Morrissey's "Vauxhall and I" at 20 - The Mouth Magazine

A very enjoyable read. The article is also a very big reminder of the major song writing contribution from Boz Boorer. For all the criticism of Jesse Tobias (some of whose songs I really like) here's hoping that Boz can contribute co-writes of the quality of "Now My Heart Is Full", "The More You Ignore Me..." and "Speedway" on the new album.

Think I will put "Vauxhall & I" on this afternoon and wish for the definitive remaster is released sooner rather than later.
 
Great read, very interesting to hear the story directly from those involved in the making of this wonderful album.
Listening to "Vauxhall and I" as I type. :guitar:
 
Good article, despite a couple of factual errors that seem to have slipped in along the way (Alain Whyte didn't write 'I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday', for a start)
 
The Mouth Magazine just published a fantastic retrospective article on Vauxhall and I, featuring interviews with Boz, Jonny Bridgwood and Woodie Taylor. It offers a thorough examination of the historical context of the album, the songs, the recording process and the album's lasting impact, among other things.

Vauxhall and I is my favorite Morrissey album by a long shot, so I'm really looking forward to the inevitable onslaught of similar articles as the date of its 20th anniversary draws nearer.
 
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Anonymous said:
Good article, despite a couple of factual errors that seem to have slipped in along the way (Alain Whyte didn't write 'I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday', for a start)
Click to expand...

And another — on the TOTP performance of "The More You Ignore Me," he sang "you're asking for it / oh, and it you shall get" as opposed to the puzzlingly imagined "oh, I need to shag it"..But, obvious small things can be overlooked for the merit of the article. Yes — just give Nevin his due for "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday"!
 
mcrickson said:
And another — on the TOTP performance of "The More You Ignore Me," he sang "you're asking for it / oh, and it you shall get" as opposed to the puzzlingly imagined "oh, I need to shag it"..But, obvious small things can be overlooked for the merit of the article. Yes — just give Nevin his due for "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday"!
Click to expand...

Not sure if imagined, misheard is more likely.
Not the first one to have done so either apparently, according to Passions...

In many live performances of this song on the 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2004 tours Morrissey followed this line with "you're asking for it... and it you shall get". It must be mentioned here that some people mistakenly heard "Ah, I need to shag it" instead of "and it you shall get"
 
Excellent article, thanks. If Vauxhall were reissued in a deluxe set, this is the kind of material you'd want included in the liner notes. Simultaneously a loving tribute to the album and the people who played on it (though it would've been nice to have some Alain quotes). Many memories...
 
I like how they ponder if Billy Budd is about Johnny Marr - the chronology (1982 - 1994 "twelve years on") etc.

Personally I've always thought that was the case.
 
Anonymous said:
Good article, despite a couple of factual errors that seem to have slipped in along the way (Alain Whyte didn't write 'I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday', for a start)
Click to expand...

Did we read different articles?

Here's what I read:

"Two of its ten songs were hungover from previous work with Mark E Nevin (of Fairground Attraction, co-writer for most of KILL UNCLE and its associated singles), including Bowie-referencing melodrama I KNOW IT’S GONNA HAPPEN SOMEDAY. The remaining eight were new co-writes with Alain Whyte, chief among them the contentious but misrepresented THE NATIONAL FRONT DISCO and WE’LL LET YOU KNOW, and the soporific drift SEASICK, YET STILL DOCKED (its ethereal quality somewhat foreshadowing VAUXHALL AND I)."

Anyway Vauxhall is a good LP but I think and have always thought that it is too soft. I don't feel it has the legendary, great-for-eternity feel that You Arsenal does. There are a couple of weak songs, let's be honest. And overall the production is too fuzzy and timid and quiet....oh, sorry, I mean "gentle and nuanced."

Still, some of his best work is to be found on it; I just wish it was recorded with a little more moxie, ala the live treatments. It seems like initially that was the intention and things got pussed up along the way.

But I can't take any article seriously which purports to tell the story of the sessions that does not include Alain Whyte.
 
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I posted this 10 or more years ago somewhere on the boards but I was once flipping through an edition of collected Melville works and noticed that novella Billy Budd was right next to Melville poem "John Marr". Surely no accident...

Young And Alive said:
I like how they ponder if Billy Budd is about Johnny Marr - the chronology (1982 - 1994 "twelve years on") etc.

Personally I've always thought that was the case.
Click to expand...
 
King Leer said:
I posted this 10 or more years ago somewhere on the boards but I was once flipping through an edition of collected Melville works and noticed that novella Billy Budd was right next to Melville poem "John Marr". Surely no accident...
Click to expand...

Yes. There's a Melville collection called John Marr and Other Sailors. I told this to Johnny Rogan about twenty years ago and I'm pretty sure he mentioned it in one of his books.
 
The Bicycle Tragedy said:
I can't take any article seriously which purports to tell the story of the sessions that does not include Alain Whyte.
Click to expand...

I can't see anywhere on that article where it says it tells the story of the sessions. It does say that Bridgwood and Taylor offer their memories and Boorer offers additional comment.
 
The Bicycle Tragedy said:
Did we read different articles?

Here's what I read:

"Two of its ten songs were hungover from previous work with Mark E Nevin (of Fairground Attraction, co-writer for most of KILL UNCLE and its associated singles), including Bowie-referencing melodrama I KNOW IT’S GONNA HAPPEN SOMEDAY. The remaining eight were new co-writes with Alain Whyte
Click to expand...


These lines have been re-written sometime within the last few hours, so either the author is reading this page, or someone else has been emailing them to inform them of the mistake.

The incorrect info about the Top of the Pops lyric change to 'oh, I need to shag it' when Morrissey actually sings '...and it you shall get' are still there at the moment though.
 
"Ushering others to join"? Whatever that's supposed to mean.
Maybe others are glad they didn't, because that would probably have meant having to sit next to a bloke who today gets paid to artistically promote air companies. How nice! Defo the sort of career move a baby inspires...Very friend-of-the-earth there...

There was only room for one, on Morrissey Malaysian Airlines. Never doubt.
 
Young And Alive said:
I like how they ponder if Billy Budd is about Johnny Marr - the chronology (1982 - 1994 "twelve years on") etc.

Personally I've always thought that was the case.
Click to expand...

It's very tidy, but the song was written at latest in early 1993 and recorded that summer. By that timeline, we're back to 1981 which predated JM's first visit to Morrissey's house.

It may not refer to anyone real for all we know. The Melville reference could be a red herring.
 
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Jamie said:
It's very tidy, but the song was written at latest in early 1993 and recorded that summer. By that timeline, we're back to 1981 which predated JM's first visit to Morrissey's house.

It may not refer to anyone real for all we know. The Melville reference could be a red herring.
Click to expand...

"Well, life's a game, isn't it?"
 
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