The Severed Alliance (Updated Edition) pre-order at Rough Trade shop (Oct 1, 2012)

I wonder if there is a further 20 pages on the history of Ireland in this one.....

Interestingly, there is a big volume on the Smiths coming out by another author in the Autumn.......

Mozipedia is soo much better in every way, but I'm sure I'll be getting this one

is the book any good? i've had my doubt since the first time i heard about it on here years ago.

Originally Posted by 21punksalute

Mozipedia is soo much better in every way, but I'm sure I'll be getting this one

It's a completely different book

Originally Posted by 21punksalute

Mozipedia is soo much better in every way, but I'm sure I'll be getting this one

Well, it's maybe a bit unfair to compare a book published way back in 1992 before the internet, with the Mozipedia which came out in 2009. Even Simon acknowledged in his book that the Severed Alliance was "a bedrock foundation for every subsequent investigation into the group, this one included" and that nothing had "escaped the shadow of its influence". Len Brown said the same in the intro to his book. I don't know what an update would cover, but Rogan was the only person to attend the court case in its entirety so some of that might throw up some new info or revelations. Who knows?

I had a wonderful opportunity to buy *The Severed* in New York some years ago but did not. It is a heavy book and I tried to read the two first pages to have a glimpse of the whole thing but found it to be not much interesting. I did regret and thought I was stupid for missing the chance to have it for good. By the way, I found this one online: "Is It really So Strange?" »»»»»
http://2ndcannons.com/Jones_IsItStrng_cover.html
http://2ndcannons.com/Jones_IsItStrng_introD.html
http://2ndcannons.com/Jones_IsItStrng_12.html
http://2ndcannons.com/Jones_IsItStrng_20.html
http://2ndcannons.com/Jones_IsItStrng_22.html

http://www.amazon.com/Morrissey-Marr...5673220&sr=8-1

Rogan is beneath contempt.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Well, it's maybe a bit unfair to compare a book published way back in 1992 before the internet, with the Mozipedia which came out in 2009. Even Simon acknowledged in his book that the Severed Alliance was "a bedrock foundation for every subsequent investigation into the group, this one included" and that nothing had "escaped the shadow of its influence". Len Brown said the same in the intro to his book. I don't know what an update would cover, but Rogan was the only person to attend the court case in its entirety so some of that might throw up some new info or revelations. Who knows?

Are you the author touting for trade?
Books on Morrissey are a waste of time if there are no family or friends as sources of information.
I agree with the earlier poster ' Mozipedia'is the only book worth the money.
James Maker said Severed was a book of lies and full of inaccurate information.

I am going to wear 2 black roses and a black pudding* in my boxers on stage at the M A gig (*Bury Black Pudding )

Don't buy this book

There have been several books on Morrissey and The Smiths released since this first came out - some of which tear shreds off Rogan. The debate has moved on. I wonder if he has taken this on board or if he's just pretending it didn't happen?

Typography on the cover is awful.

Originally Posted by applebuttaz

is the book any good? i've had my doubt since the first time i heard about it on here years ago.

it is not good, it's FANTASTIC. Do yourself a favour and buy it, honestly. I loved every single page on that book. It starts slow, the first chapter is not very interesting but after that you just can't stop reading.
I also recommend a book called "HOW SOON IS NEVER", it's a novel about two guys who want to reunite The Smiths. I had a fantastic time reading it, hightly recommended.

Heheh.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

I am going to wear 2 black roses and a black pudding* in my boxers on stage at the M A gig (*Bury Black Pudding )

Don't buy this book

I think some translation is needed here. 'Controversial' - you mean loads of people thought it was rubbish! 'Denounced the book and called for the death of its author' - yeah, not because it was in any way daring or dangerous but because Morrissey was having his story retold by a really thick bloke who can't write! 'Did a u-turn and cited it' - it is not a 'u-turn' to mention the book. 'Widely acclaimed' - by who??? 'More insight and analysis' - where was this the first time around?!!

When it first came out I loved it - I found it a fascitnating insight.
I re-read it a couple of years ago however, and whilst the story is still often fascinating, the writing style is pretty hideous, and it's full of unsubstantiated speculation passing off as gospel truth.

There are some free e-books online (I mean, not the full transcript) but anyway, does anybody have a link to this book in particular?
:-)

Originally Posted by Anonymous

I wonder if there is a further 20 pages on the history of Ireland in this one.....

Interestingly, there is a big volume on the Smiths coming out by another author in the Autumn.......

Nice... Good to know I wasn't the only fan reading who felt reading reading this was laborious.

It's a decent book in places, though proportionately very little is "about" The Smiths, the first two thirds are tedious - I don't mind reading about Morrissey's school days, but the detail about random pupils I simply don't care about is dull beyond belief. What should be background information is stretched out to be the bulk of the book.

The research is thorough in terms of presentation only, as it SEEMS thorough but drops off as soon as the interesting sections begin - that being the actual careers of Morrissey and Marr in the Smiths. Rogan was unable to penetrate that inner circle obviously.

I mentioned the presentation as thorough, but only because of the dubious substance: I do wonder how Rogan could describe what was in Morrissey's diary- for example, the allegation Morrissey wrote about Pakistanis having a foul aroma needs to be substantiated. The obvious suggestion is that he READ a diary Morrissey kept, but how? I don't see Morrissey's faithful mother handing over a childhood diary of her son to some anon scribe. And how he knew how Morrissey was feeling on a given day - this crops up over and over, his suppositions litter the book, and casts doubt even on what is factual.

It's about a 6/10. It was the first book about The Smiths, and not the best. It's readable and occasionally interesting, providing you have more than a pinch of salt at hand and are willing to wade through dry reams of text with only tenuous links to Morrissey or Marr. While I think Rogan has superb analytical skills, I think he had far less meat than the heft of the tome might suggest.

I refer to it as the Severe Dalliance, in my customarily poor attempt at humour.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

I mentioned the presentation as thorough, but only because of the dubious substance: I do wonder how Rogan could describe what was in Morrissey's diary- for example, the allegation Morrissey wrote about Pakistanis having a foul aroma needs to be substantiated. The obvious suggestion is that he READ a diary Morrissey kept, but how? I don't see Morrissey's faithful mother handing over a childhood diary of her son to some anon scribe. And how he knew how Morrissey was feeling on a given day - this crops up over and over, his suppositions litter the book, and casts doubt even on what is factual.

That seemed very suspicious when I read it, too. I doubt Rogan got his hands on any actual "diaries" unless Morrissey gave them to other people in confidence, and those acquaintances passed them on when he got famous (unlikely) - or, Rogan traced several of Morrissey's "pen pal" letters (there must have been dozens beside the Robert Mackie ones) and then deliberately misrepresented them to give the illusion that he was closer to Morrissey's inner circle than was true. A longer shot - we know that Morrissey was/is fairly distant from his father's side of the family; I don't think it's impossible that some of them may have 'collaborated' with Rogan and requested not to be named.

I think "The Severed Alliance" is an interesting book, in parts, but the reader should be careful not to trust Rogan's representations too much - particularly his depiction of the interviews. Marr said that he went to Rogan with the intention of setting the record straight, but instead Rogan hanged him with his own quotes. Moz berated Johnny for his involvement, regardless. Reader beware, etc.