Morrissey Central "HOLD ON, I’M CARMEN" (January 1, 2025)

Carmen Vandenberg working very hard at rehearsals for the New Year's Eve show at the Hollywood Palladium.
Photographs by Rudolpho.

HOLD ON, I'M CARMEN - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - HOLD ON, I'M CARMEN

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

 

[SuedeMoz]

They were cancelled because they were only 20% sold despite basically giving tickets away a week out. Resting in Zurich was just cover, because remember just a week or so earlier he was bored not vaping in Paris.

No fans asked for a 20th anniversary show for this LP. Moz hastily announced them to get the attention of LA record labels. It was clear from the onsale that there was no demand.

Right after this fiasco is when new management was brought on to right the ship. Which they did.

This is the management that has since either been fired or quit, correct?

In my view, 2024 was an exhausting year to be a fan... more lows than highs. But he ended the year on a high note - the 14-show tour and the 3 LA shows. I hope it's not more of the same for 2025 (announcements that don't materialize, baseless allegations that are never retracted or clarified, playing the victim card, etc.).

 

[Odbmke]

This is the management that has since either been fired or quit, correct?

In my view, 2024 was an exhausting year to be a fan... more lows than highs. But he ended the year on a high note - the 14-show tour and the 3 LA shows. I hope it's not more of the same for 2025 (announcements that don't materialize, baseless allegations that are never retracted or clarified, playing the victim card, etc.).

Correct, that’s the management that was fired mid September. Management was brought on in Feb, organized the July shows and Beethoven reissue and the November US dates (along with all the behind the scenes work) before being let go after this summers drama.

The three LA shows were not part of that plan, so he seems to be managerless at the moment. Lord knows he’d announce it had he found someone.

My guess is more random dates intended to attract a label deal, probably with the UK this spring. Because shows and Dudwell interviews seem to be all he is willing to do, and we just got an “interview”.

 

[Mohnny Jarr]

In my view, 2024 was an exhausting year to be a fan... more lows than highs. But he ended the year on a high note - the 14-show tour and the 3 LA shows. I hope it's not more of the same for 2025 (announcements that don't materialize, baseless allegations that are never retracted or clarified, playing the victim card, etc.).

Looking at my crystal ball here, I recommend that you keep your optimism in check.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Looking at my crystal ball here, I recommend that you keep your optimism in check.

For 2025, it likely will be more of the same at least until he gets a new record deal. I think some UK dates in the first half of the year are probable. He seems to like doing a Vegas residency in the summer... maybe he'll do that again? After that who knows?

 

[Seymour Glass]

this is not the reason that Alain left in 2004.

He claimed it was due to exhaustion correct? Which could mean a million things of course.

 

[SuedeMoz]

He claimed it was due to exhaustion correct? Which could mean a million things of course.

Was an official reason ever given for Alain leaving or was he just no longer present? The first time I mean not the most recent time.

I know he mentioned suffering from extreme back pain almost to the point of being unable to walk, but I think this was earlier before his departure. Oye Esteban era if I remember correctly.

 

[Thewlis]

Was an official reason ever given for Alain leaving or was he just no longer present? The first time I mean not the most recent time.

I know he mentioned suffering from extreme back pain almost to the point of being unable to walk, but I think this was earlier before his departure. Oye Esteban era if I remember correctly.

Just ‘illness’

Alain Whyte ill - Morrissey-solo

Alain Whyte ill -- article related to Band/Associates.

www.morrissey-solo.com

Many presumed it was only temporarily.

The last comment here is telling:

I saw Alain Whyte outside of the Hampstead HMV at the end of last week chatting to his mum. Then he went into the shop looking quite chipper and bought a couple of packs of CDRs. With just a couple of days to go to his aborted Glastonbury appearance, in my mind this confirms the speculation that his departure is not the result of any obvious ailment and leads me to imagine that he may be the latest in a long line of The Suddenly Dismissed in Moz Universe. I hope not, because his stand-in really didn't cut it for me yesterday.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

The new band has a fun energy
about them.
Jesse did a heck of a job findin'
these folks.
Yeah, guess Moz did a good job too.

Though not as ramshackle a sound as the Dolls, he seems to really like them. Carmen is definitely one of the more interesting guitarists he’s ever had. Can’t wait to hear her contributions to any new recordings.

 

[Musician]

Very true. The reason Alain was replaced the first time was because he asked for too much of the limelight, as Morrissey himself said in Autobiography.

Now he does have much higher profile musicians, so it must be quite hard to keep them happy and on board, especially when there are no dates or releases to look forward to.

The reason that they choose to stick around could be a sign that sonething exciting is coming up soon.

They might be high profile musicians on paper, but apparently they are not. A singer of Morrissey's status (and I mean this is the best possible way, no sarcasm) should not allow such f***-ups at live shows as we constantly recently.

 

[Thewlis]

They might be high profile musicians on paper, but apparently they are not. A singer of Morrissey's status (and I mean this is the best possible way, no sarcasm) should not allow such f***-ups at live shows as we constantly recently.

You mean he should look for them on the streets of Camden again like in 1991?

He’s already been there. And they had their own share of f***-ups, too.

I do agree that he should have a steady band set-up for his next decade or so of touring, so I do hope they stick around or he settles for another lasting band set-up.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Just ‘illness’

Alain Whyte ill - Morrissey-solo

Alain Whyte ill -- article related to Band/Associates.

www.morrissey-solo.com

Many presumed it was only temporarily.

The last comment here is telling:

I saw Alain Whyte outside of the Hampstead HMV at the end of last week chatting to his mum. Then he went into the shop looking quite chipper and bought a couple of packs of CDRs. With just a couple of days to go to his aborted Glastonbury appearance, in my mind this confirms the speculation that his departure is not the result of any obvious ailment and leads me to imagine that he may be the latest in a long line of The Suddenly Dismissed in Moz Universe. I hope not, because his stand-in really didn't cut it for me yesterday.

I remember that thread and it's over 20 years ago now . This was regarding his playing live. Which I believe he didn't do after 2004 (until again in 2022 I believe). However, his songs still appeared on ROTT and YOR. So was he still considered 'part of the band' just not playing live? Was there ever any reason given why he appears on YOR but not on WPINOYB? I know this has all been covered before but I don't remember it.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Never a good thing to be a ruggedly handsome woman.

 

[Musician]

You mean he should look for them on the streets of Camden again like in 1991?

He’s already been there. And they had their own share of f***-ups, too.

I do agree that he should have a steady band set-up for his next decade or so of touring, so I do hope they stick around or he settles for another lasting band set-up.

No, I mean quite the opposite. Morrissey should have real professional musicians who don't miss a beat, don't mess up songs and are able to play past solo and Smiths parts. Marr is a genius, but it's not that hard to play his part live. I just think, like I wrote, he has zero affinity in picking proper musicians.
Now that I think about it, the best and most decent musicians Morrissey had were all pre-Lads, as Street, Winstanley etc had access proper studio musicians from the UK.

 

[Tom]

Another pointless, cringe post from the M Central blogger.

Morrissey ignored the internet in the mid 90's, 2000's when he should have embraced it, and he's essentially 25 years behind the times. An artist of his caliber should have a better online presence, but the M Central blog seems trapped in the late 90s in terms of layout and usage.

 

[Thewlis]

No, I mean quite the opposite. Morrissey should have real professional musicians who don't miss a beat, don't mess up songs and are able to play past solo and Smiths parts. Marr is a genius, but it's not that hard to play his part live. I just think, like I wrote, he has zero affinity in picking proper musicians.
Now that I think about it, the best and most decent musicians Morrissey had were all pre-Lads, as Street, Winstanley etc had access proper studio musicians from the UK.

And yet Kill Uncle was a bit on the bland side.

I agree that he had great musicians and a great sound pre-Lads. But he really wanted to have a band again, and chose musicians accordingly. Not always the best studio musicians per se, but the ones he clicked with as a live unit.

 

[A Man Escaped]

And yet Kill Uncle was a bit on the bland side.

I agree that he had great musicians and a great sound pre-Lads. But he really wanted to have a band again, and chose musicians accordingly. Not always the best studio musicians per se, but the ones he clicked with as a live unit.

Each to their own, but I would much rather listen to it from start to finish than World Peace or Low.

 

[Thewlis]

Each to their own, but I would much rather listen to it from start to finish than World Peace or Low.

That I agree on.

But in those days, at the peak of his career, in between classics like Viva Hate and Your Arsenal, it did feel a bit underwhelming.

 

[A Man Escaped]

F

That I agree on.

But in those days, at the peak of his career, in between classics like Viva Hate and Your Arsenal, it did feel a bit underwhelming.

Fair enough.

 

[Pokey]

*completely innocuous photo of a woman exists*

Morrissey solo posters: procede with meltdowns, conspiracy theories, and hate-filled posts.

You guys are so tiring sometimes.

 

[gordyboy9]

This is what Morrissey claims, yes, but every story has two sides and Alain has never responded to give his. I am long past taking anything M says at face value - let alone repeating it as fact.

every story has three sides,,,,your side,my side,and the truth.