Annie Lennox on Morrissey

Annie Lennox - Facebook post Oct. 20, 2013

Reading the various reviews of Morrissey's autobiography, the divisive reactions are fascinating…With a life steeped in the acute articulation of what it feels like to be an "outsider's outsider"… Mr M continues to stir and shake us up.
I'm appreciative and grateful for his extraordinary artistry, artifice and social/personal commentary… and more than anything I wish him the freedom and space to be himself…unencumbered and unhampered by anyone's "opinion" or projection of who they think he is or should be. He's made a profound connection and difference to a multitude of lives, which is more than can be said for the belligerent scribers who seem to have a bone to pick with his very existence.
We all have to live with ourselves at the end of the day, till the end of our days…and I think he's a very elegant survivor.
God bless Morrissey and all who ever dared to sail forth, with or without a compass.
 
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It's like she plucked the thought from my brain.
 
Finally, somebody with some insight. I feel like a read a different book then these reviewers. All I keep reading online is that he is miserable and filled with malice and hates women and anyone he has ever done business with. It's like they missed the parts where he was consistently physically/verbally abused as a boy and had to watch the people around him die on the regular. Or the part where he hints at being a disappointment to his father or sexually harassed/abused by a PE teacher. Or where he commiserates with his fans over what it is like to be snubbed by a hero. And what about the great deal of praise he has for Johnny Marr's musical ability or tenacity and his absolute love of poetry. If you didn't catch all that, just maybe, that's why it is difficult to understand his attitude towards the break-up of the Smiths and the direction of pop music industry.

Perhaps I just am interpreting to fit my own thoughts, but I believe Morrissey has very articulately documented the fragility of male adolescence, in a narrative that stands in stark contrast to the Holden Caulifield view of the world. I see a boy that had been consistently victimized because he didn't fit in a mold that was traditionally acceptable for a boy to be shaped. As someone who sought refuge from the ugly world he lived in to one of music, it is no wonder why he holds so steadfast to the integrity of the song and written word. I can't imagine the break of the Smiths being anything less then the crumbling of an emotional fortification he had built. But I think the most tragic part of (t)his story, is no one will ever apologize to him for how he was treated. He is just suppose to somehow accept that money and fame will make all the memories of victimization magically disappear. The girls that made him feel awkward because he was not attracted to them, Miss Power, Mr Pink, Mr Sweeney, or Anthony Morris, are all mere anecdotal evidence for the hurtful nature of growing up different in a heteronormative cisgendered world. The constant fear of physical violence on the streets of Manchester, must had been overwhelming for a boy not prone to overbearing displays of masculinity. Though the brutality of that world is no longer Morrissey's reality, I can't help but feel that young Steven might still very much be wrapped in that pain.
 
Ms. Lennox’s words are refreshing. Every time I do my Morrissey news search, there’s The Guardian with their usual hateful headline. Today, some ugly hack was there with her Morrissey, You’re a Fraud” article and the narrow minded dolts reciprocated with their nasty comments. The Guardian has made it very clear that they are not fans and are looking to drag Morrissey thru the shit as much as possible.
 
Finally, somebody with some insight. I feel like a read a different book then these reviewers. All I keep reading online is that he is miserable and filled with malice and hates women and anyone he has ever done business with. It's like they missed the parts where he was consistently physically/verbally abused as a boy and had to watch the people around him die on the regular. Or the part where he hints at being a disappointment to his father or sexually harassed/abused by a PE teacher. Or where he commiserates with his fans over what it is like to be snubbed by a hero. And what about the great deal of praise he has for Johnny Marr's musical ability or tenacity and his absolute love of poetry. If you didn't catch all that, just maybe, that's why it is difficult to understand his attitude towards the break-up of the Smiths and the direction of pop music industry.

Perhaps I just am interpreting to fit my own thoughts, but I believe Morrissey has very articulately documented the fragility of male adolescence, in a narrative that stands in stark contrast to the Holden Caulifield view of the world. I see a boy that had been consistently victimized because he didn't fit in a mold that was traditionally acceptable for a boy to be shaped. As someone who sought refuge from the ugly world he lived in to one of music, it is no wonder why he holds so steadfast to the integrity of the song and written word. I can't imagine the break of the Smiths being anything less then the crumbling of an emotional fortification he had built. But I think the most tragic part of (t)his story, is no one will ever apologize to him for how he was treated. He is just suppose to somehow accept that money and fame will make all the memories of victimization magically disappear. The girls that made him feel awkward because he was not attracted to them, Miss Power, Mr Pink, Mr Sweeney, or Anthony Morris, are all mere anecdotal evidence for the hurtful nature of growing up different in a heteronormative cisgendered world. The constant fear of physical violence on the streets of Manchester, must had been overwhelming for a boy not prone to overbearing displays of masculinity. Though the brutality of that world is no longer Morrissey's reality, I can't help but feel that young Steven might still very much be wrapped in that pain.

Many thanks for this! Very well put. (You're not Annie Lennox, are you?)
 
Finally, somebody with some insight. I feel like a read a different book then these reviewers. All I keep reading online is that he is miserable and filled with malice and hates women and anyone he has ever done business with. It's like they missed the parts where he was consistently physically/verbally abused as a boy and had to watch the people around him die on the regular. Or the part where he hints at being a disappointment to his father or sexually harassed/abused by a PE teacher. Or where he commiserates with his fans over what it is like to be snubbed by a hero. And what about the great deal of praise he has for Johnny Marr's musical ability or tenacity and his absolute love of poetry. If you didn't catch all that, just maybe, that's why it is difficult to understand his attitude towards the break-up of the Smiths and the direction of pop music industry.

Perhaps I just am interpreting to fit my own thoughts, but I believe Morrissey has very articulately documented the fragility of male adolescence, in a narrative that stands in stark contrast to the Holden Caulifield view of the world. I see a boy that had been consistently victimized because he didn't fit in a mold that was traditionally acceptable for a boy to be shaped. As someone who sought refuge from the ugly world he lived in to one of music, it is no wonder why he holds so steadfast to the integrity of the song and written word. I can't imagine the break of the Smiths being anything less then the crumbling of an emotional fortification he had built. But I think the most tragic part of (t)his story, is no one will ever apologize to him for how he was treated. He is just suppose to somehow accept that money and fame will make all the memories of victimization magically disappear. The girls that made him feel awkward because he was not attracted to them, Miss Power, Mr Pink, Mr Sweeney, or Anthony Morris, are all mere anecdotal evidence for the hurtful nature of growing up different in a heteronormative cisgendered world. The constant fear of physical violence on the streets of Manchester, must had been overwhelming for a boy not prone to overbearing displays of masculinity. Though the brutality of that world is no longer Morrissey's reality, I can't help but feel that young Steven might still very much be wrapped in that pain.

All this, especially the bold part. (I haven't read the book yet so I feel awkward agreeing with a review but the snippets indicate this is a mood trying to be conveyed when at the end of the day the headlines just come up with, "He's Gay." :straightface: There's a lot more going on than where he puts his dick at the end of the day.)
 
This is so beautiful and so right. It makes me happy to read such kind words from the amazing Annie Lennox written for someone I feel so connected to. It reminds me of many years ago when I was being picked on for liking Morrissey and a person stood up for me by saying "You mess with Morrissey, you mess with me."
 
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We all have to live with ourselves at the end of the day, till the end of our days…and I think he's a very elegant survivor.
God bless Morrissey and all who ever dared to sail forth, with or without a compass.


Wonderful statement by Annie Lennox!
 
Completely unexpected as I've not heard once squeak from either Moz or Annie about one another. That said, it was lovely of Annie to write those nice words.
 
Many thanks for this! Very well put. (You're not Annie Lennox, are you?)

Unfortunately, I'm just a rather boring person that has little patience for people who lack even moderate reading comprehension and/or a modicum of sympathy.
 
This is so beautiful and so right. It makes me happy to read such kind words from the amazing Annie Lennox written for someone I feel so connected to. It reminds me of many years ago when I was being picked on for liking Morrissey and a person stood up for me by saying "You mess with Morrissey, you mess with me."

"you mess with Morrissey, you mess with me." haha! love it! that's exactly what I tell people too!
 
At last, someone with some common sense and integrity talking about another artist, with the same qualities.

We all have our public and private views on this but some of the cheap and tacky comment beggars belief. Being neutral, this is one of the most exciting books in this current decade.

The only disappointment is that 200 pages were cut and it may take some time to get an additional book or those pages back again.

The other thing is that Morrissey has done this all on his own. Throughout his career he has had to encouter and handle trouble and problems with labels and publicity from 1982 onwards. Its sad but funny to read so many mistakes were made by those amateur and professional record labels.

Morrissey had a chance to do things his way and it has turned out just right. Thankfully even the font and paper are "classic"

And finally, The Smiths are dead. For god sake will the (rich) fool Joyce now get the message that it is over, forever.


Hazard
England
 
annie is from around my area,so its nice to hear her say that,well done annie : ))
 

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