Justified assumptions about Smiths fans

[OutofStyle]

I'm relatively new here, and I'm just wondering what some of your (the community's) thoughts are about this.

I don't meet too many Smiths/Morrissey fans, at least not knowingly. My general experience is that those who I do meet are former fans, and I sometimes hear something to the effect that these lost souls "grew out of it". No tears for them.

But once as an undergrad, a few years ago, I was walking across campus, wearing my "The Queen Is Dead" shirt. One guy, who was pushing corporate merchandise, commented on my attire and quipped, "Hey, I can relate!" I smiled and said nothing, though I wanted to spit. The comment was harmless, but I thought it was silly to assume that enjoying a certain kind of music implies having particular experiences or a perspective. You just can't sum someone up and suppose that you know how a person feels based on a T-shirt. It's simple audacity.

Yet, it happens all the time. Not literally *all* the time, of course. But I idealistically believe that there is something unique about the music that draws certain individuals, to whom I can meaningfully relate--that they have common longings, beliefs, etc. So I guess that I'm guilty of making assumptions as well. As far as personal encounters with fans, I've only been correct in this once. Maybe it means nothing, but I still hope that the appreciation of the music goes further than the ears on those rare occasions.

Has anyone had similar thoughts? Perhaps you met someone on the street who appeared to fit the bill, who seemed to be interesting, but you soon found that this person was totally vapid? Are Smiths conventions disappointing, or what?

[Lifeguard Sleeping]

> Are Smiths conventions disappointing, or what?

I've never been to a convention, but I DID attend a Morrissey 40th birthday celebration, as well as an after-concert gathering (both at the same bar in Boston) and I was genuinely intrigued by the eclectic mix of people there. The ones who intrigued me most were the ones who DIDN'T look the part (you know...Moz look-alikes and other all-black-wearing throwbacks to the '80s). I can't really explain why - maybe it has something to do with the notion that he (and the Smiths) has touched so many people from so many different walks of life...even to the point where they would show up from miles away to celebrate the man's birthday and hang out with other fans (I guess it's because we're so hard to come by?).

[Billy Jones]

Well, I am a rockabilly fan and have been for most of my 33 years. I love both the Smiths and Morrissey and was drawn in initially, because of the rockabilly iconography. My best friend is also a huge Morrissey fan and he is a shirt and tie wearing conservative ! There is no Morrissey type. My colleague at work is a 33 year old black guy who loves Morrissey.

Different folks, but all fans of good music.

> I've never been to a convention, but I DID attend a Morrissey
> 40th birthday celebration, as well as an after-concert gathering
> (both at the same bar in Boston) and I was genuinely intrigued
> by the eclectic mix of people there. The ones who intrigued me
> most were the ones who DIDN'T look the part (you know...Moz
> look-alikes and other all-black-wearing throwbacks to the '80s).
> I can't really explain why - maybe it has something to do with
> the notion that he (and the Smiths) has touched so many people
> from so many different walks of life...even to the point where
> they would show up from miles away to celebrate the man's
> birthday and hang out with other fans (I guess it's because
> we're so hard to come by?).

[Non Vegetarian]

I always watch a PBS show called frontline. It's a public affairs show. Anayways the last episode was a show entitled "Merchants of Cool". Watching it made me really angry. I have never liked Limp Bizkit, I didn't know why at first but I do now. It took me awhile to realize the reason I didn't like Limp Bizkit is because the religated the guitar to a chime. That frontman said something like I really love how our guitarist make different noises with the guitar. I also saw a interview with the Foo Fighters commenting that they don't understand Limp Bizkit. I believe I have come up with the reason to not care for it but also a reason to hate it by the statements I made above. For all the fuss about how manufactured boy bands are, watching frontline made me realize that Limp Bizkit is the most manufactured band of all.

What worries me regarding moz is that there is an insurmountable odd that he will never be in TRL, it was reaveled by frontline that TRL isn't really total request. There are insiders at TRL that screen the available artist to ones who are only marketed by big record companies. Anyways MTV is a simple media outlet to sell Bull@#!!!. After all it started putting out videos which were simply promotional items from the record companies. What pisses me off is the sanctimoiniousness that they air out. Here are this self congratulatory wankers making like they are visionaries when in reality they are no more higher than street vendors.

[withnail]