Morrissey comment on TTY about the Hollywood Bowl DVD!

The comments on the mainpage are pissing me off. Why is everyone saying Morrissey is an ass for caring about getting his royalties? He's the one who wrote those songs and sang those songs--I pay for my concert tickets to see him (sorry Boz, et al)! He should at least get a little money off the DVD sale! :mad:
 
Another day, another feeble attempt to generate a "controversy". The most amazing thing about Morrissey is what he's been able to achieve in spite of himself.

sadly, I feel this is right. Reading the statement I felt rather heavy heart. I get that he is feeling very bitter about how his record deal or things have been going and really i do think it is in bad practice for him not to have been consulted regarding it, I fear it might have been a flat no though. So the company prob thought sod him, its going out.
 
The comments on the mainpage are pissing me off. Why is everyone saying Morrissey is an ass for caring about getting his royalties? He's the one who wrote those songs and sang those songs--I pay for my concert tickets to see him (sorry Boz, et al)! He should at least get a little money off the DVD sale! :mad:

Because they hate him for being richer and more successful than they are. Any mention of money by Morrissey is an excuse for them to shout "Fake! Money Mad! Businessman!". It's all quite comic really.
 
Can't artists also love money? Just throwing that out there...

In the context of show business (not charity work, teaching, ERs etc.) Morrissey has worked pretty hard for 25 years and suffered a lot of slings and arrows to earn what he has.

I'm just surprised he hasn't learned his lesson better after The debacle. He seems to have gotten the hang of being clear with musical collaborators as far as royalties etc., but the way he talks about other business dealings seems like he's still 25.

Isn't L.A. crawling with Entertainment lawyers? One of them must be a Moz fan.
 
Because they hate him for being richer and more successful than they are. Any mention of money by Morrissey is an excuse for them to shout "Fake! Money Mad! Businessman!". It's all quite comic really.

There's a big difference between Morrissey caring about royalties and him posting these angry little notes on TTY asking us to care, too. Unlike some people here, I have high hopes for the new album based on the good new songs we've heard. I'm pretty optimistic about his music right now. But I'm tired of hearing endless gripes from the Morrissey camp about low chart placements, bad marketing, lawsuits, royalties, and anything unrelated to the music.

With "Greatest Hits", you could see it coming a mile away: the CD was totally useless, it was going to tank, and Decca and anyone else in the vicinity would be blamed. The same thing is going to happen with "Years of Refusal", no matter how good the songs are-- because of his sense of entitlement he's going to bitch about the fact that the album will go in at #1 and drop off the face of the planet by the second week. The sales figures he wants just aren't there for him anymore.

And even if it's true that he's been screwed over by various people-- I'm sure he has been, and viciously-- there is no way I accept the constant message coming from him, which is that all his business woes are the fault of anyone and everyone except him. Whatever. He can pore over his accounts all day long as far as I care. I just don't want to hear about it because every time he posts this garbage to TTY the music seems to recede further and further into the background at a time when he might well be writing his best material since "Vauxhall and I".
 
There's a big difference between Morrissey caring about royalties and him posting these angry little notes on TTY asking us to care, too. Unlike some people here, I have high hopes for the new album based on the good new songs we've heard. I'm pretty optimistic about his music right now. But I'm tired of hearing endless gripes from the Morrissey camp about low chart placements, bad marketing, lawsuits, royalties, and anything unrelated to the music.

With "Greatest Hits", you could see it coming a mile away: the CD was totally useless, it was going to tank, and Decca and anyone else in the vicinity would be blamed. The same thing is going to happen with "Years of Refusal", no matter how good the songs are-- because of his sense of entitlement he's going to bitch about the fact that the album will go in at #1 and drop off the face of the planet by the second week. The sales figures he wants just aren't there for him anymore.

And even if it's true that he's been screwed over by various people-- I'm sure he has been, and viciously-- there is no way I accept the constant message coming from him, which is that all his business woes are the fault of anyone and everyone except him. Whatever. He can pore over his accounts all day long as far as I care. I just don't want to hear about it because every time he posts this garbage to TTY the music recedes further and further into the background at a time when he might well be writing the best material since "Vauxhall and I".

I agree with you that he shouldn't really discuss his business dealings and should take responsibility for his own decisions. I just don't go along with the general nonsense that just because he mentions royalties that means he's money obsessed. I think he mentioned (ie.made up :D ) the royalties issue because he mistakenly thought it would get him more sympathy.
 
I agree with you that he shouldn't really discuss his business dealings and should take responsibility for his own decisions. I just don't go along with the general nonsense that just because he mentions royalties that means he's money obsessed. I think he mentioned (ie.made up :D ) the royalties issue because he mistakenly thought it would get him more sympathy.

Well that's fair. I don't even mind if he is money obsessed, really. The same way I don't mind if my neighbor likes buying poultry at the market and screwing it on his divan. I just don't want to know. And Morrissey should have been slightly more tactful given that he's commenting on this instead of other recent news stories, which leads me to a remark on your joke:

Isn't having your trusted producer fall into a coma worthy of a sufficient amount of sympathy? Royalties...? ;)
 
He's spent his entire adult life writing deeply personal songs about his experiences, so it makes perfect sense to me that he'd tell us about business too. And it makes sense to me that he'd hope that people would care about issues where he's being screwed in some way, b/c I think it's the deeply personal nature of his songs that people respond to. In other words it's not insane to think that people who love his songs would also care about his desire to get paid for things he has a right to get paid for.
 
This is a bit OT, but do you think Morrissey has increasingly mentioned money a lot more since the move to L.A.? Of course events timed that way, but like the changes in his lyrics is there a cultural element where Americans, more than British, talk more openly about cash and what they're due?

There's almost no such culture of "money talk" in Japan, and it rarely comes up in any entertainment-related news.

Touching on other posts above, I can see the argument about whether or not it should be kept private. I say let him let it all hang out.

Like it or not, contracts are part of the blueprints for an album.
 
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He's spent his entire adult life writing deeply personal songs about his experiences, so it makes perfect sense to me that he'd tell us about business too. And it makes sense to me that he'd hope that people would care about issues where he's being screwed in some way, b/c I think it's the deeply personal nature of his songs that people respond to. In other words it's not insane to think that people who love his songs would also care about his desire to get paid for things he has a right to get paid for.

I love his songs, but I hardly care about his money woes. This is an issue that he needs to work out like an adult and a professional--with his lawyer and his former record label. To tell his fans not to buy it is almost Prince-like in its petty diva-ishness.

At least he doesn't usually sing about his money woes.

This is a bit OT, but do you think Morrissey has increasingly mentioned money a lot more since the move to L.A.? Of course events timed that way, but like the changes in his lyrics is there a cultural element where Americans, more than British, talk more openly about cash and what they're due?

We do?
That reminds me--Skinner, you mail me my check for $8 yet? :D
 
Wasn't the US built on trading, purcashing, stealing, IOUs, royalties et al?

American movies (Goodfellas anyone?) and perhaps Hong Kong movies probably bring up money more than any other country's cinema. Try conducting a study. I expect the final paper next week.

I love his songs, but I hardly care about his money woes. This is an issue that he needs to work out like an adult and a professional--with his lawyer and his former record label. To tell his fans not to buy it is almost Prince-like in its petty diva-ishness.

At least he doesn't usually sing about his money woes.



We do?
That reminds me--Skinner, you mail me my check for $8 yet? :D
 
The comments on the mainpage are pissing me off. Why is everyone saying Morrissey is an ass for caring about getting his royalties? He's the one who wrote those songs and sang those songs--I pay for my concert tickets to see him (sorry Boz, et al)! He should at least get a little money off the DVD sale! :mad:

He's spent his entire adult life writing deeply personal songs about his experiences, so it makes perfect sense to me that he'd tell us about business too. And it makes sense to me that he'd hope that people would care about issues where he's being screwed in some way, b/c I think it's the deeply personal nature of his songs that people respond to. In other words it's not insane to think that people who love his songs would also care about his desire to get paid for things he has a right to get paid for.

I completely agree with these thoughts! He should be in control of all aspects of a project release with his name on it. Period.

Plus, I'm relieved that he didn't ok that artwork. I was worried there, for a moment.
 
Wasn't the US built on trading, purcashing, stealing, IOUs, royalties et al?

I'd have to double-check, but I don't recall money being mentioned in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. But maybe Buzzetta can clarify that for me.

American movies (Goodfellas anyone?) and perhaps Hong Kong movies probably bring up money more than any other country's cinema. Try conducting a study. I expect the final paper next week.

I'll get right on it. But before I start, will I be compensated for my time?
 
Well that's fair. I don't even mind if he is money obsessed, really. The same way I don't mind if my neighbor likes buying poultry at the market and screwing it on his divan. I just don't want to know. And Morrissey should have been slightly more tactful given that he's commenting on this instead of other recent news stories, which leads me to a remark on your joke:

Isn't having your trusted producer fall into a coma worthy of a sufficient amount of sympathy? Royalties...? ;)

You know there was a thread back there in "Other Topic" that was for that very thing.
 
This is a bit OT, but do you think Morrissey has increasingly mentioned money a lot more since the move to L.A.? Of course events timed that way, but like the changes in his lyrics is there a cultural element where Americans, more than British, talk more openly about cash and what they're due?

There's almost no such culture of "money talk" in Japan, and it rarely comes up in any entertainment-related news.

Coincidental. Nothing to do with L.A. or America. It just so happened that he moved at a time when Joyce was coming after him. Considering how painful the lawsuit was-- and the fact that Joyce has hounded him for years, looking to suck up every last pound he earns-- it's understandable he's watchful of his money.

Which is why it's puzzling that he keeps finding himself in these little financial storms. If he's so careful, how is it that he agrees to make a DVD with Warners and then, for reasons known only to him, he decides not to release it and the company does so anyway? How does he get into these compromised positions again and again?

Touching on other posts above, I can see the argument about whether or not it should be kept private. I say let him let it all hang out.

Like it or not, contracts are part of the blueprints for an album.

So are talent and art, and they are far more important than contracts. Let the latter be taken care of by competent professionals so that he can uphold the illusion that it's all about the former-- just like every other established artist in the world.

It all boils down to the same question that has dogged him since 1983: why does he not have a proper manager?
 
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I'd have to double-check, but I don't recall money being mentioned in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. But maybe Buzzetta can clarify that for me.



I'll get right on it. But before I start, will I be compensated for my time?

We are taught that the US Declaration of Independence was drafted over complaints over a lack of representation in Parliament. However the complaints stem from a lack of representation concerning colonial affairs involving money, individual property rights and taxation.

The US Constitution does specifically mention just compensation in sections such as that concerning eminent domain, who gets to coin money and the obvious outlining of taxation authority.
 
See, coming from film I can't see it that way. When I watch a film the first time I don't about anything but what's on the screen.

Later, if the information is available without making too much effort, I want to know who paid to do what draft of the script, what pre-buys were made, if the remake rights were sold, how many points the star got etc.

My favourite author James Ellroy (who was the other fan on here?) is almost sociopathically transparent about his dealings. He loves money and he is a literary genius.



So are talent and art, and they are far more important than contracts. Let the latter be taken care of by competent professionals so that he can uphold the illusion that it's all about the former-- just like every other established artist in the world.
 
Wasn't the US built on trading, purcashing, stealing, IOUs, royalties et al?

American movies (Goodfellas anyone?) and perhaps Hong Kong movies probably bring up money more than any other country's cinema. Try conducting a study. I expect the final paper next week.

In movies, they bring up money in the context you describe--"trading, purcashing, stealing, IOUs, royalties"-- as a way of tearing away the veil laid over history. Money is discussed by outsiders, criminals, or deviants as a way of shocking mainstream ideas about money in this country and elsewhere. The zenith of this kind of movie is Oliver Stone's "Wall Street", with Gordon Gecko's speeches about greed and money-- although the finest speech of all is Ned Beatty's in "Network". In any case the movies talk up money precisely because it isn't talked up elsewhere, or not as much.
 
Here's an example. I've always been fascinated to know how the deals with Boz, Alain and the others have differed from the days of The Smiths -- and I'm quite sure there have been major revisions in thinking. Someone posted an anecdote about a huge cheque laying around Alain's house. I asked how much it was and almost got a snitty reponse.

I care because whatever the arrangement has been, it has keep Boz and Alain as major collaborators for many more years than Johnny was. So you see, these pieces of paper, what's wirtten on them, or the absence of them can shape a career -- inform art.

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel wouldn't be what it was if it weren't for scumbag loan sharks waiting to be repaid.

That's it for tonight!
 
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