... would it be appropriate to point out that despite good reviews, the public response to ROTT (i.e. sales) has been weak compared to YATQ (and also fan response generally). Also, from complete idleness, any chance of someone putting the chart positions for ROTT singles - I liked the touch that all the YATQ singles went Top 10, was this also the case for ROTT?

I've really enjoyed this year from a Morrissey view point. Thought the new album was brilliant and managed to get to 25 of the 90 gigs that were put on as well. Here's hoping the 2008 album/tour is just as good.

This year was a good and interesting year for Morrissey. I really loved ROTT. I'm just a bit depressed because he didn't come to LA, but I'm still praying.

Hopefully he can put ROTT behind him and move on.

Who'd have thought he'd have sustained the interest to such a degree and consolidate his status across Europe, not just in the UK.

When Quarry was released I'm sure a lot of people thought it was a fashionable flash in the pan. He's proved them all wrong.

Ringleader of the Tormentors is a strong album. Strong songs, backed by fantastic live renditions on a huge tour. What really, really gets me though, is why people come on a morrissey fan site to insult the work of the man. Why people enjoy creating internet controversy from the safety of their keyboard, where they can rile people without repercussions, is beyond me completely. i don't get why they post anonymously either, as this makes me think they're just random Moz haters who don't know the songs, and therefore have biased opinions.

I'm not saying that every Morrissey fan has to like ROTT, i have no right to do so. But all I see in terms of negative comments are things like 'record sales were poor', or 'he's past his prime' - no actual intelligent critical analysis of albums, singles, live concerts etc.

I understand why people don't like Morrissey. His voice can take a while to get used to, his themes aren't 'easy' and the press try to make him come across as rubbish a lot of the time. Hell, I hated Morrissey the first time I heard him for these reasons. But I never came on morrissey-solo, left a quick faceless negative comment, fail to back it up and log off.

2006 has been a good year for Morrissey and his fans. Not 2004 good, but that was the comeback, there was no way on earth it was gonna compete. At 21 years old, and after 2 albums released while i was a fan, and 8 gigs, i'm proud to say that Morrissey is my hero. If you wanna insult him, great, but do it in a decent way, and stop boring me.

There are many positive aspects to both ROTT and 2006 as a year in Morrissey's solo career. I loved the album and thought it was a lot more organic than YATQ. It sounded like a great vinyl record with Morrissey pushing his voice further and in different directions, and was somehow more impassioned than its predecessor. You may prefer YATQ's selection of songs (its attendant b-sides did outdo ROTT's by a small margin). I'm always amazed that hardcore (?) fans bring up sales as a barometer of quality -- it's usually dispassionate non-fans that use that as ammunition.

I wasn't able to see any of the live shows (still hoping for a Japan date), but I'm sure most of you would agree that while the early tour set lists were ROTT heavy, the lineup on the last leg was excellent. And don't forget the audience response he got in the "far off places" he had never been before. Morrissey basically opened and closed the G-MEX and his clothes were better than the YATQ era threads, too (tuxedo!).

2nd Greatest Living Icon in the UK (aka Greatest Living Icon in music) was also icing on the cake.

Enjoy it -- it won't last forever!

Oh, and thanks to David T for all his hard work in 2006. It's very appreciated -- especially from those of us in places the Man hasn't graced yet.

...to thank David T., for keeping us again a full year well informed on all tour details, releases and nice rumours. Great job David.

A solid year, new album, plenty of b-sides, huge tour and plenty of TV appearances. I could'nt have asked for more this this time a year ago really.

ROTT is a tremendously varied well-honed and intense classic album, and even if air-play has been paltry, this will change as it already has to chaperone TV moments. There’s more material in the pot apparently and who knows about shows this year. Incoming news will be closely followed, for which, and for recent forum improvements, much thanks to David T.

I think Morrissey deserves an OBE and how amusing would it be to watch him receive it – we could expect the unexpected! As he explained in his statement of 30 November 2005, the outstanding bug-bear has to be the unfinished business with his band-mates of old, The Smiths:

“By grabbing the full total of Smiths royalties from Warner Music (and this means that when the public buy a Smiths CD in the UK, the royalties go to Joyce, and have done so since 2001) Joyce has knowingly deprived Andy Rourke of his 10% Smiths royalties, and has deprived producers John Porter, Stephen Street, Grant Showbiz and Steve Lillywhite (for "Ask") of their entitlements. Joyce did not declare to the courts that others - namely, the above - were also beneficiaries to the Warner Music royalties… The Joyce action is continuous. Because of his Default Judgment he continues to take my royalties, and the royalties of others mentioned above, from Warner Music - consequently I have not received record royalties since 2001... I have fought the Joyce action as much as I could over the years, but the simple truth is that, under British law, the word of a judge will not be overturned. In the absence of any evidence from the 1980s, the judge in this case relied upon the Partnership Act of 1890 to help Joyce win his claim. Joyce has exploited the judge's final verdict in order to get as much as he can from me, from Johnny Marr, and also from Andy Rourke.”

So what should he do? He seems now to accept that the judge’s verdict stands. Morrissey also said the following of his 20s, in his ‘Questions & Answers' session dated 21/02/06:

“It was impossible for me to agree to any aspect of life or to compromise with it. I think I doomed myself.” However he has changed in that respect: “I now feel more inclined to stand up and look the world in the face”.

How can he save himself in this situation? Maybe secure the services of a mediator expert in the legal entertainment field to negotiate a settlement ultimately agreeable to all parties, given the limitations? I don’t know. It can’t be right that all the royalties from Smiths albums continue to go to Joyce alone and if it’s true for now, surely it would have to be time-limited as back-payments? Maybe it’s one of those things in life, like St. Mary’s School he attended in Manchester that regrettably happened, that caused great disturbance and distress, that is undoable. He cut his losses and rocketed to starry heights anyway. Could he drop this albatross too, salvaging whatever is possible, secure in his stellar solo career? I don’t know; it just seems like such a horrible obstruction to go on with.

Here’s to the future when all’s well! After all, others of us are still at the “Dear God, Please Help Me” stage, with nothing to show for our woes!!

Saw him 16 times. Great album. Morrissey just gets better and better!

I know it's only a matter of opinion, but I really want to know what Swallowneck of Halifax made of Mozzer's 2006 activities!

Was Sweetie Pie really b-side of the year?

Why was Birmingham his fave gig last year?

Does he still fancy Mikey Farrell?

These things need to be revealed and unfurled...

Thanx DavidT, for providing us all with so much info in 2006 - there are many unquenchable appetites out there and you have a tough job/hobby.

The changes to the forum this year also now seem to have bedded-in well .

Here's looking forward to a good 07 (although surely Moz can't have as busy a year as he did in 06?).