Morrissey statement on Cat & Fiddle closing

Post from Morrissey on True To You:

The earth dies screaming - true-to-you.net

23 October 2014

A large part of me dies at news that the pillowy bosom of the Cat And Fiddle is to close down on December 15th, making the universe all wrong. A beacon of light will soon be a headstone, and where will we now go to chew each other's fat? Yes, life is fragile and we all end up as worm chow, but the Cat And Fiddle is one of the Great Drinkers of The 20th Century, and is as stable and rooted a part of the Strip as number 77. We are all orphaned.

with funeral pace
Morrissey
Florence, Italy, 22 Ottobre 2014.

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Related item:

• Cat & Fiddle to close in December 2014 - Oct. 21, 2014

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

"Half eaten meals lie rotting on the tables /
Money clutched within a boney hand /
Shutters down the banks are not receiving /
The earth dies screaming"

- - - Updated - - -

Cancer or no cancer ?
THAT is the question !

Benny-the-British-Butcher

It seems to have been a melodramatic joke, Benny. Hilarious stuff.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

Tongue-in-cheek or not, he sure can write. There appears to be a bit of a divide between those who love the music but often dislike the man and those who love the man and love the music. If I just liked/loved the music, but often disliked the artist's public pronouncements, I'd probably collect vinyl, perhaps become a complete-ist, and listen to the music a lot. I would listen to the music, not come here other than to get more music, and not bitch about his statements. Is this an oversimplification of fandom? Yes. Is there any truth to my statement? Yes.

"All you need is me..."

I don't agree, Ghoul. I'll start by saying your comment is better written than his, and you see examples of Superior pieces throughout this thread.

As many have pointed out, in recent years Morrissey has a PR problem of his own making. If he kept his mouth shut and just released albums of diminishing quality, as all stars tend to do in their dotage, then fine. He'd have just gone the way of Howard Jones or East 17.

Instead he chose to pontificate on a range of issues he plainly knows little about, and revealed himself not just to be often plain wrong, but foolish at best, viciously unpleasant at worst. These were aspects of his personality we saw little of prior to the Internet, and stories of his behaviour would only seep out through friends of friends or enemies of enemies.

Simply put, and this really is at the core of his problems with business partners down the years, is that his nastiness is easier to put up with when he produces great material and makes the tills ring, and unbearable when he does not. These days he does not produce great music, and his lyrics are, frankly, appalling.

Morrissey has moved jarringly from lyrical magnificence to rambling incomprehensible nonsense, and from edgy to simply dangerous. He once challenged us with his music, now he is the one who must be challenged for his opinions, many of which, like Jeremy Clarkson, he seems to have primarily for money.

He is now so cynical, so jaded, so out of touch he is happy to tour the world spreading lies comfortable in the knowledge the minor music sites desperate to get him will sit puppy dog like and slaver, not even prepared to challenge him on the basics.

 

[Anonymous]

It's hardly unhealthy to enjoy a drink and a veggie burger once in a while.

Odd that he doesn't mind all the meaty ones they serve. Didn't somebody, somewhere, once say 'meat is murder'?

http://www.thecatandfiddle.com/menu

 

[marred]

I don't agree, Ghoul. I'll start by saying your comment is better written than his, and you see examples of Superior pieces throughout this thread.

As many have pointed out, in recent years Morrissey has a PR problem of his own making. If he kept his mouth shut and just released albums of diminishing quality, as all stars tend to do in their dotage, then fine. He'd have just gone the way of Howard Jones or East 17.

Instead he chose to pontificate on a range of issues he plainly knows little about, and revealed himself not just to be often plain wrong, but foolish at best, viciously unpleasant at worst. These were aspects of his personality we saw little of prior to the Internet, and stories of his behaviour would only seep out through friends of friends or enemies of enemies.

Simply put, and this really is at the core of his problems with business partners down the years, is that his nastiness is easier to put up with when he produces great material and makes the tills ring, and unbearable when he does not. These days he does not produce great music, and his lyrics are, frankly, appalling.

Morrissey has moved jarringly from lyrical magnificence to rambling incomprehensible nonsense, and from edgy to simply dangerous. He once challenged us with his music, now he is the one who must be challenged for his opinions, many of which, like Jeremy Clarkson, he seems to have primarily for money.

He is now so cynical, so jaded, so out of touch he is happy to tour the world spreading lies comfortable in the knowledge the minor music sites desperate to get him will sit puppy dog like and slaver, not even prepared to challenge him on the basics.

I swear the song All You Need Is Me was written for Barleycorn and the rest of the "I hate Morrissey but somehow keep coming back for more" crowd.

 

[Anonymous]

yeah i dont get it. seems to be a lot of them these days

 

[Chickpea]

So much fury and pontificating over four sentences from Morrissey about the closing of his longtime favorite hangout. Talk about hyperbole and disproportionate upset!

 

[keene]

So much fury and pontificating over four sentences from Morrissey about the closing of his longtime favorite hangout. Talk about hyperbole and disproportionate upset!

Yes.... Same thing happened when he made a comment about Joan Rivers and the insatiability of death. Somebody will bring out anti semitism soon now.

John Barleycorn reminds me of something that Roy Harper said about how music is received in a rich country as compared to a poor country. We really need critics and second guessers and art hounds. I mean, how would we ever know what's good?

Morrissey's always throwing these guys curve balls on the inside pocket....and they'll never hit it.

 

[Anonymous]

Odd that he doesn't mind all the meaty ones they serve. Didn't somebody, somewhere, once say 'meat is murder'?

http://www.thecatandfiddle.com/menu

It's pretty unrealistic to expect people to eat at only vegetarian restaurants. Even PETA doesn't expect that.

 

[Protagonist]

Morrissey is hardly the first old-timer to mourn the loss of a favourite pub. Whether you find him eloquent or absurd is entirely down to opinion, but I know loads of men in my father's age bracket who could have written, word for word, what he did when their local closed its doors. This has to be the first time he's ever acted his age.

 

[herge65]

As many have pointed out, in recent years Morrissey has a PR problem of his own making. If he kept his mouth shut and just released albums of diminishing quality, as all stars tend to do in their dotage, then fine. He'd have just gone the way of Howard Jones or East 17.

Excuse me...but Howard Jones is still very much a part of the music scene. He has continually written, recorded, performed and pushed the boundaries of his genre. He continues to do so. He, like Morrissey, fails to make much of an impact on the charts any more and as such slips from the general public radar. So please please please show a little awareness and don't pigeon-hole him with the likes of East 17!

Thanking you in advance

 

[evennow]

I don't agree, Ghoul. I'll start by saying your comment is better written than his, and you see examples of Superior pieces throughout this thread.

As many have pointed out, in recent years Morrissey has a PR problem of his own making. If he kept his mouth shut and just released albums of diminishing quality, as all stars tend to do in their dotage, then fine. He'd have just gone the way of Howard Jones or East 17.

Instead he chose to pontificate on a range of issues he plainly knows little about, and revealed himself not just to be often plain wrong, but foolish at best, viciously unpleasant at worst. These were aspects of his personality we saw little of prior to the Internet, and stories of his behaviour would only seep out through friends of friends or enemies of enemies.

Simply put, and this really is at the core of his problems with business partners down the years, is that his nastiness is easier to put up with when he produces great material and makes the tills ring, and unbearable when he does not. These days he does not produce great music, and his lyrics are, frankly, appalling.

Morrissey has moved jarringly from lyrical magnificence to rambling incomprehensible nonsense, and from edgy to simply dangerous. He once challenged us with his music, now he is the one who must be challenged for his opinions, many of which, like Jeremy Clarkson, he seems to have primarily for money.

He is now so cynical, so jaded, so out of touch he is happy to tour the world spreading lies comfortable in the knowledge the minor music sites desperate to get him will sit puppy dog like and slaver, not even prepared to challenge him on the basics.

You get a lot of gruff JB for your somewhat severe and direct comments regarding Moz and his music, but I find myself agreeing with your view on these issues. I know everyone is entitled to their own taste in music and songs hit everybody's ears differently, but the thing I find most astonishing is how such a large number of the people who post on this site actually think he is improving musically and lyrically.

Trouble Loves Me, EDILS, or basically any of his earlier solo work is miles above Bullfighter, WPINOYB, or really anything else he has produced recently. An Anon replied to an earlier post of mine that "the well has run dry" and age may be a factor, but if I am wrong to wish for an album filled with songs with great melody and inspiring/potent lyrics then let me be wrong.

I understand that the days of Alain Whyte may be long gone, and looking to the past for inspiration a detriment to growth, but there must be someone around today that can write a decent tune.

 

[Anonymous]

You get a lot of gruff JB for your somewhat severe and direct comments regarding Moz and his music, but I find myself agreeing with your view on these issues. I know everyone is entitled to their own taste in music and songs hit everybody's ears differently, but the thing I find most astonishing is how such a large number of the people who post on this site actually think he is improving musically and lyrically.

Trouble Loves Me, EDILS, or basically any of his earlier solo work is miles above Bullfighter, WPINOYB, or really anything else he has produced recently. An Anon replied to an earlier post of mine that "the well has run dry" and age may be a factor, but if I am wrong to wish for an album filled with songs with great melody and inspiring/potent lyrics then let me be wrong.

I understand that the days of Alain Whyte may be long gone, and looking to the past for inspiration a detriment to growth, but there must be someone around today that can write a decent tune.

He lacks inspiration. Kiss Me A Lot is a catchy tune, but those lyrics are awful. I think the Moz of old would cringe at such songs.

But I'm not blaming him; he's rich, comfortable, happy, and I don't wish misery on him for the sake of a good album. It's just that when he was miserable and unsure of himself he wrote better songs.

 

[Charlie Cheswick]

You get a lot of gruff JB for your somewhat severe and direct comments regarding Moz and his music, but I find myself agreeing with your view on these issues. I know everyone is entitled to their own taste in music and songs hit everybody's ears differently, but the thing I find most astonishing is how such a large number of the people who post on this site actually think he is improving musically and lyrically.

Trouble Loves Me, EDILS, or basically any of his earlier solo work is miles above Bullfighter, WPINOYB, or really anything else he has produced recently. An Anon replied to an earlier post of mine that "the well has run dry" and age may be a factor, but if I am wrong to wish for an album filled with songs with great melody and inspiring/potent lyrics then let me be wrong.

I understand that the days of Alain Whyte may be long gone, and looking to the past for inspiration a detriment to growth, but there must be someone around today that can write a decent tune.

I don't buy this Morrissey has shot it stuff. I call horse shit, there's the equivalent of The Bullfighter Dies on every solo album. It's time Barleycorn moved on and found someone who fits his World view better. Like Phil Collins or Celine Dion.

 

[ACTON]

I don't buy this Morrissey has shot it stuff. I call horse shit, there's the equivalent of The Bullfighter Dies on every solo album. It's time Barleycorn moved on and found someone who fits his World view better. Like Phil Collins or Celine Dion.

I agree. I love the new album for the tunes but mostly for the quality of Moz's voice. He sounds better than ever, certainly far better than he ever did with The Smiths. Of course it is all a matter of taste. "Who is right and who is wrong I cannot say".

 

[jdbabz]

If he feels so strongly then why doesn't he invest some money or rally people. What about crowdfunding?

 

[Chickpea]

If he feels so strongly then why doesn't he invest some money or rally people. What about crowdfunding?

It's closing because the landlord has leased the space to a new tenant that will pay DOUBLE the rent. It's not because of a lack of business or some temporary financial need. Crowdfunding, rallying, and Facebook petitions aren't going to do anything. It's the same thing in NYC—so many long-standing favorite restaurants and bars have closed in recent years not because of declining popularity, but because rent stabilization guidelines don't apply to commercial leases. Landlords jack up the rents when lease terms expire, and now only chains can afford those spaces.

Expecting Morrissey to step in and pay this new, doubled rent every month is totally absurd. Is he really not allowed to feel sadness over his favorite pub closing without being barked at for not "saving" it? Please. I don't mean to be so defeatist here, but thinking that Morrissey—or anyone, other than the property owner—could somehow save this restaurant from having to close (or move, which seems to be their plan) strikes me as very unrealistic, not to mention unfair.

 

[Anonymous]

"Half eaten meals lie rotting on the tables /
Money clutched within a boney hand /
Shutters down the banks are not receiving /
The earth dies screaming"

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It seems to have been a melodramatic joke, Benny. Hilarious stuff.

What kind of person promotes the impression that they have cancer ? My sense of humour and his are poles apart. Many many people where genuinely concerned/upset, it was reported on the news and in the papers and he still didn't clarify his babbling bollocks outburst. If it was just one of his jokes he is an evil piece of work but I'm sure there'll be many on here found it highly amusing.

Benny-the-British-Butcher

 

[realitybites]

Get a grip people. How can the same man who prohibits his entourage from consuming meat, has his assistant salt his fries as to avoid meat contamination, and refuses to play venues that sell meat to patrons, then wax nostalgic, in the most silly, hyperbolic manner, over the closing of a restaurant with a menu consisting almost entirely of meat items? Pathetic.

 

[realitybites]

What kind of person promotes the impression that they have cancer ? My sense of humour and his are poles apart. Many many people where genuinely concerned/upset, it was reported on the news and in the papers and he still didn't clarify his babbling bollocks outburst. If it was just one of his jokes he is an evil piece of work but I'm sure there'll be many on here found it highly amusing.

Benny-the-British-Butcher

My fave post of yours ever. Agree 100%.

 

[keene]

Get a grip people. How can the same man who prohibits his entourage from consuming meat, has his assistant salt his fries as to avoid meat contamination, and refuses to play venues that sell meat to patrons, then wax nostalgic, in the most silly, hyperbolic manner, over the closing of a restaurant with a menu consisting almost entirely of meat items? Pathetic.

"Left eye, right eye, take a look around....everybody's heading for a hole in the ground."... from Warren Zevon's album, "Life'll Kill Ya". That's full of gallows humor. That's what Morrissey was engaging in here. Nothing to get excited about.

Only Morrissey would compare the closing of one of his favorite haunts to all of "Us" being worm food. Funny around Halloween...not pathetic. Meat is Murder....only if he is the headliner.

Not saying much if that was Benny the Butcher's best post. I'm sure Benny really cares....