The Thrills - interview in The Independent with lots of Morrissey anecdotes (May 24, 2023)

The Thrills on famous fans, flash-in-a-pan success and their Morrissey blunder

With fans in Bono and Rod Stewart, the Noughties group were going to be the biggest Irish band since U2 – then they vanished. On the 20th anniversary of their debut, Ed Power speaks with The Thrills and their former manager to chronicle the band’s staggering rise to the top and what happened next

www.independent.co.uk

Excerpt:

The Thrills had been delighted to go for dinner with Morrissey. It was on a hazy afternoon two decades ago that the young Dublin band met with their celebrity fan at the Pig ’n Whistle on Hollywood Boulevard, a famed expat hangout in Los Angeles. It was going well. They were laughing, joking. Morrissey, who had suggested the group give him a call if they were passing through his adopted home, even floated the possibility of The Thrills supporting him on tour. But then things suddenly took a turn when the band’s guitarist made the faux pas of asking the Smiths frontman if he might be open to becoming an honorary Thrill.

“We knew Morrissey liked our song ‘One Horse Town’. He had put the demo version on the mixtape of his most recent tour,” recalls singer Conor Deasy. “We’re chatting, and Daniel, our guitarist, goes, ‘Morrissey, we’re just finishing up the mix to [the official studio version] ‘One Horse Town’. Would you like to do backing vocals?’ Morrissey said [adopts aloof ‘Moz’ voice], ‘I don’t do backing vocals’. There was a slight pause and then Daniel says, ‘What about singing the last chorus?’ And Morrissey goes, ‘I don’t do last choruses’. That was our introduction to Morrissey.”

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

M has the worst taste in post 80’s guitar bands. Just saying.

 

[🐈🐈🐈]

The Thrills on famous fans, flash-in-a-pan success and their Morrissey blunder

With fans in Bono and Rod Stewart, the Noughties group were going to be the biggest Irish band since U2 – then they vanished. On the 20th anniversary of their debut, Ed Power speaks with The Thrills and their former manager to chronicle the band’s staggering rise to the top and what happened next

www.independent.co.uk

Excerpt:

The Thrills had been delighted to go for dinner with Morrissey. It was on a hazy afternoon two decades ago that the young Dublin band met with their celebrity fan at the Pig ’n Whistle on Hollywood Boulevard, a famed expat hangout in Los Angeles. It was going well. They were laughing, joking. Morrissey, who had suggested the group give him a call if they were passing through his adopted home, even floated the possibility of The Thrills supporting him on tour. But then things suddenly took a turn when the band’s guitarist made the faux pas of asking the Smiths frontman if he might be open to becoming an honorary Thrill.

“We knew Morrissey liked our song ‘One Horse Town’. He had put the demo version on the mixtape of his most recent tour,” recalls singer Conor Deasy. “We’re chatting, and Daniel, our guitarist, goes, ‘Morrissey, we’re just finishing up the mix to [the official studio version] ‘One Horse Town’. Would you like to do backing vocals?’ Morrissey said [adopts aloof ‘Moz’ voice], ‘I don’t do backing vocals’. There was a slight pause and then Daniel says, ‘What about singing the last chorus?’ And Morrissey goes, ‘I don’t do last choruses’. That was our introduction to Morrissey.”

Are they back!!? Love their debut album So Much for The City.

In addition, RIP the utterly beautiful and mesmerisingly brilliant Tina Turner - see you in the other room.

 

[Geoffrey Ingram]

Are they back!!? Love their debut album So Much for The City.

In addition, RIP the utterly beautiful and mesmerisingly brilliant Tina Turner - see you in the other room.

No. The article says they have no interest in getting together, it's just celebrating 20 years of the debut album.

I saw them support Morrissey at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002 and became my fave Morrissey support band.

 

[Mayfly]

It’s true, M doesn’t do backing vocals for anyone else. Nor does he do lead vocals on somebody else’s album, ask Damon Albarn. Why is that?

 

[Geoffrey Ingram]

It’s true, M doesn’t do backing vocals for anyone else. Nor does he do lead vocals on somebody else’s album, ask Damon Albarn. Why is that?

Yet his isn't too shy in asking others to do backing vocals on his songs!

 

[🐈🐈🐈]

No. The article says they have no interest in getting together, it's just celebrating 20 years of the debut album.

I saw them support Morrissey at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002 and became my fave Morrissey support band.

Pity but yes! Also my favourite M opener.

 

[Les Tameside]

It’s true, M doesn’t do backing vocals for anyone else. Nor does he do lead vocals on somebody else’s album, ask Damon Albarn. Why is that?

He’s on A$AP Rocky’s next LP. Although Marred is in denial.

 

[Life_Is_A_Pigsty]

It’s true, M doesn’t do backing vocals for anyone else. Nor does he do lead vocals on somebody else’s album, ask Damon Albarn. Why is that?

He did backing vocals for Sandie Shaw and Nancy Sinatra.

 

[Anonymous]

Also he did vocals for this, though who knows if it will ever be released?
https://www.thefader.com/2021/05/19/asap-rocky-morrissey-new-album-all-smiles

 

[ACTON]

He did backing vocals for Sandie Shaw and Nancy Sinatra.

Great point!

And not to start an angst armaggedon but it could be argued (in an alternate reality) that Moz sang backing vocals on Interlude. Siouxsie dominated that song in my opinion and elevated it with her strong assured delivery. Although it was a duet.

And not to sink slowly in suffocating sludge but didn't Moz in fact sing backing vocals for Bigmouth Strikes Again that he also sang on? Get your Ann Coates, you've pulled.

I have it on good authority that Moz sang the hysterical bit on November Spawned but credited to Mary Margaret O'Hara. He was accidentally recorded opening a letter from Stephen Street looking to be paid and they decided to include his incredulous outburst on the track.

 

[Geoffrey Ingram]

He did backing vocals for Sandie Shaw and Nancy Sinatra.

On songs he had written and previously recorded.......

 

[Nobody Knows Me]

On songs he had written and previously recorded.......

I think in each of those cases they utilised some of the existing backing tracks and replaced the lead vocalist, though with some embellishments to the musical undercarriage.

 

[Ghastly]

Great point!

And not to start an angst armaggedon but it could be argued (in an alternate reality) that Moz sang backing vocals on Interlude. Siouxsie dominated that song in my opinion and elevated it with her strong assured delivery. Although it was a duet.

And not to sink slowly in suffocating sludge but didn't Moz in fact sing backing vocals for Bigmouth Strikes Again that he also sang on? Get your Ann Coates, you've pulled.

I have it on good authority that Moz sang the hysterical bit on November Spawned but credited to Mary Margaret O'Hara. He was accidentally recorded opening a letter from Stephen Street looking to be paid and they decided to include his incredulous outburst on the trac

Can you explain your you've pulled joke?

 

[DagenhamDan]

I strongly recommend anyone who hasn't listened to the 'Teenager' lp. Please listen, its a totally underrated classic lp. Their best in my opinion.

 

[ACTON]

Can you explain your you've pulled joke?

Sorry. So back in the 80s and 90s there was a joke chat up line: a guy would go over to a girl in a pub/nightclub and say "get your coat, you've pulled" (i.e. lucky you gets to go home with me). So my joke was a play on Ann Coates. My explanation has just put me to sleep.

 

[Ghastly]

Sorry. So back in the 80s and 90s there was a joke chat up line: a guy would go over to a girl in a pub/nightclub and say "get your coat, you've pulled" (i.e. lucky you gets to go home with me). So my joke was a play on Ann Coates. My explanation has just put me to sleep.

I figured that's what it meant. Good joke. I literally only just learned the saying "on the pull" last week from a British friend lol. So good timing. Thanks!

 

[marred]

The Thrills on famous fans, flash-in-a-pan success and their Morrissey blunder

With fans in Bono and Rod Stewart, the Noughties group were going to be the biggest Irish band since U2 – then they vanished. On the 20th anniversary of their debut, Ed Power speaks with The Thrills and their former manager to chronicle the band’s staggering rise to the top and what happened next

www.independent.co.uk

Excerpt:

The Thrills had been delighted to go for dinner with Morrissey. It was on a hazy afternoon two decades ago that the young Dublin band met with their celebrity fan at the Pig ’n Whistle on Hollywood Boulevard, a famed expat hangout in Los Angeles. It was going well. They were laughing, joking. Morrissey, who had suggested the group give him a call if they were passing through his adopted home, even floated the possibility of The Thrills supporting him on tour. But then things suddenly took a turn when the band’s guitarist made the faux pas of asking the Smiths frontman if he might be open to becoming an honorary Thrill.

“We knew Morrissey liked our song ‘One Horse Town’. He had put the demo version on the mixtape of his most recent tour,” recalls singer Conor Deasy. “We’re chatting, and Daniel, our guitarist, goes, ‘Morrissey, we’re just finishing up the mix to [the official studio version] ‘One Horse Town’. Would you like to do backing vocals?’ Morrissey said [adopts aloof ‘Moz’ voice], ‘I don’t do backing vocals’. There was a slight pause and then Daniel says, ‘What about singing the last chorus?’ And Morrissey goes, ‘I don’t do last choruses’. That was our introduction to Morrissey.”

Why didn't they denounce his political views? I'm disappointed.

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

Why didn't they denounce his political views? I'm disappointed.

Oh girl, SAME

 

[gashonthenail]

M has the worst taste in post 80’s guitar bands. Just saying.

To be fair Moz did 'call' this one pretty well. They did indeed become one of the biggest Irish bands since U2. They have that 60s California sound that Moz does seem to love.
He has of course championed several bands that never really made it. You can't call 'em all.