Brutal. Bowie releases an amazing new song and M. releases this image. My love for M. has been fading slowly over the past 10 years or so. I loved Quarry deeply - the tunes and lyrics were evocative and moving, he looked good, and he hadn't said anything embarrassing for a while. I think he had a solid 20 years of producing great art, which is a lot more than the vast majority of pop artists. For me (and many, maybe most, others?) he was always a Gesamtkunstwerk artist: the music, lyrics, record-sleeves, hairstyle, clothing and interviews all worked seamlessly to represent a complete picture of a "beautiful outsider." The problem, I think, is that his artistic vision was too closely tied to his personal life. As he's become less beautiful (age, fame, California!), his artistic output has degraded accordingly (music, lyrics, record-sleeves . . . etc.). Compare with Bowie, also a Gesamtkunst artist, but one who's art is more informed by an exploration of, and curiosity into, different aesthetic ideals rather than his personal life - he still produces relevant music (at the age of 103!). I respect M. for his stance on animal welfare; I think it's the one remaining aspect of his fame that is worthwhile. But his current art and his inane political views, coupled with his toxic narcissism, are leaving many of his old fans cold. I wonder if this will tarnish his old work (at least for me)? I rarely listen to him or the Smiths anymore. (FWIW I think U.S. Girls is an exciting current example of the "beautiful outsider".)