Sam Esty Rayner / YouTube: Morrissey Interview 2022. (Premiered November 28, 2022)

Interview by Fiona Dodwell.

Description:

In his first filmed interview since 2015, Morrissey speaks on his best album to date. Recorded October 9, 2022 at The London Palladium during his triumphant U.K tour. Directed by Sam Esty Rayner Photography.

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Media coverage:

• Morrissey says he’s already written the “follow-up” to new album ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ - nme.com. Link posted by NealCassidy.
• Infowars / Paul Joseph Watson "Morrissey: Diversity is Conformity" (November 30, 2022)

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Related items:

• Sam Esy Rayner / YouTube: Upcoming Morrissey Interview (Premieres November 28, 2022, 5:00 AM GMT)
• Fiona Dodwell posts photo with Morrissey (October 9, 2022)

 

[Delay Tactics]

"Nothing has been injected into me I can assure you". I'm delighted and relieved to hear that.
The most noteworthy statement from that interview. Fiona had a little giggle when he said it.
Morrissey looks healthy and fit unlike a lot of his contemporaries. Three years of non- journalism, Midazolam Matt in the jungle instead of jail and what remains of free speech under threat by proposed legislation, no wonder Morrissey is wary of "journalists".

Well that explains the cancellations due to illness and inability to recover.

 

[gashonthenail]

Not sure why you would want to compare M to Bowie. As Bowie's influence outstrips M's by miles
Bowie lost his way, as all artists do. but he maintained respect and "integrity " in the long run because his 70s work was considered so f***ing special. More than that his cultural impact is huge compared to M's Bowie also started to find form again in the 90s and his last two LPs are the best example of life/death as art this side of Joy Division
M hasn't been respected for his art for a long time. Do you really think "What Kind of People live In These Houses? " or "That's How People Grow Up" or "All You Need Is Me" are considered brilliant bits of art? is " Last of the gang to die" considered great art? Do they really show integrity?
As pop songs they are fine but beyond that they aren't landmarks in art, at all. His lyrics over the last 15 to 20 years are often piss f***ing poor usually., If anyone else sang them you would LOL. Because you love M and because of his Smiths and 90s work and his voice you give it more weight but just read the lyrics on most of his LPs lately, they are really bad at times His new song uses f***ing voice trickery, for a singer, do you really think that shows integrity?
Do you think his cover art, something he considered vital, is any good, he said he gets other people to do it, does that show integrity? He often doesn't show up for his live gigs, does that show integrity?
Also, by his 50s Bowie had sorted himself out, he was hugely respected by friends and other artists
M doesn't seem to have that many good friends or that many people who speak well of him- or at least the ones that do, tend to be on the payroll. It could be argued the only people who bother to stay friends, do so for some kind of monetary gain
I'm, not even that much of a Bowie fan by the way.



I think he probably did hand her the questions. Especially, as the first half of the interview was him saying the same kinda crap he has said in interviews for 20 years. Image-enhancing rubbish, lots of which arent true. LIke when Oasis used to say they were the best band in the world.
say it enough and some people believe it

I was responding to Bulbous Salutation's post that Moz should 'do a Bowie'. I think both artists have made some great material and some poor material. And I agree they are very different - Moz ultimately is 'just' a singer and a lyricist, sorry to use the word in that way, whereas Bowie was a singer, a lyricist, a musician, producer, actor, performance artist, mime artist, painter, the list goes on. Moz tried his hand at being an author, but that didn't work out well, bulbous salutation and all - although his autobiography was a great read. Ultimately Morrissey is the Baudelaire of pop, whereas Bowie was more Shakespeare. It's not comparing like with like, I agree. I do think the influence of both, however, has been considerable, but perhaps in different ways.

 

[klaus]

all i can say is that is hair looked great

 

[goinghome]

'Um' is indeed Fiona's word for the day.
Moz looks great. Suave and debonair. And vital. Although what is going with all those plasters on his fingers?
Mostly fairly anodyne and familiar territory.
Interesting that he suggests what singles are released from BOT won't be his decision, but will be entirely up to the record label.
Great to hear he will be recording a new album of material very soon.
Gets very funny when he talks about culture and TV being 'dumbed down' and 'people dancing in kitchens'.
The bits that will be picked up by the likes of The Guardian? Morrissey attacks 'diversity' and speaks up for Germaine Greer and JK Rowling, will no doubt be the spin.
What he says about cancel culture is spot on - find a witch, and burn the witch. And the joy with which they do it, it's the same religious zeal that drove people like Mary Whitehouse. Dreadful people indeed.
Best line - 'as if you being offended means you are intelligent, it just means you are an idiot'.
Second best line - 'bake a cake!'

Latest examples of far-sighted women being cancelled are the playwright Caryl Churchill and environmental and military researcher Elizabeth G. Boulton.

 

[goinghome]

You are such a scumbag.

It's more like Generica - the hegemony of the dominant culture - which would be America. Which - ironically - is where you get your racism from. It has no understanding of European history or culture.

Moderating seems to have been all but abandoned on MSolo. A quick look at comments posted on YouTube, for interviews like this and for songs and performances, confirms a noticeable difference between attitudes on this site and those of the rest of the world when it comes to Moz.

 

[goinghome]

You’re suggesting that Morrissey can be distinguished from the Conservative right because you believe the latter advocate the idea that people should ‘stay where they are’?

Neither Nigel Farage nor Douglas Murray (and Morrissey has expressed a level of admiration for both right-wing commentators) believe people should ‘stay where they are’.

You’re actually more likely to find left-wing eco-warriors suggesting that everyone stays put.

I’d recommend finding a representative of the right and having a chat. They don’t bite. Ask them about immigration, and you might recognise the internationalist opinions of Morrissey; verbatim.

Except for hAmerica: I just wish you'd stay where you is

 

[Bonaparte Shandy]

Moderating seems to have been all but abandoned on MSolo. A quick look at comments posted on YouTube, for interviews like this and for songs and performances, confirms a noticeable difference between attitudes on this site and those of the rest of the world when it comes to Moz.

Oh, do stop quibbling, dear thing. It's what we DO - we bitch all day and we LOVE IT.

 

[Tom]

Well, it's a bit boring, lacks humor, and is filled with softball/pandering questions... having said that, it's not the train wreck I was expecting coming from that no talent nephew. Congratulations?

 

[gashonthenail]

Latest examples of far-sighted women being cancelled are the playwright Caryl Churchill and environmental and military researcher Elizabeth G. Boulton.

It is ironic that diversity of opinion or ideas is not at all the type of diversity that we are supposed to cherish. A worrying development has been Eventbrite 'cancelling' ticketed events when the speakers don't conform to the new order. Julie Bindel, a left-wing feminist, absolutely nails gender ideology in this article: 'a misogynistic men's rights movement'.

Why is Eventbrite censoring feminists?

I could not have been more delighted when the group Women’s Place UK (WPUK) asked me to chair an online event to mark the publication of the book Defending Women’s Spaces, written by my friend and feminist comrade Karen Ingala Smith. Let me tell you a little about Karen. For the past 30 years...

www.spectator.co.uk

 

[goinghome]

I think it's what Moz is saying, or at least hinting at? And what he has said before? It's what Douglas Murray has argued, a man that Moz advised us all to read.

No need to keep speaking for Moz. You cannot. You should not. Speak for yourself.

 

[goinghome]

Not sure why you would want to compare M to Bowie. As Bowie's influence outstrips M's by miles
Bowie lost his way, as all artists do. but he maintained respect and "integrity " in the long run because his 70s work was considered so f***ing special. More than that his cultural impact is huge compared to M's Bowie also started to find form again in the 90s and his last two LPs are the best example of life/death as art this side of Joy Division
M hasn't been respected for his art for a long time. Do you really think "What Kind of People live In These Houses? " or "That's How People Grow Up" or "All You Need Is Me" are considered brilliant bits of art? is " Last of the gang to die" considered great art? Do they really show integrity?
As pop songs they are fine but beyond that they aren't landmarks in art, at all. His lyrics over the last 15 to 20 years are often piss f***ing poor usually., If anyone else sang them you would LOL. Because you love M and because of his Smiths and 90s work and his voice you give it more weight but just read the lyrics on most of his LPs lately, they are really bad at times His new song uses f***ing voice trickery, for a singer, do you really think that shows integrity?
Do you think his cover art, something he considered vital, is any good, he said he gets other people to do it, does that show integrity? He often doesn't show up for his live gigs, does that show integrity?
Also, by his 50s Bowie had sorted himself out, he was hugely respected by friends and other artists
M doesn't seem to have that many good friends or that many people who speak well of him- or at least the ones that do, tend to be on the payroll. It could be argued the only people who bother to stay friends, do so for some kind of monetary gain
I'm, not even that much of a Bowie fan by the way.



I think he probably did hand her the questions. Especially, as the first half of the interview was him saying the same kinda crap he has said in interviews for 20 years. Image-enhancing rubbish, lots of which arent true. LIke when Oasis used to say they were the best band in the world.
say it enough and some people believe it

Outside of MSolo, our very own toxic echo chamber (moderators, come for me and let the haters reign), Morrissey remains as loved and respected as he ever was.

 

[Mike Rourke]

Its till there. Just not in front of the media . I've had a drink with him before and I have met lots of his in crowd and its still there. Just not in front of the media
I was excited to watch the interview. He looks fantastic again. Better than he has looked for quite some time .He looks more like himself more now than at anytime in the last 10 to 15 years
I thought Sam did an ok job and I think Fiona did ok , as a Julia interviewer .
It was beyond fawning though he acts like he is the only " real" pop star the only one the people have chosen. Truth is Liam, the stone roses , suede , tom york , Robert smith are much more respected by the Brits these days
Its so fawning and creepy her questions were more statements about how great he is . Which is pointless. Myth making childish shit
It got better near the end but the whole "I'm never played on the radio" which is BS. I used to often hear his songs in the uk and I still do on American radio. I loved it when he got interviewed by fans with brains Sean Hughes or intelligent none fans. He lives in an echo chamber

The radio airplay issue is easy enough to clear up here in the UK at least.
He had his new songs (at least first one off the album) played by four or five stations reliably ever since Vauxhall including by Radio 2 (used to claim to be Europe's biggest) right up to and including Spent the Day in Bed. This even included dross like You Have Killed Me and That's How People Grow Up. Radio 2 (but none of the others) playlisted some of the Californian Son songs but even they have refused to pay anything new since.
So, what he says is effectively true post 2019, but not at all true before then. Will be intriguing to see if any of the previously Morrissey-friendly stations decides to play Rebels Without Applause. My hunch is that Radio 2 might (on its B or C list) but the others probably won't.

 

[gashonthenail]

No need to keep speaking for Moz. You cannot. You should not. Speak for yourself.

I did say 'I think' it's what he is saying. But I agree we should be careful not to put words in his mouth. Language is a pretty poor form of communication. Some amount of 'interpretation' is always needed. Religions, empires, marriages...have come to an end on the interpretation.

 

[Alfred O. Sauce]

The radio airplay issue is easy enough to clear up here in the UK at least.
He had his new songs (at least first one off the album) played by four or five stations reliably ever since Vauxhall including by Radio 2 (used to claim to be Europe's biggest) right up to and including Spent the Day in Bed. This even included dross like You Have Killed Me and That's How People Grow Up. Radio 2 (but none of the others) playlisted some of the Californian Son songs but even they have refused to pay anything new since.
So, what he says is effectively true post 2019, but not at all true before then. Will be intriguing to see if any of the previously Morrissey-friendly stations decides to play Rebels Without Applause. My hunch is that Radio 2 might (on its B or C list) but the others probably won't.

Not on this week's Radio 2 or Radio 6 playlist.

 

[Phranc & Open]

....Morrissey remains as loved and respected as he ever was.

Could be a lovely résumé by Fi Dodwell.

 

[marred]

Well that explains the cancellations due to illness and inability to recover.

Oh are we still trying to convince ourselves that the vaccine actually works? That's still a thing is it? The CDC has confirmed that the majority of covid deaths are from vaccinated people. Haven't you been keeping up? Your Dr. Fauci is a fugazi

 

[VivaHateVivaMoz]

She’s is awful / I’d unwrap Moz like a quality street!!

 

[Mayfly]

That's the whole contradiction of Moz though, isn't it? He always wanted massive, global fame, airplay etc - he was never an 'outsider' by choice - but even on the few occasions when that might have been a real possibility for him, he always did or said something to screw it up. He only wanted it on his own terms.

When I look at him today, I don't know how much of what he says comes from true ambition (wanting to be on the 'inside' of the industry), and how much he does this stuff because he gets some satisfaction from fighting 'battles' all the time, it gives him something to focus on. I think if he woke up tomorrow and got everything he ever wanted, he'd just run away and start another battle about something else.

I hope that he gets some satisfaction from fighting the battles because that would make him more endearing to me. Whenever you hink he is finished, he finds a way to bounce back. Many people would have given up after so much hatred on social media, or be emotionally exhausted and retreat for a while. But Morrissey - nope. It is great that he can find strength in the performing arts. But even his perseverance doesn’t get him including (in his own words).

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

People have been quick to forget/no longer remember/don’t remember Bowie’s dalliance with fascism in the late mid to late ‘70s. But if we want to compare that to Morrissey and his controversies, I think we live in an era where everything is reported and everything is attached to those in the public eye. I think Moz’s perceived shortcomings are around his neck forever. Unless the culture changes, which I hope it does.

Excuse me? Dalliance? Are you talking about that photo?

 

[Mayfly]

In today's Guardian there's an interview with the writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and an extract from her BBC Reith Lecture, to be broadcast later this week. In which she says:

View attachment 86319

(Which is, basically, exactly what Morrissey's saying here. Except he's a bit less eloquent about it.)

Thanks for quoting Adichie, one of the authors that I really like.
I don’t know if Morrissey can still be pushed to be more eloquent or insightful these days but it is clear that the interviewer wasn’t going to push.