"Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guardian Music Blog

Found this in The Guardian website...

Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it? by Stephen Kelly - The Guardian Music Blog
After a 5,000-mile trip from LA to Copenhagen, a Morrissey fansite owner was looking forward to seeing his favourite artist in concert. Instead he was refused entry and given a lifetime ban
 
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Unfortunately for me, a long time fan, the day has come where I realize -- perhaps because I'm nearing middle age-- that Morrissey is human after all. A f***ing real jerk at that.

Viva David!!!
 
I actually think Morrissey is now officially "out of touch"

He would be embarrassed if he knew how wrong he was in this case...

David T has doing nothing to promote any ill will towards Morrissey, he just posts without any censorship, both the good and the bad. Its proper journalism. Morrissey sounds as if he'd be happier with Al Jazeera type of propaganda machine...

very silly and misguided of him to project his frustrations on David
 
I have been a fan of Morrissey for more than 15 years. He is a brilliant musician and a very brave human being.

This site is full of negative and hateful people who have very little to contribute to society.

There are a few people who are intelligent and who post useful information for fans.

I think that at this point, the site is full of anti-fans rather than fans.

It's really a disgrace.
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

One line keeps popping into my head...

"I know it's over and it never really began, but in my heart it was so real."
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

To quote Martin Sheen from Apocolypse Now..."Yes sir, very much so sir. Obviously insane."
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

But, the thing is, there really isn't ANY difference between the two. In both cases, it's people expressing an opinion. It's just that one of them happens to be Morrissey. And, in both cases, there is needless insult and negativity.

I think we can agree that no one could--or should--stop Morrissey or anyone else from creating a blog or website and using that to share whatever thoughts and opinions they have. You can say what you like in your own home.

Billboard.com is a site about music. They were happy to provide a place for Morrissey to speak, and, while doing so, Moz apparently felt the need to insult Michael Bublé. Fair enough. He can think and say what he likes. And I really respect him for doing so.

But it goes both ways, and Morrissey doesn't like that. Not when the bitchiness and negativity is directed at him. (I don't blame him there. The nastiness hurts. But you do tend to get back what you toss out there, so if you're wanting people to be a bit kinder, a bit gentler, then maybe you should put more of that out there. . . . )

Solo is a site ABOUT Morrissey, not FOR Morrissey. It's not a promotional tool, like itsmorrisseysworld.com or his official MySpace or Facebook pages. It's a place where people can gather to share their opinions--good, bad, and indifferent--about Morrissey and his music. I don't particularly care for the way David runs it, but it's his place, his rules--I get that. He and his moderators are essentially equivalent to the editorial staff at Billboard.com in that they get to decide what content goes up and what doesn't.

If DavidT were making threats against Morrissey or the band, if he'd arrived at the venue intent on stirring up trouble, then, sure, it would be necessary to ask him to leave or have him forcibly removed if he put up a fight. But arriving in a peaceable manner to watch a show from a balcony seat, only to be escorted out by Moz's security people? I've seen people brawling over shirts, bloodying people whose only offense was standing in a crowd to see Morrissey. I saw a guy get his tooth knocked out in a shouting match over who had the right to stand at the rail. THAT'S dangerous. This? This is just ridiculous.

If Morrissey doesn't want DavidT at his shows, that's his prerogative (and I really do believe he has the right to exclude anyone he wants for whatever reason he may have), but he should have handled this like an adult instead of kicking him out and then having someone issue a statement to the press. He's made himself look like a 52 year old child. It's so sad. It makes it difficult for people--Morrissey included--to focus on the music (getting a record deal, etc.), and not the antics.

Yes it is childish behaviour, yes he should have resolved this differently and YES Morrisseys music will prevail this ordeal.

My biggest concern is people treating Morrissey as a god just because his music is godlike. He's shown before that his judgment could be better. So I'm surprised and appalled that so many Morrissey-fans just NOW are feeling the need to choose sides between Moz and some guy who started this website. It's a f-ing website for christs sake. Is the Internet more important than Morrisseys music? I'm guessing it is for a large amount of Moz-fans.

What I am trying to say at this early hour is that idolizing the person behind the music is dangerous. They never tend to be as perfect as the music they create. But that's alright, it seems a lot of people has a new idol, his name is David Tseng and he is pro free speech on the Internet at any cost.
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

The tone of the site, these days, is set by right-wing closet cases like !Viva Hate! and Theo, who take out their rage on the pop star whose music sadly prevented them from slitting their wrists during high school.

The moderators are lying, unintelligent, smug, selfish, malicious blockheads.

David Tseng is the man without qualities, the man who wasn't there, Patrick Bateman, etc. (Ever notice how he's never described except as being "nice"? It's like a compliment you pay someone you expected to be a drooling halfwit); a Microserf whose entire identity he owes to his unearned place on Morrissey's coattails.

This site is nothing. A lot of middleaged Phish fans who started coming here during the simultaneous explostion of the internet, and the mainstreaming of Morrissey in America via You Are the Quarry, feel wedded to it. As well they should. They certainly aren't wedded to spouses. They're failures in every aspect of life, and the delusions of grandeur they're enjoying during this controversy will prove to have been the peak of their lives.

Morrissey, meanwhile, outpaces in every aspect of his career virtually every comparable musical figure. The biggest star in the world chose his last album as her favorite of its year. His concerts almost invariable sell out, everywhere. He has no trouble getting airplay. He has no trouble getting record contracts--WHEN HE WANTS ONE.

He has no trouble getting laid.

He is a multimillionaire, worshipped in every nation on Earth.

You have ten thousand posts on a web forum.

You fail.

AHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
THIS THIS THIS THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Viva Hate is a c*** to the extreme and he has stolen the audio from the Hollywood Bowl DVD and distributed it, which is illegal.
 
Dear Morrissey,
For 27 years I have followed you, travelled all over Europe to see you, admired you and always gave you the benefit of the doubt regarding some of your actions. After the whole David Tseng incident I am not able to believe in you anymore. I am having a lot of doubts about attending gigs for which I have tickets already. I am afraid to hear you sing Smiths songs, which mean the world to me, and I am afraid that I’m not able believe any word you say anymore. I realize that I never personally knew you and that all that I thought you were was in my head and imagination
I really never thought the day would come that I didn’t want to call myself a Morrissey fan anymore but now, regrettably, that day has come. If I’m still going to attend your gigs it will be to say goodbye. It has been a long time since you wrote any lyric which said something about my life and said something in interviews which I can relate to, animal rights aside.
I can understand your frustration regarding all that negativity on this site, but its part of being famous, and let’s be honest…. You have a sharp tongue towards certain people as well.
I wish you all the best and thank you for writing those songs that saved my life…
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

Dear Morrissey,
For 27 years I have followed you, travelled all over Europe to see you, admired you and always gave you the benefit of the doubt regarding some of your actions. After the whole David Tseng incident I am not able to believe in you anymore. I am having a lot of doubts about attending gigs for which I have tickets already. I am afraid to hear you sing Smiths songs, which mean the world to me, and I am afraid that I’m not able believe any word you say anymore. I realize that I never personally knew you and that all that I thought you were was in my head and imagination
I really never thought the day would come that I didn’t want to call myself a Morrissey fan anymore but now, regrettably, that day has come. If I’m still going to attend your gigs it will be to say goodbye. It has been a long time since you wrote any lyric which said something about my life and said something in interviews which I can relate to, animal rights aside.
I can understand your frustration regarding all that negativity on this site, but its part of being famous, and let’s be honest…. You have a sharp tongue towards certain people as well.
I wish you all the best and thank you for writing those songs that saved my life…

I believe this troll post as much as I believe that cutting taxes creates jobs. If you give up on nearly 30 years with an artist because he is having a tiff with a guy who gives a platform to all the drivel on this website...then you're daft. Art and artist are separate. Dear lord if we paid attention to how Picasso treated people or numerous other wonderful artists (not that I'm comparing them for artistic purposes).
 
and always gave you the benefit of the doubt regarding some of your actions

Clearly this person has had his/her doubts for a long time
 
Forget the year upon year degradation of this site, you only need to scroll back up this thread to get an example of the vile, sickening dirt that is the epitome of how Morrissey feels about this place. It's truly disgusting to allow uncensored comments directed at the man. Any other website, regardless of its subject would have it removed and discouraged. I don't give a damn about the arguments for 'free speech', it doesn't apply on the internet because we are talking about people who are not standing and stating their point in public, but instead are tapping on a keyboard anonymously with no repercussions whatsoever. As for the future of this site, well, does it have one? What role can it possibly play, other than to serve as a constant thorn in Morrissey's side. He clearly and evidently hates the way this site is allowing him to be attacked hourly. People have been pleading for years for proper control on this site and all of it has gone unheeded. The once fantastic chatroom was blighted by trolls who attacked us and drew us all into arguments when all we wanted to do was chat and have fun. Many people pleaded for moderation in the chat, mailed the site owner complaining and asking for action to be taken against certain individuals for things that would be considered serious offences elsewhere, but it was all ignored, hence the chatroom community was ripped apart and the hatred switched to the forums, which have now experienced the same fate. there really is no argument to consider the future of this site. It's lost it's purpose, direction and saddest of all, the respect of its subject. Doesn't that tell you something?
It's time to close this place down.
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

I've been here since the inception of this site. I have never really felt the need to comment on here much. But at last i find my self wanting to share some thoughts.......


Over the last few years alot of pussies have began to post anonymous garbage which has pretty turned this site into shit. Yes i agree free speech is free speech. But it is so distasteful for so many haters to feel the need to chime in. Do you really have that much time in your life to type in morrissey-solo.com ? I dont get the self fulfillment one gets to share your hate.

As far as morrissey and his progress over the last years...... Im increasingly getting dismayed by such a caring,sensitive, intelligent man. How can he disseminate something that had good intentions from the get go? Morrissey-solo has been just about the only site that has truly tied all us fans together over the last 15 years. All of sudden its the rats ass of hell. Unless im mistaken, this is not david t's fault. To ban him is a bit harsh.

Overall, this is a reflection of morrissey's attitude and general temperment with regard to those who are not on his idyllic mindset. I am starting to feel like he is falling off. You know, like those old coots who run their mouths about societies ill fate and all that negative crap that comes with it. Oh yeah, the word is called being senile. (I feel bad that i am tossing that word out there..........)
: (

Lastly, yes im still and always will be a diehard fan. Shit, im still clicking on this site everyday regardless of how boring some of the updates are........


spare me, grammar nazis

Great Post. These are my feelings too.

Ironically, during the wilderness years this site was alive with intelligent, informed debate - and positive speculation...David kept the flame burning.
 
I don't want to comment on whether or not Moz has lost it. I'm not an armchair psychologist. I do think he made a bad situation worse if he wanted to prevent this site from allowing negative comments.

It's garnering attention from other sites to this site and calling attention to the 5 or 6 posters who might have taken things to personal attacks about Boz Boorer's weight. Who else even paid him attention outside the main fanbase to realise if he did gain weight or not. Who cared if he did? I didn't pay his looks the slightest bit of notice and if I ran into him on the street here in Florida I wouldn't recognise him as Moz's band mate.

The imdb.com has members that are just plain cruel and spiteful all over it. The internet is going to be filled with mean people or just criticisms. Not all criticisms are bad. The Sopranos guy took it bad when people didn't like how he ended his show but he left it at "too bad".
As fans you can leave your opinion but thats about all we can do.

Banning people from concerts is probably going to achieve the opposite of what he wants.
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

Seriously... Morrissey does not read the comments on this site... you people have to get this through your head... this is a guy who was faxing well into the email era; doesn't understand that music is 98% digital now (and thus would be better off releasing material on his own)... someone is clearly saying, "this site is bad"... Morrissey reading the comments on this site is the same as a celebrity reading all the comments about them on tmz-- it just doesn't happen.


Morrissey is very well versed in using email now (he has several accounts.) And he is very well versed in using the internet too. It's absolutely clear that he does read this site. The faxing days are long long behind him.
 
I am very very angry about what happend to David. I think Moz has reached the final bend of his career, this seems to be the beginning of the end. And that´s the saddest thing to say....
Anyway, I am now selling my ticket for Eindhoven on Ebay, because somehow Morrissey has kicked my ass, too :mad:

So David, I hope this site will go on, and on, and on......

Greets from Germany,

Alex
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

He's a f***ing nutter and he needs help.

.. says the person who bothers to expend the time and energy posting absurd hyperbole on an internet message board.
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

Before this present firestorm, I would say that by in large, the criticism on solo has been fair and posted respectfully.

You've obviously not been paying attention. There is nothing at all "fair and respectful" about the vicious, despicable poison that regularly appears on this site (and why limit the criticism of this site to the attacks on Morrissey and his band, there's also the disgusting vendetta against "Freeyourself" which I seem to recall included his tour itinerary and an invitation to attend his concerts and "smash bottles in his face" - a prima facie incitement to cause grievous and/or actual bodily harm; what does that have to do with Morrissey?). The amount of ludicrous back-pedalling and self-justification we are now witnessing is almost as sickening as the persecution itself. Regardless of the "free speech" debate (and I come down on the side of "If people here are free to say what they like, then why isn't Morrissey extended the same right?"), what about the simple ability to keep an internet forum on-topic and not distracted by vendettas and abuse? Other message boards promoting all kinds of other subjects can manage it, so why not Solo?

This isn't a fan site any more - it's not about Morrissey, it's about the personalities (and personality disorders) who seeek to make it a platform for their own vanity. It feels to me (and to fans I have spoken to in real life, not online) that this is the death knell for Solo - and, as webmaster, David should take responsibility. It's exactly the same situation as we've been witnessing in Britian with no News International executives willing to take responsibility for the phone-hacking: the people in charge need to accept the blame and to realise they could have acted differently to prevent the current debacle. So does David.
 
Re: Article: "Throwing out his own fans – has Morrissey finally lost it?" - The Guard

I am very very angry about what happend to David. I think Moz has reached the final bend of his career, this seems to be the beginning of the end. And that´s the saddest thing to say....
Anyway, I am now selling my ticket for Eindhoven on Ebay, because somehow Morrissey has kicked my ass, too :mad:

So David, I hope this site will go on, and on, and on......

Greets from Germany,

Alex

So you're selling your tickets, but you still want the site to continue...? Some contradiction here, surely? Unless you mean that you accept that so low is a Moz-kicking site and you want it to continue in that fashion?
 
I'd like to add two comments to this thread:

1. Morrissey laid down the gauntlet to his fans and detractors some time ago now, with his single 'All You Need Is Me' ('You hiss and groan and you constantly moan but you don't ever go away'). Considering how intelligent the average Smiths/ Morrissey fan is - and I still like to think the average fan is pretty sharp - it's amazing how many of Morrissey's fans still sit on the fence or hold hostile opinions on him. It's not too late to get behind the man. Ok, he's not perfect. But we knew that already. But if your feelings about Morrissey get you foaming at the mouth every time he releases a below-par single or LP or puts on a flat concert performance (things which are hardly exclusive to Morrissey), then you're better off leaving this site. I really do believe that David T's intentions in creating this site are inherently honorable. But at some point in the past things got away from him here. Imagine the turnaround if all of those fans who 'hiss and groan' disappeared from this forum, leaving those fans who actually support Morrissey and enjoy visiting Morrissey-solo to chat and discuss stories relating to him. But of course this needn't rule out constructive criticism, or even wicked humour - something Moz himself might even appreciate! The fact is, Morrissey has not 'lost it'. We all know that Morrissey is a very self-assured individual. Yes, his actions sometimes suggest his perception of life has been distorted by fame (something which he touched upon in songs as early as 'Bigmouth' and 'Frankly, Mr Shankley'). But to what extent has our perception of him been warped by the media filter through which we experience him. (I mean, none of us can claim to actually KNOW Morrissey.) Think about it, and give the poor schmuck a break. And ask yourself: why do you care so much?

2. Yes, Morrissey has criticised people in the past in interviews. And sometimes the criticism has been sustained - eg, the Royal family, Margaret Thatcher. But Morrissey is hardly alone in criticising these figures. And, let's not forget that Morrissey has always used his fame as a platform to speak for the outcasts and underprivileged in our society. It is the sustained assualt on his personality, records and band at this website that prompted his recent banning of the site's creator. This is the crucial difference here.

Peace
 

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