Well, I for one and glad morrissey held to his gumption and told the NME to shove off, we should all do the same.
I hope one day we find out exactly what connection Morrissey has or dosent have to M-solo and David. Here we are for years, fawning over this guy and his work, and suddenly one of our own, David, is whisked away to NY and LA, to take pictures of Moz and us. Did Moz asked you? Did you take the plane trip with Moz? Did you stay in the same Hotel, nothing implied, but did he pay for the Hotel? The sexy Asian woman, did she belong to you or Moz, or neither. Did you talk to Moz? What about? You mean to tell me you didn't ask if he comes to this site?! Ok I imagine he said "David I don't want you tell anyone this ...." But we can't act like fawning fans anymore hoping our idol see our words, cause likely he has.
I don't know Dave, I love ya brother, I do. You've done good, no you've done great with this website. But hey I gotta ask these questions. I figure you know the answers to them all. Pretending to not know isn't being honest. I don't know, no pressure on you. I'm all ears when you want to tell us all these new details.

its dumbass moderators who believe everything thoughtful is flamebait that makes everyone post anynomous.

Ya schmuck moderator

The NME article also reports the closing of Select Magazine, which leaves us UK music afficianados with...ergh...Q and (retch) Mojo.

Maybe Uncut will get its' act together...

I wondered if it was about to happen. The minute they turned glossy reeked of a last ditch effort to pull readers back in.

This is the first British mag I had the privilege of reading. I didn't buy too many of their issues because I had it at the library at school, so I would spend the afternoon flipping through and finding new ideas of songs to listen to. They were the first place i ran across the name Belle and Sebastian and that started a nice healthy little obsession which would last me a few years.

True, they weren't the most complimentary to our Moz, but considering they didn't do an NME, what they had to say came out more reasonable and more fair in the end.

Let's not forget Holly's demo hell. I sent my demo in a year or two ago. Did it get reviewed? I have no clue. I never bothered to look. I can't answer why I would spend money on international postage to not see the outcome, but it happened.

And last but not least, a world with one less newspaper or magazine is one step closer to Pravda.

Why would Morrissey not allow them to use "This Charming Man"? Seems a little rude for the sweet and gentle man he proclaims himself to be.
What he'd rather have his music played on cheesy brit-coms than on NME campaign? (taking from the recent headline)This seems a little ironic to me.

... & yes, I do find it a little sad. I was definitely a cover-to-cover enthusiast a few years ago (my mother will bear testament to the mounds of antique inky newsprint still hanging around her house...)

MM has been hobbling along begging to be put out of its misery for good long while, but the British music weeklies in general have been in decline, commercially and aesthetically, for about 15 years now. Although the NME learned to bite the hand that fed it, it's worth remembering that without the slew of mid-80s Moz copy (why else do you think the Smiths were featured every single week?) MM and - probably - NME would have passed into history long ago. In this respect, Blur'n'Oasis probably gave 'em the final reprieve... but you see how these things pan out.

I'd be interested to see the current circulation figures for the printed version of the NME; I suspect they're comparable to the average British local newssheet i.e. pretty meagre. Certainly, the advent of the internet as a news-source has robbed the NME of its raison d'etre, since I think we can all agree that the time when its was looked on as a organ of serious criticism has long gone.

The fate of Select strikes me as reasonably fascinating. One of the few positive aspects of passing your teenage years in the 1990s was the temporary renaissance of the music press. Select from about 92-5 was surprisingly alive (and, now I come to think about it, they pretty much featured Moz every issue too... do we detect a pattern emerging here ?!), and lest we forget, Vox also had its moments. As I say, this was one of the very few plus points: In all other respects I feel remarkably cheated.

I think I actually used to spend more money on the music press than on records (and this at a time when I really had no money at all). These days I glance at the NME site every so often but that really is it. Now, although I wouldn't want to explain the fortunes of one particular section of the UK publishing industry entirely in terms of my own purchasing habits, I do wonder who actually is buying these things if even *I* can't be bothered anymore. Evidently, very few.

NME Maker.

Ironic, eh?

"It eliminates the press"?

Dear David, there surely must have been a more elegant way for showing appreciation for your work? I'm confident there is.
But as far as the statement goes: does this site really eliminate the press?

I can hardly say it does. Morrissey occasionally gives an interview for magazines and such, but has he ever appeared on this site? Who knows.

He's been closer to the press in (even recent) interviews than he has been to the bunch of people populating this site.
OK - this site comes in handy for announcements and various informative practicalia - the fake El Legendario one counts as one of these. As a counterweight to potentially negative press.
But does it go as far as "eliminating the press"?

No. Sorry. It does keep the info streaming, something the press no longer does (or only very occasionally), but honestly ... I've been wondering over the years you made this site, ... wouldn't Morrissey feel anything for more interaction? Maybe once in a while...?

Bottom line, David, (and other readers), I'm really positive about what you're doing; and if the inner-Morrissey-circle really want to express their approval and praise, why is it so quiet on that side?
I mean this: Would Morrissey ever want to contribute to this site, or does he prefer a more neutral medium? Has the question ever been asked?
Nothing rethorical meant. It's just this. I find that the site serves an excellent purpose for plenty of silent visitors who'd like to see what's happening in Moz country. They may prefer not to have a voice, but they do have ears. Is there any hope that Morrissey would indeed be more of an interacting kind in the future, or ... are we quite on the receiving side?
That's all, basically.

If he ever showed any interest, I'd have a few proposals for interaction:
a) a column by Moz? (periodically, or not) - or just something ...
b) a small space in which the ancient royal tradition of "health bulletins" is taken up again - just a few lines about what His Quippical Highness might be up to
c) an interview at a distance (couldn't we all contribute questions, allow people to vote for them, and then submit the most interesting ones to... you know who?)
d) or maybe just once a while, a recent photo of our man? (you did that, thanks!)
e) any other thing? (feel free to add)

The real bottomline ... "Could something be done to entice Moz into appearing here, or is that categorically excluded"?
I know none of us are in any position whatsoever to ask ... but, shouldn't we try? No strings attached!

the traditional cheers,
take care,
AK