Variety: The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy interview - Morrissey mentioned (June 14, 2024)

"The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy Is Fine With the Long Wait for the Group’s New Album, but Isn’t So Sure His Dream Is Still to Write With Morrissey"

Relevant part:

Who do you dream of collaborating with at this point in your career?

I’ve always harbored a dream of writing a song for Morrissey, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen in my lifetime. For one thing, I don’t know how often he does that or how he would do that now. It would not [be great] culturally to work with him now for the damage that he’s done to his own reputation. And, maybe I shouldn’t want to, I think maybe he would be an unpleasant person to work with. So I’m of two minds about it.

The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy Is Fine With the Long Wait for the Group’s New Album, but Isn’t So Sure His Dream Is Still to Write With Morrissey

The Decemberists' Colin Meloy gets deep about the group's new album, and says he's not so sure his dream is still to work with Morrissey.

variety.com

Colin ensuring his dream never happens.
Regards,
FWD.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

So if M released music that was in your opinion ‘decent’ then whatever his actions were, would be forgiven?

btw, some routes are not chosen. In other words ‘because he must’.

He’s already ‘forgiven’ in my eyes. I may criticize him, but I won’t forget what he’s meant to me. I just think that if the artistic decline wasn’t so steep, more people wouldn’t mind his silliness as much.

I think he’s the agent of his own actions.

 

[Roman Holiday]

If he still released (decent) material, it would be easier to accept this stupid route he’s taking.

I guess that depends on what we mean by "stupid route." Someone like gashonthenail thinks Morrissey's route is noble and righteous: that he's not afraid to speak truth to power even if it costs him his reputation. Personally I'm less impressed; I think the alt-right material and awful inanities on his site, as well as his support for Israel, are unbecoming—but then, he's not obligated to please me. And I would still hold that opinion even if I thought Dog On A Chain was equal to Quarry (and IMO it's far, far from it). I'd have to say, the music is good but other things disappoint. And those things wouldn't disappoint me any less.

I think something that gets overlooked is that it's not necessarily a dichotomy of "elder statesman of rock" and "old grandpa rebel bucking the system." Maybe he should've taken a cue from R.E.M. and retired. They made a great decision in bowing out, and they acknowledge that they did it to avoid the embarrassment of being craven elder rockers in quality decline, touring the old hits in perpetuity.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I guess that depends on what we mean by "stupid route." Someone like gashonthenail thinks Morrissey's route is noble and righteous: that he's not afraid to speak truth to power even if it costs him his reputation. Personally I'm less impressed; I think the alt-right material and awful inanities on his site,

as well as his support for Israel,

did he say something recently?

are unbecoming—but then, he's not obligated to please me. And I would still hold that opinion even if I thought Dog On A Chain was equal to Quarry (and IMO it's far, far from it). I'd have to say, the music is good but other things disappoint. And those things wouldn't disappoint me any less.

I think something that gets overlooked is that it's not necessarily a dichotomy of "elder statesman of rock" and "old grandpa rebel bucking the system." Maybe he should've taken a cue from R.E.M. and retired. They made a great decision in bowing out, and they acknowledge that they did it to avoid the embarrassment of being craven elder rockers in quality decline, touring the old hits in perpetuity.

 

[Roman Holiday]

did he say something recently?

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I think his recent announcement of additional Las Vegas dates contained a sly reference to it when he scolded the reader for staying informed:

Can you pull yourself away from that dirty habit of watching television news? Life isn't 'over there', it’s over here.

Considering that "over there" is a generic reference to a foreign war and he put it in quotes, I read this as: "stop paying morbid attention to what my beloved Israel is up to, come and enjoy my music, you know you love it." Am I twisting his words the wrong way?

 

[Orange Crush]

I thought it was Frankie Boyle.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I think his recent announcement of additional Las Vegas dates contained a sly reference to it when he scolded the reader for staying informed:



Considering that "over there" is a generic reference to a foreign war and he put it in quotes, I read this as: "stop paying morbid attention to what my beloved Israel is up to, come and enjoy my music, you know you love it." Am I twisting his words the wrong way?

I think that's a faintly ridiculous reach.

 

[gordyboy9]

did he say something recently?

he has always supported israel,he was given the keys to tel aviv in 2012 as a gesture of his support.he isnt the only one.here is a small sample of famous people who support israel.
madonna,rihanna,katy perry,lady gaga,larry david,alicia vikanda,ben stiller,kurt russel,u2.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Doesn't this make it even worse? considering that he just threw Moz under the bus.

I know we usually assume people are just jumping on the bandwagon when they say things like this about Morrissey... but maybe he's genuine in his disappointment.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

View attachment 105861

You're too new to understand.

 

[Life_Is_A_Pigsty]

I know we should separate the artist from the art, but after that shite I will struggle to listen to the Decemberists again in the same light. What a chronic bed-wetter.

 

[BrokenFrame]

You're too new to understand.

Come on, we don't need everyone to be bitter.

 

[Ashley_TakeABow]

You're too new to understand.

 

[gashonthenail]

You're too new to understand.

You're too jaded.

 

[Pokey]

God I'd love a Morrissey/Decemberists cross-over. Colin is a huge Moz tragic complete with tattoos and all ... I assume this is his diplomatic answer because he would still jump at the chance to work together.

 

[The Alchemist]

Morrissey previously said he could forgive Bowie anything just by listening to Drive-In Saturday etc.

Likewise, I can forgive Morrissey anything just by listening to Trouble Loves Me etc....

It really is that easy for me.

Spin the record, drop the needle, forget the BS.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Morrissey previously said he could forgive Bowie anything just by listening to Drive-In Saturday etc.

Likewise, I can forgive Morrissey anything just by listening to Trouble Loves Me etc....

It really is that easy for me.

Spin the record, drop the needle, forget the BS.

I am completely the same. Like I said elsewhere, I may criticize him, but I still remember what he’s meant to me. And if my memory should falter, I just need to hear the first few seconds of The Never Played Symphonies.

 

[Born to Harangue]

Morrissey wrote that song and he really does love Israel, and Israel/Gaza is massive in the news these days.

Did you give “that song” a low rating like I did (3/10, my lowest rated Morrissey song) in Mozmar’s threads where we rated all of Morrissey’s songs back when you had very little to say about that country, or did you give it a considerably higher rating than I did, maybe even the highest rating that it was possible to give it!? I need to be reminded again.

I gave Israel a 3 because the song offends me on a level deeper than its musical qualities and that's the lowest I'll ever go.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

I gave it (Israel) a 2. A bit harsh, but it really is an awful song. The lyrics are bad on so many levels.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Morrissey previously said he could forgive Bowie anything just by listening to Drive-In Saturday etc.

Likewise, I can forgive Morrissey anything just by listening to Trouble Loves Me etc....

It really is that easy for me.

Spin the record, drop the needle, forget the BS.

But then you listen to the albums WPINOYB and Low In High School back to back and forgiveness goes out the window?

 

[The Alchemist]

But then you listen to the albums WPINOYB and Low In High School back to back and forgiveness goes out the window?

I dunno, I mean I actually really like Neal Cassady, Kick the Bride, Kiss Me a Lot, Oboe Concerto, Staircase, Who Will Protect Us, Girl from Tel-Aviv, Home is a Question Mark, My Love I'd Do Anything for You and Spent the Day in Bed.

Maybe I'm just weird, in my own strange way.

Or you might say, my own sick way.