NME: "Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! - Boy George" - Morrissey mentions (November 20, 2020)

Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Boy George

In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz a grizzled artist on their own career to see how much they can remember – and find out if the booze, loud music and/or tour sweeties has knocked the knowledge out of them. This week: Boy George.

...(relevant parts quoted only)...

Anyone who slagged you off that you had a laugh about it with later?

“I had tea with Morrissey in Paris in the early ‘80s and he called me ‘overbearing’.
At the time, I didn’t find it funny – now I do. I still love Morrissey and The Smiths even though I don’t love what he’s saying at the moment, but I put that into grumpy old man category. I saw him again years later and he was very sweet to me because I’d written something about how ‘Maladjusted’, one of his most critically-derided albums, is actually one of his best. He looked at me, raised an eyebrow and went: ‘’Maladjusted‘?’ (Laughs) I’m there quoting him lyrics trying to convince him it’s a f***ing great album!”

---

Bonus question! For a half-point: In 1985, Smash Hits readers voted you Prat of the Year. Name anyone else in the Top 10.
“Was Holly Johnson in it?”

CORRECT. Frankie Goes To Hollywood are at Number Eight – frontman Holly Johnson is also Number 12.

(Laughs) She’s going to kill me! Was George Michael in it as well?”

Yes – he’s second! The others are: Black Lace (3), Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran (4) Neil from The Young Ones (5), National Union of Mineworkers president Arthur Scargill (6), DJ Mike Read (7), Divine (9) and Morrissey (10).

“I’m in fabulous company! Divine and Morrissey alone fills me with joy. I’ve got a Divine tattoo on my arm. Before I was famous, I was on the King’s Road with Marilyn and we spotted Divine – in her civvies – and ran after her, gushing: ‘We love you!’. She was so sweet – and completely stoned! She did a concert at Heaven where she said onstage: ‘I need to get myself a new Rolls-Royce – so I can drive it over Boy George!’ (Laughs) I loved someone I admired mentioning me. It was a shame that when I became famous, she never knew what a massive influence she was in my life as a teenager.”

Full article:

Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Boy George

In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz a grizzled artist on their own career to see how much they can remember

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Regards,
FWD.

 

[BookishBoy]

Never been overly bothered by his music but he's such a brilliant character. (His episode on Louis Theroux's lockdown podcast series was amazing. He's just so...blunt.)

 

[Mandingo]

Boy Georgie Porgie pudding & pie
Kissed the girls and made them cry
When the boys came out to play
Boy Georgie Porgie he turned gay!
Pam Ayres, 1873.

 

[gordyboy9]

good guy georgey boy,though dont stand close to any radiators in his house,especially if hes twirling his handcuffs.filthy beast.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

"...He looked at me, raised an eyebrow and went: ‘’Maladjusted‘?’ (Laughs) I’m there quoting him lyrics trying to convince him it’s a f***ing great album!”

That would be me if I ever met him, but with Kill Uncle, trying to convince him to play Sing Your Life again...

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Well, with I Am Not A Dog introducing so many electronic elements we should not be so surprised if Morrissey and Boy George get together for a collaboration album. It may be the sanest move in these insane times.

 

[Mandingo]

'Boy George at Asda' looks like the Devil in disguise in that photo at top of page, the hat's hiding the horns.

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Well, with I Am Not A Dog introducing so many electronic elements we should not be so surprised if Morrissey and Boy George get together for a collaboration album. It may be the sanest move in these insane times.

Got to be better than the Tracey Thorn collaboration, which I recall Morrissey was offered last time he was cast out of Abdera.

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

Got to be better than the Tracey Thorn collaboration, which I recall Morrissey was offered last time he was cast out of Abdera.

Thorn wouldn't work with Moz now....she's super woke, if her Twitter is anything to go by.

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Thorn wouldn't work with Moz now....she's super woke, if her Twitter is anything to go by.

“Super” woke: Is than when you come out the other end and you’re finally indistinguishable from a Nazi?

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

“Super” woke: Is than when you come out the other end and you’re finally indistinguishable from a Nazi?

Probably.

 

[Deleted member 28251]

I finally got the Maladjusted reissue with the better cover and tracklisting. It's going up the ranks for me

My personal favourite. Though for me, the original art is superior to the latter. Which isn’t saying much: The Alma Matters art should’ve been used for the LP. Incredible that it wasn’t, actually, looking back.

 

[Silent Reader]

My personal favourite. Though for me, the original art is superior to the latter. Which isn’t saying much: The Alma Matters art should’ve been used for the LP. Incredible that it wasn’t, actually, looking back.

It always makes me laugh when i read the wording on those re-issue sleeves about it being 'how Morrissey wanted it to look & sound'.

I can't believe he wouldn't have gotten the artwork he originally wanted, or in the case of Maladjusted, he wanted all the b-sides on the album & not Roy's Keen. I mean, he released that as a single at the time!

Or with Southpaw, that he'd have wanted 'Honey you know where to find me' on there. If he'd wanted it, it would have been.

So anyway, Hovis, are you saying Maladjusted is your favourite Morrissey album? A bold & interesting choice, if so

 

[Deleted member 28251]

I bought a copy at your recommendation. One of the few Morrissey albums I never owned, only listened to digital. Finally digging into this album. I'll have to update my rankings after digesting this one a bit

I'm surprised you like the original cover more. I got the black -, white phote in the shades, looking dapper

That fresh image had been used in a Melody Maker feature when the LP was released, so I was familiar with it. But what I really dislike is the font on the rerelease.

On the album: for me it just keeps giving. Even the poor Roy’s Keen becomes an eccentric oddity when it’s heard in the context of the album. And Ambitious Outsiders is surely the most menacing and malevolent song Morrissey has ever recorded? Sorrow Will Come sounds gloriously camp in comparison.

 

[Deleted member 28251]

It always makes me laugh when i read the wording on those re-issue sleeves about it being 'how Morrissey wanted it to look & sound'.

I can't believe he wouldn't have gotten the artwork he originally wanted, or in the case of Maladjusted, he wanted all the b-sides on the album & not Roy's Keen. I mean, he released that as a single at the time!

Or with Southpaw, that he'd have wanted 'Honey you know where to find me' on there. If he'd wanted it, it would have been.

So anyway, Hovis, are you saying Maladjusted is your favourite Morrissey album? A bold & interesting choice, if so

My absolute favourite, no contest. Having said that, it wouldn’t be the one I’d suggest a newcomer to start with (that would be Vauxhall & I).

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Thorn wouldn't work with Moz now....she's super woke, if her Twitter is anything to go by.

Well, he got his in first: he turned the offer down, flat. Though I’d imagine he likes her voice. I do.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

I finally got the Maladjusted reissue with the better cover and tracklisting. It's going up the ranks for me

I think both versions have their respective pros and cons. I listen to Maladjusted a lot but I usually make a playlist with my own 'album sequencing' because I need Roy's Keen on there, can't stand He Cried etc.

My current Moreadjusted tracklist looks like this:

Maladjusted
Alma Matters
Trouble Loves Me
Ammunition
Wide To Receive
Roy's Keen
Lost
I Can Have Both
This Is Not Your Country
Satan Rejected My Soul
Sorrow Will Come In The End

I also made my own cover.

 

[Silent Reader]

My absolute favourite, no contest. Having said that, it wouldn’t be the one I’d suggest a newcomer to start with (that would be Vauxhall & I).

Really interesting choice, I'm glad to see Maladjusted as someone's number 1

 

[Mandingo]

That fresh image had been used in a Melody Maker feature when the LP was released, so I was familiar with it. But what I really dislike is the font on the rerelease.

On the album: for me it just keeps giving. Even the poor Roy’s Keen becomes an eccentric oddity when it’s heard in the context of the album. And Ambitious Outsiders is surely the most menacing and malevolent song Morrissey has ever recorded? Sorrow Will Come sounds gloriously camp in comparison.

'Just think of the goodwill
The ladder's a planet
Roy is a star, and
I am a satellite
But that's all right'
Interesting imagery and a rollicking tune, Roy's Keen is a better track than some would have you believe and should never have been left off the otherwise excellent reissue.

 

[King fly]

'The edges are no longer parallel' is sublime, should have been the climax to the album.