Guardian: "Offending Ringo and probing Thatcher: Tom Hibbert, the man who ‘brought the bonkers’ to Smash Hits" (February 6, 2024)

There is a Tom Hibbert/Smash Hits article on The Guardian website today, in which there’s this: “Over in Smash Hits, Tom Hibbert’s first question for the singer is: “What’s the matter with you?” Moz’s persistent lethargy, Hibbert suggests, may be down to the vegetarian’s “daily intake of yoghurt and bread”. He grills him on whether his heroes ate meat and what he feeds his cat,…”

Offending Ringo and probing Thatcher: Tom Hibbert, the man who ‘brought the bonkers’ to Smash Hits

As a new collection of his work, Phew, Eh Readers?, is published, former colleagues including Neil Tennant recall the irreverent music journalist’s phrasemaking genius

www.theguardian.com

Which is interesting. What has Morrissey been feeding his cat? Has to be meat, right?

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Godspeed Morrissey's cat.

 

[Loup]

Disagree. Cats need to be held to the same standard. Dogs also.

Agree 100% Delicious lean meat and lots of it!

I don't want to get into debating eating meat (I enjoy it and it is healthy) but if you feel sorry for the dead animals in the grocery store, you have to feel sorry for the deer in the woods being eaten alive by a bobcat. It is only fair! If Morrissey fans were only vegan, he would have a tiny fanbase and he would only play nightclubs.

Do correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the sense that you might not genuinely care about the topic and are just trying to get a reaction from me.
I think you know just as much as I do that animals cannot be held morally accountable, contrary to humans.
So, I won't take your comments too seriously.

 

[DorkingDale]

There is a Tom Hibbert/Smash Hits article on The Guardian website today, in which there’s this: “Over in Smash Hits, Tom Hibbert’s first question for the singer is: “What’s the matter with you?” Moz’s persistent lethargy, Hibbert suggests, may be down to the vegetarian’s “daily intake of yoghurt and bread”. He grills him on whether his heroes ate meat and what he feeds his cat,…”

Offending Ringo and probing Thatcher: Tom Hibbert, the man who ‘brought the bonkers’ to Smash Hits

As a new collection of his work, Phew, Eh Readers?, is published, former colleagues including Neil Tennant recall the irreverent music journalist’s phrasemaking genius

www.theguardian.com

Which is interesting. What has Morrissey been feeding his cat? Has to be meat, right?

Yep - cats need meat, unlike dogs. Maybe Morrissey's cat catches his own meat like mine do. There are a lot of cats around called Morrissey - I wonder whether Morrissey has called his cat Morrissey?

 

[DorkingDale]

These were the good old days when I used to go to the English bookstore nearly every week to look at the British music magazines and buy one of them if it covered an artist that I liked. Lits of Moz and Smiths those days.

Dude was Morrissey’s cat, but I think he stayed with his mother in his mansion in Altrichan. No idea if Morrissey has another cat now, haven’t seen any pictures of a new cat so far. But if it isn’t the case yet, then I hope he gets one asap. It would cheer him up.

It's called Altrincham but the house is actually in a specific area called Bowden & is opposite some of the Altrincham Grammar School buildings.....

 

[Lucifer Sam]

Yep - cats need meat, unlike dogs. Maybe Morrissey's cat catches his own meat like mine do. There are a lot of cats around called Morrissey - I wonder whether Morrissey has called his cat Morrissey?

I think he said if he got another cat after Dude, he would name it "Chester Bennington." I assume he was either joking or the cat's name would be a joke name. It's possible he likes Linkin Park, though. They wouldn't be the first shitty American band he likes (Green Day, Young the Giant, Zero Authority).

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Do correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the sense that you might not genuinely care about the topic and are just trying to get a reaction from me.
I think you know just as much as I do that animals cannot be held morally accountable, contrary to humans.
So, I won't take your comments too seriously.

You don't see the hypocrisy of militant, judgemental vegans feeding their pets meat?!

 

[goinghome]

Would be an interesting read. Also interesting that among all the artists Hibbert interviewed, the review starts off immediately with the section on Morrissey, he really has left an indelible mark in the headspace of Guardian journalists.

This bit also stood out
Shireen has sold two Ellen-authorised reproductions of the Black Type tea towel, the second to raise money for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.

Obviously that tragedy has, quite rightly, left an indelible mark in headspaces besides Morrissey's.

 

[Malarkey]

This bit also stood out
Shireen has sold two Ellen-authorised reproductions of the Black Type tea towel, the second to raise money for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.

Obviously that tragedy has, quite rightly, left an indelible mark in headspaces besides Morrissey's.

People used it as an excuse to give him a kicking & then he disappeared into this Twilight Zone.

 

[Anonymous]

That being said, I would find it difficult to consider getting another pet in the future.

It is a bit of a moral quandary/gray area. I consider myself a vegan, and am aware that it is somewhat hypocritical that I still buy meat products for my cat. That said, I get a huge amount of affection from my cat, have given it the best life I can, and consider it less harmful than trying to convert it to a diet it will either hate or find unhealthy.

If you are struggling with this yourself, I'd recommend in future your best bet would be to adopt a cat from a shelter. You're not encouraging more meat-eating pets being bred, but you are rescuing an existing one from a crappy existence (or being put to sleep).

 

[Anonymous of Manchester]

We buy meat and cook it for our dog. We also pay a high premium for 90% meat dog food in tins, by far the most pure on the market. Because that’s what she eats, and we love our girl. All done separately to our food prep and cooking, and it dedicated utensils.

It used to make me sick, but you get used to it. Like picking up shit I suppose, just before digestion.

Remember Morrissey once talking about feeding a dog smarties. Well, that would kill it, painfully, over time. He said this in relation to him buying cat food.

I don’t have that ignorant sanitised view of our diet. We grow our own vegetables and fruit, so have an informed insight into the realities when it comes to large scale supply of fruit and veg to the stores and on the plate. Nothimg natural hasn’t taken life at some stage. Those who think otherwise are living in a Fools Paradise.

 

[Luxo]

Well, feeding carnivorous animals by necessity pales in comparison to willingly participating in the slaughter of 200 million farm animals a day, as a human with free will and alternative choices.
We should strive to minimize harm as much as possible – in the case of cats, it’s not inherently a shocking contradiction.

And either way, whether the cat lives with you or is adopted by someone else, it will eat meat, so it makes no difference. I'd rather my cats lived with me, getting all the love and attention they deserve, than going to someone else, who may not have loved them as much as I do.

 

[goinghome]

People used it as an excuse to give him a kicking & then he disappeared into this Twilight Zone.

Some people maybe. Others are grateful to him for the song. Most are probably not bothered.

 

[Malarkey]

Some people maybe. Others are grateful to him for the song. Most are probably not bothered.

Most people will never hear it.

 

[Paul Gambaccini]

smash hits was a decent mag to be fair,had a bit of everything,even a crossword.
it ran from 78-86 and was edited by neil tennent of the pet shop boys,it was quite serious in its style but changed in its last few years to a more irreverent style,it would take the piss out of big stars asking stupid questions and very seldom asked them about their music.

Smash Hits breathed its last in 2006. Like other music mags from back in those days it's greatest strength was its daft sense of humour, something that is very lacking in music journalism nowadays. I remember they would always call The Boss, 'Bruce 'Spruce' Springsteen, Bowie was 'Dame David Bowie' and Prince was always 'the Purple ponce'. Everything needs to be a Pitchfork style analysis now it seems.

 

[Paul Gambaccini]

Humans can survive happily and healthily without meat, cats can't.

Also, 'Moz' is the perfect name for a cat.

 

[The Irish Hare]

I am Vegetarian for 35 years and have 15 rescue animals, 7 of which are cats. My vet said if cats don't get enough raw meat it can adversely affect their health as they not only get the necessary nutrients from meat but also liquid. I now buy offal from a local butcher who sells his own grass fed, non antibiotic, organic animal meat. This supplements the rabbits, mice, rats etc that the cats kill themselves. I don't feed them any dry food as most of it is cereal and rubbish which is actually bad for cats. My one previous cat died from kidney problems which my vet put down to too much "Royal Canin", the first ingredient in it listed as being cereal.
Much as I would like my cats to be vegetarian, they are a different species who require meat. I have to weigh up rescuing animals in trouble and giving them the best chance of a healthy long life, vs my dislike of the meat and pet food industry which involves cruelty. I do not buy commercially produced factory farmed and slaughtered animal meat, which can now contain mrna vaccines with no long term studies to say how this affects those who consume them. All of my rescues came from bad situations, so like everything else in this dualistic paradigm , I have to weigh up the best option.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I am Vegetarian for 35 years

Being vegetarian for 35 years, what’s stopped you from becoming vegan? Just curious.

and have 15 rescue animals, 7 of which are cats. My vet said if cats don't get enough raw meat it can adversely affect their health as they not only get the necessary nutrients from meat but also liquid. I now buy offal from a local butcher who sells his own grass fed, non antibiotic, organic animal meat. This supplements the rabbits, mice, rats etc that the cats kill themselves. I don't feed them any dry food as most of it is cereal and rubbish which is actually bad for cats. My one previous cat died from kidney problems which my vet put down to too much "Royal Canin", the first ingredient in it listed as being cereal.
Much as I would like my cats to be vegetarian, they are a different species who require meat. I have to weigh up rescuing animals in trouble and giving them the best chance of a healthy long life, vs my dislike of the meat and pet food industry which involves cruelty. I do not buy commercially produced factory farmed and slaughtered animal meat, which can now contain mrna vaccines with no long term studies to say how this affects those who consume them. All of my rescues came from bad situations, so like everything else in this dualistic paradigm , I have to weigh up the best option.