Fiona Dodwell: In Conversation With Morrissey - full interview (April 3, 2023)

Morrissey Talks to Fiona Dodwell for Gabfest, April 2023

Excerpt:

"After his recent concert at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, I met with Morrissey backstage, and we acknowledged the difficulties he has faced by not “playing the game” of appeasing the media, or aligning himself with whatever the fashionable movement of the day is. “But you’re not a pop puppet, and you never could be,” I said, and he readily agreed. The truth is, perhaps, that to be the direct and authentic artist he is was never actually a choice. Morrissey is simply himself, fully and wholly, and it is that which likely resonates with his audience, who cling to him in their droves and travel the world for a glimpse of their idol. Truth is not always easy to come by in this world, and when people see it and feel it, they are drawn to it. They want to feel it, up close and personal."

Gabfest Exclusive: In Conversation With Morrissey

Morrissey Talks to Fiona Dodwell for Gabfest, April 2023 Morrissey has always been an artist with something to say, yet very often his truth is shrouded by the fabrications of the media, who have l…

gabfest.co.uk

 

[Lionsy]

Before I read it, can someone rate it using the below, I've been burned too many times but accept Fiona is potentially capable of a good interview

1) A real interview!
2)Not bad, refreshing almost
3) A few sycophantic questions but mostly good
4) One or two good questions, but mostly awful
5)Why do my eyes hurt
6)Who knew the Iraqi Information Minister managed to create a star trek-esque mind transfer technology and start his new career as Morrissey's media manager from within Fi-fi's body

 

[They Say He's Mental]

Before I read it, can someone rate it using the below, I've been burned too many times but accept Fiona is potentially capable of a good interview

1) A real interview!
2)Not bad, refreshing almost
3) A few sycophantic questions but mostly good
4) One or two good questions, but mostly awful
5)Why do my eyes hurt
6)Who knew the Iraqi Information Minister managed to create a star trek-esque mind transfer technology and start his new career as Morrissey's media manager from within Fi-fi's body

4 or 5

It’s not an interview, it’s Morrissey’s talking points being addressed to him. The only way it gets a 4 is she did ask about self releasing the albums.

 

[Mozzypaws]

Most people seem to be focusing on him not self releasing which is understandable but I found this to be more interesting:

"...Now, the sudden rise in film directors wanting to document my life is fascinating..."

Might we see a Morrissey biopic soon? I just hope it will be better than England is Mine, which honestly isn't THAT hard. They ended that movie right before it got to the good stuff lol

What time period should a Morrissey biopic cover? I think most directors would focus on the Smiths but I'd like an early solo Morrissey as well, that would be interesting. Late 80s to mid 90s?

 

[Mozzypaws]

I wish she asked him why doesn't he look at Andrew Watt's record label Gold Tooth who just signed his friend Iggy Pop...

 

[That's Enough For Me]

Before I read it, can someone rate it using the below, I've been burned too many times but accept Fiona is potentially capable of a good interview

1) A real interview!
2)Not bad, refreshing almost
3) A few sycophantic questions but mostly good
4) One or two good questions, but mostly awful
5)Why do my eyes hurt
6)Who knew the Iraqi Information Minister managed to create a star trek-esque mind transfer technology and start his new career as Morrissey's media manager from within Fi-fi's body

It's borderline unreadable. I got to the end with the aid of a break. Here's the summary:

Headline: Morrissey tears down years of stereotyping about his image by whinging about how things don't go his way, interviewer agrees

Excerpt:

F: You're so wonderful and everyone else is so awful, would you agree?

M: Yes, I would.

It's a propaganda piece.

 

[BookishBoy]

Most people seem to be focusing on him not self releasing which is understandable but I found this to be more interesting:

"...Now, the sudden rise in film directors wanting to document my life is fascinating..."

Might we see a Morrissey biopic soon? I just hope it will be better than England is Mine, which honestly isn't THAT hard. They ended that movie right before it got to the good stuff lol

What time period should a Morrissey biopic cover? I think most directors would focus on the Smiths but I'd like an early solo Morrissey as well, that would be interesting. Late 80s to mid 90s?

Or maybe he meant it more in the sense of making a documentary about him? (Hard to tell, from what he said.)

Either way, you're right - interesting! (Unless he's stretching the truth again, which is entirely possible...)

 

[Anonymous]

Who is lobbying on behalf of Morrissey to get these records released? Does he have new management?

 

[🐈🐈🐈]

If a family member of M’s or a member of his team are reading this can you please tell him to stop fanny-faffing around with this pissy journalistic do-dah and get on Where There’s A Will There’s A Wake with Kathy Burke.

 

[T. H. Auden]

Why not rekindle the connection with Russell Brand? This was a fantastic conversation:

 

[BookishBoy]

Why not rekindle the connection with Russell Brand? This was a fantastic conversation:

"I took all the ingredients that didn't work, and I pulled them together, and suddenly this...thing emerged." Brilliant!

 

[theprivilegeismine]

Well that was in the case that it wouldn't be released until after he dies

But then he also wouldn't be here to know someone was piling up cash that really belonged to him, so that might be preferable (to him) to seeing or facilitating its leaking and accepting the hit on profits while still sentient...

Urgh who knows. It hurts the brain just to speculate what's going on in his head and what is likely to happen.

 

[Roman Holiday]

Why not rekindle the connection with Russell Brand? This was a fantastic conversation:

I agree, and the connection would probably still have dynamic potential. Brand has since gone full-on “chakras & crystals/conspiracy theorist,”and Morrissey has gone Sunset Boulevard.

M. Russell, you don’t really believe that.

R. Oi, I do! Come on! You’re the one who thinks a record company bought your album just to sabotage it!

M. And they did.

R. Let me tell you, Morrissey, “they” goes a lot higher up than music industry executives.

 

[theprivilegeismine]

I wish she asked him why doesn't he look at Andrew Watt's record label Gold Tooth who just signed his friend Iggy Pop...

Because his production skills are f***ing horrendous.

 

[goinghome]

I notice he references Carson McCullers. Many years back, reading one of her books (I think, The Member of the Wedding), I read a line that I thought was echoed in some lines of 'Papa Jack':

"Papa Jack
All alone
Sings slow
Grieving and low."

Assuming I'm right, I wonder how many such literary references still remain unspotted in his lyrics. (I know many have been spotted, of course.)

That definitely fits the lyric. Well spotted. I really really like Papa Jack. I was searching for it online recently and was surprised that all I could find was this, from 8 mins 40 secs in -

Has it ever been played live?

On interviews, has the prospect of a second autobiography ever been raised? Would there be interest? How long ago is it since the first one came out? Has much changed since?

 

[T. H. Auden]

That definitely fits the lyric. Well spotted. I really really like Papa Jack. I was searching for it online recently and was surprised that all I could find was this, from 8 mins 40 secs in -

Has it ever been played live?

On interviews, has the prospect of a second autobiography ever been raised? Would there be interest? How long ago is it since the first one came out? Has much changed since?

It will be ten years since Autobiography was released in the fall, but I think the book stops in 2011. Much have happened since then, and surely there’s room for a second volume, but perhaps not yet.

 

[Mike Rourke]

The music industry is very ageist. It shouldn’t be, but it is.

And it’s worth noting that You Are The Quarry - released when Morrissey was in his mid 40s - is closer chronologically to Strangeways Here We Come than it is to the present day.

How many artists sell more albums in their 60s than they did in their 30s or 40s?

He’s a terrific talent, but his time as a major recording artist has gone. You can’t hold back the tide forever.

It's not quite that simple. It's more about whether radio stations will play your songs, and they're proving to be increasingly broad minded when it comes to age.
Last year, for example, Radio 2 put new songs by at least two different singers in their 80s on their main playlist. These are singers who are about 20 years older than Morrissey. But they stopped playing his new stuff a few years ago for reasons that I've gone into many times before.
If Radio 2 decide they're happy to play new Morrissey songs again, his record deal woes will be over, or at least massively reduced as it is mainly airplay for singles that sells albums.

 

[Mayfly]

Most people seem to be focusing on him not self releasing which is understandable but I found this to be more interesting:

"...Now, the sudden rise in film directors wanting to document my life is fascinating..."

Glad you raised it, it also caught my attention.

Might we see a Morrissey biopic soon? I just hope it will be better than England is Mine, which honestly isn't THAT hard. They ended that movie right before it got to the good stuff lol

He refused to cooperate with the makers of England is Mine. I am concerned that the only film director he would cooperate with is Sam (assuming that Sam has the ambition), and I can’t feel any excitement about that prospect.

What time period should a Morrissey biopic cover? I think most directors would focus on the Smiths but I'd like an early solo Morrissey as well, that would be interesting. Late 80s to mid 90s?

i would also vote for the early solo years. He was a real icon at the time.And he hadn’t turned into a humasexual person yet.

 

[Amy]

It will be ten years since Autobiography was released in the fall, but I think the book stops in 2011. Much have happened since then, and surely there’s room for a second volume, but perhaps not yet.

I hope there is no second volume. Morrissey has spent the last 12 years lurching from one disaster to another, and for the past five he has been a pariah. Public spats with labels, tour cancellations, albums disappearing without a trace or being 'held hostage', illness, bereavement, being torn to pieces thanks to the For Britain fiasco and Der Spiegel interview, tiffing with his old bandmate. Stuff that makes the court case look like a picnic, really. Why would he want to write about or re-live any of that.

 

[Southpaw80]

Yes, the truth is that the departure of Boz without giving an explanation seems to me a lack of respect towards the fans, Boz is very loved and it was necessary a few words from Morrissey about it. Even Boz himself should come out and say something... is my opinion,

Boz is happy with VB and his studio in Portugal. I bought his Gibson Flying V, as seen on Jools Holland, 2004. He's semi-retired and doing other things away from the recording/touring with M, amicably. He's served his time.

 

[theprivilegeismine]

I hope there is no second volume. Morrissey has spent the last 12 years lurching from one disaster to another, and for the past five he has been a pariah. Public spats with labels, tour cancellations, albums disappearing without a trace or being 'held hostage', illness, bereavement, being torn to pieces thanks to the For Britain fiasco and Der Spiegel interview, tiffing with his old bandmate. Stuff that makes the court case look like a picnic, really. Why would he want to write about or re-live any of that.

I can understand these feelings even though they differ markedly from my own; I would love a second/additional autobiography, especially in lieu of any albums coming out anytime soon but even together with future album releases (I'm aware how decidedly unfruitful that notion appears right now) I would lap that tome right up.

Speculating from past statements made, he seems to enjoy the ability to pick over past issues and "fix" them by gaining some form of what feels like revenge. Most of us know he has a long-standing proclivity towards the hyperbolic, sometimes eminently so, but I also feel that this is something we have accepted, and we understand that his gleaming lyrical genius and acerbic wit would not have been half as bright without this aspect of his personality in play. I guess we all have our faults, of course...

The idea of a documentary is also largely appealing after all this time has passed since the last one, however, if it is conducted by Sam, forget it. If someone decent would take up the mantle and really worked with him to ensure it all cohesed nicely, the outcome could be great. Unfortunately, in my mind, that doesn't seem realistic - that he would let someone from "outside" in to deal with it and craft it. He doesn't seem to trust anyone enough (anymore), yet bizarrely Sam gets the run of the joint despite proving himself inadequate for the job innumerable times.