Morrissey-solo
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posted by
davidt
on Thursday February 15 2001, @11:00AM
Jon Scondotto (lead singer Synthetic16/Lament) writes:
I know that this may be considered a very old topic and probably not worth writing about, but as a lifelong Morrissey and Smiths fan as well as someone who performed on this comp, I just wanted to get something off my chest about it. Years ago, when I helped come up with the idea for this comp, it was considered very unique to have hardcore and punk bands cover a band like The Smiths. As I was already on the record label with my old band (Lament), I came up with the concept along with the owner of the label, who himself is a big fan of The Smiths. I wasn't aware of all the artists who were going to contribute, but I tried to get some of the bands and was turned down by a lot of people who I thought would be willing to record, which was a shock. At the time I recorded my track "Back To The Old House", my band had split and I was left with the dubious task of getting musicians to help me do the song. I found two guitar players named Fran and Paul who loved the idea, and were very happy to do it, even though they never received proper credit for it and even helped pay for the recording cost of the track. I can honestly say that I am very proud of the work that I did on that album and did it with the best intentions. The Smiths and Morrissey were and still are very important to me and would never want other people to misunderstand my feelings about their music. I have seen on this site along with other related Mozz/Smiths site very negative feedback about that comp and the bands on it. While not every band took this project as serious as other one's did, don't confuse the effort that was put forth by everyone involved and use it to be critical. You don't have to like it, and judging by what I have read, unfortunately, many of you hated it. In the past few years, I have been told by many people that they enjoyed the comp and were glad to see somebody finally paying tribute to a very well deserved group. I follow this site and really wanted to say something about this sooner, but was unable and off-line for a long time. For those of you that don't own it, tell me what you think.
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Jon Scondotto on the tribute album "The World Still Won't Listen" (1996)
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Lament's rendition (if Jon is reading) (Score:1)
Thanks a lot!!!
(User #1451 Info)
Don't worry (Score:3, Insightful)
It ranges traditionally from the goths, through to the 1980s indie kids, through to the followers of "twee", through to peole who like punk, through to deftones fans and so on (including little musical taste niches which don't have names yet, and people who just like Morrissey). However, we were looking on http://www.launch.com at what Smiths/Moz fans also listened to and were surprised to see people like Elton John coming up.
So the lesson here is this. You share your tastes with people with pretty wide preferences in music. Some of them are bound to hate what you do.
The other thing is that there's something about the internet that can make people much ruder than they are in person. Never take anything anyone says here seriously!
(User #256 Info)
The World Still Won't Listen (Score:3, Interesting)
The same is true of "The World Still Won't Listen". Ultimately what comes through is the sheer brilliance and craftsmanship of each track, regardless of whether it was being covered as a genuine tribute or as a parody. Hearing The Smiths stretched, pulled, abused, caressed, punched, kicked, spat upon, and handled with wild perversity was a thrill. Some of the tracks are dreadful, and would be considered so even by fans of hardcore, but a few standouts, like Lament's, and also H20's blistering (and hilarious) "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now", are as good as any cover version of The Smiths put out by any artist at any time.
I remember, in high school, going to a party to which the hostess had invited some backyard cover band to play. They were these four quasi-goth kids, all very nice, apparently, and they were playing this insanely drippy version of "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side", really, you know, *feeling* every moment, like a quartet of adolescents collectively uttering one big sigh. You can't imagine how boring that was, and how much of a disservice it was to Morrissey and Marr. For anyone who doesn't understand the humor, anger, and violence inherent in nearly every single Smiths track-- like those four schmucks at that party didn't-- listen to "Rank" again while staring at the gatefold picture.
Why should we be so protective of The Smiths? I say let the punks run roughshod over The Smiths-- The Smiths won't be diminished one bit and we all might gain some fresh perspective about our favorite band. The Smiths, after all, come from the anger, if not the aesthetics, of the punk scene and most of the bands on "The World Still Won't Listen" really caught that vibe.
I think it's a fantastic compilation with, like any other of its kind, both good and bad moments. It is far preferable to any other collection of Smiths covers available. Jon's contribution, like the other standout tracks, translates into an American idiom what had been uniquely British, and that is treasurable. Someone in the liner notes mentions something about working like, "I chose this song because who hasn't hated their job?"-- we get to see The Smiths' universality, which is what Morrissey and Marr intended from day one. Hearing American kids express the same feelings and thoughts is priceless.
Speaking of Morrissey and Marr's intentions, let's not forget that they originally conceived of their partnership as a songwriting duo that would write material for other people. Thank God that idea didn't take. But that initial impulse gives the songs great versatility and richness, and we shouldn't criticize the artists who make a real effort to rework the songs in their own style. The songs can be reinterpreted in many different ways-- that's why they are indisputably great. Consider the million-and-one ways The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, and The Kinks are covered.
Sorry to rant a bit, but Jon did us all a big service in helping make the compilation happen and I, for one, am very grateful. The negative reaction among Morrissey fans has always mystified me. "The World Still Won't Listen" is proudly placed right alongside the rest of my Smiths CDs and will remain so. Thanks Jon!
back (Score:0)
"The Smiths With A Pulse" (Score:1)
(User #20 Info)
Are you kidding? It rocked! (Score:0)
So the world listened to it... (Score:1)
(User #615 Info)
hard to listen (Score:1)
(User #1723 Info)
w still wl (Score:1)
(User #2407 Info)
not bad (Score:0)