Inside information on Moz, Marr & management

[Eldritch]

I felt that Autobiography skirted over a lot of really significant moments in his life and career, and that for someone with such a rich back catalogue one book didn't really do it justice. There are so many eras to his career - Smiths, early solo, mid 90s, the years without a deal, Quarry and beyond.

Exactly. If I remember correctly, the whole career of The Smiths and the court case each took about fifty pages. No sane person would want to hear anything more about the court case, but The Smiths years were barely scratched upon.

 

[The Queen of Batons]

I felt that Autobiography skirted over a lot of really significant moments in his life and career, and that for someone with such a rich back catalogue one book didn't really do it justice. There are so many eras to his career - Smiths, early solo, mid 90s, the years without a deal, Quarry and beyond.

I read that there were over 600 pages before he edited it; there are 457 in the version I have. I would love to read the parts he removed.

 

[Odbmke]

If you pick up a copy of Autobiography, turn it on its side and look at the thickness of it - he could have written that much about 1982-1987 alone.

Rather than another instalment of his life story, I would rather Morrissey write an in depth book about the stories behind the songs, the songwriting process, tour anecdotes etc.

I mean, clearly he's a very private person and a shy man when not on stage, so I appreciate that some songs are perhaps too difficult for him to talk about in plain English. Some lyricists can pour their hearts out in song, but off stage (and in interviews) simply find that they cannot talk about their private life and their relationships.

Nevertheless, I would like to hear, for instance, his memories of recording The Smiths' albums, TV appearances, where and when he and Johnny wrote certain songs, a bit more on meeting Boz and Alain for the first time and things like that.

I felt that Autobiography skirted over a lot of really significant moments in his life and career, and that for someone with such a rich back catalogue one book didn't really do it justice. There are so many eras to his career - Smiths, early solo, mid 90s, the years without a deal, Quarry and beyond.

THIS! I can't pick up my phone without seeing a vid of JM showing us how he wrote Hand in Glove... If Moz made a series of videos answering intelligent fan questions, we would have something else to talk about. Like music. Which was part of the fan club plan.

 

[DaveJCarr]

THIS! I can't pick up my phone without seeing a vid of JM showing us how he wrote Hand in Glove... If Moz made a series of videos answering intelligent fan questions, we would have something else to talk about. Like music. Which was part of the fan club plan.

Part of the problem with that is that he has always seemed to me to prefer the romance of mystery, the preciousness of his precociousness. He's never really seen to want to talk about the creative process preferring instead to have us believe that everything came fully formed immediately. What is there to say about his most recent work anyway? There's not that much mystery or nuance to karawac's crack

 

[Eldritch]

Morrissey does indeed seem either unwilling or unable to speak about the creative process. I suppose he both likes "the romance of mystery", like DaveJCarr wrote above, but also seems like a very instinctive writer. He writes what he writes -- and that's it. Sometimes the results are sublime and sometimes they are Kerouac's Crack. Which means that he doesn't really have anything more to say about a lyric than what the lyric says.

 

[BookishBoy]

Part of the problem with that is that it's always seemed to me to prefer the romance of mystery, the preciousness of his precociousness. He's never really seen to want to talk about the creative process referring instead to have us believe that everything came fully formed immediately. What is there to say about his most recent work anyway? There's not that much mystery or nuance to karawac's crack

You wonder if he might simply end up saying something like Dylan does, here (which is amazing):

 

[Odbmke]

Morrissey does indeed seem either unwilling or unable to speak about the creative process. I suppose he both likes "the romance of mystery", like DaveJCarr wrote above, but also seems like a very instinctive writer. He writes what he writes -- and that's it. Sometimes the results are sublime and sometimes they are Kerouac's Crack. Which means that he doesn't really have anything more to say about a lyric than what the lyric says.

If he doesn't release music, and doesn't do interviews, and doesn't engage, what am I meant to be a fan of exactly? in 2024?

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

If he doesn't release music, and doesn't do interviews, and doesn't engage, what am I meant to be a fan of exactly? in 2024?

All the albums are still there, and he still sings live.

 

[Anonymous]

I read that there were over 600 pages before he edited it; there are 457 in the version I have. I would love to read the parts he removed.

Probably just more stuff on the court case, or moaning about chart positions.

I loved the early parts of Autobiography, but once we got into the Smiths/solo era, it started to fall apart. The solo career in particular barely covered most of the albums, and just degenerated into a series of random anecdotes.

 

[The Queen of Batons]

I loved the early parts of Autobiography, but once we got into the Smiths/solo era, it started to fall apart. The solo career in particular barely covered most of the albums, and just degenerated into a series of random anecdotes.

I found the first half miserable and tedious but persevered as it echoed many of my memories of a catholic upbringing in a north west suburb in the sixties. Then half-way through there were five pages on the trot that had me in fits of giggles, and I decided I just hadn't"got" Morrissey's way of writing till that point. I found the rest of it, with the snippets about pop culture, interesting as I used to be a bit like that in a former life...full of facts/gossip about music from the 50s to the 80s. I had been a fan for 5 days when I got it from the library and I hoped it would solve the mystery of how this beautiful music had passed me by!

 

[BookishBoy]

I set my alarm and read it on the Kindle app at like 3am on the day it was released, and now my memory of the book is just like a really, really weird dream.

I mean, what an incredible sentence this is:

 

[PanicJS]

I think Morrissey needs to go on ukcolumn.org to vent his spleen about the state of the UK and the globalist entities as opposed to mainstream media. Morrissey has observed and experienced the downfall of the UK for years, so too have UK Column, and UK Column have been attacked for having an alternative view of what's going on just like Moz but they have a strong fanbase too. Just an idea. I do know that Ben Rubin from UK Column has stated he is interested to interview Moz. Gives Moz a chance to set the record straight in a world where censorship gags you. But like I say, just an idea

 

[Anonymous]

I think Morrissey needs to go on ukcolumn.org to vent his spleen about the state of the UK and the globalist entities as opposed to mainstream media. Morrissey has observed and experienced the downfall of the UK for years, so too have UK Column, and UK Column have been attacked for having an alternative view of what's going on just like Moz but they have a strong fanbase too. Just an idea. I do know that Ben Rubin from UK Column has stated he is interested to interview Moz. Gives Moz a chance to set the record straight in a world where censorship gags you. But like I say, just an idea

Seriously, Moz opining on politics is the last thing he needs. He needs to talk about music, show up for shows, do the work.

 

[Amy]

I mean, what an incredible sentence this is:

View attachment 112071

It starts off so seriously but sort of falls apart and changes tone at the 'Big Mac' part. The phrase "ten pounds of shit in a five pound bag" made me laugh out loud, I haven't heard that in years.

 

[This Charming Bowie]

 

[Young And Alive]

View attachment 112073

If he's that great then why isn't he still representing him?

Does he address that at all?

 

[Roman Holiday]

I mean, what an incredible sentence this is:

View attachment 112071

I love that passage, but I've wondered if this was a deliberate flourish or if an editor missed it: by "divine creationist, " he means a creator deity. But a creationist is someone who believes in a literal reading of the book of Genesis.

 

[BookishBoy]

I love that passage, but I've wondered if this was a deliberate flourish or if an editor missed it: by "divine creationist, " he means a creator deity. But a creationist is someone who believes in a literal reading of the book of Genesis.

I genuinely believe that his editor at Penguin was forbidden to make any changes to the text that Morrissey submitted, beyond any spelling or punctuation errors. (A small number of authors basically do this.)

 

[Eldritch]

I genuinely believe that his editor at Penguin was forbidden to make any changes to the text that Morrissey submitted, beyond any spelling or punctuation errors. (A small number of authors basically do this.)

That was reported at the time. And it was really stupid. I have worked as an editor for Finnish fiction for 20 years and will be publishing my debut novel next year. My editor for this 800-page book has been a total inspiration and a treasure, and I hope I have been of help to the about 100 authors I have worked with. Every writer need a good editor. Especially Morrissey. Both Autobiography and List of the Lost show him to be potentially great writer but he does have a tendency to overwrite everything. There are many sentences in many books which trip over themselves and stop making any sense. Those bad sex writing award nominations were truly earned.

 

[Odbmke]

And what was the first single?

The first single was actually released nearly two years ago.

Wow, you got me!

First single was "I Ex Love You", and it was set to drop 10/28, along with BOT announcement, and more show announcements.
Second single was going to drop early 2025 along with so many 7" releases it would make your head spin.