Am I the only person who thinks that Morrissey is better than the Smiths?

[Worm]

Speaking of Elvis, can anyone name his backing bands? Can anyone name prominent musicians with whom he played on a regular basis?

Can anyone name Sandie Shaw's bands?

 

[Paulc]

Or you can ask everyone to answer this question honestly: which songs played on Morrissey's last few tours got the biggest reactions from the crowd?

At the roundhouse it was Stop Me....., The Loop, National Front Disco, IBEH, Please, Please, Please...., last of the famous.... and Jack the Ripper. Both Smiths and solo songs were greeted so warmly on the 2 and a bit nights i was there. I dont honestly think there was a difference.

 

[Deleted member 6305]

Or you can ask everyone to answer this question honestly: which songs played on Morrissey's last few tours got the biggest reactions from the crowd?

While he played Los Angeles this last fall, the crowd went wild for Everyday Is Like Sunday while he poured his heart out during Stretch Out And Wait and Dear God Please Help Me people merely stood there, unsure of what to do with themselves. Most thought it was an opportunity to get a refill. So let's not go by crowd reaction.

 

[Worm]

While he played Los Angeles this last fall, the crowd went wild for Everyday Is Like Sunday while he poured his heart out during Stretch Out And Wait and Dear God Please Help Me people merely stood there, unsure of what to do with themselves. Most thought it was an opportunity to get a refill. So let's not go by crowd reaction.

Crowd reaction plus the Moz-solo poll plus the general anticipation on this board at the start of tours ("How many Smiths songs did he play"?) and so on.

Of the fifteen or sixteen Morrissey gigs I've been to, he played Smiths songs in five or six of those. The Smiths songs drew better reactions almost every time. Before the last tour it was a standard question: "Which Smiths songs will he play tonight?" You mentioned "Stretch Out And Wait". Well, that's an odd, uninspiring choice of his, and it was among three or four he played during each show on the tour. Back in 2000, I think it was, he played one Smiths song, "Shoplifters Of The World Unite", after a long period of not playing The Smiths, and the place exploded.

But I'm not insisting you or anyone else is wrong. I'm asking for anyone who cares to chime in with their observations.

 

[Deleted member 6305]

Crowd reaction plus the Moz-solo poll plus the general anticipation on this board at the start of tours ("How many Smiths songs did he play"?) and so on.

Of the fifteen or sixteen Morrissey gigs I've been to, he played Smiths songs in five or six of those. The Smiths songs drew better reactions almost every time. You mentioned "Stretch Out And Wait". Well, that's an odd, uninspiring choice of his, and it was among three or four he played during each show on the tour. Back in 2000, I think it was, he played one Smiths song, "Shoplifters Of The World Unite", after a long period of not playing The Smiths, and the place exploded.

But I'm not insisting you or anyone else is wrong. I'm asking for anyone who cares to chime in with their observations.

Oh I understand. But I'm saying let's not go by "fans." Especially those of Los Angeles. I've been to a few shows in my day as well. And I've noticed that the average "fan" only appreciates whatever is fed to them. Either by MTV or the radio or some other crap-ridden medium. Ergo, the fan reaction isn't a great factor to take into account when trying to compare Morrissey to The Smiths.

Also, this thread does suck.

Haha. It's like trying to compare night to... later that night.

 

[AHappyRocket]

I'd prefer not to have to hear Smiths songs butchered in this way.

Morrissey has a good enough back catalogue for a live show without letting these pub-rockers loose on Johnny's tunes.

Morrissey is Morrissey, The Smiths were The Smiths - there's just no need to get the two confused, as they bear no resemblance to one another.

 

[matt_taylor85]

Also, this thread does suck.

Remind me never to open a thread in these forums again. I was only wanting have a discussion in a discussion forum.

 

[Deleted member 6305]

Remind me never to open a thread in these forums again. I was only wanting have a discussion in a discussion forum.

Haha. Don't be discouraged. Just ask the right questions!! This is topic is just outright bland.

 

[dunya]

Morrissey has created an image for himself. Hasn’t he always said
“there’s no-one as good as Smiths/Morrissey”? That doesn’t mean he won’t listen to music from other cultures or styles, learning from them, or praising them. I think he is open to a wide variety of music.

However, he likes to be in control personally and artistically. To collaborate with another artist who has a strong individual sound would mean the end product would no longer be pure “Morrissey” and all along he has defined himself as different to the rest. As Other.

The musicians and writers he has worked with have not stretched him as much as I would have liked to see, going on what we have heard. (Perhaps there is a vault full of experimental stuff firmly locked up in the basement…)

For all the physical comforts success brings it does not eliminate suffering. Both can dull the senses and creative urgency, but the will to carry on is still there. As we get older physical weaknesses encroach, and we begin to be reminded of our mortality and that of our loved ones. It wasn’t only the band that looked exhausted at the end of the last tour.

Each stage of life brings new challenges. This reflects in the music produced. The next album, based on the little we have heard, will be musically and thematically a development from previous, within the self-imposed boundaries. How far removed depends on more than simply the musicians’ contribution. It depends also on how much Morrissey is willing and able to push himself forward.

The music I can connect with changes over time, I may today be moved by a song I passed over before. New or old, Smiths or Morrissey, or another artist, it’s how I respond to it today that’s important.

PS EPBabe Spooky's post was No 42 in the thread!!

 

[Helios]

I don't think anybody with a brain could actually think Morrissey's solo output to be better than the Smiths'.

Not to say there aren't several great solo songs though.

 

[Deleted member 6305]

I don't think anybody with a brain could actually think Morrissey's solo output to be better than the Smiths'.

Not to say there aren't several great solo songs though.

Oh really?

How can you say that? How can anyone of you say that?

Was 1987 a curtain to Morrissey's genius? He wrote wonderful lyrics then and continues to do so. The end.

 

[Assassin]

Undoubtedly The Smiths has far greater material than Morrissey but I listen more regularly to Morrissey. I think he has a better image now and judging by many bootlegs, he is more powerful life. I also discovered his solo stuff first so there's more of an importance attatched to it for me.

His solo stuff is not as strong as The Smiths because his musicians aren't capable of delivering the same level of consistency that Marr had. I mean he is surely one of the greatest guitarists in popular music? It's hardly surprising that Morrisseys' music dropped in quality.

I don't really bother comparing them though, because I enjoy both Smiths and Morrissey records. To me it's useless going "Oh but this lyric is better than that...and so his solo stuff is crap". He continues to deliver interesting lyrics and decent pop melodies in a world full of rubbish so that's all that matters to me.