Living in the past? He's moving backwards not forwards.

[Today's the Day]

What's going on, Morrissey finally adds a new song to the set, and it's another Smiths song? What the f***? Why not add one of the supposedly brilliant 20 new songs that we haven't heard yet?
Doesn't make sense to me. If these new songs are so great, the band must be itching to play them, but no, let's add another oldie.
What's the point?
If he just wanted to practice it before playing it in the UK why not replace one of the other Smiths songs in the set instead of taking out one of his own songs, and a new one at that.
Is this in response to the poor ticket sales in the UK, add another Smiths song knowing word will get to us? A bit crass, I'm surprised Morrissey would do that but why else?
Personally I would have been more likely to go to more shows if he added another new song or two. If he doesn't want too much of the set to be new ones that we don't know then replace some of the new ones we all heard at RAH.
No wonder the band seem so out of it, of the 17 songs, there were only two written/recorded by the band (both by Boz, that explains why Alain seems like he'd just as soon have stayed in bed!) apart from just 3 new ones, and 4 Smiths tunes.
I don't know what to make of it all but it does seem odd. Is he also going to re-record Smiths songs to filll out the "new" album? At this rate I wouldn't be surprised.
I would love to have been a fly on the wall to hear the conversations between band members when Morrissey informed them they'd be replacing one of their new songs with another Smiths one, I'll bet there was a fair bit of grumbling going on!

 

[Poop On the Mexicans]

Thank God He is not playing that dumb Mexican song in Europe
he knows we will not tolerate his sucking up to the morons!

Poop on You!

> What's going on, Morrissey finally adds a new song to the set, and it's
> another Smiths song? What the f***? Why not add one of the supposedly
> brilliant 20 new songs that we haven't heard yet?
> Doesn't make sense to me. If these new songs are so great, the band must
> be itching to play them, but no, let's add another oldie.
> What's the point?
> If he just wanted to practice it before playing it in the UK why not
> replace one of the other Smiths songs in the set instead of taking out one
> of his own songs, and a new one at that.
> Is this in response to the poor ticket sales in the UK, add another Smiths
> song knowing word will get to us? A bit crass, I'm surprised Morrissey
> would do that but why else?
> Personally I would have been more likely to go to more shows if he added
> another new song or two. If he doesn't want too much of the set to be new
> ones that we don't know then replace some of the new ones we all heard at
> RAH.
> No wonder the band seem so out of it, of the 17 songs, there were only two
> written/recorded by the band (both by Boz, that explains why Alain seems
> like he'd just as soon have stayed in bed!) apart from just 3 new ones,
> and 4 Smiths tunes.
> I don't know what to make of it all but it does seem odd. Is he also going
> to re-record Smiths songs to filll out the "new" album? At this
> rate I wouldn't be surprised.
> I would love to have been a fly on the wall to hear the conversations
> between band members when Morrissey informed them they'd be replacing one
> of their new songs with another Smiths one, I'll bet there was a fair bit
> of grumbling going on!

 

[LoafingOaf - The Official Online Stud]

> Is this in response to the poor ticket sales in the UK, add another Smiths
> song knowing word will get to us? A bit crass, I'm surprised Morrissey
> would do that but why else?

Crass?! WTF r u talkin 'bout? It's crass to play one of his songs before an audience if it's over some years old and people are familiar with it??

I don't wanna hear every new song before the album comes out. I wanna go to the record store, look at the song titles, get excited, rush home, and hear them for the first time.

Look, this tour is not about selling an album. He has no product to sell.
He's doing it for the love of singing before an audience. OK, sure, he's
also perhaps showing record labels he's got a strong audience, but that doesn't seem to be the primary purpose, and they've never much noticed how strong his audience is before.

I've always hated when bands don't wanna play their best old songs, as if they don't wanna make the crowd TOO happy. It's giving the finger to the audience when you do that. "You're all hear because you love my songs over 20 years, but I'm gonna act like those don't exist, and I'm only gonna play these new ones you're less familiar with." f*** that. I bought an overpriced ticket, I'm open to the new stuff, but you'd f***ing better play some of my faves dammit.

And I seriously "word getting round" that one more Smiths song was added would cause a spike in ticket sales. Please.

 

[poop on intolerant racists]

> Thank God He is not playing that dumb Mexican song in Europe
> he knows we will not tolerate his sucking up to the morons!

> Poop on You!

f*** you, thanks to intolerant scum like you this world is crumbling
"Mexico" is a good song

 

[Almodis]

> Thank God He is not playing that dumb Mexican song in Europe
> he knows we will not tolerate his sucking up to the morons!

He *has* played 'Mexico' in Europe - he played it at the second Dublin gig, for example. I think he clearly intends it to be universal - before playing it in Dublin he said something like "This song is called "Mexico" - but it could be about Coolock, or where-ever."

 

[Today's the Day]

> Crass?! WTF r u talkin 'bout? It's crass to play one of his songs before
> an audience if it's over some years old and people are familiar with it??

I meant crass to add a Smiths song soley to boost ticket sales. If he just wants to play them that's one thing, but if it's a desperate attempt to get people to buy tickets, I think that's crass. He should have enough faith in his own material to just add more Morrissey songs.

> I don't wanna hear every new song before the album comes out. I wanna go
> to the record store, look at the song titles, get excited, rush home, and
> hear them for the first time.

Well then why not add some more of his solo songs to the set instead of more Smiths songs. Although personally I loved hearing the new songs and would like to hear more. He has 24, so they probably won't all be released anyway.

> Look, this tour is not about selling an album. He has no product to sell.
> He's doing it for the love of singing before an audience. OK, sure, he's

I agree, I never said anything to the contrary.

> also perhaps showing record labels he's got a strong audience, but that
> doesn't seem to be the primary purpose, and they've never much noticed how
> strong his audience is before.

Fine, you don't want to hear more new ones, but lots of people do. And a lot of people would rather hear more of his own songs than more Smiths songs, how about adding a song from Vauxhall, Your Arsenal, Southpaw, even Kill Uncle instead?

> I've always hated when bands don't wanna play their best old songs, as if
> they don't wanna make the crowd TOO happy. It's giving the finger to the
> audience when you do that. "You're all hear because you love my songs
> over 20 years, but I'm gonna act like those don't exist, and I'm only
> gonna play these new ones you're less familiar with." f*** that. I
> bought an overpriced ticket, I'm open to the new stuff, but you'd f***ing
> better play some of my faves dammit.

It's not a band playing their own "old favourite" songs - It's Morrissey and his band "covering" Smiths songs. Contrary to what you may think, Morrissey wasn't the Smiths on his own and his band are certainly not either. I don't even want to hear them play the songs from Viva Hate, I would rather hear them play their own songs that they wrote themselves. I want him to play my favourites too, who doesn't? But I want to hear the faves that they can do well. If there were songs that Morrissey couldn't hit the notes on anymore I wouldn't want to hear them. I don't want to hear songs I love at all costs, if the band can't fulfil those songs, leave them out. There are so many songs that Morrissey and the band wrote together that I would love to hear, and that I'm sure the band would rather play than Smiths ones.

> And I seriously "word getting round" that one more Smiths song
> was added would cause a spike in ticket sales. Please.

Whether or not you realise it, there are quite a few people who only go to Morrissey shows now that he plays Smiths songs, especially in England. You only have to talk to people in the crowd to find out that a significant number wouldn't bother going if he only played solo material. I don't understand that myself, but it's true. And I know quite a few people who went to RAH and didn't buy tickets to any of the next British shows because they thought he would only play the same songs again, who will most likely go to another show or two when they find out he's playing a new Smiths song. I guarantee it will have an effect on ticket sales, much more so than if he added another song from one of his solo albums. And he'll be well aware of this too. Sadly though I think if the tickets hadn't been quite so expensive he wouldn't have to do that to sell these shows out. (I don't know where you are but if you're not in the UK, the tickets cost £25 plus fees, which while it may not seem like a lot to see Morrissey, is incredibly expensive for the places he's playing, I've never seen anything like it) He would have sold out the entire tour by now if he'd charged what most bands do when they play these places. But those prices, combined with the "set" setlist makes people think twice. An extra Smiths song that hasn't been heard for 15 years or more will tip the scales for some people.

It must be disheartening for the band to be given a set with so few of their songs in it - they have so many great songs of their own, and they're barely playing any of them on the tour anyway, and then Morrissey pulls one of them to add another song that is nothing to do with them. The Smiths and Viva Hate and Bona Drag songs may be Morrissey's, but none of them are the bands'. I'm sure they'd rather play their own stuff, and they'd probably do a better job of it. I know they're employed by him to do what he asks, but it's clearly having a negative effect on their performance, and that has a negative effect on the whole show. I'm sure they would rather live in the present, and *their* past, not someone else's.

 

[Fox in the Snow]

Agree, very good point! Moz band seems sleep-walking...

 

[Today's the Day]

Thanks for the constructive comment Poophead, and by the way he played it 2x in London, 1x in Dublin

 

[LoafingOaf - The Official Online Stud]

> I meant crass to add a Smiths song soley to boost ticket sales.

On what are you basing it on that he added a song to boost ticket sales?

>If he just
> wants to play them that's one thing, but if it's a desperate attempt to
> get people to buy tickets, I think that's crass. He should have enough
> faith in his own material to just add more Morrissey songs.

> Well then why not add some more of his solo songs to the set instead of
> more Smiths songs.

But as Morrissey has said repeatedly, to HIM the solo songs and The Smiths songs are all Morrissey songs.

In fact, that may be one of his real agenda, if we must look for one. To make it clear that those are all his songs, and he'll sing them when he damn well feels like it. But, really, I think he just felt it's been awhile since he last toured, so he thought he'd get out there and enjoy himself.

>Although personally I loved hearing the new songs and
> would like to hear more. He has 24, so they probably won't all be released
> anyway.

If they're all GOOD they'll be released...eventually. Although it bums me out that Born To Hang wasn't released, because I love that one.

> I agree, I never said anything to the contrary.

> Fine, you don't want to hear more new ones, but lots of people do. And a
> lot of people would rather hear more of his own songs than more Smiths
> songs, how about adding a song from Vauxhall, Your Arsenal, Southpaw, even
> Kill Uncle instead?

You'd have to ask him. But again, I don't see where the crassness is. He sold more tickets when he was playing just Kill Uncle/YourArsenal/BonaDrag/VivaHate songs. He's played most of those a ton. This tour he broke out a couple "Viva Hate songs I hadn't heard live before.

> It's not a band playing their own "old favourite" songs - It's
> Morrissey and his band "covering" Smiths songs.

Rubbish. See this just proves why he SHOULD be playing those Smiths songs.
You call it "covering" when he sings HIS OWN SONGS?!???!!!!? Who's life, observances, and feelings do you think are in all those Smiths songs?
And he's not allowed to sing them?

>Contrary to what
> you may think, Morrissey wasn't the Smiths on his own and his band are
> certainly not either.

Gee, really, The Smiths weren't just Morrissey? Are you serious?

But you should notice something. There's only one person in the world who CAN sing Smiths songs and not have them be covers. And that is Morrissey. Johnny Marr could play a Smiths song, but he'd have to get a different singer, and that is completely different from just getting a different guitarist.

Morrissey didn't tack the label "The Smiths" on this tour. That would be wrong.
But those are more his songs than anybody's, and he should sing them. They're good ass songs.

>I don't even want to hear them play the songs from
> Viva Hate,

Yeah, well you're weird.

>I would rather hear them play their own songs that they wrote
> themselves. I want him to play my favourites too, who doesn't? But I want
> to hear the faves that they can do well. If there were songs that
> Morrissey couldn't hit the notes on anymore I wouldn't want to hear them.
> I don't want to hear songs I love at all costs, if the band can't fulfil
> those songs, leave them out. There are so many songs that Morrissey and
> the band wrote together that I would love to hear, and that I'm sure the
> band would rather play than Smiths ones.

> Whether or not you realise it, there are quite a few people who only go to
> Morrissey shows now that he plays Smiths songs, especially in England. You
> only have to talk to people in the crowd to find out that a significant
> number wouldn't bother going if he only played solo material. I don't
> understand that myself, but it's true. And I know quite a few people who
> went to RAH and didn't buy tickets to any of the next British shows
> because they thought he would only play the same songs again, who will
> most likely go to another show or two when they find out he's playing a
> new Smiths song. I guarantee it will have an effect on ticket sales, much
> more so than if he added another song from one of his solo albums. And
> he'll be well aware of this too. Sadly though I think if the tickets
> hadn't been quite so expensive he wouldn't have to do that to sell these
> shows out. (I don't know where you are but if you're not in the UK, the
> tickets cost £25 plus fees, which while it may not seem like a lot to see
> Morrissey, is incredibly expensive for the places he's playing, I've never
> seen anything like it) He would have sold out the entire tour by now if
> he'd charged what most bands do when they play these places. But those
> prices, combined with the "set" setlist makes people think
> twice. An extra Smiths song that hasn't been heard for 15 years or more
> will tip the scales for some people.

> It must be disheartening for the band to be given a set with so few of
> their songs in it - they have so many great songs of their own, and
> they're barely playing any of them on the tour anyway, and then Morrissey
> pulls one of them to add another song that is nothing to do with them. The
> Smiths and Viva Hate and Bona Drag songs may be Morrissey's, but none of
> them are the bands'.

Get it straight. When you buy a ticket for this tour, it says: "MORRISSEY."

>I'm sure they'd rather play their own stuff, and
> they'd probably do a better job of it. I know they're employed by him to
> do what he asks, but it's clearly having a negative effect on their
> performance, and that has a negative effect on the whole show. I'm sure
> they would rather live in the present, and *their* past, not someone
> else's.

I don't know what your deal is. When I went to see Shane Macgowan and the Popes, they did Pogues songs, and I loved him for doing that. And I love that
Morrissey still sings his classics. All music performers should play their classics. It makes people happy.

As far as whether or not he's "moving backwards," we simply have to wait and hear the next album. This tour is not supporting a new album. This tour is just to get off on some music. It seems to me refreshing that someone will tour just for the heck of it. It shows he just loves to sing on a stage and connect with an audience. A lot of bands just tour for the money and the moving of product.

 

[Harsh Truth]

The Lads know what the deal is. Stop feeling bad for them for having to play Viva Hate/Smiths songs.

Excellent point. You are 100% correct. It does NOT say "Morrissey/Boz/Gaz/Alain & Dean" on the ticket. The Lads know the deal. I'm sure they are paid respectably. Its a good gig for them. If Moz wanted them to play "Lets Get This party Started" then, guess what, they would do it b/c that is what they are getting paid for.

Would they rather play more songs on this tour that they had a part in creating? Probably. But, tough luck for them. They knew what the set was going to be before the tour began, so if they didn;t like it, they could of quit. But they didn't.

>Get it straight. When you buy a ticket for this tour, it says: "MORRISSEY."

 

[Mindy]

i applaud you for socking it to the retards

good job, oaf! you truly are THE stud. i wish more people on here agreed with your sentiments.

 

[LoafingOaf - The Official Online Stud]

Re: i applaud you for socking it to the retards

> good job, oaf! you truly are THE stud. i wish more people on here agreed
> with your sentiments.

Oh, wow, thank you Mindy! *blush*