Stephen Street on Morrissey (Mojo 327, February 2021)

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Related Item:

• The Telegraph: "Stephen Street on falling out with Morrissey, the Britpop wars and getting Pete Doherty to behave" (December 15, 2020) - December 15, 2020

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey admits he's difficult - there's a difference between that & hysterical bullshit stories in the press that people who still haunt this site appear to believe yet don't have the self-respect to move on to an artist whose publicity they prefer.

...says the chief apologist and weak-ass spin princess. You’re the LAST person that should be tossing around terms like “self-respect”, Karen. Your head is so far up grumpy Uncle Fester’s ass, we can smell your shit from your avatar - before you even post.

Fak Arf.

 

[Anonymous]

The way Morrissey is, including all his faults and weaknesses, is what made him create all those wonderful songs. Great art doesn't come from being "nice and normal".

I'm not surprised Moz felt paranoia towards people in the past, and thus rejected them. Time has proved him right just how nasty other people can be.

...how nasty OTHER people can be? LOL! The c*** doesn’t have a positive thing to say about any human being until their dead. That’s when he pop’s in with his pseudo-eloquent pap about his great feeling of loss.

Morrissey is fully devoid of empathy for living human beings. Unless it benefits him, or his pocketbook personally, he just tosses people away - like human trash. ...and how’s that working for him?

Even those closest to him get second rate treatment. I mean, he makes his boyfriend carry his groceries when their out together, FFS.

It’s gross. I was there in the beginning, so I think I’ll stick around to see the end. ...and you lot of wind-bags aren’t bad for a chuckle, either.

Fak Arf.

 

[Anonymous]

NEW E.P. ANNOUNCED!

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

 

[Oh my]

Viva Hate/Bona Drag are better than any of his recent albums. The proof is in the pudding.

It's one of my favourites too, but I think Your Arsenal is even better...

Anyway, that's not the point.
Probably a fantastic DJ can ask Morrissey to send him a vocal track and then create an electronic soundtrack and create a song with a perfect mix and arrive to the #1 single in ALL the charts of the world (except for Poland... Because due to unknown reasons the single gets mostly ignored by the Pole public)... And maybe the result is fantastic, but that's not how Morrissey works. I don't think he would be happy working that way.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

...says the chief apologist and weak-ass spin princess. You’re the LAST person that should be tossing around terms like “self-respect”, Karen. Your head is so far up grumpy Uncle Fester’s ass, we can smell your shit from your avatar - before you even post.

Fak Arf.

No adult should spend time on a singer they don't like. It's pathetic.

 

[marred]

You said, "No real artist is easy to work with" - which of course implies that all 'real artists' are hard work, and that isn't true. I'm not wishing for Morrissey to become someone else, I realise he has always been how he is and won't change. But seeing his behaviour and the coldness he has shown people as some kind of romantic, 'artistic' thing really skates over a) how much he has hurt others and b) how much he hurt himself and how lonely and unhappy he was beneath it.

Me saying "No real artist is easy to work with" is not me saying "being difficult to work with is a sign of artistry" which is how you rephrased my comment. If your very nature as an artist is to speak your mind regardless of other people's feelings then you are going to be labelled 'difficult to work with'. Especially if you're socially awkward which a lot of artists are. I should know. I am one. It's not a badge of honour. Not everyone is going to take the time to work past that facade and cut the person some slack. But some do and can click with the artist instantly.

We only get the complainant's side of the story and never Morrissey's because I guess he can't be bothered or feels weird about talking outside of school. For every person who complains about him there's someone who speaks glowingly so it's a balance. I get what you're saying. You want him to be warmer but he was set in his ways at the age of six and now he's in his sixties. We get the artist we listen to. As long as he's not being a total c*** to everyone I'm on board.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

...how nasty OTHER people can be? LOL! The c*** doesn’t have a positive thing to say about any human being until their dead. That’s when he pop’s in with his pseudo-eloquent pap about his great feeling of loss.

Morrissey is fully devoid of empathy for living human beings. Unless it benefits him, or his pocketbook personally, he just tosses people away - like human trash. ...and how’s that working for him?

Even those closest to him get second rate treatment. I mean, he makes his boyfriend carry his groceries when their out together, FFS.

It’s gross. I was there in the beginning, so I think I’ll stick around to see the end. ...and you lot of wind-bags aren’t bad for a chuckle, either.

Fak Arf.

Melvis, boys with Velcro the Doctor of Gay Romance.

both were there 'in the beginning'

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Street’s in the band Bradford? Jesus.

 

[Mandingo]

Street’s in the band Bradford? Jesus.

Wonder if there is an actual Stephen Street in Bradford 🤔

 

[Anonymous]

No adult should spend time on a singer they don't like. It's pathetic.

No adult should pay heed to the baseless assertions of a verified sycophant and cult member. ...especially one who tells others what they should and shouldn’t do, Karen.

 

[Oh my]

Morrissey sounds awful to work with, I'm sure Stephen Street was being polite here. It's a shame Moz could not hold onto his most talented collaborators.

Maybe that's the point or what I was trying to say.
I doubt anyone* works with Morrissey... but a lot of people work for morrissey... And there is a world of difference there. They are probably not collaborators, but employees.

*Yes, probably the guest singers on the duets are working WITH him as collaborators, but the band, the sound engineers, etc... they work for him... at least that's how I perceive it.

I doubt that they work as a "democracy"... and that's good. A lot of singers work that way.

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Wonder if there is an actual Stephen Street in Bradford 🤔

There’s a Stephen Road only. I had to check.

 

[terrancestamp]

It's odd that Street says the he should come back to the UK and record instead of being in the US. It seems to imply that Morrissey is making records in the US which is not the case at all. The last records have all be done in ITALY!! Love you Stephen

 

[Deleted member 29417]

No adult should pay heed to the baseless assertions of a verified sycophant and cult member. ...especially one who tells others what they should and shouldn’t do, Karen.

If I'm going to assert something I post or link to the evidence for it. I'm not sycophantic or in a cult. And a suggestion isn't a command.

 

[Amy]

Me saying "No real artist is easy to work with" is not me saying "being difficult to work with is a sign of artistry" which is how you rephrased my comment. If your very nature as an artist is to speak your mind regardless of other people's feelings then you are going to be labelled 'difficult to work with'. Especially if you're socially awkward which a lot of artists are. I should know. I am one. It's not a badge of honour. Not everyone is going to take the time to work past that facade and cut the person some slack. But some do and can click with the artist instantly.

We only get the complainant's side of the story and never Morrissey's because I guess he can't be bothered or feels weird about talking outside of school. For every person who complains about him there's someone who speaks glowingly so it's a balance. I get what you're saying. You want him to be warmer but he was set in his ways at the age of six and now he's in his sixties. We get the artist we listen to. As long as he's not being a total c*** to everyone I'm on board.

Yes, I agree. I can see how being awkward, anxious, introverted is part of his personality - I was just saying that it shouldn't be used to excuse the way he has treated people. Maybe if he felt more able to apologise and reflect when he has hurt someone, he would not be worrying that old friends like Stephen Street might punch him when they see him.

 

[Slum Mum]

Sorry, it was 800. Here's the interview with Tony Wilson, Vini's deal is talked about towards the end, but all of it is fascinating.

I watched all of these, the ones with Vini Reilly too. Vini says he refused to work on the next album due to the musical direction Morrissey wanted to go in, he doesn't mention money, although I recall him saying that Morrissey said to him "are you crazy?, you could be a millionaire". Vini also claims that it was he who wrote the majority of Viva Hate, stating the demos by Stephen Street were just awful. These videos are well worth a watch for those who haven't seen them, they give a real inside view of what working with Morrissey was like around this time.

 

[Famous when dead]

Digital version of the OP for those who collect these things.
FWD.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

It's odd that Street says the he should come back to the UK and record instead of being in the US. It seems to imply that Morrissey is making records in the US which is not the case at all. The last records have all be done in ITALY!! Love you Stephen

France, mostly. Although he also recorded in Italy and LA.
(Ironically, Back On The Chain Gang was recorded in LA and that single was regarded with favour by most critics...)

 

[Lujanita]

Who really is Damon A ?
He does not have the appearance of bodyguard ,his physique does not fit with someone who acts as an artist's security,he is always behind Morrissey ,i do not think he is boyfriend ...but he has been with Moz for many years ....
What role does Damon A play next to Moz,Damon A is a mystery he 's like a mini man ,he and Boz B are the ones who last Moz the longest ......!!!!!!!!!!!🤔👬👬👬👫👫?