Alain Whyte interview

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Mountjoy.

I remember when this was originally posted on the main page back in 2010 and everyone was taken aback by Alain's "My time spent working with Morrissey was..." Seems we were all claiming he was referring to the touring aspect, not the actual songwriting partnership. Turns out we were wrong.

Who knows, maybe a Alain song or two will pop up on the upcoming Low in High-School album? My only mistake is I'm hoping...
 
I think it's true what they say about meeting your heroes, but Alain is a hero anyone should be glad to meet. He's a genuinely sweet guy. I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about him.
 
I think it's true what they say about meeting your heroes, but Alain is a hero anyone should be glad to meet. He's a genuinely sweet guy. I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about him.

Have you read Autobiography?
 
By chance I was re-reading Autobiography last night. He is very cutting about Alain, but, to be fair, when he first introduces the reader to him he does mention "I like him".

I thought his overall criticism of his band circa 92/93 was harsh.
 
By chance I was re-reading Autobiography last night. He is very cutting about Alain, but, to be fair, when he first introduces the reader to him he does mention "I like him".

I thought his overall criticism of his band circa 92/93 was harsh.

I think Moz sounds rather hurt and disappointed when you read between the lines.

"Having rescued Alain from the mad-death of his mind-crushing job at Camden Council, he would now cross continents rather than say a hello to me. When both Nancy Sinatra and Marianne Faithfull cover songs written by Alain and I, he has nothing to say, as if it had always been his due, and as if it could so easily have happened with any other co-writer from East Finchley."

"Alain’s writing for Ringleader of the Tormentors had elegantly surpassed itself, with what would become Life is a pigsty, I will see you in far-off places and The father who must be killed defined for all time as the very best."

"2006 sweetens with the news that Ringleader of the Tormentors has entered the UK chart at number 1, which is my third number 1 in three different decades (and still Alain Whyte says nothing)."
 
Fair enough, I put the book down again at the 1996 point :)

I don't want to get into the mire of another Jesse/Alain debate, and we have no way of knowing how any involved party is thinking at any point of this timeline. However, if I were to guess that all of the three examples posted above are from 2006 or so, then of course Alain is not going to be overtly happy - he's out of the live band, a mere contributer to the studio, and may well see the writing on the wall for his studio contribution also. But that's just guesswork.
 
Fair enough, I put the book down again at the 1996 point :)

I don't want to get into the mire of another Jesse/Alain debate, and we have no way of knowing how any involved party is thinking at any point of this timeline. However, if I were to guess that all of the three examples posted above are from 2006 or so, then of course Alain is not going to be overtly happy - he's out of the live band, a mere contributer to the studio, and may well see the writing on the wall for his studio contribution also. But that's just guesswork.

Since he didn't feature at all on world peace and they added yet another song writer I think his contributing days are over
 
I think Moz sounds rather hurt and disappointed when you read between the lines.

"Having rescued Alain from the mad-death of his mind-crushing job at Camden Council, he would now cross continents rather than say a hello to me. When both Nancy Sinatra and Marianne Faithfull cover songs written by Alain and I, he has nothing to say, as if it had always been his due, and as if it could so easily have happened with any other co-writer from East Finchley."

"Alain’s writing for Ringleader of the Tormentors had elegantly surpassed itself, with what would become Life is a pigsty, I will see you in far-off places and The father who must be killed defined for all time as the very best."

"2006 sweetens with the news that Ringleader of the Tormentors has entered the UK chart at number 1, which is my third number 1 in three different decades (and still Alain Whyte says nothing)."
Wow, you don't even have to read between the lines there. Hiring a great - possibly his best ever - songwriting partner is "rescuing" them? Morrissey is one of those "I made you and I can destroy you" people. And while Alain should and probably did feel excited and fulfilled to have his songs covered by show business royalty and a legend, it's not like he gave them some crap song and they did it because they were feeling charitable. It's true "Life Is A Pigsty" and "I Will See You In Far Off Places" are great tunes and it's too bad we can't see Alain play them live with Morrissey.
That comment just shows how up his own ass Morrissey is and why after a few years dealing with his crap it would be really hard to show the proper gratitude.
I never got that far in his book so thanks for the post.
 
Since he didn't feature at all on world peace and they added yet another song writer I think his contributing days are over
I was referring to his frame of mind circa 2005/06. I realise he is out of the band now.
 
Alain should have knelt and kissed the ring of MOZ. It's really not too difficult to show ones gratitude, and most likely he would still be in the band to this day if he did. Oh well.

Kneel ! kneel ! :guitar: :whip:


;););):p
 
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