Gaslight Anthem Singer Brian Fallon's Advice To Morrissey: "You Need To Get Over It"

[yearsofrefusal]

what an idiot morrissey does not need the smiths and never will anyway morrissey was the smiths. i used to like the gaslight anthem but he sure as hell turned me off you are either a true fan or not, he is not fit to even lick morrisseys boots, morrissey will never need to take advice of him ever.

[nothappynotsad]

Of course he is. He's a performance artist, in sprit, and he specializes in the art of confrontation. But with whom? It should be understood by anyone who has liked The Smiths and Morrissey for a long time, and had frequent run-ins with haters, that 90% of the insults hurled at Morrissey are really directed at his fans. Rollins cares more about disabusing the army of gladioli-waving dorks of their fey, Wildean illusions than he does cutting Morrissey down to size. There's a certain kind of fiery working-class crusader who hates charlatans because they influence the weak-minded; it's not about Morrissey, it's about the fool in Des Moines who walks around imitating him.

Usually you find this attitude among people who hold passionate political views (on either side of the spectrum). My favorite example from the Right is John Milius. At the end of "Conan The Barbarian", which has some similarities to the ending of "Apocalypse Now", the point of the scene is not that Conan takes his revenge by lopping off the head of the snake-god priest, Thulsa Doom, as repayment for slaughtering his parents. That's only part of it. The real point of the scene is that he does so in plain view of hundreds of the dark priest's apostles, the poor dupes and idiots who dress up in white robes and hold candlelight vigils for false gods. The charlatan has to be unmasked publicly so that his followers will snap out of their hypnotized slavery and realize he's not a deity.

For some, Morrissey is their Thulsa Doom.

Yeah, and that one scene where Arnold is crucified and then the vulture comes down to peck at him and then he kills it with his teeth...that is, like, totally a commentary on Morrissey and his critics and how he kills them with song.

[Anonymous]

Influence is all well and good, and I don't seek to tarnish the sanctity of your jerk-off sessions in your dark bedrooms while Bona Drag played on repeat, but I'd like some definitive, factual evidence that Morrissey is "better" than Brian Fallon, that Moz, objectively, deserves complete dominance over anyone else, and that Brian has no right to speak his mind. If you can't muster anything besides your opinions up, stop being supercillious dicks about it and plug your fucking mouths with a sword. You're treating Morrissey like a monarch. Last time I checked, he's not too fond of that institution.

I love Morrissey, he may in fact be my favorite musician in a while. But you guys make me ashamed to be counted in the same pool as you.

[Skylarker]

Influence is all well and good, and I don't seek to tarnish the sanctity of your jerk-off sessions in your dark bedrooms while Bona Drag played on repeat, but I'd like some definitive, factual evidence that Morrissey is "better" than Brian Fallon, that Moz, objectively, deserves complete dominance over anyone else, and that Brian has no right to speak his mind. If you can't muster anything besides your opinions up, stop being supercillious dicks about it and plug your fucking mouths with a sword. You're treating Morrissey like a monarch. Last time I checked, he's not too fond of that institution.

I love Morrissey, he may in fact be my favorite musician in a while. But you guys make me ashamed to be counted in the same pool as you.

This is an apples an oranges debate. There is no "evidence" that either of them is greater than the other, nor any need for such a thing, and that's not what this is about anyway. Different strokes for different strokes. Ask Mr. Drummond.

Brian could never write anything as refined and esoteric as Yes I Am Blind or Will Never Marry, and Morrissey could never write anything as soulful as Here Comes My Man or balls-out rocking as 45. They each do their thing and, to my ears anyway, they have done it amazingly. Brian is in his prime right now....when Morrissey was his age, so was he. This isn't a pissing contest.

The Smiths were the best band of their day and The Gaslight Anthem are the best of theirs. Morrissey's 90s solo output dwarfed almost ANYTHING that came out by any new bands that entire decade. As much as I rib Morrissey on here and, hell, as many legitimate gripes as I really do have with him, there is no one to touch the bulk of his legacy.

But variety is the spice of life and I don't need other bands I enjoy to be just like Morrissey, or approved by Morrissey, in order for me to get great joy out of what they do.

In my opinion, both Fallon and Morrissey are phenomenal masters of their craft and scribes of their times and environments, and are able to sublimate the misery and joy of the human experience into poetic, anthemic rock music...but they do it in totally different ways. Both have brought me massive joy. If forced at gunpoint to decide between Bona Drag and The '59 Sound, well, I'd have to take that bullet.

Telling people to shove swords in their mouths...man, that's just fucked up. Get a fucking grip. This forum is about opinions being "mustered up." Deal with it.

And by the way, if you're gonna use big words like 'supercilious', at least spell them correctly.

[Anonymous]

I find these comments quite ridiculous. The fact that people are saying that Brian Fallon is some unknown "twerp" when in reality The Gaslight Anthem are performing at many festivals on main stages (yes morrissey would more than likely headline them all).If Morrissey released an album under a different name, or many albums (and people didnt recognise it) would they be climbing in stature like The Gaslight Anthem, personally I dont really think so. Morrissey to begin with is regarded highly because of The Smiths, hes gone solo and people are losing intrest(as shown by a drop in record sales). I grew up listening to The Smiths (and Morrisseys solo records), and i've got to say that Morrissey isnt climbing in stature, or realeasing anything as close to the quality of what was released under The Smiths.

Brian Fallon's lyrics and music are completely different to The Smiths and Morrissey, he portrays emotion in a completely different manner, but the guy is hugely influenced by: The Clash, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan (the list is endless, but I'll name the more famous ones) in addition to Morrissey, the fact that he regards Morrissey and he is willing to admit that he is influenced by him and then criticise him makes Brian a human, he knows that nobody is perfect, he knows that not everyone likes his music and not everyone likes Morrisseys music. Brian pours his heart into his music as does Morrissey, do you really think that mentioning Morrissey is an effort to gain listeners? And if anyone else mentions The Smiths or Morrissey are they trying to get more listeners by doing so? No they are not, they are being openly honest to everyone and saying that they are grateful for their music and have drawn inspiration from it. Brian is merely saying that he wants to hear more of the old Morrissey when he was at the top of his game, when The Smiths were together.

Different people like different things and people may argue and squabble over something like this, but in the end thats his opinion as a fellow musician. As listeners of either of them you should all be grateful that you are blessed with musicians like Morrissey and Brian, regardless of whether or not you like them.

[Skylarker]

The new Gaslight Anthem LP finally came out last week and I'm sorry to say it is not a stunner; though it does have a few really good songs. No bad songs per se, but almost half of it is filler...good filler, but filler that falls short of anything Fallon's written since 2007.

It is very similar to Years of Refusal, quality wise and production wise...some amazing songs here and there but mostly it is overcooked water treading, trying too hard to sound natural. I'm only bringing this up to show that I am not gunning for Morrissey.

Gaslight are still my favorite group hands down, second only to The Smiths, but if I find something they do to be substandard, I'll say so just as quickly as I would regarding Morrissey.

[CrystalGeezer]

The new Gaslight Anthem LP finally came out last week and I'm sorry to say it is not a stunner; though it does have a few really good songs. No bad songs per se, but almost half of it is filler...good filler, but filler that falls short of anything Fallon's written since 2007.

It is very similar to Years of Refusal, quality wise and production wise...some amazing songs here and there but mostly it is overcooked water treading, trying too hard to sound natural. I'm only bringing this up to show that I am not gunning for Morrissey.

Gaslight are still my favorite group hands down, second only to The Smiths, but if I find something they do to be substandard, I'll say so just as quickly as I would regarding Morrissey.

Awwww. You're so objective. Tell me, did you work for the railroad in a past life? Because you're really good at laying track.

[Skylarker]

Awwww. You're so objective. Tell me, did you work for the railroad in a past life? Because you're really good at laying track.

You're disgusting and friendless and you're a huge joke. You imagine you've had some moment in the sun, because you talked a lot of shit on here and got away with it, since your targets are not too well liked by the powers that be...but you're just a beached whale with a big mouth, about as clever as the turd I dropped this morning. Probably less so, actually.

I'm much smarter than you, and much more attractive, and that's how it is and that's how it will stay. Now go eat something poisonous and mind your own business. You wouldn't know the first thing about being objective when it comes to Morrissey, you masturbatory sycophantic sow.

[CrystalGeezer]

You're disgusting and friendless and you're a huge joke. You imagine you've had some moment in the sun, because you talked a lot of shit on here and got away with it, since your targets are not too well liked by the powers that be...but you're just a beached whale with a big mouth, about as clever as the turd I dropped this morning. Probably less so, actually.

I'm much smarter than you, and much more attractive, and that's how it is and that's how it will stay. Now go eat something poisonous and mind your own business. You wouldn't know the first thing about being objective when it comes to Morrissey, you masturbatory sycophantic sow.

Wow. Tell us how you really feel Skylarker.

[!Viva Hate!]

Wow. Tell us how you really feel Skylarker.

"Us" as in the voices in your head?

[CrystalGeezer]

"Us" as in the voices in your head?

How about you tell us whether you lied and took credit for hacking into the solo moderator forum to obtain personal information or you really did? Because part of me thinks you're not smart enough even though you told me you did.

[BennyCS]

I understand you posted this to share news and everything but I don't really understand why people care what any celebrity says. I adore Morrissey as much as the next person but I don't really care what he says or thinks. Brian Fallon's opinions mean just as little to me. I don't agree with what he said about Morrissey much like I don't agree with some of the stuff Moz spits out from time to time, but it doesn't bother me at all because at the end of the day, who cares?

[!Viva Hate!]

How about you tell us whether you lied and took credit for hacking into the solo moderator forum to obtain personal information or you really did? Because part of me thinks you're not smart enough even though you told me you did.

What is this insanity you're harping on about now? Does Fatima and Jesse Tobias figure into this tale as well?

Seriously, go take your Aesop's Fables and your Münchausen syndrome and move into the closest chimpanzee enclosure you can find...I'm sure you'll feel right at home flinging your own feces and having someone to eat the fleas from your mangy hair.

[CrystalGeezer]

What is this insanity you're harping on about now? Does Fatima and Jesse Tobias figure into this tale as well?

Seriously, go take your Aesop's Fables and your Münchausen syndrome and move into the closest chimpanzee enclosure you can find...I'm sure you'll feel right at home flinging your own feces and having someone to eat the fleas from your mangy hair.

You told me to my face that you hacked into solo's moderator forum. You are a conniving liar with a bizarre solo fascination.

[Skylarker]

You told me to my face that you hacked into solo's moderator forum. You are a conniving liar with a bizarre solo fascination.

Maybe he was just trying to impress you...you know, because you're so attractive.

[nothappynotsad]

You told me to my face that you hacked into solo's moderator forum. You are a conniving liar with a bizarre solo fascination.

Actually, I distinctly remember him telling you that he didn't hack solo. He told you that he doesn't even know how to hack. Either you're flat out lying or your fragile memory is quite warped, dear girl. I think you're the one with a bizarre solo fascination. You're the one so entangled in the politics of a fucking message board that you're willing to meet users face-to face under false pretenses simply to gather personal information. He knows more about Morrissey (and everything else) than you ever will, and this threatens you. Leave us alone and go back to your construction paper cut outs, will you?

[!Viva Hate!]

You told me to my face that you hacked into solo's moderator forum. You are a conniving liar with a bizarre solo fascination.

First off, I didn't tell anything to your face. When I talked to you, I looked off to the left so that I didn't spoil my lunch.

Secondly, I never claimed anything of the such.

I don't know what you hope to accomplish with saturating multiple threads with insults and lies baiting Skylarker, Nothappynotsad and myself...it won't make Morrissey, his band, his current musical output, or you any less embarrassing and it won't make any of us go away.

[CrystalGeezer]

I have no reason to lie, you brought it up at the table at Farmer's Market then proceeded to take credit for it. Now you've got your girlfriend lying for you. Classy.

[nothappynotsad]

I have no reason to lie, you brought it up at the table at Farmer's Market then proceeded to take credit for it. Now you've got your girlfriend lying for you. Classy.

WOW! I was there. I remember exactly what happened, and that most definitely did not.

[CrystalGeezer]

WOW! I was there. I remember exactly what happened, and that most definitely did not.

Do you also remember the part where after he was banned the first time he wrote David a letter saying he was reformed and married and a family man and could he please be included in the forum activities, that he was changed. What is a lie? What is real? When he logged on all those months under your user name you didn;t think it a breach of your identity? Patterns tell tales, he's a compulsive liar. He sat there and told us he hacked into solo. Now either he didn't and was taking bragging rights for it, or he did. But I just smiled and nodded and listened and thought, "This guy has some fucking issues."