Morrissey: criticisms of debut novel are 'an attack against me' - The Guardian

Re: Morrissey: criticisms of debut novel are 'an attack against me'

If there was a broad sweep of opinions in critical views, then Morrissey should be able to comfortably dismiss it as a few people 'not getting it'. But when every single serious published critic shares the opinion that what you have written is bleedin' awful (I haven't read a single positive review of note - and no, anonymous Amazon reviews don't count) , it might be time to let some air out of that swollen head and accept you are not the greatest writer since Shakespeare.
 
cicada is just the gay dude from blue rose under one of his many names. stamford bridge,etc
i dont think he should be taken seriously.
 
If you give up drugs I will buy you a banana... little monkey darling!
Still you can't catch up with reading... Keep trying

do you have any shame? you sold out moz to the guardian and now you pretend to defend him?
you do know moz thinks you are totally bonkers
 
Personally I think most of us would like you not to be such a patronising self righteous dick, but there you go. I'm assuming 'brain dead' equals 'doesn't agree with me' in your world?

Most of you? Who are you? Ιt seems like you are talking about an army of something or something?
Ι do not patronize.
Have you noticed the kind of the posts i am replying to?
Ι am expecting from you (if you are so democratic) to answer to those people too. With exactly the same style you have replied to me...
Sometimes you must watch the action to understand the reaction. Yes or No?
By the way.. Have you read the book?
 
I didn't read this novel, I enjoyed the Autobiography. Even if we asume the novel is in fact as bad as some critics say, we should agree with Morrissey that criticisms of his debut novel are an attack against him.

First, this book isn't the masterpiece of a laureated Nobel prize writer. It's the first work of fiction of a man who has been writing and singing beautiful and controversial songs for over 30 years. As fiction readers we can testify a huge amount of fiction is published on a daily basis and most of those books are pure rubbish, even those written by bestselling authors, and none of them receive even 1% of the bad reviews this book has had.

I think M must be proud of bad critics, because they are directly proportional to the number of powerful people he upsets with his lyrics and with the expression of his beliefs.

Some bad reviews are like prizes and people know that.
 
Oh God, that is dreadful. I always wondered what Morrissey liked about this creep. I question his taste of music: Jobriath, those old British singers of the 60's, New York Dolls. Also his taste for feminist authors. Why, why, why? I tried to read Nancy Friday, I had to chuck the book after just 10 pages. Nothing sensational, nothing I had not known before.

Well you don't need to listen to these artists or read those authors, BECAUSE ...IF you actually like M in the least then like it or not...you ARE through HIM enjoying all those records,authors,etc.... SO YOU ARE...TRAPPED ! ANON.:straightface:


IT'S a lovely trap. :)
 
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They both leave me incredibly cold. Sorry.

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Leonard Cohen on the other hand...

Cohen? ...in gods hand. :) 'AVALANCHE'. Nick Cave in actually does a version of this. But the original...as
always..is to die for. Play loud, people.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQe88ybEIe8

Well, I stepped into an avalanche, it covered up my soul
When I am not this hunchback that you see, I sleep beneath the golden hill
You who wish to conquer pain, you must learn, learn to serve me well

You strike my side by accident as you go down for your gold
The cripple here that you clothe and feed is neither starved nor cold
He does not ask for your company, not at the center, the center of the world

When I am on a pedestal, you did not raise me there
Your laws do not compel me to kneel grotesque and bare
I myself am the pedestal for this ugly hump at which you stare

You who wish to conquer pain, you must learn what makes me kind
The crumbs of love that you offer me, they're the crumbs I've left behind
Your pain is no credential here, it's just the shadow, shadow of my wound

I have begun to long for you, I who have no greed
I have begun to ask for you, I who have no need
You say you've gone away from me but I can feel you when you breathe

Do not dress in those rags for me, I know you are not poor
You don't love me quite so fiercely now when you know that you are not sure
It is your turn, beloved, it is your flesh that I wear
 
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Well you don't need to listen to these artists or read those authors, BECAUSE ...IF you actually like M in the least then like it or not...you ARE through HIM enjoying all those records,authors,etc.... SO YOU ARE...TRAPPED ! ANON.:straightface:


IT'S a lovely trap. :)

I do like him to the point of obsession. But how are these people he admires the inspiration for his musical/literary contribution? I don't see the link. They are nothing like what he puts out. His taste is quite odd and it's quite peculiar to me why I would like him.
 
I do like him to the point of obsession. But how are these people he admires the inspiration for his musical/literary contribution? I don't see the link. They are nothing like what he puts out. His taste is quite odd and it's quite peculiar to me why I would like him.

HOW are these artists a inspiration for his musical/literary contribution? Well that can be a book or two in itself ! :)

But... If you can't see/feel the ' link' ? Then I don't know what more to say. Just play loud...and open your heart.:)
 
I think that Waits and Cave are already canonized alongside Cohen. Unfortunately, I think Morrissey is damaging his chances and reputation lately.
I can certainly respect an artist for their place in history without enjoying their music. Dylan for example- I can't stand the fellow,
but he's made his permanent mark and deserves a bit of reverence. Same with the Beatles. They are awful, but no denying their cultural impact.

Anyone could turn that round and substutute one name for another, depending on opinion. For example, I prefer Dylan to Waits and Cave, but find Cohen better than Dylan. I don't love the Beatles, but they are more fun than Waits or Cave, who write dirges whatever tempo they try. Over an entire career, I prefer Morrissey to all of them. Who gives a f*** if someone has been canonised by Q, Mojo, Classic Rock, VH1 or whoever? It's all bullshit.
 
Most of you? Who are you? Ιt seems like you are talking about an army of something or something?
Ι do not patronize.
Have you noticed the kind of the posts i am replying to?
Ι am expecting from you (if you are so democratic) to answer to those people too. With exactly the same style you have replied to me...
Sometimes you must watch the action to understand the reaction. Yes or No?
By the way.. Have you read the book?

I've read the posts and they're perfectly valid, especially when they said that quoting directly from the book and just saying it's brilliant (which is essentially what you're doing) is no real defence. Nothing wrong with them saying it's shit and trying to explain why they think that- all your replies to that poster have basically been "No, read again little monkey, you're wrong because Morrissey could only ever write amazing prose". Like I said, it's embarrassing.

And yes, I have.
 
Yeah ... bla bla bla ... the book is bad. I don't know how long anybody will make this point before it get's boring. We could all leave this discussion behind and actually start to talk about the actual content of the book, free of the "novel" tag. So, do you believe he is talking about himself when he says things like

"Anyway, I discovered I was useless and then I didn't have a choice, and once you've faced the mocking nature of making love badly then you can never get free of it."

Is it a Roman à clef?
 
HOW are these artists a inspiration for his musical/literary contribution? Well that can be a book or two in itself ! :)

But... If you can't see/feel the ' link' ? Then I don't know what more to say. Just play loud...and open your heart.:)

Jobriath inspires me to self-mutilation.
 
'the mocking nature of making love badly'? wtf?
bad made love has a mocking nature?
 
Jobriath inspires me to self-mutilation.

I've only heard one song, something about a starship on that free Morrissey-compiled cd. It reminded me of Elton John. I thought this is the Elton that never made it. Then I thought if Job had made it rather than Elton, Moz would be championing Elton and slagging off Job.

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If that's one of his best btw, his overall standard must be pretty poor.

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Your Karma has just decreased substantially by urging someone to harm themselves.

I hope for your sake karma is not concerned with written abuse.

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and you made it sound like one of the announcements on Gauntlet.
 
I've only heard one song, something about a starship on that free Morrissey-compiled cd. It reminded me of Elton John. I thought this is the Elton that never made it. Then I thought if Job had made it rather than Elton, Moz would be championing Elton and slagging off Job.

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If that's one of his best btw, his overall standard must be pretty poor.

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I hope for your sake karma is not concerned with written abuse.

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and you made it sound like one of the announcements on Gauntlet.

Who knows? It's all subjective. As for Gauntlet, I lost interest in computer games when it was shooting folk and stuff. I'm a Manic Miner and Track and Field type of guy.
 
To be fair, I only read the book because Morrissey wrote it. If I had stumbled upon the book I would not have read it based on the back cover description. I love Morrissey. I love him so much that I stop looking at this site for months at a time because it is full of negativity. However, sadly the book just isn't really good. I think even negative reviews can be nice and objective. Fact: Morrissey is right to some degree, bloggers and dipshits are using the book to attack him and the enjoy it when he doesn't "win". However thing about this- Morrissey published a novel through Penguin. That is a big deal. I doubt you've published a novel and if you did . . . . it sure as shite wasn't published by Penguin.
 

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