Morrissey interview in The Australian (May 16, 2015)

Morrissey heads to Sydney’s Vivid but don’t ask about the Smiths - The Australian
by Iain Shedden

It will come as a surprise to some, but Morrissey would like to hang out at the beach when he arrives in Australia in a week or so. It’s not going to happen, though. The price, he says, would be too great for someone whose relationship with the media is largely a one-sided affair.

“I’d love to go on the beaches in Sydney,” he says, “but in this iPhone-obsessed world I’d be unflatteringly snapped and be turned into an obese spectacle in British newspapers — Heaven Knows He’s Really Fat Now — that type of cleverness. So I tend to stay inside and wait for someone to invite me out for a candlelit dinner, which happens approximately once every 17 years, so I can’t complain.”

And there, in just a few sentences, you have the quintessential Steven Patrick Morrissey, spouting caustic wit with a dollop of faux romance, offset by the merest hint of narcissism and wistfulness. Set to music and repeat every three or four years.

Not one to hold back with his views on anything, the Mancunian singer, songwriter and author explains his volatile relationship with the press with more humour than restraint. “I’ve never been typical and I’m not servile,” he says, “and this makes me far too difficult for the media to bother with. I’m repeatedly asked to justify myself, but that’s OK, even if the very liberal tolerance afforded to pop artists with nothing to offer. Ed Sheeran, for example, is deeply annoying. I think the media will attack you because they’re convinced you can take it on the chin. I’m generally assumed to be *aggressive even though I am quite the opposite, although, yes, I certainly have a chin. I can’t deny that.”

In case it matters, Morrissey, who will be 56 next Friday, has enjoyed his time in Australia in the past, he says, not least the concerts that earned plaudits when he toured briefly in 2012. This time he’s here to perform over four nights at Sydney Opera House as part of the Vivid Live festival, starting on May 26.

There have been several developments in the singer’s life and career since that previous visit. Last year saw the release of Morrissey’s 10th solo album, World Peace is None of Your Business, a recording on which he exercised fully his lyrical and vocal dexterity but also let loose on a variety of topics, including perennials such as animal rights and environmentalism.

He took the opportunity also to put a well-read boot into marriage, the prison system in Ireland and the psychological demands of a *university education.

In 2013 came the much anticipated auto*biography, titled, in typical Morrisseyan fashion, Autobiography, and published, to the chagrin of some literary gatekeepers, by Penguin Classics. It was a book that divided critics, some lavishing it with praise for its multitudinous bons mots, others dwelling on its self-importance. Few could argue that the 660 pages did not reveal Morrissey to have a gift for the long-form written word. Vitriol courses through most of Autobiography, in the direction of teachers, the music business, George W. Bush and, for a good 50 pages or so, his fellow musicians in the band that made them all famous, the Smiths. In hindsight he regrets a few omissions from his life story but is pleased he was able to put it out without having to talk about it.

“I accidentally left out a few significant things — meetings with famous people, being with Lou Reed in Italy, with Joni Mitchell in Hancock Park, being thrown into a police cell at LAX airport — but overall I had no reservations about unleashing the book because the songs had always been very confessional, so it was surely a natural assumption that the book would be, too. I determined not to do any interviews for the book, and Penguin skilfully released it with zero publicity and hardly any announcements, and I think this drew a lot of people in because, as you know, whenever anyone publishes their autobiography they shove themselves into the public eye until everyone starts to vomit at the sight of them. So I did the reverse and it worked very well.”

So encouraged was he by the success of that project that he immediately embarked on another, a novel that is now completed and awaiting publication, although he won’t be drawn on its subject matter. “It is finished and is, I think, unconnected to anything I’ve ever written or said previously,” he says. “That certainly makes a change, doesn’t it?”

When Morrissey met guitarist Johnny Marr in 1982 they were an unlikely pairing, although both were driven by an ambition to have a *career in music. Morrissey had a trial run in a punk band, the Nosebleeds, and briefly in Slaughter and the Dogs, but before teaming up with Marr had turned his hand to writing. He submitted letters regularly to music magazines such as NME and penned three books in the early 1980s, one on the New York Dolls, *another on B-movie actors and the third on James Dean.

In Marr he encountered a perfect foil. They shared a passion for the Velvet Underground, T. Rex and David Bowie. Although it was yet to be proven, the singer’s wordy irreverence would soon blend effortlessly with his collaborator’s distinctive and original guitar chops. With drummer Mike Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke, the Smiths were born and proceeded to alter the landscape of British rock music with a *succession of melodic and hook-laden singles, including Hand in Glove, This Charming Man, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now and How Soon is Now? The band released four albums between 1984 and 1987 but had split up by the time the last one, Strangeways, Here We Come, was released.

Morrissey won’t talk about the Smiths — and certainly not about a reunion, although it is something that it is floated in the media whenever Marr and Morrissey are within a country of each other. There’s also the difficulty around the fact Joyce took them to court over royalties in 1996 and won. When asked about a reunion, the singer is dismissive. “The question is so irrelevant that I don’t actually understand it,” he says. Nor is he curious about what Marr might have to say about their fractious relationship when the latter publishes his autobiography next year.

The Smiths’ legacy far outlasts its tenure. Morrissey is a different story. Since releasing his debut album Viva Hate in 1988 he has maintained a steady following, scored a smattering of hits such as You’re the One for Me, Fatty, Irish Blood, English Heart and The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get, all of which boast flowing, nimble lyricism and vocal styling. Given his rarely concealed dislike for people as a whole, it’s no surprise his favourite lyric is taken from his seventh album, You are the Quarry.

“I’m very proud of the lyrics to The World is Full of Crashing Bores,” he says. “Partly because they’re obviously very true, but also because I can’t think of anyone who has ever made that observation.”

His songwriting stems from observation, however, and he jots things down. “Yes, I carry around notebooks because we do tend to hear things that we’ll never hear again, so there’s no point relying on memory all of the time. I also listen intently to what people say, and I have the annoying habit of constantly seeing it written down before me. This is only annoying because most people don’t say anything interesting. Consequently all of my notebooks are blank.”

OK.

Although he appears to be in good spirits generally, one wonders if Morrissey gets more cynical as he gets older. Lyrics such as “humans hate each other’s guts and show it” from World Peace’s song Mountjoy would suggest that, but he reckons, overall, he is a positive person.

“I think if I wasn’t positive then I wouldn’t ever get out of bed,” he says. “But I also think it’s positive to fully understand the mechanics of the human race, and for the most part they are stupid, ignorant and destructive. Earth would be a much better place without *humans and it is actually dying solely because of humans. *Elephants have not destroyed the planet.”

Morrissey has lent his name and actions to several causes, not least animal rights. The singer, famed for his Meat is Murder stance, has banned the selling of meat products at his Sydney concerts and pulled out of a prospective concert in Iceland because the venue insisted on selling meat. Morrissey issued a statement that read: “I love Iceland and I have waited a long time to return, but I shall leave the Harpa Concert Hall to their cannibalistic flesh-eating blood-lust.”

Concerns about the menu aren’t the only reason Morrissey has cancelled shows through the years. Of some concern intermittently has been the state of the singer’s health. Illness is a natural hazard for touring musicians, but he has been more prone than most. As early as 1991 the singer cancelled shows in Australia on his Kill Uncle tour because of flu. More recently double pneumonia prompted the abrupt end of an American tour in 2013 and last year a virus ended another American jaunt.

“Yes, I’ve had a lot of health issues,” he says, “to put it mildly, but they come and go — as we do, which makes me no different to any other human.”

Reports around that last American tour suggested Morrissey claimed he had contracted the virus from his support act, Kristeen Young, something she disputed after being asked to leave the tour. He has another explanation as to why he no longer shares microphones.

“I had the practice of handing the microphone to audience members throughout the night,” he says, “so that they could say whatever they wished, but doctors ordered me to stop this because they said I was inviting Asian flu into the microphone that I would then continue to sing through, and then the following night would be cancelled because I was on a life-support machine. So I stopped handing the microphone around. Little things mean a lot.”

The singer is looking forward to his Sydney performances, even if he won’t get to the beach. Looking further ahead he has another album in the works, although at present he doesn’t have a recording company. EMI dropped his contract just a few months after the release of World Peace is None of Your Business and others haven’t been queuing up to sign him.

“Six labels have turned me down,” he says. “The policies are unchangeable in modern music, and the fact I can sell out four nights at Sydney Opera House and the London 02 doesn’t mean a thing to a label executive. If you are not 21 then they don’t see how you could possibly make good music, or how people would want to listen to you. The music world is unsalvageable … hence Sam Smith. Madonna has recently complained that the music industry is ageist, and she’s quite correct.”

Morrissey once said he couldn’t see himself performing beyond the age of 55, but he’ll be doing just that when he takes to the Opera House stage 10 days from now. He’s still in good voice, in more ways than one.

“I don’t ever practise and I never warm-up,” he says. “I think you can either sing or you can’t, and no amount of concentration or whisky-avoidance will affect your power. My good friend Damien Dempsey has an incredible voice and he drinks 48 pints of Guinness every day.”

Morrissey performs at Vivid Live at the Sydney Opera House on May 26, 27, 30 and 31.
 
So encouraged was he by the success of that project that he immediately embarked on another, a novel that is now completed and awaiting publication, although he won’t be drawn on its subject matter. “It is finished and is, I think, unconnected to anything I’ve ever written or said previously,” he says. “That certainly makes a change, doesn’t it?”

...Whoa. So it's not complete and utter bollix? Can hardly wait for the Youtube version...
 
kudos to moz for admitting he is as fat as a whale, while his uber fans here continue to post how skinny he is.
ps you can bet the house the book will be a gay book. some long suffering gay dude who helps a single mother raise a boy. that type of book.
 
“Six labels have turned me down,” he says. “The policies are unchangeable in modern music, and the fact I can sell out four nights at Sydney Opera House and the London 02 doesn’t mean a thing to a label executive."

That 'spin' makes it sound like four sold out nights at the Opera House and four sold out nights at the London 02 which we all know is total CrankFraud-bollocks, he did NOT sell out the London 02 for one night ! Instead the art of black curtian wizardry was employed with the added trickery of giving tickets away in Covent Garden.
Four nights at the Opera House sold out to nutters who purchased more tickets than they had need for only to find they can't give em away now.
Such a shame he missed the opportunity to put Cancer-gate to bed.
Passing the microphone ! Funny as fook ! " would you like to say something wonderful about me ? Yes ! No! Julia? ' Oh Morrissey your so wonderful you make my life complete and we love you ' ! " Pass me the 4kin sick bucket quick.
Who gives a flying fook if a former eighties pop performer and his boyfriend want to mince around having fun on a beach ffs ! Life's to short just get on with it, I'm sure Sam Fox and her Mrs go on beach holidays but nobody gives a shit.
Typical shitey-bollocks interview from him, everything is somebody else's fault never his.
The worlds ugliest boy who cried wolf and became what you see ! There is he is the ugliest CrankFraud trying to cling on to his fatal fame.

Benny-the-British-Butcher
 
That was a really interesting interview. Very funny re: the songwriting notebook taking

Interesting revelation that I was certainly unaware of that Crashing Bores is one of his lyrically favourite songs and the promotional (or lack of) campaign for the Autobiography. Considering many were bemoaning his lack of interviews at the time to promote it it seemed to work out quite well. Well better than the subsequent album performed

Quintessentially the interview sums up Morrissey. He is more caricature than vital menaingful artist nowadays. I think he knows it.

And its lovely to read an interview wihtout having the hindrance of Google Translate.

"....I think the media will attack you because they’re convinced you can take it on the chin. I’m generally assumed to be *aggressive even though I am quite the opposite, although, yes, I certainly have a chin. I can’t deny that." :D
 
kudos to moz for admitting he is as fat as a whale, while his uber fans here continue to post how skinny he is.
ps you can bet the house the book will be a gay book. some long suffering gay dude who helps a single mother raise a boy. that type of book.

A taste of honey, but morrissey insted of rita. He is not fat as a whale. He is skinny, just a bit more broad-shouldered than before

It won't be a book with a main homosexual character , thats too obvious for morrissey's taste. I wonder which company decided to publish it, i don't think its penguin

I think it will be a novel that explores different working class familys in England. Or a 400-page burn book ala "mean girls"(which morrissey watches with guilt in his heart and curlers in his hair)featuring NME,Julie Burchill, Joyce, Jake, Non-vegan grease tea, Benny and BB(cut out all the other stuff, lets just throw insults at each other)

Or a guide to "Humasexuality: A book of rules, positions and the ways to make people belive that, it isn't just pretty much Bi-sexuality"

Or "Morrisseysexual: Why people are the same everywhere(And why i'm moving to Vermot to marry myself) spin-off: Damon the "hairdresser on fire"s guide to dealing with Mozilla

On another note: why did he chose to play 4 shows in Sydney.
 
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Quintessentially the interview sums up Morrissey. He is more caricature than vital menaingful artist nowadays. I think he knows it.


"....I think the media will attack you because they’re convinced you can take it on the chin. I’m generally assumed to be *aggressive even though I am quite the opposite, although, yes, I certainly have a chin. I can’t deny that." :D

Have to agree with you. Remember how nice it was to read a new "traditional" Morrissey interview? You know, where there was an actual back and forth with the interviewer? Don't think we'll ever see those days again.
 
nice. cant wait for the novel and am surprised its completed as well with the touring and recording going on as well. wonder if hell go about the press in the same way as auto or if hell be willing to talk plot points etc
 
Six labels turned him down because he wants a lot of money to re-release WPINOYB (from what i've heard he's not cheap). And they are not very keen on that. Once the fanbase has bought the album it will not sell anymore, the sales numbers would be really low.
A lot of people think he is a difficult person to work with. It fires some debates, there is always a Morrissey enthusiasm but marketing teams don't want this weight on their shoulders.
And last (and not least), he has no manager, just a lawyer shopping around. Label executives don't like speaking with lawyer, they need someone who speaks the same language than us, not a man with numbers on paper.

The 'fan base' in the uk is just 30,000 ie the number of people who'll buy a new album regardless of reviews/AirPlay etc. but half a million will buy it if a single or two gets seriious airplay.
 
“Six labels have turned me down,” he says. “The policies are unchangeable in modern music, and the fact I can sell out four nights at Sydney Opera House and the London 02 doesn’t mean a thing to a label executive."

That 'spin' makes it sound like four sold out nights at the Opera House and four sold out nights at the London 02 which we all know is total CrankFraud-bollocks, he did NOT sell out the London 02 for one night ! Instead the art of black curtian wizardry was employed with the added trickery of giving tickets away in Covent Garden.
Four nights at the Opera House sold out to nutters who purchased more tickets than they had need for only to find they can't give em away now.
Such a shame he missed the opportunity to put Cancer-gate to bed.
Passing the microphone ! Funny as fook ! " would you like to say something wonderful about me ? Yes ! No! Julia? ' Oh Morrissey your so wonderful you make my life complete and we love you ' ! " Pass me the 4kin sick bucket quick.
Who gives a flying fook if a former eighties pop performer and his boyfriend want to mince around having fun on a beach ffs ! Life's to short just get on with it, I'm sure Sam Fox and her Mrs go on beach holidays but nobody gives a shit.
Typical shitey-bollocks interview from him, everything is somebody else's fault never his.
The worlds ugliest boy who cried wolf and became what you see ! There is he is the ugliest CrankFraud trying to cling on to his fatal fame.

Benny-the-British-Butcher

02 is not even sold out despite a rumored ticket distribution prior to the event. and at sydney the nutters went wild buying up tickets and now they cant sell them at a fraction.
and he get sick with the asian flu from passing the microphone. o yes, he was on life support only to bounce back to life in a couple of hours. too much.

im shocked that he didnt claim 100 labels turn him down in his quest for martyrdom.
 
Have to agree with you. Remember how nice it was to read a new "traditional" Morrissey interview? You know, where there was an actual back and forth with the interviewer? Don't think we'll ever see those days again.

I wonder thou why i or anyone else are getting so distraught over the changes of Morrissey during these recent years. Is this not the fate of every popstar/rockstar. I was getting worked up, but that the circle of showbiz-life
 
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im shocked that he didnt claim 100 labels turn him down in his quest for martyrdom.
I don't agree with you but this reminded me of something.
I belive in 50 years Morrissey will be declared a saint or at least honorary nun (priesthood are for dudes only in the catholic church i belive? Correct me if i'm wrong)by the catholic church
Think about it for a minute, he is catholic and he has saved millions of troubled teenagers and he is sort of a martyr.

Saint Mozziah of Manchester
 
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As I read "once every 17 years" it immediately reminded me of the invasion of periodical cicadas in the US in 2013. I don't know why :D
 
Best Moz interview in ages. Hilarious! Laughed out loud on more than one occasion. For example:
"I also listen intently to what people say, and I have the annoying habit of constantly seeing it written down before me. This is only annoying because most people don’t say anything interesting. Consequently all of my notebooks are blank.”

And this was just brilliantly true:
“I think if I wasn’t positive then I wouldn’t ever get out of bed,” he says. “But I also think it’s positive to fully understand the mechanics of the human race, and for the most part they are stupid, ignorant and destructive. Earth would be a much better place without *humans and it is actually dying solely because of humans. *Elephants have not destroyed the planet.”

He's said it before, but still.
 
It's just so nice to finally read an interview that isn't lost in translation..he seems in good spirits so that makes me happy..can't wait till he comes to California
 
Best Moz interview in ages. Hilarious! Laughed out loud on more than one occasion. For example:
"I also listen intently to what people say, and I have the annoying habit of constantly seeing it written down before me. This is only annoying because most people don’t say anything interesting. Consequently all of my notebooks are blank.”

And this was just brilliantly true:
“I think if I wasn’t positive then I wouldn’t ever get out of bed,” he says. “But I also think it’s positive to fully understand the mechanics of the human race, and for the most part they are stupid, ignorant and destructive. Earth would be a much better place without *humans and it is actually dying solely because of humans. *Elephants have not destroyed the planet.”

He's said it before, but still.

Yes and when you compare the intelligence of his comments compared to the stuck record drivel of über fan Benny (I know nowt about the difference between your and you're)
well it's obvious who it's safer to trust.
 
"fat" or not, I'd still lick his cut abs that are clearly visible at each shirt toss. For a man his age he's still incredibly handsome, it's a matter of individual opinion. That is mine.
 
Morrissey, you should go to the beach with your dear friends if you really want to! Don't care about the iPhone-obsessed people, maybe they don't even see or recognize you. And who cares if they take pictures, you look great and you're still the most handsome man I've ever seen. Also the candlelit dinner with your loved one(s) sounds good, I would prefer that. Have a great time in Sydney!
 
I -distractedly- wonder if he's more afraid of being snapped...
- eating a non-vegan pizza, or
- being himself the cheesy topping on something semi-Italian...

Honestly, doesn't the concept of vegan pizza kill the joy of pizza a bit? Can vegan cheese really compete? Cos let's face it, pizza cheese is often gloriously gross. But sometimes you don't want healthy stuff, you just want to clog your arteries a bit. Know what I mean?

It's also kind of hard to imagine an alcoholic with a vegan pizza...

feel free to Discuss.
 

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