Morrissey

Howard Klein
Reprise Records

November 5, 1999

Dear Howie,

        Hope you're not missing Ilene too much?

        I thought you might like to know that "SACK" have supported me on this European tour, and are going down fantastically well. They will also be with me at the following US dates, and are well worthy of your inspection.

11/12 12/12 14/12 15-16/12 18/12 19-20/12

San Francisco, CA - Maritime Hall Fresno, CA - Rainbow Ballroom San Diego, CA - Cox Coliseum Los Angeles, CA - Palladium Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues

Best Wishes,

Morrissey

Morrissey still a bitter boy

Morrissey Rating: by Max Bell

Rather like Oscar Wilde, Morrissey arrived in London with nothing to declare except his genius. He's not overburdened with a recording contract, the law of diminishing returns decreeing that Eighties pop stars are left in the lurch. But he still has a high-powered manager (Elliot Roberts, of Neil Young fame) and a loyal audience.

To say that Morrissey embraces anachronism is hardly front page news (when didn't he?), but maybe it's time to bury the hatchet, not necessarily in the neck of the beastly boys in the British music Press. Moz has always carried a grudge with aplomb and he did here, during Boy Racer, a thinly-veiled bash at modern pop folk like Damon Albarn, perhaps?

He's also assembled a quiff-heavy rockabilly cast who perm his invective to its illogical conclusion. Is It Really So Strange? was an odd Smiths cover when Meat Is Murder lay in waiting, but the man in the West Ham Boys' Club shirt was too hard for the Chicken Run.

The detail contained the pleasantries - red drapes, the Billy Fury meets New York Dolls iconography, the mike-whipping sadism. As far as Morrissey is concerned, all of Britain can die from BSE, and stuff the gladioli where the sun don't shine.

© Associated Newspapers Ltd., 16 November 1999

BLUR BAG BRAGG
Blur South Bank Show special this weekend - 18 November 1999

BLUR get the heavyweight arts flagship slot previously accorded such greats as UB40 though, more seriously, Damon claims in the programme that The South Bank Show's documentary on The Smiths inspired him to form a band. "I was round at Graham's house," he recalls, "and I remember thinking, 'No-one is going to tell me that pop music is finished'."

Let's hope this hour has some similar effect. Focused on the pre-Reading warm-up show at Goldsmith's College, there's plenty of 'candid' interviews, a guide to Colchester from Damon (this week: Essex lad, again) and, most attractively, a peek into Alex's social life.

But wait a minute: didn't The Smiths split up soon after their South Bank Show?

The South Bank Show: Blur - End Of A Century is on Sunday, November 21, ITV, 11.15pm

I just got The Pet Shop Boys' B-side collection, Alternative, the other day and was reading through the interview in the booklet and noticed he has a few mentions of Morrissey and The Smiths... They're talking a little bit about the The San Remo festival...

Chris: The San Remo festival was incredible. There were thousand of girls outside the hotel for Duran adn Spandau...
Neil: This was early '87... Jon Savage: In that case you did the same as The Smiths?
Chris: Yes, we were all there!
Neil: And Morrissey came and spoke to us! At the airport!
Chris: The flight from San Remo. Paul Weller was there. It was fantastic.
Neil: On the way back, the flight was, The Pet Shop Boys, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran.... blah blah.

Morrissey tackles David Bowie
Mister "knows it all and better", Morrissey, has been quoted saying that David Bowie is obsessed by his career. According to Mozz, Bowie is nothing less than a firm, a company run by smart people. "Bowie wouldn't even phone his mum without having considered the possible side-effects of this on his career," according to the singer. Morrissey also revealed that he left David Bowie's 96 tour because Bowie's behaviour was putting Morrissey under a lot of pressure.

As though as im on my way doing the rest of my shopping for the day, i stopped at the music store at the Mall and picked up an issue of Meanstreet Magazine. yet hoping to find something interesting there, I ran into the "Coachella Fest Photo Album" pretty nice pictures of the other band peoples, but with Morrissey? oh my! Yet all its says about Morrissey is: "Anchored by the campy musings of Morrissey" and "Morrissey Delivers a show-stopper." Darn myself for not going, Darn!

So having to find out about this and looking at the picture of morrissey for about 20 minutes straight and running into people and walls and chairs, i had to go back and grab more. I have about 5 at the moment. I am planning to get more soon.

There is a small bit about Mike Joyce in the December issue of Alternative Press - it seems he's got a website (mildly amusing) and according to the magazine "Joyce holds no grudges and is keen on a one-night reunion." He says "It wouldn't bother me, to tell the truth. A one-off gig would be nice."

Also, the little (tiny, tiny) mention of Morrissey in Rolling Stone's [ November 25, 1999 ] review of Coachella was so full of errors. It even went far enough to say he was wearing a blue suit and then show a picture of him clearly in a brown jacket. :P Not to mention the picture was beyond weird (though I liked it) and didn't even show his face. (And even though this is unrelated, the purple shirt Beck is wearing in the picture on the same page is the ugliest shirt anyone has ever worn - just thought I'd mention that!)

The article from Moz-solo:

"...The sky was fading to black and so was the crowd. Morrissey was on theri minds, and no one --- save the kids flipping out to the Breakbeat Era with Roni Size --- was about to miss his first U.S. outing in years. Dressed in a sharp blue suit, Morrissey flung his mike and grabbed a guitar for an uncharacteristically rocking set that included moody Smiths hits like 'Meat is Murder,' which for many was itself worth the fifty-dollar admission. 'Are you having a good time?' he asked, to wild applause. 'Too bad.'"

Angela from morrisseytour.com called me from Greece this morning. She hung out with the band last night and Boz told her the Venues to post. She doesnt have internet access, so it's via Boz.. Anglea.. to me.

Cupertino.... not happening.

San Fransisco   Dec 11          Miritime
Fresno          Dec 12          Rainbow
San Diego       Dec 14          Cox Arema
Los Angeles     Dec 15 & 16     Palladium
Ventura         Dec 18          Ventura Theatre
Las Vegas       Dec 19 & 20     House of Blues

...a friend tells me that Morrissey will be on Sean Hughes' weekend radio show (GLR, 94.9) on November 14 for an interview... between 10 a.m. - 12 noon

There is a Morrissey feature in today's Times Magazine (6/11). Text is by Micheal Bracewell, pictures by Linder. Title of feature is 'Heaven Knows I'm Not Miserable Now'.

There is a brief paragraph on Morrissey in the November 25th issue of Rolling Stone...page 38. Unfortunately you can't see his face in the pic.

From "All Hallow's EP" photo: Thad LaRue

From the AFI Website photo: Ross Trenary

My brother got the new A.F.I. "All Hallow's E.P." On the inside sleeve it features their guitarist, Hunter, wearing a Morrissey T-Shirt. The photograph was taken from Slim's in Los Angeles, 1999.

Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1999 15:40:41 -0800
From: Coachella < coachella@goldenvoice.com >

MORRISSEY!: ALL MORRISSEY FANS: visit http://www.goldenvoice.com next Tuesday for a Morrissey concert announcement!

Oasis: Marr not pictured

SO NEAR, SO MARR

A spokesman for Oasis denied that Johnny Marr was ever in the frame to replace Bonehead and said he 'couldn't understand' why Bernard Sumner had said it.

BERNARD SUMNER was speaking to Radio 1 to say that his partner in Electronic ex-Smith Johnny Marr was approached to replace Bonehead in Oasis.

"We've known Noel for a long time, he's a good friend," said the New Order/Electronic frontman. "He did approach Johnny, I believe, to be a guitarist in Oasis. But Johnny's working on stuff of his own, solo projects and I think he wants to pursue that and finish that really. I think the timing was just bad. He can't play guitar good enough!"

Meanwhile the new lineup are rehearsing and will play US dates in December.

"The plan is, depending on whether people still like us or not, 'coz we've been away for two years, I want to do small venues," Liam told Radio 1 last week. "If everything's alright and the kids still like us then we're gonna fill out big shows. Our first one I wanna do like a little tour around London, of little, small gigs, two thousand, so we can get back in there, bring the new people in the band in and away we go".

The shows confirmed so far are in Philadelphia (December 3) and Chicago (4). They are radio station gigs with all the bands playing short sets.

I am working part time for a publishing house and there [ are ] news that could interest you, I thought.

We are working on a project involving Morrissey, somehow. It's an anthology of "pop music" lyricists of the XXth century (mostly second half). It will include approximately 400 texts. We have already chosen some of the lyricists : Chuck Berry, Morrissey, Boris Vian, Brel, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, Brassens, Serge Gainsbourg, Patti Smith, etcoetera...

Which means we already have Lyricists from France, England, the USA, Canada, Belgium etc... You can help me in two ways.

A. I must propose a selection of texts from Morrissey I think two or three texts only wil make it to the anthology if we are given the right to publish them obviously.

B. We want to find lyricists from other countries that the one mentionned above... Are there some lyricists, who achieved some fame (the idea which gave birth to this anthology is : These lyrics have touched a lot of people because of their qualities, so they should be printed to show what "writing lyrics" meant in the second half of the twentieth century, and why it became so popular) in other countries and that you know of ?

Why Johnny Marr knocked back Oasis

Who would be mad enough to turn down the job as guitarist with Oasis? Well one legendary axeman turned down Noel and Liam, because their new guitarist Gem, wasn't their first choice. Apparently, despite Noel's denials, the band did approach former Smiths and Electronic guitarist Johnny Marr but got knocked back.

Bernard Sumner, frontman of Electronic, revealed all to Radio 1: "We’ve known Noel for a long time, he’s a good friend. He did approach Johnny, I believe, to be a guitarist in Oasis. But Johnny’s working on stuff of his own, solo projects and I think he wants to pursue that and finish that really. I think the timing was just bad. He can’t play guitar good enough!" he said.

There is an interesting news article regarding Ian Brady [ the subject of the song Suffer Little Children ]. The thread includes his corresponding letters about the hospital's mistreatments. Here are some exerpts from the Brady news thread: From BBC News

UK Moors murderer Brady force fed
Friday, October 29, 1999 Published at 15:44 GMT 16:44 UK

Brady was jailed for child murders

Staff at Ashworth secure hospital on Merseyside have begun force feeding Moors murderer Ian Brady, a month into his hunger strike.

Brady, who has served more than 30 years in jail and psychiatric hospital for his crimes, says his human rights are being infringed.

He began his hunger strike as a protest against conditions in the hospital after he was moved to a high security wing, following a review on 30 September.

His solicitor Robin Makin told BBC News 24 that Brady wanted to take legal action against a potential breach of human rights.

Brady anger at force-feeding Saturday, October 30, 1999 Published at 16:06 GMT 17:06 UK Brady and Myra Hindley murdered Lesley Ann Downey Brady says he believes efforts are being made to "punish" him over his complaints about the hospital, and claims visits from friends are being blocked. "They are systematically isolating me from the outside world," he says. Brady was jailed for life in 1966 with accomplice Myra Hindley, for the murders of children Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans. He received a concurrent life sentence for murdering 12-year-old John Kilbride. The pair later confessed to the killings of Pauline Reade, 16, and 12-year-old Keith Bennett burying their bodies on Saddleworth Moor, on the edge of the Peak District overlooking Manchester.

CD Review: Billy Bragg
Friday, August 27, 1999 Published at 17:21 GMT 18:21 UK

Bragg: Still packing a political punch

Marr contribution

Bragg: Still packing a political punch Best known as a political songwriter, Bragg has always been just as sharp when writing about relationships, and one of the highlights here is a sparkling version of one his finest love songs, Greetings To The New Brunette.

Re-named Shirley, it features a multi-instrumental contribution from Johnny Marr, one of several appearances by the former Smiths member.

Later on Billy repays the compliment with a solo rendition of Jeane, a great Morrissey-Marr song which appeared on one of The Smiths' early B-sides but somehow got lost in the flood of brilliance that followed.

There's a story on Morrissey at the Spin.Com website...Heres the link so you can read it and/or put it up on your site:

Morrissey: Meat Still Murder
Morrissey canceled the second show of his brief fall tour earlier this week (an engagement at the House of Blues in Las Vegas was called off at the last minute, earlier this month when one of the former Smiths vocalist's band members took ill). Rumor has it the Mozzer became outraged when someone had the good sense to translate the name of the Dresden, Germany venue which was to host them on October 18. Seems "Schlachthof" translates as er...slaughterhouse...as in the place where they kill "beautiful creatures" so that vulgar carnivores can "savor the flavor of murder" (to quote The Smiths most famous vegetarian screed, 1984's" Meat is Murder"). According to the NME, and other UK fan sites, this was too much for the sensitive icon to bare, despite the fact that the venue had long since been converted.

JOHNNY MARR TURNED DOWN OASIS JOB
Electronic frontman Bernard Sumner has revealed that, despite Noel Gallagher's denials, Johnny Marr was asked to join Oasis as a replacement for departed guitarist Bonehead. Press reports emerged following Bonehead's departure that suggested Noel had asked close friend and legendary guitarist Johnny Marr to take the job but, at the time, he denied this.

However, in an interview with UK radio, Bernard Sumner said: "We've known Noel for a long time, he's a good friend. He did approach Johnny, I believe, to be a guitarist in Oasis. But Johnny's working on stuff of his own, solo projects and I think he wants to pursue that and finish that really. I think the timing was just bad. He can't play guitar good enough!"

The New LP: MIDNITE VULTURES
Beck is hard at work on what is being called his "official Odelay follow-up" for DGC Records. He is working in his home studio with Mickey P, Tony Hoffer, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, and Roger Manning. Tracklisting includes new songs "Sexx Laws", "Hollywood Freaks", "Mixed Bizness", "Milk and Honey" (featuring Johnny Marr), Beautiful Way (featuring Beth Orton) and "Debra".

A little birdy told me these Moz dates...

Dec 11 San Francisco
Dec 13 Pasadena
Dec 14 Ventura
Dec 15 Reno
Dec 16 Las Vegas

3 other shows possible in the Southwest between Dec 11 and Dec 20.

Matthew Lillard as Stevo:

It was a Sex Pistols thing right? They were from England. They were British. That's what they did. They were allowed to go on about anarky in the U.K. You don't live your life by lyrics. I mean, that's all you ever heard from these trendy fucks. Like, "Did you hear the new Smiths album ? It's fuckin' terrif." It's kids walking around Utah saying "terrif" with a stupid English twang.

"It's funny. Because we had this conversation on the bus a few days ago. Thefive of us. About how the freakiest thing about any of th-- all of this-- any of it, the tour. The idea that you will be one of those band to somebody. I remember like listening to ... er... Strangeways - The Smiths, it was really good. I remember I used to stare -- A good album. When it came out and stuff."

This just in, taken from the NME website

SLAUGHTERHOUSE JIVE

MORRISSEY pulled a gig in Germany last week because it was scheduled to take place in a converted slaughterhouse.

Staunch vegetarian Morrissey was due to play Dresden Slaughterhouse on October 18, but pulled out hours before he was set to go onstage.

The official reason given was that the layout of the venue made it impossible to play.

Morrissey's agent Mike Hinc told NME: "There was no direct access to the stage, we couldn't put our lights up and it was just the wrong shape. It just couldn't be done."

However, NME understands the cancellation occurred because Morrissey only realised the venue was a converted slaughterhouse when he arrived.

A source told NME that because of his anti-meat and animal rights beliefs he became increasingly squeamish about the gig and eventually refused to play.

Coincidentally, the former Smiths singer has reintroduced 'Meat Is Murder' into his current live show.

It is not thought that the gig in Dresden will be rescheduled.

Meanwhile, Morrissey has added a fourth date at the London Kentish Town Forum on November 13 with support from Mexican Elvis impersonator El Vez.

Morrissey's UK gig kicks off on November 9 at Nottingham Rock City and continues until December 6 where it concludes at Aylesbury Civic Hall.

Morrissey Refuses To Play German Slaughterhouse
Wed Oct 27 1999 13:47 BST
MORRISSEY refused to play a gig in Germany last week because it was booked to take place in a converted slaughterhouse.

Devout vegetarian Morrissey refused to perform at the aptly named Dresden Slaughterhouse on October 18, pulling out hours before he was due onstage.

The former Smiths singer's agent Mike Hinc told British music magazine NME that the reason for the cancellation was because of the layout of the venue. He said: "There was no direct access to the stage, we couldn't put our lights up and it was just the wrong shape. It just couldn't be done".

The NME however, understands that Morrissey cancelled because he only realised the venue was a converted slaughterhouse when he arrived and became increasingly squeamish about the gig until he finally decided not to play.

Morrissey begins his UK tour in November. The dates are as follows: Nottingham Rock City (November 9), Leeds Town & Country Club (10), Liverpool Royal Court (11), London Kentish Town Forum (14-16), Swansea Branwyn Hall (18), Salisbury City Hall (20), Norwich UEA (22), Belfast Ulster Hall (24), Derry Rialto (25), Cork Opera House (27), Limerick University (28), Dublin National Concert Hall (December 1 & 2) and Glasgow Barrowlands (5).

Las Vegas (Dec. 16) rescheduled + more west coast dates From the man himself... the final show of the tour will be the rescheduled House Of Blues in Vegas on Dec. 16th. Before that (though not yet confirmed) are Reno, San Francisco, Pasadena Civic and Ventura. No east coast dates.