Morrissey and the Inland Revenue Cellar

[agricola]

In the book he refers twice to working in a cellar at the Inland Revenue. I remember when he played at Lancashire Cricket Club in 2004 he made a comment about working in a building nearby and saying that he hated it. It's on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42WGWilH9TE 10:36 in.

He mentions the gig in the book and says that the stage overlooked the cellar where he worked for the Inland revenue. In the video he says 'One of those buildings over there' and points to his left. He could only mean the Lancastrian office suite, which is where I currently work, and which was once occupied by the Inland Revenue. There are four buildings together and they are attached to the cricket ground.

The only thing is that the buildings have no cellars. Security and the maintenance guy confirmed it. So why does he twice say that he worked in a cellar? The only other office building visible from there is Trafford House which does have a cellar but has never been occupied by the Inland Revenue. And the fact he said 'one of those buildings' and points to the left suggests he was referring to the building where I work.

Very sad and anal of me I know but I think it's cool as f*** if he used to work in our building (which is why the cellar thing is bugging me).

Any explanations out there?

 

[itsverycold]

just adding some colour to the story, i assume.

i bet the cellar was full of cobwebs.

 

[billybu69]

metaphorical

 

[realitybites]

I think he meant cellar as in hell hole. The lowest place to be.

"From Stretford stress – with those miserable miscreants running the Jobcenter ... those richer-than-thou troglodytes ordering files from me in the Inland Revenue cellar – and now, here I am, the glamor and clamor of Madison Square Garden, where people much older than me call me ‘Sir’, and where the Smiths are tellingly ... nowhere in sight."

 

[Uncleskinny]

I think he meant cellar as in hell hole. The lowest place to be.

"From Stretford stress – with those miserable miscreants running the Jobcenter ... those richer-than-thou troglodytes ordering files from me in the Inland Revenue cellar – and now, here I am, the glamor and clamor of Madison Square Garden, where people much older than me call me ‘Sir’, and where the Smiths are tellingly ... nowhere in sight."

At least 3 non-Englishnesses there. My main gripe with the book. Manchester man=English English, right?

P.

 

[realitybites]

At least 3 non-Englishnesses there. My main gripe with the book. Manchester man=English English, right?

P.

Well, I never hear anyone over here use the term 'cellar' as slang for hell hole. Most say, hell hole. I don't know why he didn't just say Inland Revenue hell hole, if he wanted to sound American. Maybe it is an L.A. thing?

PS - I don't even use the term cellar--ever. I say basement.

 

[itsverycold]

he's hardly a manchester man any more though is he?

 

[Anonymous]

Do you know when the Lancastrian Suite was built? Judging from the pictures on Google Images, it doesn't look old enough to have been there in the days when Morrissey had to work for a living.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Well, I never hear anyone over here use the term 'cellar' as slang for hell hole. Most say, hell hole. I don't know why he didn't just say Inland Revenue hell hole, if he wanted to sound American. Maybe it is an L.A. thing?

PS - I don't even use the term cellar--ever. I say basement.

"Jobcenter", "Clamor", "Glamor"

Not English English, from an Englishman.

P.

 

[realitybites]

"Jobcenter", "Clamor", "Glamor"

Not English English, from an Englishman.

P.

Oh, I thought you were talking about 'cellar' in particular. Well, I gotta say all those TV shows he talked about were very English. English shows for English folks. Went straight over my head.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

What is the difference between Lancaster and Manchester? Is it like a suburb of Manchester?

 

[Uncleskinny]

What is the difference between Lancaster and Manchester? Is it like a suburb of Manchester?

Lancaster is one of the most historic cities of England, about 50 to 60 miles north of Manchester. It houses the old prison, where the Pendle Witches were tried, it's near Morecambe, home of the wonderful art-deco Midland hotel, and is an all-round top place. It's not Manchester. Or a suburb thereof.

P.

 

[Anonymous]

What is the difference between Lancaster and Manchester? Is it like a suburb of Manchester?

It's a city about 50 miles north of Manchester. In the UK, that's a long way. Lancashire is a traditional English county named after Lancaster (like Yorkshire is named after York). Manchester is in Lancashire, but it is not very near to Lancaster.

Hope that is some help.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Lancaster is one of the most historic cities of England, about 50 to 60 miles north of Manchester. It houses the old prison, where the Pendle Witches were tried, it's near Morecambe, home of the wonderful art-deco Midland hotel, and is an all-round top place. It's not Manchester. Or a suburb thereof.

P.

So regarding the first post, the Lancastrian office suite in Trafford has nothing to do with Manchester? I thought the Inland Revenue was in Manchester.

 

[Uncleskinny]

So regarding the first post, the Lancastrian office suite in Trafford has nothing to do with Manchester? I thought the Inland Revenue was in Manchester.

No - confusingly, Lancastrian refers to both the city of Lancaster AND the county of Lancashire, of which Lancaster was/is the county town, so a Lancastrian office suite could be anywhere in Lancashire (which Manchester used to be a part of, before the days of Greater Manchester), or Lancaster itself.

P.

 

[Anonymous]

The Lancastrian Suite is in Lancashire, not Lancaster. It's also just a building name (the Holland Tunnel is not in Holland).

 

[kissmyshadestoo]

Oh, I thought you were talking about 'cellar' in particular. Well, I gotta say all those TV shows he talked about were very English. English shows for English folks. Went straight over my head.

Agreed....i know he's setting the tone to describe what i feel fed his lyrics, etc but he went into too much detail early on in the book.

 

[realitybites]

Agreed....i know he's setting the tone to describe what i feel fed his lyrics, etc but he went into too much detail early on in the book.

The Brits don't see it from our perspectives. They want him to remain the quintessential Englishman. But he has adopted some Americanisms, understandably. One being the way he spells. It is normal and healthy to adapt to one's surroundings. I grew up in Ohio where I said pop instead of soda. Then I moved to Florida and adopted the words soda, folks, and ya'll. Now living out west, I say howdy. It is called blending in. Good for Moz!

 

[agricola]

Do you know when the Lancastrian Suite was built? Judging from the pictures on Google Images, it doesn't look old enough to have been there in the days when Morrissey had to work for a living.

I will ask tomorrow but I remember I used to walk past is as a child on the way to Old Trafford Football Ground which is nearby. That was from the late 70s onwards and Moz apparently worked there in 1978. So it fits.

And just to clear it up, it is called the Lancastrian Office Suite because it adjoins the Lancashire County Cricket Ground, which is in Manchester, which is in Lancashire. And behind it is the B&Q store which was once the site of the Hardrock Cafe where the Dolls failed to turn up in 1973. Kings Road is just around the corner.

 

[agricola]

"Jobcenter", "Clamor", "Glamor"

Not English English, from an Englishman.

P.

It's obvious that the American spellings are so that it is compatible with the American market. It doubt very much that Morrissey uses those spellings in his personal correspondence.