London 2012 Summer Olympics torchlighting segment titled "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"

Not gonna lie. Kept listening for them even during the fourteen hours it took for the athletes to walk in. Nothing.
 
After the Sex Pistols got air time I actually started to think that Boyle would likely play some Smiths, alas it was not to be. Morrissey still available for the closing ceremony IYAM ;)
 
I enjoyed nearly everything about the Olympic opening ceremony. It was a fantastically Brit-centric celebration with, almost, no oppressive corporate brand intrusion. However the celebration was tarnished for me.....

I also cannot understand why Danny Boyle didn't reference The Smiths or Morrissey. I listened intently, maybe I missed it on a 'comfort break', but I can't recall any reference whatsover. I was expecting the tremolo ecstasy of 'How Soon Is Now' to honour Johnny Marr and also expected 'Every Day Is Like Sunday' to link Betjeman, Blackpool and our unofficial poet-laureate.

Morrissey and Marr have a legitimate grievance over this and I'm sure that grievance will be aired in Manchester tonight. I expect Moz will be incandescent at the James Bond / Her Majesty helicopter sketch and he will surely have noted that 'U2' were allowed a full length song in the soundtrack. Whilst the Irish in Britain are tremendously important in the story of modern Britain: surely The Pogues / The Smiths would have complimented Rotten / Lydon better than U2. U2 come from Ireland and do not represent the Irish In Britain. McDonalds couldn't get a 'product placement' in the opening ceremony but the 'U2 Corporation' managed it.

As the riffs of 'Save The Queen' and 'Pretty Vacant' echoed out in the stadium, I imagine the Monarch allowed herself a wry smile at her almost complete rehabilitation since 77 and Diana-gate. Perhaps she engineered this snub in retaliation for 'The Queen Is Dead' lyrics and the 'We Hate William & Kate' meme. Or perhaps the lingering toxicity of the NME 'racist' meme lingers on and Danny Boyle was prevented from referencing Morrissey because Morrissey's entirely legitimate querying of recent immigration policies jarred with the overall multicultural 'London as centre of Human history' storyboard?


Meanwhile in some luxurious sanctuary in Cheshire, one of the most important figures in British culture was being revived with smelling salts.......

Danny Boyle is extraordinarily gifted but seems to have deliberately 'shaded' two of the most significant historical figures in recent British popular culture. I enjoyed the bracing storm of The Arctic Monkeys but I'm not convinced their legacy will be of any great importance. After a breathtaking climax, the event crashed into oblivion as 'Sir' Paul McCartney continued in his exasperating attempts to 'own' the Beatles legacy. No Pulp either.

Sometimes Morrissey's 'conspiracy theories' about being ignored and marginalised seem delusional. But, on this ocassion, he and Johnny Marr would be absolutely justified in raising hell about this slight. Or perhaps the wonders of The Smiths / Morrissey are being saved for the final climax of the closing ceremony? Somehow, I doubt it. I imagine there will be yet more 'Sir' Paul McCartney.

'The World Won't Listen': the world was listening last night and it's a disgrace that Morrissey and Marr weren't honoured. I guess the keys to Tel Aviv are some consolation.......not.


regards
 
I'm amazed anyone stayed awake through those whole ceremonies to know whether or not they played a tidbit of The Smiths.

London should be embarrassed.

"no oppressive corporate brand intrusion"

I don't recall any opening ceremonies featuring the intrusion of corporate brands. I mean, outside of the commercial breaks every 15 minutes or so. But I found putting a sour old Queen in a James Bond skit to be more annoying than any corporate logo could ever be. And at some point before I completely nodded off I saw some propaganda for socialist health care going on. Though the whole thing was all pretty incoherent and extremely dull. When I woke up again, during the parade of countries, the commentators on NBC were noting that these ceremonies refused to have any moment of silence for the 40th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes.

I guess we know why that was:

"The Lebanese judo team forced International Olympic Committee officials to erect a barrier between themselves and the Israeli judo squad, Friday afternoon in London, just hours before the Games’ opening ceremony, reports Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot. Both teams were scheduled to train inside London’s ExCeL center but Lebanon’s team did not want to be seen by the Israeli one, and IOC officials heeded to the Lebanese’s demand after the team’s coach demanded separation."
LINK
 
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I also cannot understand why Danny Boyle didn't reference The Smiths or Morrissey. I listened intently, maybe I missed it on a 'comfort break', but I can't recall any reference whatsover. I was expecting the tremolo ecstasy of 'How Soon Is Now' to honour Johnny Marr and also expected 'Every Day Is Like Sunday' to link Betjeman, Blackpool and our unofficial poet-laureate.

Morrissey and Marr have a legitimate grievance over this and I'm sure that grievance will be aired in Manchester tonight. I expect Moz will be incandescent at the James Bond / Her Majesty helicopter sketch and he will surely have noted that 'U2' were allowed a full length song in the soundtrack. Whilst the Irish in Britain are tremendously important in the story of modern Britain: surely The Pogues / The Smiths would have complimented Rotten / Lydon better than U2. U2 come from Ireland and do not represent the Irish In Britain. McDonalds couldn't get a 'product placement' in the opening ceremony but the 'U2 Corporation' managed it.

As the riffs of 'Save The Queen' and 'Pretty Vacant' echoed out in the stadium, I imagine the Monarch allowed herself a wry smile at her almost complete rehabilitation since 77 and Diana-gate. Perhaps she engineered this snub in retaliation for 'The Queen Is Dead' lyrics and the 'We Hate William & Kate' meme. Or perhaps the lingering toxicity of the NME 'racist' meme lingers on and Danny Boyle was prevented from referencing Morrissey because Morrissey's entirely legitimate querying of recent immigration policies jarred with the overall multicultural 'London as centre of Human history' storyboard?


This is just silly. I think Moz/Smiths fans in general tend to have a massively over-inflated sense of Morrissey's importance and this is a prime example. The likelihood is that the Queen has never given a passing thought to Moz and his attention-seeking antics, and neither have a vast majority of the crowd there last night, most of whom won't even know who he is. Do you really think the Smiths are comparable to U2 on the world stage? Expecting them to be honoured on a night where the Queen is present is like complaining that Moz didn't perform at the Jubilee or doesn't yet have a knighthood. He hates the Monarchy as an institution and everything endorsed by it - why should he clamour for recognition from it? It's laughable to think that Morrissey or Johnny Marr would give a shit about this stuff, let alone "raise hell" because they weren't included. I wonder if fans of Echo & the Bunnymen are moaning because their favourite band weren't included on the soundtrack? Seriously ridiculous.
 
McDonalds couldn't get a 'product placement' in the opening ceremony

But they did get this:

McDonald's...unveiled its biggest ever restaurant here at the Olympic Park which is expected to serve around 50,000 Big Macs, 100,000 portions of fries and 30,000 milkshakes during the London Olympics. The 3,000 square-metre restaurant, which will be one of four McDonald's restaurants in the Olympic Park, stretches over two floors, has 1,500 seats and will employ around 500 staff for the Games.
 
[/B]

This is just silly. I think Moz/Smiths fans in general tend to have a massively over-inflated sense of Morrissey's importance and this is a prime example. The likelihood is that the Queen has never given a passing thought to Moz and his attention-seeking antics, and neither have a vast majority of the crowd there last night, most of whom won't even know who he is. Do you really think the Smiths are comparable to U2 on the world stage? Expecting them to be honoured on a night where the Queen is present is like complaining that Moz didn't perform at the Jubilee or doesn't yet have a knighthood. He hates the Monarchy as an institution and everything endorsed by it - why should he clamour for recognition from it? It's laughable to think that Morrissey or Johnny Marr would give a shit about this stuff, let alone "raise hell" because they weren't included. I wonder if fans of Echo & the Bunnymen are moaning because their favourite band weren't included on the soundtrack? Seriously ridiculous.

Actually, although I was nodding in and out of the extremely boring ceremonies, from what I saw the exclusion the Smiths is a rather glaring omission. And if you think Morrissey and Marr didn't feel annoyed by their rejection you're crazy! Of course they wanted to hear one of their songs included. Especially considering the dubious acts that DID make the cut.
 
[/B]

This is just silly. I think Moz/Smiths fans in general tend to have a massively over-inflated sense of Morrissey's importance and this is a prime example. The likelihood is that the Queen has never given a passing thought to Moz and his attention-seeking antics, and neither have a vast majority of the crowd there last night, most of whom won't even know who he is. Do you really think the Smiths are comparable to U2 on the world stage? Expecting them to be honoured on a night where the Queen is present is like complaining that Moz didn't perform at the Jubilee or doesn't yet have a knighthood. He hates the Monarchy as an institution and everything endorsed by it - why should he clamour for recognition from it? It's laughable to think that Morrissey or Johnny Marr would give a shit about this stuff, let alone "raise hell" because they weren't included. I wonder if fans of Echo & the Bunnymen are moaning because their favourite band weren't included on the soundtrack? Seriously ridiculous.

You misunderstand and misrepresent my views. U2 are nothing to do with British culture and should not have been featured in the soundtrack to the opening ceremony. The Arctic Monkeys are hardly a world-known band were given a disproportinate platform. I am absolutely sure the Queen is aware of Morrissey and John Lydon's republican protests during her reign.

I am not a 'fan' (derivative of 'fanatic'): I am a member of his Audience. I do not 'massively overstate' Morrissey's importance to British culture, I merely reflect popular opinion, of which you seem to be remarkably ignorant:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/livingicons/vote/

#1 David Attenborough
#2 Morrissey
#3 Paul McCartney

David Attenborough's absence was also a serious error of judgement as he is a world cultural figure. Paul McCartney's prominence was entirely disproportionate. I do not see 'Echo & the Bunneymen' on this list of voted British icons.

Don't expect me to indulge you with further responses when you clearly have cognitive issues with my writing. Your failure to actually read what I wrote ridicules yourself: not me.

regards
 
@theo

yes, the totalitarian presence of the alien American McDonalds corporation and their 'fries' is completeley gross:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/11/mcdonalds-olympics-chips

Paul McCartney, for all his animal advocacy, failed to rise to the challenge and slam McDonalds: too obsessed as he is with attempting to re-write British culture and the legacy of The Beatles. Lennon-McCartney. McCartney-Lennon and other such nonsenses.

regards
 
You misunderstand and misrepresent my views. U2 are nothing to do with British culture and should not have been featured in the soundtrack to the opening ceremony. The Arctic Monkeys are hardly a world-known band were given a disproportinate platform. I am absolutely sure the Queen is aware of Morrissey and John Lydon's republican protests during her reign.

I am not a 'fan' (derivative of 'fanatic'): I am a member of his Audience. I do not 'massively overstate' Morrissey's importance to British culture, I merely reflect popular opinion, of which you seem to be remarkably ignorant:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/livingicons/vote/

#1 David Attenborough
#2 Morrissey
#3 Paul McCartney

David Attenborough's absence was also a serious error of judgement as he is a world cultural figure. Paul McCartney's prominence was entirely disproportionate. I do not see 'Echo & the Bunneymen' on this list of voted British icons.

Don't expect me to indulge you with further responses when you clearly have cognitive issues with my writing. Your failure to actually read what I wrote ridicules yourself: not me.

regards

That living icons vote was skewed. I was at the event in London when the results were announced, and I spoke to the producer. She told me that the Morrissey vote was due mainly to a disproportionate amount of fans voting multiple times in the online poll. They tracked the IPs. So as a reflection of 'Cultural Icons' it fails, just like a whole load of other online votes/polls.

P
 
I'm amazed anyone stayed awake through those whole ceremonies to know whether or not they played a tidbit of The Smiths.

London should be embarrassed.

"no oppressive corporate brand intrusion"

I don't recall any opening ceremonies featuring the intrusion of corporate brands. I mean, outside of the commercial breaks every 15 minutes or so. But I found putting a sour old Queen in a James Bond skit to be more annoying than any corporate logo could ever be. And at some point before I completely nodded off I saw some propaganda for socialist health care going on. Though the whole thing was all pretty incoherent and extremely dull. When I woke up again, during the parade of countries, the commentators on NBC were noting that these ceremonies refused to have any moment of silence for the 40th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes.

I guess we know why that was:

LINK

Your comment does not appear to be relevant to discussing Morrissey's absence from the musical soundtack of the Olympics. Perhaps you need to post this on a discussion forum about the politics of American healthcare.

Your reference to NBC's commentary is also superfluous to this thread. The Olympics are not being held in Germany. If they were, such a reference to the Israeli athelete slaughter would be relevant within a wider cultural accounting of the German holocaust. The political spats between atheletes from various countries also seems irrelevant to Morrissey. The politicising of the Olympics extends far and wide:

http://www.petertatchell.net/sport/Dictators-to-attend-Olympic-Opening-Ceremony.htm

There were no corporate advertising breaks throughout the BBC coverage. Never has been in any Olympics. This may be an alien concept to you as an American. London is ecstatically proud, hardly embarassed. American, however, should be deeply embarassed by the inane and fatuous comments of Mitt Romney's face-time attention whoring.

regards
 
@ uncleskinny

thanks for that.

is it just as likely that Attenborough and Bowie fans did the same thing? if they were tracking the IP's they could have disallowed multiple votes from the same address. i guess MORI could do a poll or there could be an additional vote at the next nationwide elections to settle this matter!

i'm interested in what remit Danny Boyle was given for this. he appears to have had complete artistic / political freedom, which is a credit to the UK: but i'd be amazed if he didn't recognise the cultural significance of The Smiths and Morrissey. Like Morrissey and myself: he is of Irish parentage. His celebration of West Indian immigration was brief, but pointed. For me, he failed to recognise the importance of Anglo-Irish cultural enrichment of Britain. The inclusion of the U2 Corporation in the soundtrack seemed to me to be an error of judgement, as they, like McDonalds, are not British / UK.

i enjoyed the ceremony and I enjoyed amusing myself with tin-foil hat conspiracy theories as to why Marr and Morrissey were glaringly absent.

regards
 
i enjoyed the ceremony and I enjoyed amusing myself with tin-foil hat conspiracy theories as to why Marr and Morrissey were glaringly absent.

Bot wouldn't they have to give consent for them to use a track? Why on earth would Moz want to go on that playlist - half the songs were off Danny Boyle soundtracks anyway, felt like the c*** was just reeling off his cv half the time. The Queen looked sour. Figure they'll leave the terror 'atrocity' until the closing ceremony so as not have to refund tickets lol, hopefully it will go off during Parklife, every cloud and all that.
 
@ Mozzer's Left Eyebrow

Careful with the 'glorifying terrorism' schtick! A guy was just let out of a UK prison for 'joking' about such things. I guess as you've put 'lol' the Judge might be lenient.....but beware: UncleSkinny is a UK resident and can be forced to divulge your I.P address to The Authorities.

Who is 'they'? Ticket refunds? Are you saying there'll be some 'false flag' event like wot some people say wuz 9/11.....

Perhaps Morrissey would have vetoed any use of The Smiths to prevent Mike Joyce getting a cut (yawn) but I'm sure he'd have welcomed the use of a Morrissey-Solo song. It wouldn't make sense for him to continually bewail the lack of media coverage for his efforts then thwart/stymie an opportunity to reach a global audience. He seems genuinely thrilled by the rapture of new audience pastures (Indonesia, etc).

What's your problem with Blur? It could be worse: Oasis. I guess Noel and Liam will be realising their contretemps has damaged their income stream: an Olympics appearance with McCartney would surely have been their wet dream. They f***ed up, out of the picture, now sidelined in 'solo-projects'. Just like Moz and Marr.

regards.
 
You misunderstand and misrepresent my views. U2 are nothing to do with British culture and should not have been featured in the soundtrack to the opening ceremony. The Arctic Monkeys are hardly a world-known band were given a disproportinate platform. I am absolutely sure the Queen is aware of Morrissey and John Lydon's republican protests during her reign.

I am not a 'fan' (derivative of 'fanatic'): I am a member of his Audience. I do not 'massively overstate' Morrissey's importance to British culture, I merely reflect popular opinion, of which you seem to be remarkably ignorant:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/livingicons/vote/

#1 David Attenborough
#2 Morrissey
#3 Paul McCartney

David Attenborough's absence was also a serious error of judgement as he is a world cultural figure. Paul McCartney's prominence was entirely disproportionate. I do not see 'Echo & the Bunneymen' on this list of voted British icons.

Don't expect me to indulge you with further responses when you clearly have cognitive issues with my writing. Your failure to actually read what I wrote ridicules yourself: not me.

regards

That opinion poll was rigged by Morrissey obsessives (like the ones on this very site), voting for him again and again and again and thus rendering the whole thing completely invalid. I'd love to know how Paul McCartney's presence in the poll - a former Beatle with more money and fame than any other British musician in existence -was disproportionate but Morrissey's wasn't. "General opinion" of Morrissey is that he was a cult figure for disaffected youth some 25 years ago, and now he's just a loudmouth twat with racist tendencies who keeps his face in the papers by comparing factory farming to the Holocaust. Look at the comments section of any Morrissey-related article in the national newspapers and you'll soon pick that up - or even better, go to a pub tonight and start a discussion about him. The world beyond Morrissey-Solo is not particularly kind to our man.

Also, you are on this website, therefore you are a "fan" like everyone else. Please don't pretend that playing with semantics and parroting Morrissey by calling yourself simply "a member of his audience" makes you any different.
 
Perhaps you need to post this on a discussion forum about the politics of American healthcare.

Your opening ceremony was left-wing P.C. garbage and a boring mess, and I now know that your socialist health care system is a religion.

There were no corporate advertising breaks throughout the BBC coverage. Never has been in any Olympics. This may be an alien concept to you as an American.

And you worship your state-run TV too!

American, however, should be deeply embarassed by the inane and fatuous comments of Mitt Romney's face-time attention whoring.

I was embarrassed about Mitt's comments until Piers Morgan told me he was just saying what everyone in Britain had been saying for weeks:



And, judging by last night, he's been vindicated. :lbf:
 
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I think his absence from the ceremony makes him more timeless. I mean think about it. Wouldn't we all be cringing if we heard "there's a club if you'd like to go, you could meet somebody who really loves you..." while some doe-eyed girl was staring at a hip hop guy while thousands of people with lights ticks danced around a bouncy house with sitcoms projected on it? :squiffy:
 
That opinion poll was rigged by Morrissey obsessives (like the ones on this very site), voting for him again and again and again and thus rendering the whole thing completely invalid. I'd love to know how Paul McCartney's presence in the poll - a former Beatle with more money and fame than any other British musician in existence -was disproportionate but Morrissey's wasn't. "General opinion" of Morrissey is that he was a cult figure for disaffected youth some 25 years ago, and now he's just a loudmouth twat with racist tendencies who keeps his face in the papers by comparing factory farming to the Holocaust. Look at the comments section of any Morrissey-related article in the national newspapers and you'll soon pick that up - or even better, go to a pub tonight and start a discussion about him. The world beyond Morrissey-Solo is not particularly kind to our man.

Also, you are on this website, therefore you are a "fan" like everyone else. Please don't pretend that playing with semantics and parroting Morrissey by calling yourself simply "a member of his audience" makes you any different.


UncleSkinny has queried the validity of this poll elsewhere in this thread and I have replied to his interesting input so I will not repeat myself here.

McCartney is indeed 'a former Beatle with more money and fame than any other British musician in existence' and that is his sole raison d'etre these days. He didn't sing a Wings song last night! I saw no elements of eulogy or appreciation of his Beatles colleagues, just another example of his tiresome attempts to re-write British cultural history amplifying his importance to absurd levels. I am a great admirer of his work, but there's limits to my patience with his endless insecurities.

Please organise your thinking. First you say the 'icon poll' was an unreliable gaugue of public opinion then, apropos of nothing, you cite 'general opinion' of Morrissey without providing any source or context for your assertion. This 'general opinion' appears to be your personal rumination.

Your comments to the effect that has racist tendencies is similarly unsupported and presumably relies on the utterly discredited NME 'Morrissey Memes'. You should exercise caution in asserting Morrissey has 'racist tendencies' as such a comment is borderline actionable and your IP address / ISP provider is traceable.

I am not particularly interested in pub-based conversations other than as a prelude to sexual intimacy. I rarely find discussion of Morrissey to be efficacious for this purpose.

I am indeed a member of the Audience, both when I listen to Morrissey's recorded consumer products and when I attend his curated consumer expriences. I find much to admire in his work and remain fascintated by his morbid journey through the delusions of 'fame' and its' attendant 'fans'.

I agree with Ran Prieur that 'no one who understands fame wants to be famous' and also that 'fame is a mental illness in the followers of the famous person'. I would add that 'fame is a mental illness in any person who accepts the preconditions of fame. I do not accept 'fame' as a meaninful concept so it's therefore impossible for me to be a 'fan' of anyone or anything. Morrissey stated 'fame' was the only worthwhile adventure in life:

http://bit.ly/O5Pand

As the whole supporting superstructure of 'fame' collapses around his ears due to the Internet demolishing the gatekeepers who priviliged him initially: I am interested in seeing how he resolves this existential error or continues in the delusions which increasingly seem to frustrate him and deprive him of artistic growth and reward. I am on this website to observe The Collapse Of Fame, using Morrissey as a particularly interesting example. Paul McCartney as an study subject would also be interesting.

You began your unsolicited communication with me by claiming my observations were 'silly' and 'ridiculous'. You now seem to be attempting to invalidate me with some sort of prejudice against intellectual reasoning, as if 'semantics' was irrelevant to human cognition and social networking.

I am no 'fan' of Morrissey. I am a member of his Audience. There's a real difference. Once implies co-dependent neurosis, one implies physchological health and mutual respect. I trust this further response clarifies my position for you.

regards.
 
I was surprised there was no Stone Roses either.

It only looked 'left wing' cos these things are usually totally biased towards the military / imperialism etc. which was not absent last night either
 

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