Little interesting thing that I found, that connects two of my favorite bands together...

In Marcus Gray’s Clash bio, "Last Gang in Town", there is a brief Moz mention.

Around 1975, Mick Jones and future Clash Manager Bernie Rhodes had a band called the London SS which ran several ads in the Melody Maker looking for musicans into the Stooges, Mott, the MC5 and the New York punk scene. The London SS eventually included or auditioned several of the key players of what became the London punk scene (including future members of the Damned and Generation X);

As Moz fans may guess, knowing his pre-Smiths history, and Gray reports:

"...A rabid Dolls and Mott fan and would-be singer called Steven Morrissey contacted Mick and started a brief correspondence, but as he was based in Manchester, it was not possible for him to contribute in a more practical way."

The London SS eventually evolved into the Clash, and recruited a singer named Joe Strummer, but it would’ve been different, wouldn’t it?

Puressence

Thanks to Natalie for the following:

Just a little thing...

In an interview with Manchester band Puressence in this week’s NME, the journo, Stuart Bailie, describes the band as following in the paths of Manchester’s finest namely - Joy Division, Stone Roses and The Smiths. The band comment on Moz by saying that "Everyday is Like Sunday" was "uplifting". Nice to see it’s cool to namedrop The Smiths again...

Fanzine Contributors Required... please

From Alison:

Don’t leave it all unsaid...

Dear fellow Mozmaniacs and assorted weirdos,

I am interested in starting a brand new UK publication dedicated to Morrissey and all those who worship him. The fanzine (and, if I can work out how to goddam do it, website) is not going to be a news service (what a task - I’ll leave that to that nice man David at Morrissey-solo, thank you), but simply a good old-fashioned fanzine where you can air your views in public and, if you like, have great big arguments. Letters, articles, reviews, trivia, stories (I bet some of you have great ones to tell), pictures, poems, whatever you like. Please e-mail me with anything you think could be suitable. Those of you who are on AOL, feel free to IM me if you see me online. If any of you know any other Morrissey fans online that I haven’t tracked down, I’ll be your friend forever if you could forward this message to them.

I am intending to concentrate on Morrissey’s current work, and to dedicate lots of pages to his (highly underrated) backing band, but we can of course celebrate his Smiths and early solo work (well, why not, isn’t that what everyone else does?).

For the first issue I’d like to feature articles on last year’s wonderful show at Battersea Power Station and also, sadly, the court case. Any thoughts?

Well, I had better go. My taxi is here, my dears.

Kiss my shades

Alison ([email protected])

* I know there doesn't seem to be a whole lot going on right now, but I've been hearing things that are supposed to happen within a week or two. Will post here with anything definite. By the way, I'm really not a nice person, as some people say...

Not sure if this is from too long ago, but following is a story that a pal of mine found on the Matador Records bulletin board:

"I also saw Pavement in May of ‘97. This small, sweaty, feisty girl ran up in front of me and began dancing like she was on speed right on top of me during "Cut Your Hair." My friend made fun of her, gasping, "Ah! I heard this on MTV!!" She then proceeded to invite her friend to come and dance on top of me as well. Her friend, I swear to God, weighed 400 lbs. Becoming highly claustrophobic, I tried to edge my way around them and back up to my friends. However, small feisty girl had other plans. She began punching me repeatedly in the stomach. Fortunately, it didn’t hurt much.

In any case, I was mentally preparing (with the help of my friends) to kick her ass after the show. Granted, I’ve never been in a fight before, period, but felt I needed to put this girl in her place. Malkmus said, "OK, this is our last song," and I don’t really remember what they launched into, but it may well have been Shady Lane. The band left the stage, and I began scoping the crowd for small feisty girl.

Suddenly, the band appeared back on the stage. Malkmus grabbed the microphone and, with a little instrumental help, began singing "How Soon Is Now?" by the Smiths. His voice was so obviously imitating Morrissey’s, we began to wonder if he practiced the song all the time. As suddenly as he started, he stopped and exclaimed, "That is the stupidist f**king song." They launched into "The Killing Moon," and my eyes became all watery, and by the end of the song, I had forgotten about beating anyone up.

True story.

The End."

Inappropriate photo in the Guardian article

From Michael Legge:

Was it just me who noticed the big error in the Guardian article last week? The full colour photo of Edwyn Collins was nice but strangely inappropriate. Perhaps one of Morrissey to go along with the piece might have been better?

Why Bis etched "F**k Dave Simpson"

Thanks to Dave Simpson himself for the answer to the question brought up in the last update: the review of Bis that appeared in Melody Maker, 1996.

Last night I tuned in to WMBR MIT college radio 88.1 to hear Boston’s The Trouble play yet again. After a set riddled with tech difficulties they did an interview with the DJ of Boston Pipeline, an all local radio show. The DJ said that they insisted that "this song" be played in the background during the interview, much to his dismay, as it was supposed to be local music only. Morrissey’s "Speedway" was played as the questions were asked and answered. The entire band became rather defensive and a bit upset, when the DJ threatened to turn off the song because the band wasnt quite paying attention to the interview, and instead SINGING ALONG. It became even more hilarious when the DJ asked them a 15 or so minute long question about how their music reflected 80’s punk, and ended with "So tell me is this all something you have in common?" Mike, the drummer, completely oblivious, responded with: "What, Morrissey? I’d say it’s the only thing our band has in common". With this the DJ hit stop on the CD and the band went into an uproar of "Morrissey, Morrissey, Morrissey" and "awwwwwwwwwwwww!! Cmons!" Rather funny... cheered me up. I guess their CD is coming out in September on GMM records, they said they just finished recording it...

Morrissey mentioned in sociolinguistics paper

Thanks to Elbowless for the following:

Morrissey is mentioned in the paper "The Color of His Eyes: Polari and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence" by Ian Lucas, published in Queerly Phrased: Language, Gender and Sexuality, a compendium of papers in sociolinguistics published by Oxford University Press, 1997:

"Polari now occupies an almost mythical place in modern British gay culture ... Polari can be marketed by androgynous and noncommittal pop idols such as Morrissey in titling an album Bona Drag, but his lyrics also ultimately alienate the language and culture: "The Piccadilly palare / was just silly slang / between me and the boys in my gang ("Piccadilly Palare" by Morrissey, from the album Bona Drag)."

The paper also gives a large Polari glossary, and describes the "canonisation" of Derek Jarman (the late director of the film "The Queen Is Dead" for the Smiths) by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an international group of gay male nuns. Note that Polari and Palare are both valid spellings.

Moz party in Belgium - Sep. 26

From Hans Blijweert:

26 September 1998
Smiths/Morrissey Party

Address: Limelight
Kronenburgstraat
2000 Antwerp
BELGIUM

With giant video screen and maybe a live act

Contact for information:

MELIS PETER
Wijngaardstraat 5
2390 WESTMALLE
BELGIUM

Phone: 03/3120146

Still on Mercury

From John Routh:

In talking with a public relations worker, today, at Mercury/Polygram records, Morrissey is still on the label. When I asked if they could divulge any other information relating to the "Uncut" article, they said they could not. I also asked if Mozzer would be recording anymore albums for them, he said he did not know.

Uncut cover - scan Thanks to Fabio D'Antonio for the scan of the August Uncut cover.

Bis on Dave Simpson

From Roberta:

...while in Glasgow I picked up a used copy of a split 7" single between Lugworm and Bis (yes, I am a sad Bis fan..) "Refereed By Pink Cross". Generally one of the first things I do after buying vinyl is to look to see if it has any etchings..well on the lugworm side it says "Wow, go easy on the sugar, lady" and on the Bis side it says... 'F**k Dave Simpson'!... don't know the story behind it but I thought it was rather interesting.

The court case has been postponed, no surprise to anybody familiar with the vagaries of the British legal system... it’s now set for October, same time as an appeal by Myra Hindley. Now there’s an irony.

Boz homepage

Thanks to Darren McCloskey for the following:

...received a message from a UK music list that had a link to Boz’s homepage. It shows a picture of Morrissey standing next to a woman in wedding dress with the caption "don’t ask!" Thought it was mighty interesting.

Statuesque - another Morrissey/Smiths influenced band

... or so it seems. Thanks to Jason G. for this review of the album Arbiters Anonymous, by the band Statuesque. From the L.A. Times sometime last week.

Ray's Organ (is Andrew Paresi?)

From Mark Deveney:

I'll keep this brief, as It may not mean much to US Moz fans, but for us here in the UK, this was unreal!

I was listening to Simon Mayo, UK DJ & TV guy, on his Radio 1 10am show, RADIO 1 - UK largest station.

He was playing "Everyday Is Like Sunday", then at the end of the record said "what a briiliant record" and turned to a guy in the studio and said "and here's Andrew the man who played the drums on that record!" at which "Andrew" said "yes that's right. It was me."

Now that doesn't sound too dramatic, BUT he spoke in the voice of a character from the Morning Show called RAYMOND SINCLAIR who has a funny comedy spot called and you will love this... RAY'S ORGAN!!

So Andrew Paresi (?) is RAY'S ORGAN (English Punullar humour!!!)

Again, this may not sound at lot in the States, but if you have heard the Ray's Organ slot (Not another pun!!) you will be ABSOLUTELY blown over.

Q - August 1998

Thanks to Fabio D'Antonio for a scan of Morrissey's previously mentioned #68 placing in the "100 Richest Stars In Rock'n'roll".

William Reid / Cramps

From Fabricio Muller:

Two quotations from the latest edition of Showbizz (Brazil):

1) William Reid (Jesus and Mary Chain) words: "I have always hated The Smiths. Indie masturbation."

2) About the next visit of the Cramps in Brazil, one of the "ten reasons to like" them is that Morrissey participated at the 1st Cramps' fan club in U.K.

Wasn't it the New York Dolls?

"Everybody's Staring", Issue Two...

...out now.  From Jessica McMillan:

Ah-hah! Someone said It wouldn’t happen! Issue two of EVERYBODYS STARING, will be printed this weekend. Featuring all sorts of interesting bits. The Kray Twins, Elizabeth Smart, stories, poetry, editiorials, etc. Its a bit of an upstart from the first issue, if you’ve seen that one at all, its a bit quicker, a bit louder and a bit more wonderful, of course.

So everyone write in and order issue TWO of EVERYBODYS STARING now!

send two dollars or three pounds or equivalent to:

EVERYBODYS STARING
c/o J. McMillan
1100 Queen Anne Ave N. #408
Seattle, WA 98109
USA

cheques and money orders made out to: J.McMillan please if you send cash hide it well, and never trust the post office!

Today (Friday) The Guardian, a UK newspaper, has an item on Morrissey...

Fortunately for those who cannot rush out to buy a copy of The Guardian, the article is on the web.

From Robbie Le Blanc [Guardian Newspapers Ltd.]:

There is a two page article on Morrissey in the Review section of the Guardian today. The only breaking news was that he is due back in court on Wednesday to appeal the Mike Joyce 1.25 million decision from last year.

From Fritz:

From a feature in today’s Guardian:

"He lives with his mum, he’s been dumped by his label and he’s going to court. Finally, Morrissey really has something to be fed up about."

that about sums the article up, really.

More Dave Simpson

Morrissey may not be the only one headed for the courts... I have been informed that I have violated his copyright and may be chased with a lawsuit, or possibly a wet plimsoll, unless I recommend people buy the magazine (with unpublished photos). I've always thought that my recommendation for buying the original source was a given.

Check out the e-mails I received from Dave in the e-mailbag.