Your're quite right Skylarker. From reading these interviews Morrissey had some genuine friends around him during this period. Friends who could sense his talent, yet kept him very protected from the media, crictism and the big bad world of the music industry. Clive, Andrew Parsi, and Spencer haven't really said a bad word against him. They liked Morrissey for who he was and all they wanted to do was write great music with him.
"Sing Your Life" is an gem of a little pop single. Perhaps a little bit rinky-tinky, but the rockabilly elements are there. I love that song from this period. Morrissey would most likely disagree.