BLUE RONDO A LA TURK - Morrissey Central
July 8, 2019
"I liked them because they seemed two jumps ahead of everyone else. The mere sight of them suggested big league, but they didn't quite get that far. They were one of the very few groups that the Smiths supported, but there was a scepticism about them being just 'club models' … who asked and got. This was said also about very early Roxy Music … who appeared to be quite affluent before they'd even had a hit. With Blue Rondo, again, you suspected that they were given all of their fantastic suits for free whilst the rest of us had to dream of being able to buy SOMETHING that didn't look TOO abysmal. The main electric spark was their dancing which was very virile and athletic … and even though they came from the Blitz/Billy's scene they seemed like supermale prizefighters or nightclub heavies … deep-chested vocals, narrow-hipped, and very much a man's, man's, man's, man's world. I don't think a sudden tussle would trouble them in the least. But their songs were not about the curves of seductive women - or even about women … as if women might even lack some essential excitement. It's a safe bet that they couldn't stand the Smiths … me singing about not even a glimmer of adventure sex. But that was 1982 or, for me, 1947. Their companion Robert Elms described me as "Ena Sharples". I was actually flattered because Violet Carson, I thought, was extremely funny. You know how comedians or comic actors think that if they show lots of teeth people will think they're saying something hilarious … when of course they aren't? Well, Violet Carson kept her teeth well hidden. Maybe she had none? How did I get from Blue Rondo a la Turk to Violet Carson?
Oh. Well, Blue Rondo were a London band … which was obvious to us because they actually had shoes. I don't think their songs were as good as ours, but our shoes weren't as good as theirs, so, there we are.
They quickly went away and didn't return. I don't know if it's even possible to find their music anymore, but it certainly wouldn't hurt the ear. I think some of Blue Rondo were from the West Indies whereas of course all of the Smiths were born at the Manchester Scabies & Gripe Maternity Hospital."
Morrissey 7 July 2019, talking to himself (for … what choice?)
* sorry, I have no idea who took the above photograph.
Amusing musings from Moz about the first Smiths-support act.
Note posted by an anonymous person:
Actually, it was the other way around. The Smiths supported them. It was their first live show ever on 4 October 1982 at the Ritz.
July 8, 2019
"I liked them because they seemed two jumps ahead of everyone else. The mere sight of them suggested big league, but they didn't quite get that far. They were one of the very few groups that the Smiths supported, but there was a scepticism about them being just 'club models' … who asked and got. This was said also about very early Roxy Music … who appeared to be quite affluent before they'd even had a hit. With Blue Rondo, again, you suspected that they were given all of their fantastic suits for free whilst the rest of us had to dream of being able to buy SOMETHING that didn't look TOO abysmal. The main electric spark was their dancing which was very virile and athletic … and even though they came from the Blitz/Billy's scene they seemed like supermale prizefighters or nightclub heavies … deep-chested vocals, narrow-hipped, and very much a man's, man's, man's, man's world. I don't think a sudden tussle would trouble them in the least. But their songs were not about the curves of seductive women - or even about women … as if women might even lack some essential excitement. It's a safe bet that they couldn't stand the Smiths … me singing about not even a glimmer of adventure sex. But that was 1982 or, for me, 1947. Their companion Robert Elms described me as "Ena Sharples". I was actually flattered because Violet Carson, I thought, was extremely funny. You know how comedians or comic actors think that if they show lots of teeth people will think they're saying something hilarious … when of course they aren't? Well, Violet Carson kept her teeth well hidden. Maybe she had none? How did I get from Blue Rondo a la Turk to Violet Carson?
Oh. Well, Blue Rondo were a London band … which was obvious to us because they actually had shoes. I don't think their songs were as good as ours, but our shoes weren't as good as theirs, so, there we are.
They quickly went away and didn't return. I don't know if it's even possible to find their music anymore, but it certainly wouldn't hurt the ear. I think some of Blue Rondo were from the West Indies whereas of course all of the Smiths were born at the Manchester Scabies & Gripe Maternity Hospital."
Morrissey 7 July 2019, talking to himself (for … what choice?)
* sorry, I have no idea who took the above photograph.
Amusing musings from Moz about the first Smiths-support act.
Note posted by an anonymous person:
Actually, it was the other way around. The Smiths supported them. It was their first live show ever on 4 October 1982 at the Ritz.
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