Gene's Martin Rossiter Interview, Comparisons With Morrissey - sabotagetimes.com

Martin Rossiter Interviewed By Jon Wilde For sabotagetimes.com

Excerpt -

Throughout your time with Gene, you were routinely compared with Morrissey. How much of a burden did that become?

I liked The Smiths a lot. From an early age, I’d always felt a sense of “otherness” and, to me, The Smiths were the musical manifestation of that otherness. I enjoyed the fact that Morrissey would use language in a way that was very different from any other singer of the time. Morrissey did cast a long shadow and became a kind of shadow that I could never quite get away from. I did get fed up with the comparisons because his name would keep coming up whenever Gene was written about. The comparisons came up because, like Morrissey, I sing in an English accent which is surprisingly rare when you think about it. Like Morrissey I sing with a vibrato. I suppose we both have an interest in the human condition. But, as far as I’m concerned, that’s where it ends.

Full Interview - http://www.sabotagetimes.com/music/...rviewed-pulp-and-blur-can-fck-off-to-butlins/

Nice interview, thanks.
Going to see him tomorrow night at the Deaf Institute and can't wait.

 

[Garlicbread]

..and if you dont ever want to be be associated with a particular artist.....er....dont name your band after one of their songs

 

[Chat]

If it wasn't for fans of The Smiths and Morrissey, no one would have given a damn about Gene.

 

[Anonymous]

Why has nobody put the new lp on hear? They put other peoples on here.
"sites him as an influence" that is a dramatic understatement, his whole career is in debt to Morrissey.
This LP really is I Long Player version of Morrissey doing I Have Changed My Plea. To put Martin on the level as Moz is stupid in the extreme it worse than comparing Cliff Richard with Elvis.

I for one hope no one puts this album on "here". The record has been put out on pledge, it has charitable donations attached to it and is worthy of the money Martin is asking for it. Whatever anyone thinks, good or bad, this is someone who isn't releasing a record on a major who gets paid regardless. PLEASE DONT UP LOAD THIS ALBUM, though someone probably already has!

 

[Anonymous]

I don't see how Martin sounds like Morrissey, sings like him, or mimics his mannerisms. And Gene doesn't look or sound like The Smiths. Who cares what the press said, or even what this band had to say back then about the comparisons? I think it is irrelevant now. Just watch and listen to this performance. It holds its own. And the lyrics to this beautiful love song... well... up there with the best of them.

You're right.

They sound like a f***ing Coldplay tribute act. With an audience to match.

 

[Anonymous]

I for one hope no one puts this album on "here". The record has been put out on pledge, it has charitable donations attached to it and is worthy of the money Martin is asking for it. Whatever anyone thinks, good or bad, this is someone who isn't releasing a record on a major who gets paid regardless. PLEASE DONT UP LOAD THIS ALBUM, though someone probably already has!

Reverse psychology or the commentator's curse?

 

[realitybites]

You're right.

They sound like a f***ing Coldplay tribute act. With an audience to match.

I'm too polite to say what you sound like.

 

[butley]

I listened to his new album the whole way through on Spotify. There is something there but so much that is wrong. It is exhausting and overwrought. It is like he has Morrissey tied to a chair in the corner of the studio and is desperately trying to show him how wordy and wordly he is. Morrissey is trying not to show his terror.

 

[Anon Anon Anon]

The second of The Mouth Magazine's video session tracks with Martin Rossiter is online. I think it's realy good.

http://themouthmagazine.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/martin-rossiter-video-session-2/

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

I listened to his new album the whole way through on Spotify. There is something there but so much that is wrong. It is exhausting and overwrought. It is like he has Morrissey tied to a chair in the corner of the studio and is desperately trying to show him how wordy and wordly he is. Morrissey is trying not to show his terror.

There were several bands damned with the Smiths wannabee label back in the eighties. Gene were one, James were another. Both those acts managed to produce often fine work despite that weight around their necks. Let's not forget the debt the Smiths owe to those who went before, either. There would be no Panic without Metal Guru. There is a fine line between homage and ripoff, but out of that T-Rex inspiration we ended up with two bona fide classic singles, Bolan's on one hand and Morrissey & Marr's fourteen years later.

If there ever was a comparison between Morrissey and Rossiter it is hardly relevant now. Morrissey is currently incapable of the sort of emotional ballad Rossiter exhibits. He's given that up for this flopabilly drivel which sells tickets in Buttf***, Arkansas, but keeps him out of the studio, quite possibly forever.

It is unfair to compare Rossiter with Morrissey. A fairer comparison of this album in its emotional tone might be The Boatman's Call. That has a similar redemptive introspection to it. That is very high praise indeed, as Boatman's Call is my favourite album, and should be yours too, dear reader.

Rossiter's album sounds overwrought because of much of its subject matter. Three Points Of A Compass is a chilling ten minutes dissection of his broken relationship with his father. It would be hard for it not to sound emotionally draining. It's pretty unfair to imply Rossiter is trying to outdo Morrissey. One man has produced a song like Compass while the other in currently bashing out tripe like People Are The Same Everywhere and doing so to many of the same people... Everywhere.

When Moz was releasing I Know It's Over or Maudlin Street you would have had a point but he isn't. That was a long time ago, and the only people who now believe his five (count 'em!) new songs are remotely close in quality to his old stuff are the terminally deluded.

 

[Anonymous]

There were several bands damned with the Smiths wannabee label back in the eighties. Gene were one, James were another. Both those acts managed to produce often fine work despite that weight around their necks. Let's not forget the debt the Smiths owe to those who went before, either. There would be no Panic without Metal Guru. There is a fine line between homage and ripoff, but out of that T-Rex inspiration we ended up with two bona fide classic singles, Bolan's on one hand and Morrissey & Marr's fourteen years later.

If there ever was a comparison between Morrissey and Rossiter it is hardly relevant now. Morrissey is currently incapable of the sort of emotional ballad Rossiter exhibits. He's given that up for this flopabilly drivel which sells tickets in Buttf***, Arkansas, but keeps him out of the studio, quite possibly forever.

It is unfair to compare Rossiter with Morrissey. A fairer comparison of this album in its emotional tone might be The Boatman's Call. That has a similar redemptive introspection to it. That is very high praise indeed, as Boatman's Call is my favourite album, and should be yours too, dear reader.

Rossiter's album sounds overwrought because of much of its subject matter. Three Points Of A Compass is a chilling ten minutes dissection of his broken relationship with his father. It would be hard for it not to sound emotionally draining. It's pretty unfair to imply Rossiter is trying to outdo Morrissey. One man has produced a song like Compass while the other in currently bashing out tripe like People Are The Same Everywhere and doing so to many of the same people... Everywhere.

When Moz was releasing I Know It's Over or Maudlin Street you would have had a point but he isn't. That was a long time ago, and the only people who now believe his five (count 'em!) new songs are remotely close in quality to his old stuff are the terminally deluded.

great post.

I'm a huge Morrissey fan but the fact is Morrissey has never written lyrics as affecting as these in a very long time

 

[Sidnettle]

Were you f'ing born stupid?
I said the idea. Yes its obscure but Martin would have known full well about it. He was a massive fan and collector. Although, Gene were nothing like The Smiths they based their career on them and look, they actually sounded like a Morrissey b side.
I actually. knew martin in the 90s. So know for a fact he was desperate to meet Moz and was based himself on him. Not that the Morrissey persona fitted him- He always looked like a wanna be Moz that missed the point by miles.
His wife even chose his clothing (and bought them), he really is clueless. Nice but clueless.
Don't trust the con.

All that said the album is worth buying and gene had some OK music..so I guess thats the main thing.

Were you born boring?

 

[Qvist]

Gene was a great band,in large part due to Steve Mason's guitar playing/songwriting and Rossiters distinct and excellent voice. I'm looking forward to hearing the new solo album. Anyone who tries to compare Martin with Moz has too much time on their hands and too little variety in their music collection.

Er, the comparison is not just valid, it is screamingly obvious. Nothing except The Smiths have ever sounded so blatantly like The Smiths. It was the the first thing I thought when I first heard them. Saw them live once, MR was even flamboyantly rolling hs Rs. And yes, they were great nonetheless. But to pretend it is in any way reasonable to suggest they were not emulating the Smiths jut has no credibility whatsoever. MR may believe his own above words, I do not.

 

[Ben Budd]

Gene would have told you at the time they were happily ripping off The Smiths, The Jam and Small Faces. Nowt wrong with wearing your influences on your sleeve - most of the lyrics from the Smiths' first album were lifted from libraries across South Manchester.

 

[Kewpie]

Gene would have told you at the time they were happily ripping off The Smiths, The Jam and Small Faces. Nowt wrong with wearing your influences on your sleeve - most of the lyrics from the Smiths' first album were lifted from libraries across South Manchester.

Actually I remember reading NME interview 93 or 94, Martin claimed that they're influenced by Small Faces rather than Smiths.

 

[Skylarker]

I don't really hear The Smiths in Gene. The first album, maybe, here and there...but not really.