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The sanest post on this subject ever posted on Solo. Everything that needs to be said, you just said. Thank you.Refusal was his last great album (to date).
The 2010s were not kind to his career. Poor quality albums with poor quality songs and artwork (I mean, compare the cover of an album like Quarry with Dog on a Chain). A creeping reluctance to do media compared to the 1990s and 2000s. He used to do interviews and performances with the likes of Jonathan Ross, Jools Holland, Radio 2. Primetime slots with exposure to millions of people. He just isn't doing that anymore.
You can trace a steady decline in the quality of his work after Alain Whyte ceased to be his main songwriting partner. Perhaps with him back in the fold, Morrissey can recapture some of the old magic.
People have always written Morrissey off. I get that. He used to complain that The Smiths never got enough airplay. Then when his solo career began people said he'd never succeed without Johnny Marr. Then in the 90s he was overshadowed by younger Britpop bands. Then he lost his record deal after Maladjusted and fell off the mainstream radar.
2004 was a remarkable turnaround. To not only return with a genuinely superb album in Quarry, but to record his most commercially successful calendar year of his career in the UK with four top ten singles, a wildly successful tour, TV and radio appearances aplenty, young bands falling over themselves to be photographed with him...it really couldn't have gone any better for him. Singers in their mid 40s just don't do that, given how ageist the popular music industry is.
But he's now in his mid 60s. Short of a reunion with Marr, there's nothing he can now do to recreate the kind of buzz he had in 2004. And I think he knows that.
I don't believe Morrissey is racist. But if he wants to rebuild his career and become successful again, he needs to stop talking about politics and just focus on writing songs. I would move away from the electronic stuff and move back to melodic guitar driven songs, which Whyte is so good at.
He will never again be a Top 10 singles artist. No one his age, regardless of talent or respect, is. That's the way of the world. But he can become a good songwriter again with #1 albums and successful tours. People bounce back from bad PR, and so can Morrissey, but he needs to understand that he isn't invincible or infallible. Whether he regrets some of the things he's said in recent years or not, he needs to recognise that he cannot regain the success he's had in years (and decades) gone by without showing some contrition for the offence caused.
His priorities for 2023 should be as follows:
Speak to Capitol and get Bonfire released. It doesn't suit either party for that album to remain unreleased. Try and get the Miley Cyrus stand off resolved.
Do another extensive tour with a crowd pleasing setlist. More Smiths, more early solo stuff, more Whyte era stuff.
He still has connections in the media. Do TV and radio interviews. Do not vet the questions. Answer truthfully and with contrition. Reiterate that he is not, and never has been racist, whilst apologising to anyone who has been upset by his comments.
Try to improve relations with Johnny Marr.
Stop letting SER guide his career. He's way out of his depth. Get back to designing his own artwork. Stop surrounding himself with yes men (and women).
He hasn’t put anyone on notice, he just mentioned it and they won’t give a f***.He's doing the right thing - he's put those 4 hacks on notice & he's working.
He hasn’t put anyone on notice, he just mentioned it and they won’t give a f***.
For me it started going pear shaped on 2nd Oct 2017 during the 6 Music set when he mentioned Anne Marie Waters, the crowd went silent and loads of people on here who were listening live were pretty shocked.
He has an ongoing 40+ year (non) career, He's produced art which many people credit with saving their lives, has achieved icon status, considerable wealth, world wide fame, hes' influenced and inspired art in mutipal genre, has shaped the cultural landscape and language. Hows your career going?Because having told people not to vote, he urged us to vote for people too nazi even for UKIP, and wore their badge to support them. Now having done that, he's blaming everyone else for his non-career. He will never, ever take responsibility for anything, ever.
They do give a f***.
And they're the ones that gave her the platform & more publicity than he ever did.
Why would they give a f***? Fading pop star mentions 4 people who made negative comments about him, do you think they really give a shit. The comments on 6 music were live and there were probably thousands of his fans listening, he said what he said, others mentioned it after. No one else to blame, he should have kept his stupid thoughts to himself.
Because they persecuted a minority artist & that's a scandal.
Some of the "fans" mentioning it afterwards were the ones who brought AMW to his attention in the first place.
No one to blame but himself, if he hadn't said it, there would be nothing to persecute him about.
And regarding fans, can you post a link to where fans brought AMW to his attention or are you trying to re write history again?