News Archive : Dec. 10-17, 1997
-Scandinavia, Germany, and UK tour wrap-ups
-Interview in January POP magazine (Sweden)


Dec 17 97 - Wednesday

"Brit Girls" - Sandie Shaw and Lulu

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scan by Stephen.B. For more scans (10 total), click here.

Thanks to Stephen.B for the scans and this summary on the "Brit Girls" show on Sandie Shaw which aired Saturday on Channel 4 (UK):

Guess what some more shots of Moz in his car. However this show was more pertinent for obvious reasons. In part two, full credit was given to the role Moz/Smiths played in the re-emergence of her career in the '80s with the 'Hand in Glove' collaboration. There were some classic clips of a joint interview that I've never seen before. Along with the legendary Top of the Pops appearance. I do remember seeing this one, my mum commented at the time about how strange for lovely Sandie to be messing around with 'one of those weird bands you like' !

Thanks also to Naomi for a very detailed report on both the Sandie Shaw and Lulu shows. Naomi also adds:

Cilla Black is suing Channel 4, after allegedly being assured that the programme on her was a one-off, and not part of a series. In an interview in Friday's Daily Telegraph, Sandie Shaw is also unhappy:

"... because Channel 4 bosses decided to cut the initial running time of her 'Brit Girl' documentary in half. She believes that the abbreviated programme is 'shallow, superficial, exploitative' and 'does not depict the drama, the wider view and the tears' behind her career".


Dec 16 97 - Tuesday

More on the POP interview

popcover-sm.jpg (16813 bytes)
scan by Newton Heath


Thanks to Newton Heath for a scan of the cover. Newton also adds that any questions regarding obtaining the magazine can be directed to their e-mail address: [email protected]
Thanks also to Eric Olsson, who has provided a few more excerpts:

"The article is very witty and somewhat personal. Morrissey talks about music, Princess Diana, Suede and Tom Hanks(!). Morrissey admits to have liked reggae during his adolescent years. (Anyone recall the 'Reggae is vile' comment?).

"Morrissey mentions Tom Hanks as the only celeb who has ever come backstage to thank him: 'It was shocking. How could Tom Hanks possibly have heard of me, he's so normal. It made me happy.'

"When asked about Princess Di, Morrissey replies: 'She was just such an incredibly boring woman... Diana spent £25.000 a year on make-up. Did Mother Teresa spend £25.000 a year on make-up? If she did she should have demanded her money back...'

"Furthermore Morrissey considers the biggest joke to be Elton John's 'Candle in The Wind'.

"Also when discussing literature, Morrissey claims that the autobiography of Boy George is the best thing he has read for years: 'Boy George is a fantastic story-teller.' "

Speaking of translations - is there anyone in France willing to translate the L'Indic interview from last month?


Postcards from Battersea

Many thanks to Gladioli for the postcards and the story. I received them yesterday. Thanks also to Bradley Gene Smith for his story which has been added to the Battersea summary page.


Dec 15 97 - Monday

Battersea - info

Summaries/reviews on the Battersea show are available thanks to Naomi, Jo Solders, Mozmonger, Michael, Stephen.B., LLivermore and Phil Gilbert.


Interview in the January issue of POP (Sweden)

Thanks to Tommy Gunnarsson, Henrik Edberg and also Christian Arvidson for word over the weekend of another interview appearing in Sweden.

According to Tommy, "January's issue of the biggest Swedish pop magazine, POP, came to me today and there was a ten page (or something like that) article and interview with the man himself... there are some nice pictures taken by the journalist (Andres Lokko).

An excerpt translated by Christian:

"Suede tried to take my audience and they actually succeeded... but it's alright. They can have all those girls named Lisa that live in Essex and spell my name with one 's'."


Smiths in Mojo's top 100 singles

Haven't they done enough of these? Thanks to Angela for the info:

In the December issue of Mojo Magazine they have the 100 best singles of all time.

# 77 was "How Soon is Now". There is also a small paragraph about how Johnny Marr wanted to create an "intro that everyone would remember".

#12 was "This Charming Man" There is another small paragraph which accompanies that entry.


Dec 12 97 - Friday

End of the Tour

Summaries of the last two shows should be available by Monday.


Those "blissfully ignorant" Spice Girls

Thanks to Allen Young for the following:

In the latest Q (UK) Magazine, the five members of the Spice Girls are interviewed and asked about musical influences. The Girls are asked about Hawkwind, the Grateful Dead, Hendrix, the Stone Roses, etc.. and show their general ignorance of "good" music. Basically knowingly making fun of them for that, while they remain blissfully ignorant.

"Posh" Spice is asked "Were you gutted when the Smiths split up?" to which she replies, "I haven't heard of them either. Were they cool? Because I'm just not very cool."

I found it funny. I suppose I would've "Panicked" had I found out the Spice Girls were Smiths fans.


Morrissey Is Important

Thanks to Jose Gomez for the following:

In the online issue of Select, in the Your Top 100 Results! Morrissey is voted by the people as one of the most important (#12).

http://www.erack.com/select/

Two comments were included:

"
He is the godfather of today's Britpop. Without him there wouldn't be any Oasis or Verve. Maybe he isn't such a big legend because he's still alive and doing well. Oasis and Prodigy are only stars of today but Moz will stay much longer." - Jan Cardo, Finland

"Affected me in oh so many ways" - Kevin, USA


Dec 11 97 - Thursday

Hamburg - info

Stories and information on the Hamburg, Germany concert are now available. Thanks again to everyone for their remarkable contributions. For this concert: Jana Bergk, Dominic Saxl, Rain, Alexander Wendt and Joachim Sell.


Dec 10 97 - Wednesday

Scandinavia - info

Many thanks to those who offered their generous help in compiling these reports. I am amazed and impressed.

* Copenhagen - info from Thomas Bjerre, Christian Arvidson, John Fogde, Lars Burmeister, Daniel El Fassi and Michael Lauesgaard Nissen.

* Gothenburg - info from Christian Arvidson and Tommy Gunnarsson.

* Oslo - info from Christian Arvidson, Bernt Erik Pederson and Gunnar O. Haereid.

* Stockholm - info from Christian Arvidson, Joakim Reynols and Niklas Lundin.

* Helsinki - info from Jyri Rinnemaa


Potatomen cover "There Is A Light..."

Thanks to Justin Gressley for the info:

There is a band from the west coast called The Potatomen on Lookout! Records (previously home to such artists as Green Day, Samiam and Operation Ivy) and they have a similar sound to the Smoking Popes (recent support act for Morrissey) and have a new CD out called Iceland. It is a fairly good CD and they do a cover of "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (track 9). It is not as good as the original but a really good representation anyhow.


Thom Yorke wishes on "There Is A Light..."

Thanks to Julie Niven for this:

In the January 1998 issue of Spin, there's a little feature called Survey Says in which Thom Yorke quotes his "lyric you wish you'd written" as being: "And if a double-decker bus / Crashes into us / To die by your side / Is such a heavenly way to die / And if a ten-ton truck / Kills the both of us / To die by your side / Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine".

No mention of Maladjusted, though, despite the magazine claiming to feature "The Year In Music".


Well, he is mentioned in Rolling Stone...

Thanks to Dolll for the info:

The new issue of Rolling Stone (with the "Scream" chicks on the cover)... has like, a monthly yearbook, and there's a cute live pic of Moz with a tambourine that says "Eric" I believe. The little article simply mentions old artists releasing new albums and/or touring. It's a pretty nice picture.


"The Cockleshell Heroes" on the History Channel

Thanks to Andrew Shiue for the info:

Being that some Morrissey fans like following up on some of Moz's sources (books and films), it may interest those to know that "The Cockleshell Heroes" (the film from which "On this glorious occasion..." is sampled), will be on the History Channel Dec 13 @ 10 PM and 14th @ 2 AM and 6 AM.


Maintained by David Tseng. Please e-mail me with news/updates (no matter how insignificant it may seem) from the internet, music magazines, or any other source. To keep this page updated I'll need help from all you trainspotting Moz followers!

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