"Why Morrissey has the most loyal fanbase in the music industry" by Rob Pollard - MEN

Why Morrissey has the most loyal fanbase in the music industry - Manchester Evening News
by Rob Pollard
Ahead of Morrissey's gig at Manchester Arena, M.E.N reporter Rob Pollard ponders the extreme devotion of the former Smiths frontman's fans

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Note: Full article removed on suggestion by author (tweet)

Apologies to author and site. When I post articles I will only include a summary.

 

[countthree]

It's horrible and painful to read "Given his recent health issues, it could well be the last time he plays in his hometown" or things like that. Very bad taste.

Morrissey has one of the most loyal fanbases in the music industry by a single reason: he totally deserves it.

 

[caramel sea salt]

It's horrible to read "Given his recent health issues, it could well be the last time he plays in his hometown" or things like that. Very bad taste.

Agreed. He does nothing to dispel these rumours though.

 

[Calamine Lotion]

This type of story doesn't usually just happen. I don't think he has a publicist but he really should because he'd get more stories like this, and they would leave out the negative parts. There is usually some trade made, like the publicist will grant access to other clients. "Give us a story about how dedicated Morrissey's fans are and we'll give you an exclusive with Brad Pitt." I don't think anything like that happened here. But it does seem like almost that type of article, saying many positive things about Morrissey, and sort of glossing over the "subspecies" stuff. My point is that I think the medical issues do seem kind of like a tacky ploy but I think they're trying to sell tickets. Who knows, they might have done this story as a favor to the promoter. All in all the message is "buy a ticket to Morrissey's concert. You know you love him, and it's your last chance," so no one on his side should be too upset.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

im certainly not embarrassed by his interviews. i think every single thing he utters is fantastic. i think there should be a morrissey soundbite for everything. i know the quality of my life would go up if there was.

 

[caramel sea salt]

This type of story doesn't usually just happen. I don't think he has a publicist but he really should because he'd get more stories like this, and they would leave out the negative parts. There is usually some trade made, like the publicist will grant access to other clients. "Give us a story about how dedicated Morrissey's fans are and we'll give you an exclusive with Brad Pitt." I don't think anything like that happened here. But it does seem like almost that type of article, saying many positive things about Morrissey, and sort of glossing over the "subspecies" stuff. My point is that I think the medical issues do seem kind of like a tacky ploy but I think they're trying to sell tickets. Who knows, they might have done this story as a favor to the promoter. All in all the message is "buy a ticket to Morrissey's concert. You know you love him, and it's your last chance," so no one on his side should be too upset.

#CancerForProfit

 

[evennow]

I love a good ole fashioned pole. They used to pop up here quite a lot in the past. So far I am with the majority here.

I think he could say pretty much anything and it would have no effect on ticket sales. He could drink a glass of milk and nibble on a piece of cheese in between songs and very few would care, but the atrociously ballad laden set list combined with the relentless repetition of song choices and exorbitantly high ticket prices have kept many from reaching into their wallets/purses.

I read pretty much all the first hand reviews of the concert attendees posts, and the most common complaint is an overall lack of energy and enthusiasm save of course those in the pit. If he were to drop 3/4 of the World Peace songs, and keep the energy level up at least until MIM, I think it would be a step in the right direction.

I bet if he and I made a top ten list of his solo songs not much overlap would exist. Pleasing the crowd might never have interested him, but I don't get why he can't stay true to himself AND hit the high notes of his musical catalog instead of slogging out the mid tempo album cuts that have become the norm.

 

[countthree]

About ticket's price: I think it's a good policy to raise the price till the point they were reselled during previous gigs. Two reasons, at least:
1) Money comes to the artist and the venue and not to the resellers, who risk nothing and sometimes their earnings duplicate the price of tickets. That's an illegal activity in some parts of the world, and for a good reason.
2) When the price seems high or not too cheap to resellers they don't buy all the tickets at once and it's easy for common people to buy the tickets in a normal way and not depending on resellers' whim.
One way or another, fans pay market price. It's fair only when money goes right to the the producers, not to feed speculation.
Who does protest about ticket's prices? Not the fans who packed the venues and paid gladly a fair price for a first level show. Just the resellers who can't make bussines with other people's money.

 

[Maurice E Maher]

Ah, lazy journalism at its worst.
If the Morrissey fan base was super-loyal, all the albums would sell in similar quantities (e.g. like Paul Weller's).
But they're all over the place (from 40,000 to half a million) - the ones with high sales only do so by attracting large numbers of floating voters i.e. people who only quite liked the Smiths.

 

[Calamine Lotion]

I don't know, compared to that Kanye vs Morrissey article this one looks like Pulitzer Prize winner. But they probably wanted to sell some copies to fans and the newspaper business is dying.

 

[dotmatrix522]

There's nothing new to see here in this article.
It reminds me of a long FB post from an overemotional fan.

 

[Vegan]

As a relatively new fan I can honestly say it's not JUST his music that makes me loyal. After reading his autobiography and watching him in countless interviews I find I actually like and admire the man and feel I "know" or at least understand him better than I do most music artists I patronize. That said many many artists have fiercely loyal fans so I can't say Moz fans are anything special.

 

[123xyz]

Agreed. He does nothing to dispel these rumours though.

Does he owe you an explanation ? Perhaps you're a little bit confused and angry about the relationship between artist and audience ... ?

 

[caramel sea salt]

Does he owe you an explanation ? Perhaps you're a little bit confused and angry about the relationship between artist and audience ... ?

No, I am not confused, dear. I can see very clearly and I have a moral compass that I live by and that I expect others to live by.

I think he does, at this point, owe as an explanation.

He does have a right to privacy. Of course he does. If he wants to battle his illness (whatever it is) in private and with dignity, like Bowie did, that should be respected. In which case, he doesn't owe us an explanation.

He doesn’t fight his illness in private and with dignity though. He keeps dropping hints, he flashes plasters with nothing underneath - this whole bizarre schtick, he whinges about the tediousness of the blood tests (gurl, if the blood tests are the most excruciating part of your so-called cancer treatment you’re VERY lucky - good luck with the chemo / radiation etc!), every interview he gives insinuates that it’s the last chance we get to see him. It’s not even certain he has cancer. All we know for sure is that he’s had some precancerous tissue scraped. If he does, indeed, have cancer, why can’t he just say “I have cancer”. He just flirts with the image. It’s all very cynical and repulsive.

He totally wants it both ways.

He is playing with peoples’ emotions and it’s all in very bad taste. Speaking as someone who has lost a spouse to cancer after a seven year quiet and dignified battle I find Morrissey exploiting everyone’s fear of the disease and mocking cancer sufferers for sympathy / attention / profit extremely repulsive.

I’ve never been a “hater”. I said nothing during NorwayMcDonald’s and ParisForProfit (although those weren’t his best moments). I don't care whether he sold out Manchester arena or not. But CancerForProfit irks me so much he deserves all the ridicule and contempt he gets.

Kiss my arse.

 

[Anonymous]

If anyone wants to listen to the live broadcast of the show in Tel-Aviv in 45 minutes, go to this website:
http://www.iba.org.il/88fm/88fm.aspx

 

[evennow]

If anyone wants to listen to the live broadcast of the show in Tel-Aviv in 45 minutes, go to this website:
http://www.iba.org.il/88fm/88fm.aspx

I am listening to it now and Moz sounds a lot like Billy Joel. Wait...it is Billy Joel. What's up?

Now Bob Marley. Is it delayed?

 

[Anonymous]

I am listening to it now and Moz sounds a lot like Billy Joel. Wait...it is Billy Joel. What's up?

starting as soon as he takes to the stage, shouldn't be long now

 

[Anonymous]

I am listening to it now and Moz sounds a lot like Billy Joel. Wait...it is Billy Joel. What's up?

Now Bob Marley. Is it delayed?

They're just waiting for him to come on. They didn't say there was a delay, but obviously you can't time these things exactly.

 

[evennow]

They're just waiting for him to come on. They didn't say there was a delay, but obviously you can't time these things exactly.

Started!

 

[nicky wire's legs]

No, I am not confused, dear. I can see very clearly and I have a moral compass that I live by and that I expect others to live by.

I think he does, at this point, owe as an explanation.

He does have a right to privacy. Of course he does. If he wants to battle his illness (whatever it is) in private and with dignity, like Bowie did, that should be respected. In which case, he doesn't owe us an explanation.

He doesn’t fight his illness in private and with dignity though. He keeps dropping hints, he flashes plasters with nothing underneath - this whole bizarre schtick, he whinges about the tediousness of the blood tests (gurl, if the blood tests are the most excruciating part of your so-called cancer treatment you’re VERY lucky - good luck with the chemo / radiation etc!), every interview he gives insinuates that it’s the last chance we get to see him. It’s not even certain he has cancer. All we know for sure is that he’s had some precancerous tissue scraped. If he does, indeed, have cancer, why can’t he just say “I have cancer”. He just flirts with the image. It’s all very cynical and repulsive.

He totally wants it both ways.

He is playing with peoples’ emotions and it’s all in very bad taste. Speaking as someone who has lost a spouse to cancer after a seven year quiet and dignified battle I find Morrissey exploiting everyone’s fear of the disease and mocking cancer sufferers for sympathy / attention / profit extremely repulsive.

I’ve never been a “hater”. I said nothing during NorwayMcDonald’s and ParisForProfit (although those weren’t his best moments). I don't care whether he sold out Manchester arena or not. But CancerForProfit irks me so much he deserves all the ridicule and contempt he gets.

Kiss my arse.

you make good points and i tend to agree, but i dont think he's doing it for profit. i imagine he genuinely took the news pretty hard. i think comparing degrees of sickness between people is not really an appropriate response to something that is as personal an experience as sickness.