Derek Patterson Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Will The Smiths reform? I hope so.....but probably not. To be fair though as cool as it would be to see them all together again onstage, so many years have gone by that the chemistry between them could never be the same. For example look at the recently reformed System Of A Down (I only know a couple of tunes, alrite but I wouldn't call myself a fan). The vast majority of people who saw the recent reunion performances said that although they played the songs perfectly, they all looked like they would much rather be elsewhere and pretty much hated each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForzaDundee Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Marr > Morrissey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centralTon Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Marr > Morrissey Perhaps, but, it's all relevant, no? Have you heard some of the stuff Johnny has done since 1987? Some has been great, but the rest, meh. And I'm a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullywee Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 i went through a stage of listening to the entire smiths discography every day. morrissey is undoubtedly the best songwriter i've ever encountered, although scott hutchison of frightened rabbit and whoever writes la dispute's stuff are bordering on genius as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I loved the Smiths, they were a great band so I was obviously going to follow Morrissey's solo career which is for the most part quite good but the last couple of albums I've not bought and I've found myself disliking Morrissey more and more for a variety of reasons. One reason is that he has been living off his reputation for far too long. Essentially he's been phoning it in since about the mid 90's. 'Vauxhall and I' was his last great album and the last few were dreadful generic indie rock pap bordering on the embarrassing as performed by a stiff old man. He is often praised as being a great lyricist, but again it's been a while. His powers as a lyricist are long gone. It was sad but also funny when Morrissey said something recently about David Bowie. "He used to be great. But not anymore." True but was the comment inappropriate coming from a lesser light who is also a pale shadow of his former self? It's also worth noting unlike someone like Bowie, Morrissey has always been dependent on songwriters to pair his lyrics with, he doesn't have an iota of musical talent himself. One thing that has always bothered me about Morrissey is that he has often taken credit for being some kind of unique figure that burst out of nothing in 1983. This is encouraged by his sycophant fans but its wrong. Although Morrissey often talks about girl groups, Sparks, The Cramps, The Ramones and other groups he has never really sounded like, I've always thought it a little suspicious he never mentions early Orange Juice, the obvious pre-cursor to The Smiths. If you were being unkind you might say he stole the template lock, stock and barrel and kept a sinister silence on the matter. The literate 'anti-rock' lyrics, the jangly guitars, the independent label stance, the erudite, bitchy and opinionated interviews, even right down to Edwyn Collins quiff. It's hard to believe Morrissey, an obsessive follower of musical trends, didn't notice all this and take note while he was still marooned in a bedroom at his mothers house. But he'd never admit it, to do so would dim his genius, he would have you believe he was the trailblazer. But my main reason for growing to dislike Morrissey is that he has become what he rallied against back in the day - a sharp suited, Rolls Royce driving, out of touch, multi-millionaire rock star with a property portfolio, drunk on the intoxication of his own self satisfaction. It started when he left Britain and went to live in LA and he's never recovered from it. He has become smug, completely delusional, self righteous and deeply unlikeable. His treatment of the other Smiths has been appalling, particularly Joyce and Rourke but also Marr who he only patched things up with when a court case threatened his fortune. The judge described Morrissey as 'devious, truculent and unreliable'. He regularly treats people like garbage, and his love of animals is so extreme its obvious it is an inverted hate for human beings, including his own audience. Surely no one in the last 20 years has canceled more gigs than Morrissey? Once great, Morrissey has dimmed to the point that, he wouldn't even be noticeable anymore bar two reasons - this past glories and and the unhealthy, uncritical obsession of his fans. Few if any artists have had such a fan base. They take artist loyalty to level never seen before, although it has kept the limelight trained on Morrissey, sadly, it has also been to his personal and artistic detriment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshmallo Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 He was great last night in Dunfermline, although I had hoped he'd have been on stage for a bit longer. The Smiths stuff was obviously the best stuff he did, "There is a Light" was magic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVELANEY Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I loved the Smiths, they were a great band so I was obviously going to follow Morrissey's solo career which is for the most part quite good but the last couple of albums I've not bought and I've found myself disliking Morrissey more and more for a variety of reasons. One reason is that he has been living off his reputation for far too long. Essentially he's been phoning it in since about the mid 90's. 'Vauxhall and I' was his last great album and the last few were dreadful generic indie rock pap bordering on the embarrassing as performed by a stiff old man. He is often praised as being a great lyricist, but again it's been a while. His powers as a lyricist are long gone. It was sad but also funny when Morrissey said something recently about David Bowie. "He used to be great. But not anymore." True but was the comment inappropriate coming from a lesser light who is also a pale shadow of his former self? It's also worth noting unlike someone like Bowie, Morrissey has always been dependent on songwriters to pair his lyrics with, he doesn't have an iota of musical talent himself. One thing that has always bothered me about Morrissey is that he has often taken credit for being some kind of unique figure that burst out of nothing in 1983. This is encouraged by his sycophant fans but its wrong. Although Morrissey often talks about girl groups, Sparks, The Cramps, The Ramones and other groups he has never really sounded like, I've always thought it a little suspicious he never mentions early Orange Juice, the obvious pre-cursor to The Smiths. If you were being unkind you might say he stole the template lock, stock and barrel and kept a sinister silence on the matter. The literate 'anti-rock' lyrics, the jangly guitars, the independent label stance, the erudite, bitchy and opinionated interviews, even right down to Edwyn Collins quiff. It's hard to believe Morrissey, an obsessive follower of musical trends, didn't notice all this and take note while he was still marooned in a bedroom at his mothers house. But he'd never admit it, to do so would dim his genius, he would have you believe he was the trailblazer. But my main reason for growing to dislike Morrissey is that he has become what he rallied against back in the day - a sharp suited, Rolls Royce driving, out of touch, multi-millionaire rock star with a property portfolio, drunk on the intoxication of his own self satisfaction. It started when he left Britain and went to live in LA and he's never recovered from it. He has become smug, completely delusional, self righteous and deeply unlikeable. His treatment of the other Smiths has been appalling, particularly Joyce and Rourke but also Marr who he only patched things up with when a court case threatened his fortune. The judge described Morrissey as 'devious, truculent and unreliable'. He regularly treats people like garbage, and his love of animals is so extreme its obvious it is an inverted hate for human beings, including his own audience. Surely no one in the last 20 years has canceled more gigs than Morrissey? Once great, Morrissey has dimmed to the point that, he wouldn't even be noticeable anymore bar two reasons - this past glories and and the unhealthy, uncritical obsession of his fans. Few if any artists have had such a fan base. They take artist loyalty to level never seen before, although it has kept the limelight trained on Morrissey, sadly, it has also been to his personal and artistic detriment. Woooft! Elbow in the FACE for Morrissey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Patterson Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Surely no one in the last 20 years has canceled more gigs than Morrissey? Axl Rose? Apart from that I wholeheartedly agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Brilliant Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 (hings) What a very, very good post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Brilliant Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I find his partisan, sycophantic, uncritical fans unbearable and absolutely tragic. The obsessives I mean, not casual listeners like those on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmouth Strikes Again Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 There's only one alternative really......ditch the solo career (which is dying a death anyway) reform The Smiths for one last epic stadium tour, and then call it a day gracefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullywee Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 the smiths should never get back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundermonkey Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I've seen a few reunions over the years and it's only The Pixies and MBV that have pulled it off. And Ya Bezzer - the best post I've ever read in the Music Forum, have a greenie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monayr Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I loved the Smiths, they were a great band so I was obviously going to follow Morrissey's solo career which is for the most part quite good but the last couple of albums I've not bought and I've found myself disliking Morrissey more and more for a variety of reasons. One reason is that he has been living off his reputation for far too long. Essentially he's been phoning it in since about the mid 90's. 'Vauxhall and I' was his last great album and the last few were dreadful generic indie rock pap bordering on the embarrassing as performed by a stiff old man. He is often praised as being a great lyricist, but again it's been a while. His powers as a lyricist are long gone. It was sad but also funny when Morrissey said something recently about David Bowie. "He used to be great. But not anymore." True but was the comment inappropriate coming from a lesser light who is also a pale shadow of his former self? It's also worth noting unlike someone like Bowie, Morrissey has always been dependent on songwriters to pair his lyrics with, he doesn't have an iota of musical talent himself. One thing that has always bothered me about Morrissey is that he has often taken credit for being some kind of unique figure that burst out of nothing in 1983. This is encouraged by his sycophant fans but its wrong. Although Morrissey often talks about girl groups, Sparks, The Cramps, The Ramones and other groups he has never really sounded like, I've always thought it a little suspicious he never mentions early Orange Juice, the obvious pre-cursor to The Smiths. If you were being unkind you might say he stole the template lock, stock and barrel and kept a sinister silence on the matter. The literate 'anti-rock' lyrics, the jangly guitars, the independent label stance, the erudite, bitchy and opinionated interviews, even right down to Edwyn Collins quiff. It's hard to believe Morrissey, an obsessive follower of musical trends, didn't notice all this and take note while he was still marooned in a bedroom at his mothers house. But he'd never admit it, to do so would dim his genius, he would have you believe he was the trailblazer. But my main reason for growing to dislike Morrissey is that he has become what he rallied against back in the day - a sharp suited, Rolls Royce driving, out of touch, multi-millionaire rock star with a property portfolio, drunk on the intoxication of his own self satisfaction. It started when he left Britain and went to live in LA and he's never recovered from it. He has become smug, completely delusional, self righteous and deeply unlikeable. His treatment of the other Smiths has been appalling, particularly Joyce and Rourke but also Marr who he only patched things up with when a court case threatened his fortune. The judge described Morrissey as 'devious, truculent and unreliable'. He regularly treats people like garbage, and his love of animals is so extreme its obvious it is an inverted hate for human beings, including his own audience. Surely no one in the last 20 years has canceled more gigs than Morrissey? Once great, Morrissey has dimmed to the point that, he wouldn't even be noticeable anymore bar two reasons - this past glories and and the unhealthy, uncritical obsession of his fans. Few if any artists have had such a fan base. They take artist loyalty to level never seen before, although it has kept the limelight trained on Morrissey, sadly, it has also been to his personal and artistic detriment. That is a brilliantly perceptive post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin M Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 One reason is that he has been living off his reputation for far too long. Essentially he's been phoning it in since about the mid 90's. 'Vauxhall and I' was his last great album and the last few were dreadful generic indie rock pap bordering on the embarrassing as performed by a stiff old man. No real issue with the rest of the post - I thought though that at least parts of Ringleader of the Tormentors and You Are The Quarry were excellent, and up there with the peak of his solo career. Musically they were fairly generic but then why wouldn't they be? He had already settled into that style fairly quickly after leaving The Smiths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotThePars Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Two folk I know have pledged to become vegetarians after seeing Morrissey at Dunfermline on Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longjohn Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 Two folk I know have pledged to become vegetarians after seeing Morrissey at Dunfermline on Monday. But will it last? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Parr Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Two folk I know have pledged to become vegetarians after seeing Morrissey at Dunfermline on Monday. More good food for the rest of us then i spose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirdrieGuy Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Morrissey at Glastonbury on BBC 4 at 9pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Amazon are selling 'The Best Of Morrisey' for a quid this week, here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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