Michael writes:

Moz mention in the biography section on the Suede site... were the kids really ripped off with Hatful Of Hollow?

http://www.suede.net/

COMING UP was released in September 1996, begat five Top Ten singles and heralded a 14-month world tour, Suede's biggest tour to date by far. In October the following year they released SCI-FI LULLABIES, a 27-track double album collection of b-sides which is widely regarded as the best of its kind (even "Hatful Of Hollow" ripped off "the kids" if you checked your Peel tapes) and which included no cover versions, no instrumentals and no remixes. (Incidentally, Morrissey, who never sings covers used to play the Suede b-side my insatiable one in his live set before it was even released.) There were countless gems included herein - to the birds which used to close the early Suede set, the savagely violent killing of a flashboy which no-one could believe wasn't a single in the first place, the starstruck/starfucked the big time and the apocalyptic europe is our playground which seemed to inhabit some strange lost-future world as glimpsed from the mid-1970s. When Suede closed 1997 with their fanclub-only show at London's Forum, Melody Maker were forced to admit that "no other band in the world could get away with playing an entire set of b-sides."

Hairdresser on Fire writes:

OK, here goes. NME recently (27/10/01) produced a 'Guitar Britain' issue. This featured a (ugh!) Union Jack cover, and a feature containing 10 bands, all with only caucasian male members. This letter was printed as the main letter in 'Angst' the following week:-

'NME is the new Morrissey!'
You vile, po-faced hypocrites. So given a 'blank canvass' the best 'new rock bands' you can come up with are ten bands comprised exclusively of white blokes (NME, October 27). Not very artistic is it? In none of the photos was there any evidence of ethnic minority representation or, God forbid, a female band member.

By a 'Spray-Paint Manifesto for Guitar Britain' I can only assume that you're suggesting this is the way forward - a declaration of aims - that's what a manifesto is. Hardly a representative sample of the population. I'm sure there must be other up-and-coming guitar bands out there that don't fit the 'white males with guitars' mould, but I suspect that finding them might have involved some investigative journalism.

I can only conclude given this evidence (the article, and the lovely Union Jack cover), that NME should be christened 'This Alarming Mag' and people should be free to come round to King's Reach Tower and give you all a good bricking (Steven Wells, Banging On, November 1999).
MATT, VIA E-MAIL.

Oh, came NME's reply....

I've just had a long hard look at last weeks NME Matt, and it doesn't look remotely like a police station to me. Or a local council establishment, or a large accountancy firm. As far as I'm aware there are no govenrment regulations forcing us to make sure our nation's rock bands are a 'representative sample of the population'.

When choosing the bands to cover our first question was 'does this recod rock?' and not 'are they 12.7% Irish?' Our line up is a 'representative sample ' of the people playing guitar rock music in Britain in 2001; ie the monumental majority are skinny, rat's nest haired, dressed-in-the-dark-by-Travis white boys with ridiculously overweight drummers, and none of the fuckers can draw. But hey, if it'd been a Garage Britain issue then almost all of the artists would've been black! Go figure!

Um, except we're not allowed to like garage any more, apparently. They're very bad boys - MB.

Comments please.....has anyone seen the NME I refer to or any subsequent issues?

Christoph writes:

Nothing too special, but at the BMX Street finals at the Gravity Games this year, Dave Osato chose "This Charming Man" as his riding music. Osato went on to finish second, but I have to say his music was far better than anyone else's. I guess this just goes to show that The Smiths are pretty damn hardcore for a band of "flower sissies".

• Related item: Morrissey... BMX hero? - Oct. 30, 2000

Brutalful writes:

Umm, so there was an advert on KROQ last night that if you go to an L.A. area BEST BUY and buy Mozzer's best of, you get a free KROQ Calendar.

How sad am I that I only wanted the calendar? Now I get the CD too!:-)

Exra writes:

This Night Has Opened My Eyes, Dec 7th

NYC's only Smiths/Moz party returns with a very special guest, rockabilly legend Boz Boorer from Morrissey's band! He'll be performing a set of songs that have had great meaning to him over his storied career, and judging by his past setlists, possibly some Morrissey solo songs as well.

The event will be taking place at:
Don Hills, 511 Greenwich St (corner of Spring)
Doors at 9:30, $10*

*Special internet promotion for Morrissey-solo readers: Please visit www.homegrownproductions.com to print out an internet only flyer, which will grant $5 admission before 11:00. Morrissey-solo.com is the only place we're advertising this reduced admission flyer.

If you've been to our past events (The Salford Lads, Mike Joyce/Andy Rourke), you'll know you can expect a great time with DJs and dancing, contests, and more!

Peter writes:

After 2 years a new Smiths/Morrissey party in Belgium!!!!

THE SMITHS/MORRISSEY Party
when: Sat. 15 December 2001
at: Lintfabriek
Mechelsesteenweg 199
2550 Kontich (near Antwerp)

doors open: 20.00u
info: Peter (0032) 3/ 322.78.41
email: [email protected]

Flyer

note: listen and enjoy all your favourite Smiths/Morrissey songs, enjoy a lot of Morrissey favourite songs from Sandie Shaw, Bowie, New York Dolls, Frank/Nancy Sinatra to The Business, Cockney Rejects, The Nitros, Frantic Flintstones, The Deltas, Lloyd Cole, Billy Bragg, Gene, The Sundays, Ride, Slowdive, Shed Seven, Hurricane 1 ...and many more...

Chris writes:

Hey there...

Another Moz n Smiths night at the Kiosk Coffee shop in Los Angeles.

Oye Esteban and other Moz viddies will be shown projected on the patio.

Info:
What: Moz n Smiths Night
When: Thurs. Nov. 29th @ 8pm
Where: Kiosk, 2527 Canada Blvd. Glendale
Phone: 818.662.5165

Bring a jacket...its cold.

If you have anything youd like to contribute...such as bootleg videos, live preformances or anything else...email Chris at [email protected]

Chris

Kim writes:

Sat, Dec 1, at the King Street Garage in SF- Smiths Night

For more info: New Wave City calendar