Fiona Dodwell: "How Morrissey outran The Smiths (and why his critics will never admit it)" (February 18, 2021)

How Morrissey outran The Smiths (and why his critics will never admit it)

Excerpt:

"There’s an emergence of voices rising from the rotting grave of political correctness lately, in a feeble attempt to somehow make Morrissey’s art into nothing more than a shadow of The Smiths. In reality though, to many, he was the beating heart of the much-loved 80s quartet and unlike his bandmates, he became so much more.
There are many voices online using the tired old trope, “I won’t listen to Morrissey because I don’t agree with his views, but I’ll always have The Smiths.” If this sentiment were limited only to the dull echo chambers of anonymous social media users, it might not be so bad. Yet it does not stop there."





Regards,
FWD.

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[Anonymous]

Most people do not even know who Johnny Marr is.

Adds insult to injury!

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit 444]

I mean... what's she really talking about here? It seems obvious to me that Morrissey developed as a singer and a lyricist in his solo career. The fine voice that he's in from Your Arsensal especially through to, debatably, Years of Refusal makes his singing with The Smiths sound froggy and weak. I also far prefer him as a mature writer, when he's not appointing himself spokesman for every teenager in the UK as he often did in The Smiths.

It's also apparent to me that the strength of the compositions loses something post-Marr. You just don't come across guitar players like him every day, Boz, bless him, does not have that level of virtuosity. Now, since the Smiths, Marr has gone on to be a superstar session musician, he works in a similar vein to Nile Rodgers. There's nothing wrong with that, although I'd reckon that most people prefer his work in The Smiths to, say, his stuff with Modest Mouse, or his album with The Healers.

Morrissey, meanwhile reached some incredibly high heights as a solo act - I do prefer solo Morrissey but I still like the Smiths. He was on track to be revered and loved along the same lines as Cohen, Mitchell, Dylan, but that'll never happen now. He martyred himself in the name of contentious opinions and fringe political parties, and he's surrounded himself with sinister showbiz figures. He seems to me to be very ill. Marr, meanwhile, gets to float down from heaven whenever he wants, drop a cheerful and safe solo album, and join whichever indie band his kids have introduced him to for a year or two without risking "cancelation" or injury to his bank account. There's no use comparing the two, or lionizing Morrissey solo at the expense of The Smiths, and I think this Dodwell woman should take her articles no one asked for to tumblr or Reddit, the argument she makes is so beside the point.

Very
sinister showbiz figures and a whole spectrum of galactic braces of bishops

nobody knows who Le even is FFS.

 

[Proton Ron]

I mean... what's she really talking about here? It seems obvious to me that Morrissey developed as a singer and a lyricist in his solo career. The fine voice that he's in from Your Arsensal especially through to, debatably, Years of Refusal makes his singing with The Smiths sound froggy and weak. I also far prefer him as a mature writer, when he's not appointing himself spokesman for every teenager in the UK as he often did in The Smiths.

It's also apparent to me that the strength of the compositions loses something post-Marr. You just don't come across guitar players like him every day, Boz, bless him, does not have that level of virtuosity. Now, since the Smiths, Marr has gone on to be a superstar session musician, he works in a similar vein to Nile Rodgers. There's nothing wrong with that, although I'd reckon that most people prefer his work in The Smiths to, say, his stuff with Modest Mouse, or his album with The Healers.

Morrissey, meanwhile reached some incredibly high heights as a solo act - I do prefer solo Morrissey but I still like the Smiths. He was on track to be revered and loved along the same lines as Cohen, Mitchell, Dylan, but that'll never happen now. He martyred himself in the name of contentious opinions and fringe political parties, and he's surrounded himself with sinister showbiz figures. He seems to me to be very ill. Marr, meanwhile, gets to float down from heaven whenever he wants, drop a cheerful and safe solo album, and join whichever indie band his kids have introduced him to for a year or two without risking "cancelation" or injury to his bank account. There's no use comparing the two, or lionizing Morrissey solo at the expense of The Smiths, and I think this Dodwell woman should take her articles no one asked for to tumblr or Reddit, the argument she makes is so beside the point.

"It's also apparent to me that the strength of the compositions loses something post-Marr."
"I do prefer solo Morrissey"
Your statements do not make sense. This is what happens when you write something and do not think about what you are writing.

 

[Anonymous]

"It's also apparent to me that the strength of the compositions loses something post-Marr."
"I do prefer solo Morrissey"
Your statements do not make sense. This is what happens when you write something and do not think about what you are writing.

Agreed, the Smiths are so much better on every level.

 

[Proton Ron]

Agreed, the Smiths are so much better on every level.

LOL Let me guess. You also believe the earth is flat

 

[Protagonist]

"It's also apparent to me that the strength of the compositions loses something post-Marr."
"I do prefer solo Morrissey"
Your statements do not make sense. This is what happens when you write something and do not think about what you are writing.

Saying that I personally like something better, but that I think something else is technically better made is not a contradiction. Most children get that, but then, nobody who posts here is right in the head, so I shouldn't expect any better.

 

[Vegan. Cro. Spirit. 888]

if you like a hooptie better than a brand new corvette you are either
or a sympathizer which will also would make you

 

[Proton Ron]

Saying that I personally like something better, but that I think something else is technically better made is not a contradiction. Most children get that, but then, nobody who posts here is right in the head, so I shouldn't expect any better.

Just admit you made a stupid comment and next time think before you speak. It's not that complicated. I expect better.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Just admit you made a stupid comment and next time think before you speak. It's not that complicated. I expect better.

Who are you? So far, your sole contribution to this forum has been being rude to people. We have enough trolls here, we don’t need another one. Move on.

 

[Proton Ron]

Who are you? So far, your sole contribution to this forum has been being rude to people. We have enough trolls here, we don’t need another one. Move on.

I used to be Rice-A-Ron-E and now I'm Proton Ron. I don't ever remember you. I also wasn't conversing with you.

 

[little benny]

What happened to Benny the British Butcher? Didn't he attend many of Morrissey's shows in the UK?

Benny has been to many Morrissey shows, and The Smiths at I believe Preston but I'll have to ask him. Moz's various twattery these last few years has put him off a bit though.

-little benny

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit 444]

original Butcher is pushing up daisies. the new model is probably jet setting the globe in the windmills of his insane brain.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Idea for a five-part series: Vegan Cro-magnon and @AztecCamera alone in an empty room except for two chairs and a table, discussing a number of topics chosen beforehand. One take per episode. Glaring light. Perhaps gradually increasing the room temperature? I think it would be a hit.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit 444]

Idea for a five-part series: Vegan Cro-magnon and @AztecCamera alone in an empty room except for two chairs and a table, discussing a number of topics chosen beforehand. One take per episode. Glaring light. Perhaps gradually increasing the room temperature? I think it would be a hit.

Salmon I take it you havent had your porridge?

 

[John Paul]

Saying that I personally like something better, but that I think something else is technically better made is not a contradiction. Most children get that, but then, nobody who posts here is right in the head, so I shouldn't expect any better.

Are you connected to Johnny Marr?

Are you a friend or a family member or a work colleague of Johnny Marr maybe?

 

[Janice]

Benny has been to many Morrissey shows, and The Smiths at I believe Preston but I'll have to ask him. Moz's various twattery these last few years has put him off a bit though.

-little benny

Ah, the Lonsdale wearing creature with his awful jeans and terrible tattoo.
We shall leave it at that, feral one.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you connected to Johnny Marr?

Are you a friend or a family member or a work colleague of Johnny Marr maybe?

God I love Johnny Marr. Met him at a record signing - what a sweet, lovely man! Even now his eyes are hypnotic. Can totally see how Moz fell for him.

 

[Tiny Tim]

original Butcher is pushing up daisies. the new model is probably jet setting the globe in the windmills of his insane brain.

I think Benny the British Butcher is still alive. He is probably still recovering from Coronavirus which is why he isn't posting much on here at the moment.

 

[little benny]

Ah, the Lonsdale wearing creature with his awful jeans and terrible tattoo.
We shall leave it at that, feral one.

Do you think the man with the tattoo is me? That's none other than Sam Esty Rayner, Moz's nephew and resident sycophant (as well as Gary Barlow lookalike). We spotted him when we went down to Beechmount a while back.

That goes to show
How little you know

Sorry to disappoint
-little benny

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

Beechmount??

Tower Hamlets is where you and surface go