Morrissey 'wrote a short film' in the mid '90s?

I felt the urge to watch the "Sunny" music video as it had been awhile since I'd seen it and heard the song. Out of curiosity I'll sometimes look at YouTube comments, and I noticed a few responses by (someone claiming to be?) one of the actors in the video.

I screenshotted the comments, which describe the circumstances surrounding M's career at the time and the making of the video. I don't recall ever reading anything about this in the bits of Morrissey trivia I've happened across over the years - or in Autobiography, but it's been awhile since I read that.

Was this 'Drew Robinson' really one of the actors in the "Sunny" vid? Drew, are you a member of these forums? Does anyone know anything else about this?

Edit: Looking at the chap's profile, he does seem to be the sandy-haired guy in the "Sunny" vid.

 

[Thewlis]

Moz acting on Brookside:

 

[gordyboy9]

like the song and like the video.nice to see a little snippet of what went on during the shoot.

 

[ACTON]

Mostly agreed, but dontcha think he ditched that tour at least in part cuz of Bowie singing one of moz’s songs?

Not sure. I think Bowie wanted to come on as Moz finished a song, thereby cutting out a Moz encore. I'd say the real reason is Bowie might not have made enough of an effort to make Moz feel special (e.g. backstage etc) but I'm only guessing. If either or both had made an effort to be friendly I think the departure could have been avoided. Two big egos I'd say.

 

[Famous when dead]

The beginning to the video (omitted on Oye Esteban/Vevo version and mentioning Kirk Douglas) by Moz can be seen here - featuring his written preamble:
All credit to UncleS for hosting the video on his YT:



(taken from a 2008 discussion here about it:https://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/sunny-video.92704/)
Regards,
FWD.

 

[Anonymous]

The beginning to the video (omitted on Oye Esteban and mentioning Kirk Douglas) by Moz can be seen here - featuring his written preamble:
All credit to UncleS for hosting the video on his YT:



(taken from a 2008 discussion here about it:https://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/sunny-video.92704/)
Regards,
FWD.

This is from the compilation My Early Burglary Years...

 

[Mayfly]

The beginning to the video (omitted on Oye Esteban/Vevo version and mentioning Kirk Douglas) by Moz can be seen here - featuring his written preamble:
All credit to UncleS for hosting the video on his YT:



(taken from a 2008 discussion here about it:https://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/sunny-video.92704/)
Regards,
FWD.

I had never seen the introductory notes to the video, so thanks for sharing this and all the other interesting information.

 

[ACTON]

Was the script written on the back of a half chewed cream cracker?
Scene: park. Loafers muck about.
Note: must be method actors. Is DeNiro cheap?

 

[Anonymous]

I remember vividly being at the 'Outside' Tour as a bright young thing on the Saturday night, 18th November 1995, when Moz was supporting David Bowie. The venue - the old Wembley Arena - was a f***ing awful place for a concert, soul-less and Amercianised, full of booths selling Coca-Cola and hot dogs, with seating areas with bright-red plastic seats. Moz fans, only about 25% of the audience, squeezed up to the front while Moz went through a set of mostly Southpaw Grammar tracks, while the 75% of Bowie fans loitered around and looked bored as hell. The band sounded great and Moz tried his best but it all felt very strained. In a more intimate venue would have sounded perfect - but it had the atmosphere of a wake. It was shortly after that Moz suddenly pulled out of the tour, much to Bowie's eternal irritation. The rumour was that Moz was suffering from depression. I can totally understand why touring with Bowie did that to him - it wasn't a pleasant experience and looked painful for him. What was Bowie like that night? Ok. But nothing too memorable to be honest. Nite Flights, a Scott Walker cover, was good, and Moonage Daydream was the stand-out track, played as an encore. The venue killed the atmosphere for me, to be honest. Apparently Brett Anderson from Suede was there that night - but he stayed at the bar during Moz's performance.

Few were surprised when Morrissey soon pulled out of the tour (citing "illness"), but accusations that Morrissey found the experience of supporting Bowie too humiliating were cruelly wide of the mark.

"He was very ill with depression," says Jo Slee. "He wasn't really fit to go on the road, although I didn't know how ill he was until he really began to come apart at the seams."

Jo won't say what Mozzer was depressed about.

"I really couldn't say," she insists. "Morrissey's suffered from depression all his life, more than anyone else I know. It's about repressed feelings, repressed emotions, repressed pain. It needs treatment. He was taking anti-depressants at the time because he was desperate to get out on the road, he really wanted to do the dates. But it was just too much for him."

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

Not sure. I think Bowie wanted to come on as Moz finished a song, thereby cutting out a Moz encore. I'd say the real reason is Bowie might not have made enough of an effort to make Moz feel special (e.g. backstage etc) but I'm only guessing. If either or both had made an effort to be friendly I think the departure could have been avoided. Two big egos I'd say.

It’d have been nice if Moz could’ve deferred to Bowie a bit, but I get that he’s just not built that way...

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

I remember vividly being at the 'Outside' Tour as a bright young thing on the Saturday night, 18th November 1995, when Moz was supporting David Bowie. The venue - the old Wembley Arena - was a f***ing awful place for a concert, soul-less and Amercianised, full of booths selling Coca-Cola and hot dogs, with seating areas with bright-red plastic seats. Moz fans, only about 25% of the audience, squeezed up to the front while Moz went through a set of mostly Southpaw Grammar tracks, while the 75% of Bowie fans loitered around and looked bored as hell. The band sounded great and Moz tried his best but it all felt very strained. In a more intimate venue would have sounded perfect - but it had the atmosphere of a wake. It was shortly after that Moz suddenly pulled out of the tour, much to Bowie's eternal irritation. The rumour was that Moz was suffering from depression. I can totally understand why touring with Bowie did that to him - it wasn't a pleasant experience and looked painful for him. What was Bowie like that night? Ok. But nothing too memorable to be honest. Nite Flights, a Scott Walker cover, was good, and Moonage Daydream was the stand-out track, played as an encore. The venue killed the atmosphere for me, to be honest. Apparently Brett Anderson from Suede was there that night - but he stayed at the bar during Moz's performance.

I was there too. Had front row tickets. Venue was half empty for Moz. Personally think Bowie was excellent.

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure. I think Bowie wanted to come on as Moz finished a song, thereby cutting out a Moz encore. I'd say the real reason is Bowie might not have made enough of an effort to make Moz feel special (e.g. backstage etc) but I'm only guessing. If either or both had made an effort to be friendly I think the departure could have been avoided. Two big egos I'd say.

The real reason and is because morrissey felt unloved by the audience. That's the true reason. Also bowie did keep moz at a distance

 

[Anonymous]

I was there too. Had front row tickets. Venue was half empty for Moz. Personally think Bowie was excellent.

And there we have the real reason

 

[ACTON]

The real reason and is because morrissey felt unloved by the audience. That's the true reason. Also bowie did keep moz at a distance

The people at the front loved him.

 

[ACTON]

Few were surprised when Morrissey soon pulled out of the tour (citing "illness"), but accusations that Morrissey found the experience of supporting Bowie too humiliating were cruelly wide of the mark.

"He was very ill with depression," says Jo Slee. "He wasn't really fit to go on the road, although I didn't know how ill he was until he really began to come apart at the seams."

Jo won't say what Mozzer was depressed about.

"I really couldn't say," she insists. "Morrissey's suffered from depression all his life, more than anyone else I know. It's about repressed feelings, repressed emotions, repressed pain. It needs treatment. He was taking anti-depressants at the time because he was desperate to get out on the road, he really wanted to do the dates. But it was just too much for him."

Sure wasn't Southpaw the first record Moz did since the break up with Jake? 'Best Friend On The Payroll' and all that. No wonder he was depressed.

 

[Anonymous]

Always wondered what happened / became of the girl / women in the video......

 

[Anonymous]

Decent band back then. Tunes were already shite but the band could still play. Shame about the singer. Pitchy as a canoe on the Pacific. What a sub-humanly horrific rendition of “Moon River”. Absolute rubbish. I’ve heard better versions at Chinese karaoke bars.

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure. I think Bowie wanted to come on as Moz finished a song, thereby cutting out a Moz encore. I'd say the real reason is Bowie might not have made enough of an effort to make Moz feel special (e.g. backstage etc) but I'm only guessing. If either or both had made an effort to be friendly I think the departure could have been avoided. Two big egos I'd say.

Didn’t really f***ing matter though, did it? Moz quit because his pussy hurt and Bowie carried on with a successful tour.

 

[Anonymous]

There is a load of nonsense talked about this tour.

I saw 7 gigs on this tour. Morrisseh was at no point deprived of an encore, because he never did one. He finished with National Fromt Disco, with the feedback and lights blaring.

Morrissey hater the tour because he was playing to empty disinterested arenas. The tickets were very expensive and priced out a lot of the Morrissey fan base.

Dublin was the exception. He realised what he was missing and canned the tour a couple of nights later.

 

[Anonymous]

Funny how everyone continues to come up with reasons why Moz left that tour when Jo Slee already gave the answer. If she was telling the truth (and why should she lie?) then Moz never really was fit to do the tour in the first place, and everything that followed just a result of him being ill.

 

[dotmatrix522]

The beginning to the video (omitted on Oye Esteban/Vevo version and mentioning Kirk Douglas) by Moz can be seen here - featuring his written preamble:
All credit to UncleS for hosting the video on his YT:



(taken from a 2008 discussion here about it:https://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/sunny-video.92704/)
Regards,
FWD.

Very cool. I’d never seen this version of the video. And I’ve always enjoyed this song...it’s definitely on my list of songs I’d love to see on some (unlikely) future setlist again.