :) but has anyone up here in the Great White North bought the new single ? I've had no luck at my local HMV and the clerks there are clueless!!

Thanks

The First of The Gang to Die should have been released in Ireland last Fri. Today is Thurs and it is still not in shops in Cork or Dublin, when the fuck is it coming out.

just walked into virgin in Victoria London UK to purchase Last of Tthe Gang to Die...

when i approached the new singles stand... to my suprise and great elation - it was sold out!

I left the shop overwealmed and fighting back tears... truly magical

I just bought the FOTGTD-single with Mexico and Teenage Dad as B-sides, but I haven´t got any use for it...

The record is in DVD-format wich means I can´t play it!!! Neither on my CD-player or my computer...

What does this mean..?

I can´t listen to the songs I´ve paid money for..?

Are we encourged to download songs from the internet or what!?!

It actually sucks!

If there only where a warning-sticker on the single...

"WARNING! YOU CAN`T PLAY THIS ON YOUR CD-PLAYER NOR YOUR COMPUTER! HAVE A NICE DAY!"

Z

i'm sure this has been adressed elsewhere but...

yes, a u.s. cd of this single exists with all three b-sides. it comes in a cardboard slip case. i bought mine at best buy last week and amazon carries it.

of course, there is also a u.s. dvd of this single which only has two of the b-sides and it won't play in your cd player. it comes in a standard jewel box and has a little dvd logo on the front.