News Archive : Nov. 11-20, 1997
-My Early Burglary Years forthcoming
-A prankster at MTV
-Unreleased Morrissey songs - titles

Nov 20 97 - Thursday

Title correction - "My Early Burglary Years"

Thanks to Jason Endicott for the correction:

...the correct title of the Reprise release is "My Early Burglary Years", for a probable April release, and will include unreleased tracks as well as tracks never released in US.

According to Aaron, the Reprise site is showing a tentative release date of April 14.

Spotted in the press

From Walter P. Brown:

...in the latest edition of Guitar Magazine, they are listing the best and worst of 1997. Under a catagory not appropriate at all, titled "Disappointments" is a blurb about Moz. It says:

"Morissey (they misspelled his name) can survive without meat and sex, but can't put out a decent album without Johnny Marr."

From John Paul Armstrong:

Salon magazine (the cool online writing magazine), made a mention of The Smiths in a review of albums by Lisa Loeb and Julianna Hatfield:

(In the review of Lisa Loeb's Firecracker, by Michelle Goldberg):

"... Her melodies are catchy and her lyrics are suitably sad, but the whole thing is hollow. She doesn't help herself by stealing the beginnings of better songs. The first few bars of "Split Second" are identical to the beginning of the Smiths' "Panic." It prompted a spark of happy recognition before the irritating song kicked. I wanted to switch it off and pop in "Louder Than Bombs" instead."

Nov 19 97 - Wednesday

Nearing The End Of The Tour

As we near the end of 1997 it is also possible that the tour will end here also, with the last show being Chester on Dec. 11. Word on the street is that Dublin (rumored for Dec. 13) will not happen, and word also is that the tour will not carry on in February as it was rumored. So... this could be it.

Atlanta - info

Reports on the Atlanta show are now up. Thanks to John M., Todd Caras, Matt Brooks, Elaine, Mark Consolla, Adam , Scott Scribner, Austin Bell, A. Reimann and Stephen Ingram for their help.

Unreleased song titles - corrections

Regarding those unreleased song titles, Antoine and Stephane Daigle pointed out that the title should be "The Bed Took Fire", it's listed on the BMI database. Also "Oh Phoney", which was reported a while back as a track on the Suedehead: Best Of limited edition which was cancelled.

Nov 18 97 - Tuesday

Unreleased Morrissey - '90 - '93

Thanks to G for the following:

I have in my possession some song titles (complete with co-writers) written between 1990 and 1993 by our friend Mr Morrissey which have never and may possibly never see the light of day. But then again they could turn up on "My Rare Burglary Years" ... You never know do you?

They are as follows:-

Now, I don't think this posting is a prank as I have heard a couple of the titles mentioned before. Some of the words in the titles don't seem completely accurate (at least compared to what I've heard), but we'll wait and see.

* 11/19 - corrected by Stephane Daigle and Antoine, the titles should be "The Bed Took Fire" and "Oh Phoney".

* 11/23 - addition by Jimmy McDonald, there is also a song called "Kill Uncle" written by Morrissey / Nevin.

A prankster at MTV, apparently

Regarding the posting yesterday, this makes more sense.
From Wendy Kruse:

The appearance of Morrissey's "The Last of..." as the #2 Best Hair Band Video seemed to be a last-minute joke. When the video ended, the V.J. spoke as if he had just played a Bon Jovi video, and even said that the #2 video was by Bon Jovi. It looked like the commentary had been pre-recorded, and someone decided to change the video at the last minute and make it look like a tape mix-up. I love Moz, but must admit I thought it was a very amusing little prank!

From Robert Gavula:

Considering that #2 slot on MTV's Top 10 Hair Band videos... I got the impression that someone at MTV may have slipped the ol' Mozzer's video in there as a prank... Last night, after the video aired, the (prerecorded?) comments from the VJ referred to Jon Bon Jovi's teased up, highlighted hair, as if it was a Bon Jovi video that had just placed at #2...

Now I love "Last of the..." as much as anyone, and Moz & Co. are sporting coiffures to kill for, but truth be told, Bon Jovi seems a much more likely selection for #2...

Nov 17 97 - Monday

Tour reports - Florida

Reports on all the Florida shows are now up. There is some really good writing / info in these tour reports... you guys are reading all of it, aren't you? Thanks to everyone who took the time to contribute.

• Key West (11/10) - info from Adam and Lord Cras.
  
  
• Miami (11/11) - info from Adam, Lord Cras and Ted O'Brien.
  
  
• St. Petersburg (11/12) - pictures from Elizabeth Stein. Stories from Brent Kolitz and T. K. Ely. Info from Adam, Michael Friar and Matthew Jackson.
  
  
• Kissimmee (11/14) - info from Adam, Thomas Anatasia and Joe Adragna.
  
  
• * a note from CWK1979 on the stolen mic was added to Gainesville.

"Brit Girls" documentary - Nov. 22 (UK)

This is the show originally reported back on Sept. 1 by Naomi. Thanks to Dev (Charlton, SE7) for the news of the rescheduling of the postponed show, which will air Sat 22nd Nov. on Ch 4 in the UK.

Another person wearing a Smiths t-shirt spotted

Thanks to Noel O'Connor for the news:

I saw a video last week on Ireland's No Disco television program (non mainstream music) by a band called Belle and Sebastian called "Century of Fakers". Towards the end of the video there's a shot of a   couple kissing. The male is very obviously wearing a Smiths t-shirt.

It's a good song too :-)

MTV, MTV, MTV, oh...

Thanks to everyone who let me know about Morrissey's chart placing in MTV's "Top 10 Best Hair Bands". MTV has been running various "Top 10" categories all week.

From Matt Zeringue:

"The Last Of The Famous International Playboys" was ranked #2 on MTV's all time top 10 hair bands... what a load of crap! Morrissey... HAIR BAND!?!?!?! Geeezz. I knew MTV sucked, but this takes the cake. Sure, he has a signature hairstyle, a cool one at that, but in no way does it warrant a HAIR BAND label.

From Garrison Poppe:

Just played under the category of MTV's All Time Best Hair Band Videos... Morrissey at number 2 ("The Last Of The Famous International Playboys"). He lost out to Def Leppard at #1, but managed to beat such inspirational bands as Guns n' Roses and Warrant. It kind of makes you wonder what scale MTV uses to judge fashion. Well, as Morrissey improvised in St. Louis during Paint a Vulgar Picture..."MTV MTV MTV piss them..." (rather than BPI, MTV, BBC please them...)

Nov 15 97 - Saturday

"Trendspotting" Entertainment Weekly

Thanks to aMelita for the e-mail and sidenotes:

Titled "Trendspotting" by Degen Pener and Anna Holmes, this EW November 21st article features some looks that designers have co-opted (stolen, that is) from popular films and cult figures. The following is the actual text concerning Moz with some of my personal, albeit interruptive remarks.

"MOPE ROCK: Designer Wynn Smith reworked forgotten (excuse me madam, Morrissey has never been away or forgotten) artifacts from tours by Morrissey and the Smiths into chic (as if they weren't already) side-slit shirts. Who'd have thought the morose (can they not think of a more appropriate adjective besides this inaccurate standby?) Morrissey would find a home in New York's manic fashion scene? ' I think it's kind of romantic,' says Smith, ' which is very much what's going on in fashion right now.' "

The article shows one of Wynn Smith's "chic side-slit shirts" -- it's just the Oujia Board photo shirt worn underneath a sheer black shirt! I'm not sure if I should be apathetic, amused, or horrified!

More Battersea details

Thanks to Matt for the info:

I just heard more details about the 12/10 show at Battersea Power Station. It's billed as an 18 day extravaganza, "Entertainment On The Bank'" (i.e. the bank of the River Thames) and is sponsored by Midland Bank. (Nice pun on the word "bank" there.) It runs from December 4 - 21; according to the press release (sent by a friend of mine in England), "artists from the worlds of rock, popular and classical music, comedy and dance will perform to an estimated 170,000 in front of Battersea Power Station, an 'entertainments village' in the world's largest instant building." (Of course, the Power Station is the building on the back cover of "Bona Drag.")

Nov 13 97 - Thursday

"Satan Rejected My Soul" - after Xmas

Thanks to Jeremy at Top Sounds for this info:

"Satan Rejected My Soul" is to be released as a single in the week after Christmas in the UK. This is often a quiet week for releases so if all the Moz fans get out there on the week of release we could have a good chart entry. Also, more UK dates are scheduled for the new year in February.

Nov 12 97 - Wednesday

"My Rare Burglary Years"

Thanks to Mike Ruthig for the news:

According to the ABC Radio Networks Media Fax:

Reprise Records is planning to release an album of rare Morrissey material, entitled "My Rare Burglary Years" next April.

* 11/20 - Correction by Jason Endicott, the title is "My Early Burglary Years"

Nov 11 97 - Tuesday

"People" section updated

I think Robert Smith has earned it - I have created a page for him in the people section. Thanks to Claudia for the suggestion and sending some quotes (she actually sent them 5 months ago). I know there are a lot more quotes out there as this whole thing goes back quite a while. Any additions are welcome. I apologize for not adding to that section in the past, I just have not had the time.

Spencer on ... string arrangements and sequencing?

From Stefan Sahlander:

I found this on the AMG website
http://205.186.189.2/cg/AMG.exe?sql=1A_IDR|||314532

Artist - Shift
Album Title - Get In
Date of Release - Sep 23, 1997

PERSONNEL
Spencer Cobrin- string arrangements, sequencing
Clive Langer- Producer
Alan Winstanley- Producer

I listened to the album at CD-Now and it was kind of a Grunge thing.

What, no "Sunny"?

From Aaron:

I talked to a representative of Reprise and they said that there was no "Sunny" single but "Sunny" would be on the rarities CD in the Spring and confirmed that Morrissey is scheduled to lend a track to the Friends 2 soundtrack.