oh well.. beats cliff richard....

Why the desperate email by youarethequarry.net? Hardly an achievement if you look at #1 through #9.

Who (except for the artists and label executives) cares about charts these days anyway?

What a R E S U L T !!! The song had such a strong reaction from the crowd in the IK gigs - and send shivers down my spine.
Merry (?) christmas

What was it he said in Earl's Court about them releasing a charity Christmas single, and the charity was himself?! It's of unusually high quality and value, particularly the version with 3 rich reverberating songs and the video - money well spent. Hope it holds its position for a while.

It is astonishing, to me, that there are people complaining about this achievement.

Make no mistakes, this IS an achievement. For 8 long years we have wandered in the wilderness...squabbling amongst ourselves about idle rumours, scavenging over tittle-tattle and yearning for, well, something from Morrissey...maybe anything from Morrissey.

Now, in 2004, we get a new album in the shape of "You Are The Quarry"...an album that many of us thought would never arrive, an album that all of us were desperate for. While some thought it fell short of their expectations, felt that after such a lengthy sabbatical Morrissey should have produced something "more" it was still, at worst, a good album and for the more accepting/easily pleased (depending on your perspective) it was a great album.

Next up "Irish Blood English Heart" smashes into the charts at number 2. Just think about that for a moment...Morrissey at number 2 with a single that wasn't played on Radio 1, that mentioned "Labour and Tories" and namechecked "Oliver Crom-well". I never thought I would ever see Morrissey back in the top 10, even in these days of dwindling single sales...but there he was!

In May we got a homecoming gig that was nothing short of magnificent. Supported by the "hottest" if not the best new band in the country and producing a performance that was just about perfect. Everybody who was there will remember that night for a long time to come.

"First of the gang to die" was probably Morrisseys best ever single...it was certainly the most radio friendly for a long time. Despite that it was also ignored by Radio 1 but again managed to chart inside the top 10.

A tour which included bizarre and charming venues from Perth to Bridlington and conversely enormo-domes like the SECC and Earls Court. Something to please everyone in the set lists...How Soon Is Now, obscure b-sides, a revamped "Everyday is like Sunday", cover versions, this tour had it all!

"Let Me Kiss You", a slow, romantic but twisted single also popped up in the top 10...and was also in the top 50 at the same time by Nancy Sinatra! Morrissey with 2 records in the chart!

Television appearances, radio sessions, magazine and newspaper interviews, glowing reviews and a hint of controversy circa the US election...terrific!

Today we get the news that Morrissey has hit the top 10 again...4 consecutive singles into the top 10. The ONLY artist to achieve it this year. Maybe I am alone here but I genuinely didn't think this level of exposure or success was possible for our man from the North.

I for one have enjoyed every note and every word this year...

Congratulations Morrissey. Congratulations.

2004 - 4 top ten singles and a platinum album. Not bad going eh? A good time to call it a day and retire?
   
I sincerely hope not.

Here's hoping for another platinum album in 2005. Well done Moz.

glad to read some positive comments on here - it's been an unbelievable year. i can't believe how many miserable gits have found something to moan about every gig, release, television appearance. morrissey and sanctuary have worked hard and deserve their success - i congratulate them. the singles have been fabulous, and uncompromising (including themes of politics, jesus, mexican gangland and lust), and even the appearances like CD:UK have made me smile. these days there are very few people who don't know who morrissey is, and we have been spoiled with new material and a constant trickle of news. please don't take the man for granted, and well done mozzer, we are very proud of u and i hope you feel a sense of satisfaction after the 'wilderness' years. long may you be a part of our lives.

I truly believe there are people on this site who would be much happier if he did retire now, and might even have been happier if he'd not bothered with this comeback at all. They seem so concerned that he doesn't do anything to tarnish his own reputation they'd be more comfortable if he just packed everything back into the playbox just in case things turn wobbly. This is the risk we take if we engage with an artist who still his an active and viable career. It's what makes the triumphs all the sweeter and it's what makes those triumphs ours as well as his.

To hear that there are many people at the concerts who respond to the new songs most enthusiastically is almost miraculous. How wonderful for Morrissey. Mort importantly, how wonderful for them. We ought to feel solidarity with new fans instead of resenting them because some of the concerts are being held in larger venues. It would be too pitiful if the renewed interest in Morrissey was nothing more than nostalgia and if people only liked him for old times sake. It doesn't bear thinking about.

Sometimes I have to wonder if they've actually listened to the words at all.

Jesus Christ!
What's it like to live in a country where Morrissey actually charts?

Fantastic end to a record-breaking and career-peak year for him.

Did anyone have problems getting this single, though? Asda only sold the 2-track single and had it at #12 in their chart, Tesco didn't stock it all and when I went to HMV they only had CD1, yet Virgin only sold the maxi CD2. Rather odd. It began the midweeks at #4, wonder if there was a distribution or stock cock up along the way. Great news, though.

Congratulations! Thank you so much Morrissey for this year. If weren´t you and your songs this year could turn a terrible year for me, but once again, as always, you were there making me smile and lighting my way.

a little girl

What a great year for Morrissey, and to think a year ago today we would've only had the dreary Maladjusted as our sole "Moz latest" release comfort. Although I'm still very fond of the B-sides from Maladjusted and a couple of tracks off the actual LP itself, YATQ is so much more confident, and to think we've more than been spoilt with no less than TWELVE new b-sides, an album in itself next to YATQ. Even more than that, the b-sides are (mostly) incredible! Personally speaking, seeing Moz live in Edinburgh in August was as close to a religious experience as I will get (and I'm an aethiest) plus it was the highlight of my year. I'm very happy he's back in the public arena where he belongs. I am also very proud he's reached #10 with IHFJ, but to be honest I couldn't care less about the charts, I will reap the musical rewards anyway. Despite the charity angle, any country that elects Band Aid 20 as their Christmas number 1 is full of unfortunately conditioned retards IMO (I live in the UK too). Bob Geldof can mock threaten all he wants, he's a loathesome wanker and if he wants to help solve the 3rd world hunger/debt, get him to ask his beloved "young blood" pop stars he used to make the frankly fucking AWFUL record to dip their hands in their already over-sized pockets rather than asking deep-in-credit-debt Joe Public!

Forever live Moz, I sincerely hope we have many more solo LPs, and perhaps even a small collaboration LP with Mr Marr.... who knows?!?

Cheers, Ally.

His 4th top ten single and he wants to retire? What the hell is he thinking? And where are the award nominations? He should have nominations out the you know what. Don't give me that crap that hit singles and awards are not important either. This could be his only chance at some long overdue recognition. Someone tell Moz to get off the weed!

For all the asses out there who have to have everything right, yes I know Moz has had more than 4 top ten singles. I was a Morrissey fan before most of you could write your names. It's his 4th in a row off the new album. That's what I was talking about. You know that as well as I so blow it out your ass. He still shouldn't retire.

....but it doesn't tell you how many fans you have.

Morrissey said at Brighton that the 'frightening news' was that the single was selling well. He said something like "If you bought it then that's amazing. If you bought two copies then I..., I want your home address." He also retorted to someone in the audience that "ah!, but there are three formats!"

Well, I bought seven copies and I feel a little sickened by myself - as though I've eaten a large tub of ice cream or 7 Mars bars. The thing is that I obviously had to have CDs 1 & 2 so I had all the tracks. I went loooking for the 7" without much luck but bought a spare CD1 because I really like 'Candle' and If the other copy got damaged or lost I'd be a bit sad. When I did find a shop selling the 7" version I found it was only 99p (er, $2 US) so I thought 'I'll have them at that price - they're bound to be rare, and if I don't buy them now they won't contribute to the chart position' - so I bought 4. So that's how I ended up with 7 copies of IHFJ.

Anyone else buy multiple copies?

This is my light-hearted 'magazine questionnaire-style' guide to understanding why you bought the number of copies you did:

0 copies - either you're very short of money, you don't like the songs or you've taken Morrissey's shoplifting message too literally.
1 copies. [1 CD] Sensible - but liable to miss out
2 copies. [CD1 & CD2] Rational - covering all bases
3 copies. [CD1, CD2 & 7"] Collector & completist
3+ copies [including spares for presents for people who you know would like them] - Generous,kind hearted
3+ copies [including spares for presents for people who you know won't like them] - You're obsessive and don't really care about other's feelings. Not very nice are you?
5+ copies [including spares just to give it a good chart position] - You are kind, generous but obsessive and have a little more money than sense
5+ copies [including spares to sell later on ebay] - You're more of an investor rather than a music lover.

i echo the comments on a brilliant year, a top 10 single, this for his 4th single off quarry is quite special, hats off to sanctuary, they have marketed mozz, the LP and singles spot on. well done morrissey and thanks for a great year. also i can't stop playing no one can hold a candle to you, although not written by morrissey this song could be an early smiths song. see you in blackburn next year stephen!!

Best song on the album as far as I'm concerned! Perhaps also the most misunderstood song. I think it is pure wit - Wilde would be proud!

Congrats mozzer, its a pity he didnt wipe band aid 20 off the face of the charts though. It is true the charts are unimportant but nice to be on at the same time, eh.