Johan de Witt writes:

Earls Court only reached a disappointing number 18 in the UK album charts today. To compare: Beethoven was Deaf reached number 13 in 1993.

Redondo Beach is down from 11-27 in the singles charts.

Requiescant Inpacce writes:

Morrissey is one of several artists who will appear on a programme called 'Pop And Politics' this Monday night on BBC2. He appears in the first of two programmes that night, which is a look at the political views of his friend Chrissie Hynde.

The programme starts at 23:20, and is on in all regions.

Requiescant Inpacce writes:

Morrissey is featured at length in this month's Mojo magazine (with Bolan on the cover).
He contributes, via interview, in the huge piece on Bolan, under the headline 'The Superfan'. He talks at length about being hooked from the moment he heard 'Ride A White Swan', and how seing T-Rex at the Belle Vue on June the 16th 1972 was his first concert experience. He finishes by asking rhetorically, "What kind of kids liked T-Rex? School-hating anarchists!".

The magazine also has a small piece on the 'Is It Really So Strange' film, under the headline Sweet And Tender Hooligans. In the same article it mentions Manchester Metroploitan University's 'Why Pamper Life's Complexities' syposium, information about which can be found at www.mipc.mmu.ac.uk.

There is also the review of the Earl's Court CD which someone else has mentioned here, and then there is a full page photo of Morrissey on page 144, upon which is various live music events being held this year, including of course, the Isle Of Wight Festival.

freschwill writes:

In the newest Rolling Stone, Brandon Flowers is asked what band he would most like to see reunited.

He answers, "I don't obsess about it, but I'd like to see the Smiths. Morrissey and Marr wouldn't do it for me -- I need the whole package. But that seems unlikely because of the lawsuits. They're due to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame soon. They're all still alive, so I wonder what'll happen."

The full article can be found here.

Belligerent Ghoul writes:

Here is another article on this subject:

Morrissey under the microscope by Paul Taylor, Manchester Online
---
Ken Barlow also writes:

The Sunday Times is not impressed by the Irish academics who have made the upcoming academic symposium on the Smiths in Manchester possible. Full text is as follows:

"The flag-wavers strike again

Irish academics are responsible for the preposterous symposium on the music of the Smiths taking place this weekend at Manchester Metropolitan University. The three-day seminar was the brainchild of Sean Campbell and Justin O’Connor, second-generation Irish professors of cultural studies in British universities.

The Smiths were formed in early 1980s Manchester by Stephen Patrick Morrissey, whose parents hail from Crumlin, in Dublin, and Johnny Marr (formerly Maher) who has Kildare connections. Clearly besotted with the subject, Campbell is writing a treatise about the influence of second-generation Irish artists on English music, with reference to the Smiths, John Lydon, Elvis Costello, Shane MacGowan etc.

However, a more useful academic study should be undertaken into why so many Irish scholars are so eager to attribute bogus nationalistic depth to stylish cultural surfaces. In the wise words of a Smiths classic, what difference does it make?"

As an Irish Smiths and Morrissey fan I'm probably biased but it sounds more fascinating to me than studying marketing or the like.
The hard copy has a charming shot of Mozzer tugging at his blazer although the online edition is photoless.
URL for online edition (subscription required)
---
sadie79 also writes:

An article on The Smiths Symposium in Manchester this weekend was featured in the Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen today (Friday 8th). Basically the article is about a Norwegian music Student (Siv Tonje Håkensen) who is going to Manchester this weekend to give two Smiths related lectures based on her one-term course (" 'I never realized you wrote such bloody awful poetry': The performance of words and music in 'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side'"). (Unfortunately the pictures for the article are wrong...)

Smiths' venner på universitetet

The article also includes a word from Dr Sean Campbell from APU Cambridge, who leads the conference. He says "the interest for this symposium has been overwhelming. It's very unusual for a band to be subject for such a conference, but we think The Smiths truly deserve it. The interest for this symposium also shows this".

– Overveldende interesse

Kenan writes:

Here is a review from the BBC website and a couple of clips:

Who Put the "M" In Manchester? (DVD) review - by Chris Long, BBC.co.uk
---
Didier Stein also writes:

Check this very nice review by the editor (This Charming Man) of the belgian first rock source:
Morrissey : "Who put the M in Manchester?" par Jérôme Delvaux, Pop-Rock.com
---
An anonymous person also writes:

There's a short write up on the DVD and the screenings at adult indie site BurningAngel.com.

MORRISSEY Who Put the ‘M’ in Manchester? DVD (Sanctuary) - special screening, Loews Times Square, NYC 3/28/05

Apparently the web site's owners are huge Morrissey fans.

someraincoatedlovers writes:

(the relevant portion of the page comes near the end of link [page 1] and continues onto page 2)

From: The River Front Times
Charming Men by Annie Zaleski

Excerpt:

Five years after their last studio album, the Boys are on a small club tour in an attempt to recapture the pre-fab magic of those days. Oddly enough, however, the return of the band brings to mind another high-profile comeback kid in recent months: the godfather of alt-rock misery, Morrissey. Sound implausible that the two are linked? Think again.
---

• Related item: Morrissey Influence article in Cleveland Scene newspaper - May 22, 2004

Astroman writes:

The fickle editors at Allmusic have changed their rating of Live at Earl's Court. It went from 5 stars to 4 1/2.
---

• Related item: Allmusic.com reviews Live at Earl's Court (5/5 stars); updated sleeve? - Mar. 28, 2005

brian writes:

Minneapolis's Walker Art Center is re-opening in mid-April following a long renovation, and as part of their "Exclusive Member's Opening Party" on the 16th, they'll be screening Derek Jarman's The Queen is Dead. As the name implies, you need to be a member to go ($30.) More info at here.