You don't like Tom Dunne? But everyone likes Tom Dunne! In that case you can jolly well go and take a...
I saw Suede in the Olympia a few years ago. Flamboyant, passionate, accomplished. I came across reference to a 1993 NME interview recently where both Brett Anderson and David Bowie were being pressurised to condemn Morrissey, without much success, and Brett made this interesting observation: "[Morrissey] might actually be one of the most generous people that’s ever lived. I don’t know if it’s true but, by making himself a target, he might actually be trying to mend some gaps and build some bridges. I mean, he must know that he’s making himself a target because he’s not stupid and, by having criticism directed towards him, he might actually be doing some good. It might just be possible that he’s thinking that.”
Good point. Exerpt from the NME Interview, March 1993 with Steve Sutherland, Brett, and Bowie.
NME: OK, so we all agree that Brett has the right to be ambivalent about his sexuality in his songs and we agree with David that a person has the right to be ambivalent with his or her own personal sexuality, but doesn't that also apply across the board? For instance, David, you've covered Morrissey's 'I Know It's Going To Happen' on your new album. I don't know if you're aware that he's been ostracised recently for his ambivalent use of the Union Jack at his concerts. It has been decided that Morrissey does not have the right to be ambivalent about race and that he should make a statement regarding whether he is or is not a racist. Are we not beating him with the same stick?
Brett: "No. The difference is, the way I speak about things is in a positive way and I think the way he's speaking about certain issues of racism is in an intentionally negative way. Therefore, think we need to know the reasons behind it."
Bowie: I have to be careful here because I'm not quite sure what he said. But what I believe he said is that blacks and whites will never get on. I think that's the general tone of it. So I guess the adult approach is to say, "OK, let's take his question and figure out for ourselves our own answer to that. Will they get on? Won't they get on? And why?' He is just posing a question so there is an argument that it's perfectly OK for him to just pose that question.
"He's not giving us facts either way or giving us his feelings on the matter. Surely it would only be really negative if he were to say blacks and whites will never get on because it's obvious that one is superior to the other."
NME: I think his silence is more sinister than that. I'm suspicious of his motives. He's never, to my knowledge, committed one altruistic act in his life so I don't know why he should start now.
Brett: "He's said other things in the past about how reggae is vile and hang the DJ and other things with all these connotations but, the thing is, he might actually be one of the most generous people that's ever lived. I don't know if it's true but, by making himself a target, he might actually be trying to mend some gaps and build some bridges. I mean, he must know that he's making himself a target because he's not stupid and, by having criticism directed towards him, he might actually be doing some good. It might just be possible that he's thinking that."
NME: Oh come on! He's just luxuriating in playing the misunderstood, the martyr, and damn the consequences.
Bowie: "I must say I found him charming the couple of times I met him. When he heard my version of 'l Know It's Going To Happen' (which, according to Brett, is, "very '50s, very Johnny Ray"), it brought a tear to his eye and he said, 'Oooh, it's so-o-o grand!'"
NME: I've been suspicious of him from the start. All those bedsit anthems about wallowing in misery didn't seem to be helping anybody achieve anything. He was just making himself an icon on the back of other people's inadequacies and I don't find that in any way admirable.
Bowie: "Tell that to Samuel Beckett. Or John Osbourne."