"Defeat is murder for Morrissey"

Former frontman for The Smiths, Morrissey has failed in his last ditch attempt to overturn a court ruling that he and Johhny Marr short changed the other members of the 80s supergroup.  As a result of the private hearing Morrissey and Marr now face the prospect of a payout in the region of £1million and a legal costs bill running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The long running and acrimonious legal battle has been fought over the division of profits from The Smiths.  Morrissey and Marr took 40 per cent each while the other two members Michael Joyce and Andrew Rourke only received ten per cent each.

A 1996 High Court ruling found that Morrissey and co-founder Marr had short-changed their fellow members.  The judge branded Morrissey as "devious, truculent and unreliable", whereas he considered Joyce and Rourke, were "straightforward and honest" though "unintellectual and not financially sophisticated."

Three Law Lords dismissed Morrissey's attempt to appeal against the1996 ruling.  Marr was not involved in this appeal.

"Morrissey - Day of the Lords"

MORRISSEY failed in his final attempt to overturn a 1996 High Court verdict that he and guitarist Johnny Marr short-changed former Smiths members Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke out of money owed during their stint in the band.

Marr did not appeal the original verdict, but Morrissey - branded "devious" by the original judge - took the case to appeal, finally being defeated at a private hearing before three Law Lords.

Morrissey now faces a payout of millions to Joyce - Rourke having already settled for a one-off payout - as well as hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees.

From today's Daily Telegraph (Wed May 19th)

'ROY KEANE BAILED OVER TWO CLAIMS OF ASSAULT'

START

Roy Keane, the Manchester united Captain, was released on police bail yesterday after being held overnight in connection with claims that he assaulted two women in a Manchester City Centre Bar.

Leanne Carey, 25, alleged in an interview with 'The Sun' that Keane kicked her on the thigh and poured beer over her friend, Maxine Rourke, 40, wife of Andy Rourke, bassist with the 80's pop group The Smiths.

A spokesman for Greenalls Brewery who owned the wine bar claimed that Keane and other United players had been enjoying a few drinks when the two women came in and 'jibed' one of the players about buying them drinks.

'When he ignored them and turned away, one of the girls was seen to throw a champagne glass at him cutting him below the eye.

At this point, both girls were asked by the doorman to leave, which they did'.

END

...Manchester United are playing this Saturday in the FA Cup Final, which is a very big deal over here. The Tabloids are having a field day!!.

The Maxine Rourke angle is hot of the press as this story has been running for 2 days now. Reading between the lines it looks like 2 young ladies in need of media attention...

...Interestingly, two months ago the Manchester Evening News granted Andy & Maxine Rourke a full page of openly admitting their bankruptcy. As it happens, Maxine and her friend have sold their story to a major tabloid today (5/18) and it seems as though last night`s incident was a complete set up, which is unbelievable really. Apparently upon entering the Bar (Henry`s Bar off Deansgate in Manchester`s city center), the girls were loud, aggressive and obviously up for something. I really do hope now that Roy Keane will be cleared of all this and that the girls will have to pay for what they have done.

Moz Birthday party in Moscow Russia!!
22.05 22-00 B.Ordynka Street 11/6
club "Bednye Lyudi"

Don't miss !!!

(music awaited: The Smiths, Morrissey, Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, Primal Scream...)