Morrissey A-Z: "Drive-In Saturday"

[BookishBoy]

From Louder Sound (and probably most plausible):

"The band caught a train to Seattle and then Phoenix. During that journey, Bowie wrote Drive-In Saturday, a futuristic post-apocalyptic sci-fi twist on American 50s rock’n’roll that namechecks Carl Jung, NY Doll Sylvain Sylvain (Bowie misspelled his name and used it as a brand name for a pre-Viagra pick-me-up: ‘He’s crashing out with Sylvian/The Bureau Supply for ageing men’), the model Twiggy (‘Twig the Wonder Kid’), Mick Jagger and was remarkably prescient in predicting a time when video pornography would be mainstream."

And this type of thing just doesn't happen these days

"He and Angie went to the Mercer Arts Center to see the New York Dolls – or the Dolls Of NY as they currently called themselves – in the midst of a 17-week residency in the venue’s Oscar Wilde Room. According to Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain, the Bowies enjoyed a five-day orgy at the Plaza Hotel with Billy ‘Doll’ Murcia and 21-year-old Marilyn Monroe lookalike Cyrinda Foxe. The foursome were at it hammer and tongs while room service champagne bottles and cocaine phials littered the floor. “David Bowie was now infatuated with Cyrinda and Angie had a new lover – Billy Doll!” said Sylvain."

FWD.

My god that sounds exhausting.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Maybe it's b/c this was the one I knew first... but this is my go to version (horrible video quality I know). Love when he sings: "You don't really like this song, do you?"

I was at this show, Beacon theater I’m pretty sure, been to so many, it all becomes a blur, lol.

I’m a Bowie fan, so when the band started up, I was like, this sounds familiar, what is this? Then he began singing and I was like OMG! he’s singing a Bowie song!!! Thought I was gonna faint!
What a great night, and believe me it sounded ten times better at the show. Think it was the first time he did it, though he’s probably been singing it since he was a child. That’s LUV.


guess this should go here...

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

I was at this show, Beacon theater I’m pretty sure, been to so many, it all becomes a blur, lol.

I’m a Bowie fan, so when the band started up, I was like, this sounds familiar, what is this? Then he began singing and I was like OMG! he’s singing a Bowie song!!! Thought I was gonna faint!
What a great night, and believe me it sounded ten times better at the show. Think it was the first time he did it, though he’s probably been singing it since he was a child. That’s LUV.


guess this should go here...

I watched that Bowie clip earlier as well! Out of this world...
Can't stop listening to the song now...


Think it was not only the first time he did it, but also the only time until May 2007.

 

[Verso]

I was at this show, Beacon theater I’m pretty sure, been to so many, it all becomes a blur, lol.

I’m a Bowie fan, so when the band started up, I was like, this sounds familiar, what is this? Then he began singing and I was like OMG! he’s singing a Bowie song!!! Thought I was gonna faint!
What a great night, and believe me it sounded ten times better at the show. Think it was the first time he did it, though he’s probably been singing it since he was a child. That’s LUV.


guess this should go here...

Jealous! He also did a great version of "I Can Have Both" that night.

 

[SuedeMoz]

I love this.

Not because it's particularly well done (it's not) but because it's my favourite singer giving an incredibly heartfelt interpretation of one of my favourite Bowie songs.

It doesn't really suit Moz's voice but you can hear the passion throughout, the way he gets carried away in the second half is great. I like the lyric changes as well. There's also a certain irony to Morrissey choosing this particular song/lyric.

The first cover attempt is nice, especially with his introduction. I always feel sorry for him though because the crowd didn't seem to enjoy his version at all. I bet they couldn't notice any mistakes...

I think it's significant that he did this after the falling out he had with Bowie in 1995 when he left the tour. Despite whatever bad blood there was between them - it's nice to see he was still a fan.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

I think it's significant that he did this after the falling out he had with Bowie in 1995 when he left the tour. Despite whatever bad blood there was between them - it's nice to see he was still a fan.

"I know I've criticized David in the past, but it's all been snotnosed junior high ribbing on my part. I think he knows that."

- Morrissey, 2014

Meeting and working with your idol must be hard, especially when your idol is David Bowie. He never escaped his spell though.
I don't think it's a coincidence he did this cover again in 2007 after working with Visconti. It seems like he and Bowie had made their peace by then, even discussing a cover duet of You’ve Lost That Lovin' Feelin'.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

"I know I've criticized David in the past, but it's all been snotnosed junior high ribbing on my part. I think he knows that."

- Morrissey, 2014

Meeting and working with your idol must be hard, especially when your idol is David Bowie. He never escaped his spell though.
I don't think it's a coincidence he did this cover again in 2007 after working with Visconti. It seems like he abd Bowie had made their peace by then, even discussing a cover duet of You’ve Lost That Lovin' Feelin'.

I’m beginning to think that his real reason for leaving that tour was not because of Bowie, he just doesn’t want to admit to the real reason, which may have been severe depression, but why not admit to that? who knows.



So was Bowie just a red herring to avoid talking about the real issue?
Morrissey did go to Japan(?) not long after, assume he felt better? A stronger prescription and a little rest may have been all that he needed.

I guess I was just wondering if he ever gave another reason to leaving that tour in addition to his Bowie reason? I could have just forgotten.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

I’m beginning to think that his real reason for leaving that tour was not because of Bowie, he just doesn’t want to admit to the real reason, which may have been severe depression, but why not admit to that? who knows.



So was Bowie just a red herring to avoid talking about the real issue?
Morrissey did go to Japan(?) not long after, assume he felt better? A stronger prescription and a little rest may have been all that he needed.

I guess I was just wondering if he ever gave another reason to leaving that tour in addition to his Bowie reason? I could have just forgotten.

I don't think he did. I mean, it can be both. Maybe it was just something in Bowie's behaviour that pushed him over the edge, it's not hard to imagine...

I think I quoted these on another thread recently.

"'He was very ill with depression,' says Jo Slee. 'He wasn't really fit to go on the road, although I didn't know how ill he was until he really began to come apart at the seams.'

Jo won't say what Mozzer was depressed about.

'I really couldn't say,' she insists. 'Morrissey's suffered from depression all his life, more than anyone else I know. It's about repressed feelings, repressed emotions, repressed pain. It needs treatment. He was taking anti-depressants at the time because he was desperate to get out on the road, he really wanted to do the dates. But it was just too much for him.'"
(Dave Simpson, "Manchester's Answer To The H-Bomb", Uncut, 1998)


"'I have never spoken about this up until now because, in spite of everything, I do respect David,' he says. 'I simply have to play Star Man or Drive-in Saturday and I will forgive him for anything. But I left that tour because he put me under a lot of pressure, and I found it too exhausting.

'But then, Bowie is principally a business, and I can't imagine he would have telephoned his own mother without considering the career implications. David surrounded himself with very strong people, and that's the secret of his power: that everything he does will be seen in a certain light. But it certainly wasn't the greatest career move that I ever made, even though they gave 6,000 refunds in Manchester when I didn't appear - but I don't think you'd have read about that in the Manchester Evening News...'"
(Michael Bracewell, "Heaven Knows I'm Not Miserable Now", The Times, 1999)

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I don't think he did. I mean, it can be both. Maybe it was just something in Bowie's behaviour that pushed him over the edge, it's not hard to imagine...

Yes agree, it could have been a combination of things, and about Bowie being too much, I guess Trent is made of stronger stuff? maybe... nails?

I think I quoted these on another thread recently.

"He was very ill with depression," says Jo Slee. "He wasn't really fit to go on the road, although I didn't know how ill he was until he really began to come apart at the seams."

Jo won't say what Mozzer was depressed about.

"I really couldn't say," she insists. "Morrissey's suffered from depression all his life, more than anyone else I know. It's about repressed feelings, repressed emotions, repressed pain. It needs treatment. He was taking anti-depressants at the time because he was desperate to get out on the road, he really wanted to do the dates. But it was just too much for him."
(Dave Simpson, "Manchester's Answer To The H-Bomb", Uncut, 1998)


"I have never spoken about this up until now because, in spite of everything, I do respect David," he says. "I simply have to play Star Man or Drive-in Saturday and I will forgive him for anything. But I left that tour because he put me under a lot of pressure, and I found it too exhausting.

"But then, Bowie is principally a business, and I can't imagine he would have telephoned his own mother without considering the career implications. David surrounded himself with very strong people, and that's the secret of his power: that everything he does will be seen in a certain light. But it certainly wasn't the greatest career move that I ever made, even though they gave 6,000 refunds in Manchester when I didn't appear - but I don't think you'd have read about that in the Manchester Evening News..."
(Michael Bracewell, "Heaven Knows I'm Not Miserable Now", The Times, 1999)

Thanks for reposting the above info

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

I was at this show, Beacon theater I’m pretty sure, been to so many, it all becomes a blur, lol.

I’m a Bowie fan, so when the band started up, I was like, this sounds familiar, what is this? Then he began singing and I was like OMG! he’s singing a Bowie song!!! Thought I was gonna faint!
What a great night, and believe me it sounded ten times better at the show. Think it was the first time he did it, though he’s probably been singing it since he was a child. That’s LUV.


guess this should go here...

It was so great. And so fun. And so beautiful. And everyone was so quiet, because none of them knew what it was. I died!!!

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

Yes agree, it could have been a combination of things, and about Bowie being too much, I guess Trent is made of stronger stuff? maybe... nails?

Well, Trent has the advantage/tragical disadvantage of not being Morrissey

Thanks for reposting the above info

My pleasure

 

[Mayfly]

"I know I've criticized David in the past, but it's all been snotnosed junior high ribbing on my part. I think he knows that."

- Morrissey, 2014

Meeting and working with your idol must be hard, especially when your idol is David Bowie. He never escaped his spell though.
I don't think it's a coincidence he did this cover again in 2007 after working with Visconti. It seems like he and Bowie had made their peace by then, even discussing a cover duet of You’ve Lost That Lovin' Feelin'.

And how do you explain the absence of an obituary on Morrissey Central at the time of David's passing? It just seems to me that his relationship with / feelings towards David Bowie are quite complex. He admires Bowie's artistic output (though not the more recent stuff), but not sure that all was well between them.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

And how do you explain the absence of an obituary on Morrissey Central at the time of David's passing? It just seems to me that his relationship with / feelings towards David Bowie are quite complex. He admires Bowie's artistic output (though not the more recent stuff), but not sure that all was well between them.

I don't explain that at all. I obviously don't know why there wasn't an obituary. And it doesn't bother me. I, personally, was in complete shock when he died and didn't speak about him for weeks and I'd never even met him.

I know that everyone else talked about Bowie's passing though and can easily imagine that Morrissey couldn't think of anything he could contribute, that hadn't been said already. That's pretty much the explanation he gave when asked about it, iirc.
I also didn't mean to imply that "all was well between them". They weren't pals but I doubt that either of them held a terrible grudge against the other. Why would Morrissey want to use a picture of Bowie on his single cover if he disliked him that much?

Complex is probably the right word here...

 

[Mayfly]

I don't explain that at all. I obviously don't know why there wasn't an obituary. And it doesn't bother me. I, personally, was in complete shock when he died and didn't speak about him for weeks and I'd never even met him.

I know that everyone else talked about Bowie's passing though and can easily imagine that Morrissey couldn't think of anything he could contribute, that hadn't been said already. That's pretty much the explanation he gave when asked about it, iirc.
I also didn't mean to imply that "all was well between them". They weren't pals but I doubt that either of them held a terrible grudge against the other. Why would Morrissey want to use a picture of Bowie on his single cover if he disliked him that much?

Complex is probably the right word here...

I didn't mean explain in the sense of scientific truth, but rather in the sense of offering / sharing insights. Nobody knows what goes on in Morrissey's head, only the man himself (well maybe). It was just a question that came to me after reading all the other things.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

I didn't mean explain in the sense of scientific truth, but rather in the sense of offering / sharing insights. Nobody knows what goes on in Morrissey's head, only the man himself (well maybe). It was just a question that came to me after reading all the other things.

Yeah, I actually got that, sorry. I meant to say that I didn't really give it that much thought. I felt very irritated by people's complains about it. It don't think it's right to expect everyone to mourn in the same (socially acceptable) way and to judge them if they don't.
Morrissey still pays tribute to Bowie in his own strange way by playing his music before his shows and even selling his records with his own signature, which many people thought was tasteless, but I really think there's not more to it than that, as people are obviously paying for the sig, not the record itself. It's a weird form of tribute.

But I could be wrong. Maybe he didn't comment on his passing because he thought Bowie was completely worthless as an artist and human being and sells his records to mock him. Don't know which version is more likely...

 

[SuedeMoz]

I didn't mean explain in the sense of scientific truth, but rather in the sense of offering / sharing insights. Nobody knows what goes on in Morrissey's head, only the man himself (well maybe). It was just a question that came to me after reading all the other things.

Fair enough... I remember there was much discussion here and for the most part disappointment that Morrissey didn't make a statement following Bowie's death. Now to speculate why... I never thought it was a case of Morrissey being so grief stricken that he simply couldn't do it. Let's face it, Morrissey was very open about his displeasure with Bowie after the touring incident and took several shots at him. Maybe it's as simple as he didn't want all those quotes resurrected and have them overshadow whatever he might have said after Bowie's death. Maybe it just seemed smarter to stay silent than provide fodder for his detractors? Obviously just a guess as we don't really know why.

 

[Roger O]

I'd love more Jobriath covers if he doing more covers. Every minute of California Son was really great with the exception of Wedding Bell Flop. For me, Willpower could have been on Lexicon of Love. I lived four blocks from the Chelsea Hotel the year Jobriath died. Nobody I knew went there. Poor sweet Sid.

 

[Roger O]

IANODOAC was too good for Morrissey to focus on any covers at all just now.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

I don't think he did. I mean, it can be both. Maybe it was just something in Bowie's behaviour that pushed him over the edge, it's not hard to imagine...

I think I quoted these on another thread recently.

"'He was very ill with depression,' says Jo Slee. 'He wasn't really fit to go on the road, although I didn't know how ill he was until he really began to come apart at the seams.'

Jo won't say what Mozzer was depressed about.

'I really couldn't say,' she insists. 'Morrissey's suffered from depression all his life, more than anyone else I know. It's about repressed feelings, repressed emotions, repressed pain. It needs treatment. He was taking anti-depressants at the time because he was desperate to get out on the road, he really wanted to do the dates. But it was just too much for him.'"
(Dave Simpson, "Manchester's Answer To The H-Bomb", Uncut, 1998)


"'I have never spoken about this up until now because, in spite of everything, I do respect David,' he says. 'I simply have to play Star Man or Drive-in Saturday and I will forgive him for anything. But I left that tour because he put me under a lot of pressure, and I found it too exhausting.

'But then, Bowie is principally a business, and I can't imagine he would have telephoned his own mother without considering the career implications. David surrounded himself with very strong people, and that's the secret of his power: that everything he does will be seen in a certain light. But it certainly wasn't the greatest career move that I ever made, even though they gave 6,000 refunds in Manchester when I didn't appear - but I don't think you'd have read about that in the Manchester Evening News...'"
(Michael Bracewell, "Heaven Knows I'm Not Miserable Now", The Times, 1999)

I think it's likely Bowie thought he was giving him great advice about how to manage his career & his stage presentation - but Moz found it overwhelming & needed to get away.

Some actors are like that - if the director gives them time & space, they'll blossom - but if they get bombarded with ideas, they'll crumble.

 

[GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn]

I think it's likely Bowie thought he was giving him great advice about how to manage his career & his stage presentation - but Moz found it overwhelming & needed to get away.

Some actors are like that - if the director gives them time & space, they'll blossom - but if they get bombarded with ideas, they'll crumble.

I do believe it really was about the performance aspect. I see no reason to doubt this. Bowie wanted to segue their performances, something he'd done with Nine Inch Nails on the US leg, and Morrissey, who was already "coming apart at the seams", understandably wouldn't have that.
Bowie mentioned that there was zero communication between him and Morrissey before the tour started, so Bowie probably blindsided him with the idea. If there's one thing Morrissey isn't known for it's flexibility and readiness to assimilate. The pressure was too much and he fled...