"At 58, Is Morrissey Relevant?" by Dodie Miller-Gould - LemonWire

"At 58, Is Morrissey Relevant?" by Dodie Miller-Gould - LemonWire

In a nutshell: the writer feels he is still relevant.

Excerpt:

"Thirty-five years ago, The Smiths, an alternative pop band from Manchester, England, showed the world what it would sound like if ideas about sexual purity and vegetarianism were set to a punk beat, driven home with an acrobatic bass line, and sung in painful clarity by one of the clearest tenors in modern rock. The Smiths’ lead singer, Steven Patrick Morrissey, known simply as “Morrissey” or “Moz” was responsible for shaping the band’s ethos and as a result, generations of fans turn to Morrissey to get a heaping serving of reality with sarcasm and wit on the side."

Regards,
FWD.

Oh, "After a brief tour this spring, there are rumors of more tour dates, and this excites many." - did I miss something?
 
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Who cares about relevance? It's an illusion. Do you know what will happen during next centuries with today's relevant people? At most they will be a caricature in history books. The vast majority will be forgotten.

Morrissey has followers who buy tickets, records, stream his songs, write about him, care about his health, his name is cited in media articles and books. Would you define it as relevance? If not, who cares.
 
One of the greatest bands ever, pathetic that they can't name them.
I think it's more pathetic to judge them because of it. I'm sure they know many bands you and I have never heard of.
U2 have some good songs but they are far from 'one of the greatest'. Anything that appeals to the masses is often empty, bland and generic.
I'm not surprised people don't recognise bands anymore. Most music played on the radio nowadays is dross. People don't seem to have enough attention span to dig for good music. The fast food fat generation. I'm not saying the plumbers are like that. They could very well be goid eggs with a better appreciation of music than I do.
 
I invited two plumber buddies for a beer on my couch today who both graduated high school in 2008. Neither of them could name the band U2 while it played on the radio. Who gives a shit about relevance.
Plumbers don't like U2, more Dire Straits listeners
 
Plumbers don't like U2, more Dire Straits listeners
I can't believe crystal geezer is back. Alert the authorities and time to put the whole of Arizona under military law.

The catfight on Solo might be back on. Popcorn and bong time.
 
I invited two plumber buddies for a beer on my couch today who both graduated high school in 2008. Neither of them could name the band U2 while it played on the radio. Who gives a shit about relevance.
Crystal meth geezer geyser is pulling two plumbers to take care of her clogged up drains. About time miss.
 
Crystal meth geezer geyser is pulling two plumbers to take care of her clogged up drains. About time miss.

tumblr_ltufwdPEer1qc7o75o1_500.gif


It is I, Urban!
 
I think this is somewhat true though ive been amazed at times his ability to stay as relevant as he has with this newest phase of albums from quarry on. He still gets a good amount of young fans and I think the number greater than the stones got win there last one etc. I think it also just a matter of culture moving on and absorbing you and your ideas somewhat. What he did originally seemed more striking because it was done in an era more socially culturally conservative than than the current one. His comments about sex, his animal rights stances and the stereotypes he put forth are all now much more he norm. Kinda like how some of punk rock lost its thunder as what they were doing got absorbed into the mainstream.l and normalized for better or worse. Not saying it's the overriding factor of his relevance but I think it an important one
I really like the points you've made here regarding cultural dilution. That's what makes me feel like we live in a post-shock society. Sure, we'll get some good new music. I see it happening even now, but will anything ever really shock us again, artistically speaking?
 
I would say he is still relevant to young people such as teenagers discovering his music his early music The Smiths and Early Moz solo but not his later works, because much of his music from his career early on speaks about going thru adolescents which they can identify with. I know I identified with it greatly when I was younger. His later work I would say from 2006 then after is not relevant what so ever to me that is. I don't think the current music he's making is relevant but his past work is and I think it will always will be.
 
I would say he is still relevant to young people such as teenagers discovering his music his early music The Smiths and Early Moz solo but not his later works, because much of his music from his career early on speaks about going thru adolescents which they can identify with. I know I identified with it greatly when I was younger. His later work I would say from 2006 then after is not relevant what so ever to me that is. I don't think the current music he's making is relevant but his past work is and I think it will always will be.
Some relevant stuff on Swords, like Years of Refusal too, must be 75% relevant?
 
I really like the points you've made here regarding cultural dilution. That's what makes me feel like we live in a post-shock society. Sure, we'll get some good new music. I see it happening even now, but will anything ever really shock us again, artistically speaking?

Agree but I don't know how I feel about that. In some ways I'm happy as I'd always love a return to sincere earnestness as a lure in music rather than shock. As a person born in 1980 I felt as I grew up that everything seemed to try and shock me into interest and it became very tiresome very quickly be it movies or music or whatever. I also like being able to look however I want without it causing much of a shock to people or even that much attention. Sure I like interest when I dress up somewhat unusually but I hate the idea that older people assume and sometimes comment that I'm trying to rebel or shock. Makes me wanna roll my eyes and sigh warily. I guess I like benefitting from the culture dilution as I think culture, in terms of acceptance, has improved since my childhood and a big part of it, obviously not all or even the most important parts, has been championed in popular artistic fields such as music. I like that more people are aware of animal rights and that things like carnivals are closing as a result. I like that being a humasexual is just a normal thing and not an aspect of someone's makeup so important it becomes a selling point in the press
 
I think it's more pathetic to judge them because of it. I'm sure they know many bands you and I have never heard of.
U2 have some good songs but they are far from 'one of the greatest'. Anything that appeals to the masses is often empty, bland and generic.
I'm not surprised people don't recognise bands anymore. Most music played on the radio nowadays is dross. People don't seem to have enough attention span to dig for good music. The fast food fat generation. I'm not saying the plumbers are like that. They could very well be goid eggs with a better appreciation of music than I do.

I never said I wasn't pathetic, but since you mention it, I'm not. I'm quite fabulous, A-C-T-U-A-L-L-Y. But seriously, you really MUST be joking, right? Are you honestly going to sit there and type with your shaky fingers that U2 is not one of the greatest bands ever?
You're too cool for U2, huh? Pop (popular) music is meant to appeal to the masses and there is nothing wrong with that, as it can be useful. Bono has reached a lot of people (in a good way) and SO has Morrissey. Let me guess, you're a big fan of The Birthday Party and you're so "above" all of us, aren't you? Get real.
Please, name a band, I'll be nice and honest. U2 will be hard to top. These millennials are completely insane with very little redeeming qualities. I actually feel very sorry for them. Yes, there is good music to be found if one "digs", but I'll say this much, sure as shit, it AIN'T "Johnny f***ing Marr", that's for damn sure. This is such a boring topic as I've discussed it to death in the past. Music is dying because of piracy, a dead and greedy music industry and it has always been thus. Good music really only exists in the live scene, typically in bars as we only have the moment.

 
It's all relevant, unless you're an emotional retard. If you grow with and along Morrissey, it's relevant. If you're stuck in 1986, 1992, 2004, YOU are the one that's no longer relevant.
 
Thinking now that Moz should sort a UK summer tour, the Irrelevant Tour, play Irrelevant venues, to an Irrelevant audience, singing Irrelevant songs, :swear:rofl:
 
Agree but I don't know how I feel about that. In some ways I'm happy as I'd always love a return to sincere earnestness as a lure in music rather than shock. As a person born in 1980 I felt as I grew up that everything seemed to try and shock me into interest and it became very tiresome very quickly be it movies or music or whatever. I also like being able to look however I want without it causing much of a shock to people or even that much attention. Sure I like interest when I dress up somewhat unusually but I hate the idea that older people assume and sometimes comment that I'm trying to rebel or shock. Makes me wanna roll my eyes and sigh warily. I guess I like benefitting from the culture dilution as I think culture, in terms of acceptance, has improved since my childhood and a big part of it, obviously not all or even the most important parts, has been championed in popular artistic fields such as music. I like that more people are aware of animal rights and that things like carnivals are closing as a result. I like that being a humasexual is just a normal thing and not an aspect of someone's makeup so important it becomes a selling point in the press
I don't mean shock as in Marilyn Manson, or any sort of try hard wieners with minimal talent in need of a gimmick. I mean shock in terms of quality, and shaking up culture itself. An Elvis on Sullivan moment, Beatles, or The Smiths on TOTP moment. Something that clearly stands out as different, and not in terms of visual impact, but psychological and shocking in its difference from the norm. How will any sort of revolution happen in this climate? I think about that a lot.
 
I never said I wasn't pathetic, but since you mention it, I'm not. I'm quite fabulous, A-C-T-U-A-L-L-Y. But seriously, you really MUST be joking, right? Are you honestly going to sit there and type with your shaky fingers that U2 is not one of the greatest bands ever?
You're too cool for U2, huh? Pop (popular) music is meant to appeal to the masses and there is nothing wrong with that, as it can be useful. Bono has reached a lot of people (in a good way) and SO has Morrissey. Let me guess, you're a big fan of The Birthday Party and you're so "above" all of us, aren't you? Get real.
Please, name a band, I'll be nice and honest. U2 will be hard to top. These millennials are completely insane with very little redeeming qualities. I actually feel very sorry for them. Yes, there is good music to be found if one "digs", but I'll say this much, sure as shit, it AIN'T "Johnny f***ing Marr", that's for damn sure. This is such a boring topic as I've discussed it to death in the past. Music is dying because of piracy, a dead and greedy music industry and it has always been thus. Good music really only exists in the live scene, typically in bars as we only have the moment.


That's such a bitter and cynical way of looking at things. Millenials are doing the best they can with what scraps have been left to them. I find many millenials to be bright, engaging, active people who strive to better themselves and the world they live in, despite having to work much harder at it than previous generations.

Music is not dying because of piracy. The big corporate bands are dying, sure. But is that a bad thing? 9/10 of it was shit anyway. Music is flourishing because recording is easier than ever, sharing your art is easier than ever, and anyone can do it. The bands are now able to build grassroots followings, and while they may not get some ludicrously huge record contract, they can get their art out to the world and experience success through touring.

Additionally, my fingers are pretty un-shaky as I say this. Bono is a f***ing twat, and he's made garbage music for decades.
 
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I never said I wasn't pathetic, but since you mention it, I'm not. I'm quite fabulous, A-C-T-U-A-L-L-Y. But seriously, you really MUST be joking, right? Are you honestly going to sit there and type with your shaky fingers that U2 is not one of the greatest bands ever?
You're too cool for U2, huh? Pop (popular) music is meant to appeal to the masses and there is nothing wrong with that, as it can be useful. Bono has reached a lot of people (in a good way) and SO has Morrissey. Let me guess, you're a big fan of The Birthday Party and you're so "above" all of us, aren't you? Get real.
Please, name a band, I'll be nice and honest. U2 will be hard to top. These millennials are completely insane with very little redeeming qualities. I actually feel very sorry for them. Yes, there is good music to be found if one "digs", but I'll say this much, sure as shit, it AIN'T "Johnny f***ing Marr", that's for damn sure. This is such a boring topic as I've discussed it to death in the past. Music is dying because of piracy, a dead and greedy music industry and it has always been thus. Good music really only exists in the live scene, typically in bars as we only have the moment.

 
I cannot believe people here are talking about U2 in 2017. It's bad enough them being on another meaningless tour and of course they were massive once but has their music really aged with grace?

I had Bono hanging over me once in Stockholm and he looked down at me with contempt so our feelings were mutual.
 
With age everyone loses relevance in a world obsessed with youth and beauty. That d taebate is more alive than ever in Sweden where a host of news readers on tv have been sacked and forced out despite wanting to work on beyond their pension day.

We are in transition and with the technology rush that never seems to speed down the young people will inevitably take over even more.

Maybe we should put our faith in kids creating apps that take care of our every need.
 
as for relevant

the Rolling Stones sold out 3 gigs in the Netherlands lesser than 2 hours, the day the tickets went on sale, they added more, and the same happened
3 gigs in sucha tiny country, the members of the the Rolling Stones are as old as me mother, and yes the're the most relevant band in the world still alive and doing gigs.

[I won't say they have 2 extra guitarists, keyboard, drumms behind the stage, or towards the back of the stage:thumb:]
 

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