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Bowie biography mentions '95 tour
Posted on Fri, Nov 26 1999 at 7:43 a.m. PST
by David T. <[email protected]>
From Henrik Rydéhn:

I've just received a copy of the unofficial David Bowie-biography "Strange Fascination", by David Buckley. This book has received good reviews and is generally considered as the best Bowie-biography available. There are mentions of Morrissey at several places in the book, and then there's this part on the Outside-tour...

"The Outside tour hit the UK in November and December 1995. Morrissey, who had just released the mildly disappointing "Southpaw Grammar", was suggested by Bowie's PR consultant, Alan Edwards, as the ideal support act. Sadly, after dying death after death on the early shows of the tour, Morrissey left the UK tour midway through the UK leg due to illness. The fact that Morrissey was well enough to play dates in Japan only a week or two later indicates that the reason for his departure was more to do with him being pissed off with the tour than anything else, and it was rumoured that he took off after a burst-up with Bowie backstage.

The muted reception given to Mozza at the few gigs he did play was deeply depressing for him and for some Bowie fans. In many ways, Morrissey was Bowie's 1980s heir: a charismatic anti-star and a classic commentator on (northern) suburban boredom and angst. And with "Your Arsenal" (produced by the ailing Mick Ronson in 1992) and "Vauxhall And I", Morrissey had hit a rich vein of songwriting. In many respects, one would have thought that an hors d'oeuvre of psychosexual mini-dramas courtesy of one of Britain's finest lyricists would have pleased Bowie fans a lot more than it apparently did. However, the fact that Morrissey went unappreciated said less about the standard of his performance and more about the traditionalism of Bowie's audience."

Morrissey recently talked about the same tour in the Times article by Michael Bracewell (Nov. 6).

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Comments / Notes



the draise train was at the dublin concert in sept. '95, and he thought that david bowie was crap. it was at that concert that apparently moz gave bowie a good kickin. he slapped him about the place saying "shove that your jungle music you your arse". what a concert.

the draise train
- Fri, Nov 26, 1999 at 09:02:36 (PST) | #1




With the exception of daize train who is too busy talking about himself in the third person, can anybody else who was at these Bowie/Morrissey shows respond? I heard that Bowie was upset because after Morrissey's set, throngs of fans up and left the venue after Morrissey's opening set and this caused a riff between the two.

Alarcon <[email protected]>
orange county - Fri, Nov 26, 1999 at 11:59:25 (PST) | #2




Yeah draise train, we believe you considering Bowie hadn't even released his jungle album yet!

Our Hank
- Fri, Nov 26, 1999 at 15:13:47 (PST) | #3




ALARCON- Yes, you heard right...I had a friend that went to one of those shows and he said that MANY people got up and left after Morrissey finished his set...the crowd was like 70% Morrissey fans. Someone else at Ticketmaster was surprised that people were calling up asking "Is there still tickets for the Morrissey show?" Personally I think Bowie should have known better than to have Morrissey as an "opening act"...anyone who knows Morrissey fans should know that we will follow him anywhere he goes...thats why my friend went. See you all at The Palladium.

Interlude <[email protected]>
Long Beach, California - Fri, Nov 26, 1999 at 17:03:54 (PST) | #4




Southpaw only mildly disappointing?!! er, to whom?

John <[email protected]>
Home of the brash outrageously me - Fri, Nov 26, 1999 at 17:26:59 (PST) | #5




i went to 2 shows on the tour london and cardiff -the first show the sound was very poor and the response was muted the second show was much tighter and the crowd was responsive-for a support act it was the tightest and best ive ever sen -bowie would never have sold out 4 dates at wembley if morrissey hadnt been the support act

bardsley <[email protected]>
- Sat, Nov 27, 1999 at 18:54:17 (PST) | #6




if morrissey slapped bowie around....why would bowie decide to cover one of his songs?

youre gonna need......
- Sun, Nov 28, 1999 at 16:31:53 (PST) | #7




Well, this was after Bowie covered "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday", which appeared on his '93 album "Black Tie, White Noise". The Outside tour was in 95, I *think*. The album was released 95, that's for sure.

Henrik Rydéhn <[email protected]>
- Sun, Nov 28, 1999 at 22:08:46 (PST) | #8




I remember when the Bowie tour came here to Newcastle. I was'nt a fan of Morrissey at the time but some friends were, so they bought tickets for the show. The concert was big news in Newcastle as it was going to be the opening 'attraction' at the newly built Telewest Arena.

However, Morrissey infamously backed out at the last moment. This led to the organisers offering refunds which, I'm told, a large percentange took up on. In the end they could'nt even give the tickets away. I remember a friend telling me how they were offering free tickets around the hospital where he worked, with most people declining the offer.

-
- Mon, Nov 29, 1999 at 07:53:35 (PST) | #9




I was at the 95 gig at the Point in Dublin. There seemed to be a hard core of around 1000 Morrissey fans at the gig, with him starting his set as people were arriving. My friends and I heard Do Your Best and Don't Worry coming from the venue as we approached, and ran in to find he had started his set in front of only about 500 people (the point holds around 6000). The place was nearly full when Bowie took the stage to confound even his own fans with the desperate crap that comprised the 'Outside' album. Mozzer's fans left in droves, to be joined by large numbers of those who turned up for the Bowie gig.

Gav
Munster - Mon, Nov 29, 1999 at 12:33:12 (PST) | #10






* return to Morrissey-solo