Morrissey interview + Polaroid photo in German Spiegel magazine

"Ich bin für Klartext" - Spiegel Online

(Excerpt before paywall via Google Translate)

Morrissey's worldview "I'm for plain text"

"Morrissey praises the Brexit referendum, defends Kevin Spacey and calls Berlin a "rape capital" because of its open borders. seriously?"

Whether the Briton Steven Patrick Morrissey, 58, a musician just Morrissey calls, now Genius is or Schrat, self-actor or choleric poet, will probably never settle final. Certainly the man from Manchester, who became famous in the eighties as a singer of pop band The Smiths, is a great eccentric of pop. Whether concert or interview, he maintains the pose of the diva. The meeting took place on the occasion of his new album "Low in High School" in Los Angeles; It was arranged at very short notice and then postponed several times, domination gestures want to be maintained. After all, Morrissey is ready to talk. However, the photographer is referred by one of his managers rude of the room: "Get out of my hotel!" The Polaroid photo was taken by the interviewer.

An interview with Juliane Liebert

SPIEGEL: Mr Morrissey, in your new song "Spent the Day in Bed", you recommend that you no longer see any news. A serious proposal?

Morrissey: Yes. People should stop doing so for their own sanity. You have to stop. The news is just social engineering, and it's about control, not information. There are no more messages. Only control.

SPIEGEL: That sounds like Trump's fake news, but you just spoke out against Trump at a concert.

Morrissey: Trump has received so much attention, especially when compared to other candidates - Bernie Sanders, for example. Although the media said he will not win, every day, all the headlines: Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump! The American media helped Trump, yes, they first created it. Whether they criticize him or laugh at him, he does not care, he just wants to see his picture and his name. The American media have shot themselves in the leg. Since he was in power, he has exhausted the world. He grabs after everything like a little child. He is not a leader. He is a vermin. A huge vermin.

SPIEGEL: Do you think that he will be re-elected?

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Full transcript (Google Translate to English), original German text posted by Cornflakes

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Media coverage:

• Morrissey Defends Kevin Spacey, Calls the Accusations Against Him ‘Ridiculous’ - IndieWire. Link posted by No1uno.
  
• Morrissey Defends Kevin Spacey And Harvey Weinstein, Saying Victims Should’ve Known What Could Happen - Stereogum. Link posted by an anonymous person.
• Morrissey had some dumb shit to say in defense of Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein - Consequence of Sound. Link posted by Famous when dead.
  
• Morrissey Appears To Victim Blame Those Allegedly Sexually Abused By Kevin Spacey And Harvey Weinstein - UPROXX. Link posted by Famous when dead.
• Morrissey calls Kevin Spacey claims 'not credible' in latest attempt to say something controversial - International Business Times. Link posted by Brummieboy.
  
• Morrissey comments on Hollywood sexual abuse scandal, says some victims are 'just disappointed' - The Independent. Link posted by an anonymous person.
  
• Shirley Manson (Garbage) Attacks Morrissey For Defending K.Spacey & H.Weinstein - Alternative Nation - Nov. 19, 2017
  
• Morrissey defends Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein - BBC News. Link posted by Famous when dead (original post). Excerpt:
  
  The BBC contacted Morrissey's representatives for a response to Der Spiegel's report, but were informed he would not be making any further comments.
  
• UK politician Leanne Wood weighs in Morrissey position over Spacey accusations - Nov. 20, 2017
  
• Morrissey's fans are not happy about his Kevin Spacey comments - mic.com - Nov. 21, 2017
  
• Morrissey says Der Spiegel last print interview he will do; suggests words weren't said - Nov. 26, 2017
• Morrissey: I'd Kill Donald Trump for the 'Safety of Humanity' - Breitbart, NME, Washington Times - Nov. 27, 2017
  
• Juliane Liebert (Der Spiegel interviewer): "The recording [of the interview] is available" - Nov. 28, 2017
• Morrissey statement: "The Slander System" (via FB Morrissey Official) - Dec. 11, 2017
• Der Spiegel audio "to be released in the next days" - Juliane Liebert tweet - Dec. 11, 2017
• Der Spiegel audio file of Morrissey interview released - Dec. 12, 2017
  
• "Oh Sigh" - Morrissey Central posts link to Der Spiegel fraudulent journalist Claas Relotius - Dec. 20, 2018
  
• styxhexenhammer666 video on Der Spiegel journalist fraud - link posted on Morrissey Central - Dec. 23, 2018
  

 

[BrummieBoy]

Yes, so since when is Billboard a fanzine then?
Get your glasses on, or pour some more wine please.
And listen to a singer you do like, as I doubt there are any.

Billboard is a fanzine for music biz folk....I'm currently listening to Taylor Swift's new album. She's gawjuzz!

 

[BrummieBoy]

He met the 14 year old Rapp and his 17 year old friend in a nightclub and invited them back to his apartment. They accepted willingly. Is that grooming? This is the spite of one mediocre actor taking revenge on the better actor 20 years after the (fairly banal) event.

Legally, yes. It fits the definition. The 14 year old was legally a child. It is entirely inappropriate to lie on top of a 14 year old boy. It's hardly banal. If a priest or teacher did it, would you think it was 'banal'? Seriously?

 

[Anonymous]

Just curious - what is a 14 year old doing drinking in a nightclub - is there any evidence Spacey knew his age before trying to hit on him?

 

[Thewlis]

Billboard is a fanzine for music biz folk....I'm currently listening to Taylor Swift's new album. She's gawjuzz!

Thought you would. She's the new Shakespeare of pop, enjoy!

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

Can I ask a question? Now that no one is allowed to be a Morrissey fan, what is the purpose of this site? Can we have carification? Is it just a site for the Moderator 'yes-men'? Please be candid and let us know and then we can all sling our hook. Perhaps it's time to close the site. What would be your purpose for existing if the 'enemy' went elsewhere? The site would just fall silent or it would just become a laughable farce of. 'isn't Morrissey a tw*t?' 'Oh, I know, he's awful' 'did you hear what he said?' 'oh, I know, it's awful' You'd all be at a loss as to what to discuss. I don't agree with lots of what Morrissey says but until he upsets me personally (i.e, slags off ginger people or gays) I won't be 'converted' to see the error of my ways -I'm selfish like that.

We are all here because at some point, perhaps even up to and including yesterday, his music has moved us.

In some ways he is a victim of his own success. He has attracted highly intelligent people throughout his career, because he has often produced highly intelligent material. Attracting bright people to you means also that they’ll tend to pull him up on his bullshit when it occurs.

Look, after all the stuff yesterday over the new album and its more controversial aspects he’s not handing down the Sermon on the Mount here. These are not alms charitably gifted to a grateful world. It’s a commercial endeavour designed in no small part to provide the artist in question with the money and attention he desires. Good for him, but there are other costs involved, one of which is criticism. Clearly, even from the comments in this latest interview he simply does not believe in the concept of bad publicity. Fine, but he should therefore learn to express himself in a more precise manner.

We live in a world where the British Conservative Prime Minister is a liberal, the American President is a property tycoon, the Chinese leader is positioning himself to become de facto Emperor, the Russian Premier is a KGB agent and the Pope is a Marxist, but Morrissey decides to inform us there’s no intrinsic difference between an American GI landing on Omaha beach and the Waffen SS cutting him down as he does so? Do me a favour.

 

[countthree]

There's 3.5 million people of Turkish descent living in Germany today. I wonder if Morrissey regards them as Turkish, German or both? Does he think that the presence of 3.5 million people of Turkish descent has weakened or strengthened 'German Culture'?

I'd like a list of what Morrissey regards as 'authentic German culture'.

They are all German people now, and they must respect German law and cultural rules like erybody else. In the same way Morrissey says he has English heart and Irish blood.

Immigrants have to adapt to the new society, not the other way. That's why everybody knows being an immigrant is a complicated process and some peope will never adapt to it. Many of them come back to the original countries as soon as they can, others succeed and have a better life. But it's not easy, especially wen people come from places with different cultural rules. Governments can't ignore the traumas of adaptation and they must contemplate all the issues generated in the society. Accusing parts of the population or racism when they are actually protesting about serious problems is not a healthy answer from the governments and that doesn't help anyone. Even more, that complicates the future life of immigrants and makes their children feel immigrants too. It's a shame that Europeans countries don't have the humility to learn some clues from other countries that knew how to integrate different cultures in a same national feeling in a short period of time. Of course, that would mean looking towards less powerful countries.

 

[BrummieBoy]

They are all German people now, and they must respect German law and cultural rules like erybody else. In the same way Morrissey says he has English heart and Irish blood.

Immigrants have to adapt to the new society, not the other way. That's why everybody knows being an immigrant is a complicated process and some peope will never adapt to it. Many of them come back to the original countries as soon as they can, others succeed and have a better life. But it's not easy, especially wen people come from places with different cultural rules. Governments can't ignore the traumas of adaptation and they must contemplate all the issues generated in the society. Accusing parts of the population or racism when they are actually protesting about serious problems is not a healthy answer from the governments and that doesn't help anybody. Even more, that complicates the future life of immigrants and makes their children feel immigrants too. It's a shame that Europeans countries don't have the humility to learn some clues from other countries that knew how to integrate different cultures in a same national feeling in a short period of time. Of course, that would mean looking towards less powerful countries.

When has Morrissey raised concerns about people of Irish descent and their effect on 'British Culture'? Why is he fixated on only certain immigrants? His parents were immigrants.

Given that you state that the Turkish 'gastarbeiters' of the 70s are now assimilated, why should there be any more panic about recent arrivals from Syria and elsewhere? If Germany already has a successful record of multiculturalism, what is the purpose of Morrissey raising the alarm now? Other than to troll for publicity?

 

[Musician]

Ok, let's play along Morrissey's logic!

I flew hundreds of times and personally, no staff groped/insulted me at the airport. Never. One wonders how credible such story can be.

See? Easy!

 

[Thewlis]

"I don't hate Pakistani's, I just massive dislike them."
1979. Nothing has changed really.
I really like to know what the trolls saw in Morrissey in the first place if they are suddenly so upset now, after years and years of fandom??

 

[Anonymous]

There's 3.5 million people of Turkish descent living in Germany today. I wonder if Morrissey regards them as Turkish, German or both? Does he think that the presence of 3.5 million people of Turkish descent has weakened or strengthened 'German Culture'?

I'd like a list of what Morrissey regards as 'authentic German culture'.

You should ask the people of Turkish descent how they regard themselves

 

[Famous when dead]

Just curious - what is a 14 year old doing drinking in a nightclub - is there any evidence Spacey knew his age before trying to hit on him?

They were both in plays together on Broadway and knew each other and his age was known. He was invited to a party at Spacey's house. The term 'nightclub' is being used to load the assertion that the 14yr old was being / acting 'adult' - he was in Spacey's home for the incident not a club - he is described as 'clubbing' prior to the event (believe it or not, if you did approach someone in a nightclub and have sex with them only to discover they are 14 later - you'd still be charged as it is your responsibility to check before sex - it's not the child's fault or the nightclub's).
Regards,
FWD.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

They are all German people now, and they must respect German law and cultural rules like erybody else. In the same way Morrissey says he has English heart and Irish blood.

Immigrants have to adapt to the new society, not the other way. That's why everybody knows being an immigrant is a complicated process and some peope will never adapt to it. Many of them come back to the original countries as soon as they can, others succeed and have a better life. But it's not easy, especially wen people come from places with different cultural rules. Governments can't ignore the traumas of adaptation and they must contemplate all the issues generated in the society. Accusing parts of the population or racism when they are actually protesting about serious problems is not a healthy answer from the governments and that doesn't help anyone. Even more, that complicates the future life of immigrants and makes their children feel immigrants too. It's a shame that Europeans countries don't have the humility to learn some clues from other countries that knew how to integrate different cultures in a same national feeling in a short period of time. Of course, that would mean looking towards less powerful countries.

I agree with much of this, although I’m not sure what Europe has to learn from societies where winding your headdress on the wrong way might get you an AK47 shoved up your arse.

The problem in Europe is not immigration it is the current pace of immigration. The German electorate clearly aren’t all that enamoured with Merkel at the moment, as only c. 33% of them supported her in the recent election and she is still almost two months later trying to form a coalition government. And they say Theresa May is weak.

The AfD gained the thick end of a hundred seats. Interestingly, as an aside, had the UK had PR Ukip would have had over eighty seats in 2015. That support has ebbed away after Brexit and the resignation of Farage, but again, clearly many of the the electorate grabbed the chance to kick the EU to the kerb by the lapels and in many cases immigration was a major consideration.

 

[Anonymous]

I believe he has been looking at some heritage venues in Nuremberg.

 

[Anonymous]

Just curious - what is a 14 year old doing drinking in a nightclub

But what does that have to do with it? I started going to nightclubs several nights a week in major American city when I was 15. These were all the big 'alternative' nightclubs where you had to be 18 to get in, but 21 to drink (you were given a wristband if you were over 21 so you could use the bars). My parents had no idea because I used to sneak out of the window late at night and go down the street to friends waiting in a car for me. This was in the early 90s when doormen were still pretty lax about underage patrons, especially when you were part of entourage or group that were known, or the "it-crowd." Should I have been doing these things? Probably not, but I was responsible enough to know when shady people were possibly around, and still had enough wits about me to avoid those kinds of situations even when pretty smashed. Kids will always find ways to do things like this, so stop blaming a victim because he was in a nightclub.

 

[Anonymous]

When has Morrissey raised concerns about people of Irish descent and their effect on 'British Culture'?

Because Irish and British cultures are very similar to begin with, and thanks to the historical interplay between our two countries (both for good and ill), we're fairly well intertwined already. There isn't an issue of Irish ghettos in British cities, filled with people who don't speak English and want their own laws. Go to Birmingham (for example) and you'll find huge areas of the city where there is no 'integration' - it's like a foreign country.

 

[BrummieBoy]

You should ask the people of Turkish descent how they regard themselves

Why is that any more relevant than asking people of Irish descent in the UK whether they feel 'British' or 'Irish' or both?

 

[BrummieBoy]

"I don't hate Pakistani's, I just massive dislike them."
1979. Nothing has changed really.
I really like to know what the trolls saw in Morrissey in the first place if they are suddenly so upset now, after years and years of fandom??

Source......

 

[countthree]

When has Morrissey raised concerns about people of Irish descent and their effect on 'British Culture'? Why is he fixated on only certain immigrants? His parents were immigrants.

Given that you state that the Turkish 'gastarbeiters' of the 70s are now assimilated, why should there be any more panic about recent arrivals from Syria and elsewhere? If Germany already has a successful record of multiculturalism, what is the purpose of Morrissey raising the alarm now? Other than to troll for publicity?

It's not "Morrissey raising the alarm", it's about huge parts of European socities, mostly the poorest and defenseless ones, raising the alarms about the way EU is managing the process of immigration. A way that doesn't help people of any side of the equation, a way that treats people like numbers or things that just have to fit into the imperial dreams of a group of self indulged theorists who believe they are the only owners of the truth. It's a system that doesn't allow major dissidences or doesn't contemplate democratic flexibility. In doing so, it prevents at the same time true integration.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

When has Morrissey raised concerns about people of Irish descent and their effect on 'British Culture'? Why is he fixated on only certain immigrants? His parents were immigrants.

Given that you state that the Turkish 'gastarbeiters' of the 70s are now assimilated, why should there be any more panic about recent arrivals from Syria and elsewhere? If Germany already has a successful record of multiculturalism, what is the purpose of Morrissey raising the alarm now? Other than to troll for publicity?

Well, we are, I think, three years on from the Cologne New Year attacks and nigh on a year from the Berlin Christmas market Truck of Peace.

Add Hebdo, the Bataclan, Nice, Manchester, Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and others and I don’t think it is unfair for the people of Europe to ask just what the hell is going on?

Two weeks ago I watched a Channel Four News story in which it was suggested with a straight face we should welcome ISIS fighters back to the UK with free council houses and all the trimmings, and by so doing hope they don’t try to kill anyone. Not letting them back in was, by comparison, considered horrifyingly illiberal.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

This thread is far more entertaining than the album.