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foxfanazer

The Smiths

By foxfanazer, in The Music Forum

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Bellend Sebastian

Bellend Sebastian

Posted
Posted

Anyone pick up Morrissey's autobiography yesterday?

 

I wasn't going to, but finding myself in a grey and windswept Great Yarmouth with a functioning WH Smith, it seemed like the thing to do.

 

I've nearly finished it now.  The reviews have generally been spot on - the stuff about his youth in post-industrial Manchester is really interesting, there's not as much about The Smiths as you might have expected and there's far too much about the court case, which I must admit I found myself skim reading in parts,  and unsurprisingly, there's a lot fairly personal attacks on a lot of people and you're only ever going to hear one side of the story in an autobiography.  Although bits made me laugh out loud, the prose is relatively dense and I must say that I wouldn't rush to recommend it to a non fan.

I've been close to obsessive about most things Morrissey since about 1990 so the filling in of some of the gaps is quite fascinating, but equally there is a lot of stuff that gets glossed over or barely mentioned.  I'm sure I won't be the first to say that it's as infuriating and inconsistent as the man himself, but then I suppose it was always going to be

Overrated.

 

It's a term that gets used a lot but I don't really understand.  In this case, I think you could argue that there has been rather less critical acclaim than might have been warranted, and after a few heady years of being a music press darling followed by a lengthy period in the relative wilderness this apparent re-assessment as a national treasure has come quite late in the day.

 

It's academic anyway, because, speaking as a fan, I have a very personal relationship with the music so any 'rating' from anyone else, be they a credible commentator or not doesn't really come into it.  There's always this danger when anything gets a lot of coverage, particularly in this age of constantly looking backwards, to get drawn towards an act because it's screamed everywhere that it's of huge cultural significance, when really it's just about whether it speaks to you or not?

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purpleronnie

purpleronnie

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Posted (edited)

Managed to read the autobiography in 2 days which for me is rare as I have the attention span of a 5 year old.  As Mr sebastian said the best part is reading about his childhood, his time in The smiths was almost ignored and he spent more time talking about films than the 5 years that most remember him for.  That was OK as I have read so much on The smiths its unlikely that anything new could be said.  I only had a little knowledge of his success in America as far as the adolation of his fans but was surprised to read how ferocious it was.  He writes in an interesting way but in a way that I think would put non fans off.

Edited by purpleronnie
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Bellend Sebastian

Bellend Sebastian

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"What difference does it make?" is my favourite.

 

Do you like the album/single version or the Radio 1 session (off Hatful of Hollow) one?

 

I much prefer the latter - never been a huge fan of the first album.  The songs are good but the production is very, very weak.  A real shame

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purpleronnie

purpleronnie

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Do you like the album/single version or the Radio 1 session (off Hatful of Hollow) one?

 

I much prefer the latter - never been a huge fan of the first album.  The songs are good but the production is very, very weak.  A real shame

The troy tate mixes are so much better.

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RonnieTodger

RonnieTodger

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Do you like the album/single version or the Radio 1 session (off Hatful of Hollow) one?

 

I much prefer the latter - never been a huge fan of the first album.  The songs are good but the production is very, very weak.  A real shame

 

I agree. I actually posted a video of the song, then removed it after listening to it because it sounded poor!

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Chairman of the Bored

Chairman of the Bored

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I'm a big fan. Saw them live at Leicester Poly. Amazingly for the time, someone recorded it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmJHLXMZB2Y

 

Absolutely fecking brilliant. Mozzer had the gladys in his back pocket and I got hit by one. Swoon.

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Bellend Sebastian

Bellend Sebastian

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The troy tate mixes are so much better.

 

I think they're better than the finished product but at the same time I can see why they weren't happy with how it was going with him.  I bet they'd wish they'd stuck with him though (although Morrissey of course doesn't go as far as admitting this).

 

I agree. I actually posted a video of the song, then removed it after listening to it because it sounded poor!

 The session versions just have a lot more energy don't they, even though they're understandably not particularly polished.

 

My favourite session track of theirs is probably 'Half A Person', which I don't think has ever been officially released

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purpleronnie

purpleronnie

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I think they're better than the finished product but at the same time I can see why they weren't happy with how it was going with him.  I bet they'd wish they'd stuck with him though (although Morrissey of course doesn't go as far as admitting this).

 

 The session versions just have a lot more energy don't they, even though they're understandably not particularly polished.

 

My favourite session track of theirs is probably 'Half A Person', which I don't think has ever been officially released

Love 'Half a person', one of my fave's.

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Head Honcho

Head Honcho

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One of my top 5 bands of all time. Seen them over a dozen times. Twice in NYC sat behind Andy Warhol for one of them and Billy Bragg was the support on both occasions.

 

The business side of the band still leaves a bad taste in my mouth and wasn't Morrissey's and to some extent Johnny Marr's finest hour but their music transcends all of that.

 

Best song for me is The Boy With The Thorn in His Side.

Edited by Head Honcho
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foxfanazer

foxfanazer

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One of my top 5 bands of all time. Seen them over a dozen times. Twice in NYC sat behind Andy Warhol for one of them and Billy Bragg was the support on both occasions.

The business side of the band still leaves a bad taste in my mouth and wasn't Morrissey's and to some extent Johnny Marr's finest hour but their music transcends all of that.

Best song for me is The Boy With The Thorn in His Side.

Amazing
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David Guiza

David Guiza

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Perhaps my favourite band of all time, although he can be an insufferable prat, Morrissey is an absolute genius lyricist; Johnny Marr being an incredible bassist too. Favourite songs is difficult, maybe Still Ill, Asleep and This Charming Man, hard to ignore There is a Light too.

Love the Russell Brand article on them/Morrissey too.2491aa4b94a8bdd87de92503a174a874.jpg

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Fox92

Fox92

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Picked up NME this week (sometimes buy it if it looks interesting) and they ran a '500 greatest albums ever list' (again!)... 'The Queen Is Dead' took first place. 

 

I do think it's a great album, one of my favourites ever, and has some great songs (especially the seductive 'The Boy With A Thorn In His Side'), but I personally don't think it's better than 'White Album' by The Beatles or 'Bringing It All Back Home' by Dylan, among others... 'The Queen Is Dead' would have made my top ten though, no doubt about that. I'm a big fan of 'Meat Is Murder' as well. 

 

It is all opinion though at the end of the day, just like this post. I always take these articles with a pinch of salt, especially considering there was no mention of The Jam ('All Mod Cons' and 'The Gift' are great albums) or The Kinks ('Village Green' another one of my favourites) until 150+. 

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absolutelegend

absolutelegend

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Love the Smith, never got to see them though, but seen Moz a couple of times.

 

Personal faves are many of the obvious; How soon is now? and There is a light, but many more besides.

 

However, Moz annoys me far too much these days.  He seems far too wrapped up in his own opinon, and often seems to do things just to drawn attention to himself.  Just my opinion but I am certainly a fan of his music, rather than the man.

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Mapperleyfox

Mapperleyfox

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You either get them or you don't. All or nothing.

 

Because they have so much more than the songs, because of the depth of thinking behond every line and every note, and because Johnny Marr is the coolest bloke ever to pick up a pectrum between his teeth, i'm in.

 

Never been anyone like them before, and there'll never be anyone like them again...

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