I was at the show in Knoxville on Tuesday. The next morning I went back to the venue box office to see if I could buy the posters they had taped to their windows. I never expected it, but neither had anybody who had asked for them. So for a modest contribution to the theatre (which I offered, they didn't even ask for that), I left with (2) very nice posters from the show.

One of the posters (the better of the two) had a web site address for the designer. When I went to it, I was shocked to see that Moz himself had seen it and had highly complemented the artist on it. For those interested, copies are available for a modest cost. Here is the web site for those who are interested.

Morrissey with Kristeen Young poster - strawberryluna

Small piece on yesterday's North West Tonight mentioning how the Smiths dvd has shot straight to number one. There was some footage of The Smiths and a very short interview with Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke. When asked if The Smiths were likely to reform, Mike Joyce replied that if Morrissey and Marr were to ask them, then the answer would definitely be yes!!

Tonight (Last Thurs.) on Conan O'Brien, Mark Ronson performed the Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before / You Keep Me Hanging On medley. Personally, I never enjoy covers unless the artist brings something new to the song (AND does it justice). I give kudos to Mark Ronson.

I went to see Russell Brand live in Blackpool last week, and pre-show the gathered assembly were treated to what I presume are a few of Russell's fave Moz tunes. From what I can remember, the 'setlist' before he came on-stage was...

Everyday Is Like Sunday.
Suedehead.
First Of The Gang To Die.
You Have Killed Me.
You're The One For Me Fatty.
Ouija Board Ouija Board.
Irish Blood, English Heart.
Interesting Drug.
Piccadilly Palare.

From what I could see, only the missus and me were singing along and getting into it - but fair play to Russell for his constant attempts to plug Moz at any opportunity (he always plays something on his Saturday night Radio 2 show). Interestingly, no Smiths songs in the live setlist though.....but I was kind of hoping he would walk onto the stage to a thunderous 'Last Of The Famous International Playboys', given his reputation - but it never happened...

Credit Ms. Sevigny with getting our Moz back into the pages of EW. Her "must list" (on page 26 of the July. 20 issue following a profile of the actress) includes a live photo of Morrissey and her comment: "Always a must. He's on a greatest-hits tour. I've seen him so many times."

An interesting article came out on The Boston Globe, July 13-19 edition, 2007. Its title is called "Post-Punk Pantheon", and, citing the list of the 10 albums that helped inaugurate what is now known as "Indie Rock", it curiously had "Meat Is Murder" (Sire 1985) included. Here is what they write, in a quite odd and loony-shakespearean way, about The Smiths and why MIM was chosen, according to them, as a landmark album:

"Abuse! Abuse of sons and daughters, abuse of schoolchildren, abuse of women, abuse of animals, and above all, abuse of Steven Patrick Morrissey - this was the theme of the second album from The Smiths. Education is rot and sadism in 'The Headmaster Ritual', as dastardly pedagogues with cracking-knee joints attack the bodies and minds of their young charges. 'A crack on the head is what you get for asking' in 'Barbarism Begins at Home'. And as for the flesh we so fancifully fry...Moz himself, a rained on Jean-Genet, keeps a covetous eye on the lowlife - fairground greasers, tattooed boys from Birkenhead, cop-killers. But he wants the one he can't have, and finally adjourns to the ice-cave of clinical depression for 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore'. Musically, 'Meat Is Murder' is upsy-downsy - very inventive on the one hand (the firestorm skiffle of 'What She Said'), morbidly dated on the other (the lead-footed '80s funk of 'Barbarism Begins At Home'). And the lyric-sheet has its flaws: 'Nowhere Fast' ('I'd like to drop my trousers to the Queen...')is Moz-by-numbers, and flouncing through the veggie anthem of the title track he succumbs- for perhaps the only time in his career-to piety. So it's neither a great Johnny Marr album, nor a great Morrissey album. But as a Smiths album, 'Meat Is Murder' is a life-changer: a fully-loaded syringe of wit and victimhood, aimed at the heart of the world.'

It was written by the Phoenix staff, and I presume they are less than 30 years of age, if age really matters in terms of how the latest generation sees and chooses albums from "the past" to influence them.

And here's the list of the 10 landmark albums so you can agree or disagree to agree with the folks:

1)Dinosaur Jr./Your're Living All Over Me (SST, 1987)
2)Hüsker Dü/Zen Arcade (SST, 1984)
3)Joy Division/Closer (Factory, 1980)
4)The Jesus And Mary Chain/Psychocandy (Warner Bros, 1985)
5)Minutemen/Double Nickels On The Dime (SST, 1984)
6)Pixies/Surfer Rosa (4AD, 1988)
7)R.E.M./Murmur (IRS, 1983)
8)Replacements/Let It Be (Twin/Tone, 1984)
9)The Smiths/Meat Is Murder (Sire, 1985)

They forgot to include the 10th! Oh, well...

The article cited in this post was actually printed in the Phoenix, not the Boston Globe, which to my knowledge doesn't carry a weekly edition (The author notes conflicting accounts of that the article "came out on The Boston Globe, July 13-19 edition, 2007" and later mentions the article was "written by the Phoenix staff").

The article can be accessed online here.

Lastly, the 10th landmark album was included as Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation (Enigma, 1988).

It's back! Brighton's twice-yearly Morrissey and Smiths night, November Spawned a Mozzer, returns with a change of venue.

Here's the details:

November Spawned a Mozzer presents...
'Barbarism Begins at Hove'
Friday 27 July 2007
8pm-2am
at The Greenhouse Effect, 63 Church Street, Hove, BN3 2BD, UK
FREE ENTRY

It's going to be bigger and better, with more room to swing those gladioli and get into the spirit of things. There'll be the usual cakes, competitions and much more, so get there early! All profits to PETA.

More details at:
http://www.myspace.com/novemberspawnedamozzer