Angel writes:

Sirius is having a The Smiths weekend, Andy Rourke is telling stories about them then and now.

http://www.siriusxm.com/1stwave#.Tu0XiQO-bR8.mailto

Images and press release from the University of St Andrews

Morrissey, the uncomfortable superhero

Singer likened to the Dark Knight in new collection of comic stories

Former Smiths frontman Morrissey is the ultimate comic book anti-hero, according to an expert on the singer’s work.

Dr Gavin Hopps, of the University of St Andrews, suggests that the singer’s “championing of the weak” and moral stance on animal cruelty can be likened to the vigilante tactics of the Dark Knight.

Dr Hopps, author of an academic study on the lyrics of Morrissey, compares the outspoken frontman to Frank Miller’s revisionist Batman in a new collection of comic strips based on the songs of The Smiths.

Writing in the introduction to Unite and Take Over: Comic Stories Inspired by the Smiths, Dr Hopps commented, “When Morrissey appeared in the 1980s, he was a reclusive, celibate, bookish teetotaler, who became an icon of ailing, melancholic introspection. There seems little danger of such a figure...

mattspeight writes:

Teesside band The Chapman Family have recently released a video on 'Youtube' covering Morrissey's Everyday Is Like Sunday.

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An anonymous person also writes:

A band from Stockton, Teesside have recently released a cover of Everyday Is Like Sunday online. The Chapman Family are signed to the PIAS label, and have one major release out.

Apparently Conor McNicholas has been tweeting the covers praises...

Torr sends the link:

Johnny Marr on Vinyl Revival, Series 1 - BBC Radio 6 Music, Sun 18 Dec 2011

Journalist and record collector Pete Paphides continues his tour of the record collections of musicians. This week, he rifles through Johnny Marr's vinyl, spotting tracks from Iggy Pop, David Bowie and The Animals.

Johnny reveals how he first bonded with Morrissey over a box of 7 inches, the start of a great songwriting partnership that would create classic hits over The Smiths' five year lifespan. Throughout his music career, Marr has challenged his skills as a player and a composer and drawn on a diverse gallery of influences. He reveals some of acts he has "borrowed" riffs from.

Just stumbled across this on Amazon, seems the Manchester / London Smiths & Morrissey location guide by Phill Gatenby, has been updated and is being printed again for early 2012 on Titan Books

Seems it will be available in the UK and for the first time on sale in the USA.

UK
http://www.facebook.com/l/IAQHWCIo6...=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323755925&sr=1-2

USA
http://www.facebook.com/l/ZAQHby-zX...ey-Location/dp/0857685775/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Saw this while reading the site www.whosampled.com

Was this discussed before? I found it part hilarious and part horrible.

http://www.whosampled.com/sample/vi..._Morrissey-I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris/

Apparently these guys are from Philly and featured it on their 2011 "Peanut Butter and Swelly" mix tape.

Usual ill-informed Smiths' section shoe-horned into Friday's Football Focus. Nice to see the rest of the Salford Lads Club though.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16215609.stm

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Steve also writes:

The Smiths will be talked about on Iconic English football Show, 'Football Focus' on Saturday 17th December 2011. It is the first time the programme will be broadcast live.

here is a preview, again featuring The Smiths and of course, Morrissey.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/default.stm

The show is on BBC1 at 12.15 on Saturday afternoon, but should be available online.

Bradley sends the news:

Email from Another Planet Entertainment:

I also just got a note from Ticketmaster saying that Ticketmaster will automatically refund tickets. Folks who bought through other vendors will likely have to contact them.

So frustrating -- I was really looking forward to seeing him and hearing the new songs!

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Related item:

• Morrissey gig in Oakland canceled/postponed due to eye injury to Matt Walker - Dec. 1, 2011