I just downloaded the Fresno show. Morrissey's voice is sounding better than ever, BUT....

...the band is awful! They are butchering the songs and their playing is horrendous. Morrissey deserves a better band. He's worth so much more than those tired old musicians he insists on dragging around.

Why does Morrissey stick with those guys? Has he gone tone deaf?

Listen to 'Late Night, Maudlin Street', 'I Want The One I Can't Have', or 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'. It's enough to make you cry. I can't believe how badly these beautiful songs have been ruined by musicians who are putting only half their hearts into playing. These guys aren't even making an effort (Dean's good, I'm referring to you-know-whos on guitars).

I'm not crying for the glory days of The Smiths, I know that's long gone. Yet Morrissey deserves a band as powerful as his voice. The guys he's got on his side play as if they are half asleep, or drunk, or both.

It's a tragedy, really.

You're so right Earl, I have read all the reviews on here of the shows and every night I wonder what planet these people are on that they don't see this. I went to see him the first night in Vegas and both nights in London, and I was horrified and saddened by the band's performance. I just cant believe that no one is talking about this after the shows.

Morrissey sounds better now I think than he ever has before, and the band are just sucking the life out of the performance. I would swear they were not even awake on stage, I have been to so many concerts over the years and I don't think I've ever seen a band seem less interested, they just don't seem to give a fuck, I wanted to get up on stage and slap some sense into them. They're up there playing with MORRISSEY for god's sake, and they look and sound about as interested as if they were watching paint dry. They were like some awful cabaret band who've been playing the same songs three times every night for the last ten years. I was actually angry watching it. How dare they stand up there with him and look so damn bored, they just don't seem to give a shit, they obviously don't appreciate what they are being allowed to be a part of. I kept expecting Morrissey to just walk off stage in exasperation, I know I would have.

I don't know, maybe it doesn't help that the majority of the songs aren't ones they wrote, but that's no excuse, they owe it to Morrissey to do their best to do all his songs justice, and they didn't perk up much on the new ones either. It was absolutely depressing.

He really does deserve so much more than that, and I don't know why the hell he puts up with it.

He just doesn't seem to realise, or maybe he doesn't want to see it, as he sounded so happy back when they got together to have a "band" of sorts rather than just the session musicians he used to use. I wish more of the reviews in the press mentioned this so maybe the message would filter through to him, but everyone just seems to ignore the band. How do we get the message across to him?? Even talking about it here won't help, as his new assistant and "web-slave" is Alain's girlfriend I think (well when Martin Rossiter was interviewed about meeting Moz he said Alain's gf was called Blossom, and how many of them can there be?)so let's face it, she's not going to report back to him on this stuff is she.

It pisses me off, if they are so bored and disinterested, why don't they just fuck off? Oh how silly of me - the money! Nice. Moz deserves more!

As I mentioned before, I abandoned downloading "I Want The One I Can't Have" because it was so shockingly limp. In a recent interview he mentioned how potential Record Companies only wanted to sign him and not his band, do you think they'd ever have suggested ditching Marr or Reilly?

I'm going to make a CD with Smiths songs from this tour, combined with Marr & Co doing the exact same songs, and mail it to him. When he hears the different live versions back to back, it'll help with my arguement that his current band (minus Dean) is utterly shite...

Do you actually have his address? That's a great idea. I wish he did read the messages here, maybe it would open his eyes, but sadly I believe him that he doesn't. You should print out some of the messages here from different people and send them to him.

I can forgive Boz and Alain for not being as brilliant as Johnny, but there is no excuse for them not even trying, and they don't even go for it on the new songs. It's a bloody disgrace if you ask me. And I thought the whole idea of having a band that's barely competent was that they were lively and passionate, but they wouldn't know passion if it kicked them up the arse, and I wish it would! And they haven't got a shred of originality between them either.

Why the hell does he settle for this, I thought he was supposed to be a total perfectionist? And I don't even believe anymore that the band care about him at all, if they did they would at least TRY. Earl worded it well when he said they're RUINING him, and his career too probably. Poor Moz, he trusts them and they don't give a shit, it's so obviously just a job to them, I've never seen a band so "running through the motions".

Yep, I've got his address lying around somewhere. I wonder if he'll actually play the CD?

Maybe, it might appeal to his masochistic streak! Maybe you should send him some tissues too, he's going to need them if he listens to it.

What about sending him some of the comments from the site too? Earl's is a good example.

I hope he realises it's not just a plea for a Smiths reunion (much as I loved them), I just want him to get a band that's good enough to do him justice. The Smiths were all great musicians, and it really meant something to them. Neither of those are the case with his present band.

One of my (many) favourite Smiths songs is Oscillate Wildly, which as I'm sure you all know is an instrumental. Can you imagine how terminally dull and unpleasant it would be to listen to any of the songs Boz and Alain have written or played without Morrissey's singing? Ugh.

I don't think so. They've never been particularly exciting or competent musicians, but they used to make more of an effort, and they were much livelier (and I hate to say it but they were better looking too) which made up for some of their inadequacies. Now they really have nothing to recommend them. And I used to think they cared about Moz and were loyal to him, but it's clearly just a job to them, it pays the bills and not a lot else. If they cared they wouldn't do that to his songs, and they would be more inspired by the whole thing. He's stuck by them all these years and this is how they repay him, it's sick, really.

Why does Morrissey put up with it? You are right, they are draining the life out of every song. Morrissey's heavenly voice backed by beauty school dropouts, it should be a crime. Back in the heydays of The Smiths, and even early solo, Morrissey was always such a perfectionist. I can't understand his dramatic shift in priority. Is it he who just doesn't give a shit anymore, or is it the band?

I would think that if someone were touring and hoping to land a new recording contract, that they would have a band in top form, bringing every song sung to life, not burying every tune six feet under.

I listened to a live recording of 'Jack The Ripper' from a few years ago and compared it to the live recording from the Fresno show. Can someone pass me a hanky, I can't go on...

Personally, I'd love to see Morrissey ditch his band and start singing/sleeping with Stuart Murdoch.

> You're so right Earl, I have read all the reviews on here of the shows and
> every night I wonder what planet these people are on that they don't see
> this. I went to see him the first night in Vegas and both nights in
> London, and I was horrified and saddened by the band's performance. I just
> cant believe that no one is talking about this after the shows.

> Morrissey sounds better now I think than he ever has before, and the band
> are just sucking the life out of the performance. I would swear they were
> not even awake on stage, I have been to so many concerts over the years
> and I don't think I've ever seen a band seem less interested, they just
> don't seem to give a fuck, I wanted to get up on stage and slap some sense
> into them. They're up there playing with MORRISSEY for god's sake, and
> they look and sound about as interested as if they were watching paint
> dry. They were like some awful cabaret band who've been playing the same
> songs three times every night for the last ten years. I was actually angry
> watching it. How dare they stand up there with him and look so damn bored,
> they just don't seem to give a shit, they obviously don't appreciate what
> they are being allowed to be a part of. I kept expecting Morrissey to just
> walk off stage in exasperation, I know I would have.

> I don't know, maybe it doesn't help that the majority of the songs aren't
> ones they wrote, but that's no excuse, they owe it to Morrissey to do
> their best to do all his songs justice, and they didn't perk up much on
> the new ones either. It was absolutely depressing.

> He really does deserve so much more than that, and I don't know why the
> hell he puts up with it.

> He just doesn't seem to realise, or maybe he doesn't want to see it, as he
> sounded so happy back when they got together to have a "band" of
> sorts rather than just the session musicians he used to use. I wish more
> of the reviews in the press mentioned this so maybe the message would
> filter through to him, but everyone just seems to ignore the band. How do
> we get the message across to him?? Even talking about it here won't help,
> as his new assistant and "web-slave" is Alain's girlfriend I
> think (well when Martin Rossiter was interviewed about meeting Moz he said
> Alain's gf was called Blossom, and how many of them can there be?)so let's
> face it, she's not going to report back to him on this stuff is she.

> It pisses me off, if they are so bored and disinterested, why don't they
> just fuck off? Oh how silly of me - the money! Nice. Moz deserves more!

Not often I agree with the french, but the person who reviewed the Paris show in Le Monde was right on this occasion.

I don't know what you're talking about. I fucking like Boz and Alain and Gary a lot! I haven't seen them on this tour, granted. But my past experiences have been great. I think they're fun and have style and have written some cool
songs. And the new batch of songs from the BBc and Craig Kilborn, fucking ay, it sounds like the glory days all over again to me. "First of the Gang to Die" and "Irish Blood, English Heart" especially.

which could once have levelled mountains with their passion and urgency."

I couldn't have said it better.

> One of my (many) favourite Smiths songs is Oscillate Wildly, which as I'm
> sure you all know is an instrumental. Can you imagine how terminally dull
> and unpleasant it would be to listen to any of the songs Boz and Alain
> have written or played without Morrissey's singing? Ugh.

Actually, the song "Southpaw" has an extended instrumental portion which is absolutely gorgeous.

Anyway, I don't know how they're sounding on this tour, as I've only downloaded a few MP3s, and you really have to be there anyway. But look over the songs from Your Arsenal onward. That's some good fucking shit. I don't know what people are talking about. I'm rocking to "Southpaw Grammar" right now!

Giving you the benefit of the doubt and presuming you're able to be objective about things concerning Morrissey, all I can say is that the band has gone way way downhill. No fun, no style, no sparkle of any kind. So they've written "some cool songs", do you really think that's good enough?
I'm sorry but if you really think any of these news songs sound like the glory days, you need help. I loved them at first, but listen to Vauxhall & I, Your Arsenal, Viva Hate, Bona Drag, and the new songs suddenly seem really lacklustre, dull and plodding (musically - I don't mean Morrissey). Or if you really want to get depressed listen to the Smiths. Now that's the sound of a real band.
Morrissey sounds great on the new ones, but the music is utter crap. Don't be fooled by how good he is, it draws attention away from the mediocre rubbish he's singing over.

> I don't think so. They've never been particularly exciting or competent
> musicians, but they used to make more of an effort, and they were much
> livelier (and I hate to say it but they were better looking too) which
> made up for some of their inadequacies. Now they really have nothing to
> recommend them. And I used to think they cared about Moz and were loyal to
> him, but it's clearly just a job to them, it pays the bills and not a lot
> else. If they cared they wouldn't do that to his songs, and they would be
> more inspired by the whole thing. He's stuck by them all these years and
> this is how they repay him, it's sick, really.

I have heard the new songs only. "The World is Full of Crashing Bores" is not a bad song. The ending gives it away. INstead of a frenzy, the song limps politely to the finish line, and I can hear it say, "one song down, another to go". I feel so bad. I do not yearn for Johnny Marr. I also wish Boz and Alain could be more succesful on their own. If they were, nobody would feel obligated to stay. They could part ways much more easily when they have musically out grown the other. I think it has happened.

Morrissey's career is also very erratic. These musicians will wait patiently while he tries and fails with the record company. I don't see how anyone with any fire in them would sit back and wait for an eternity.

I have to agree, which makes me feel bad. I love the guys, but I noticed so many missing melodies and just lack of passion on the latest tour. Listen to Speedway, one of the best songs ever made IMHO, there is just NO passion, aggression, and there's not even the beautiful crescendo at the end. I was quite gutted. And as much as I like Deano, his drumming on that - arguably one of the most important ingredients of the song - is just so pedestrian. Plus Maudlin Street was hideous. Honestly it's just not good enough. Especially for £30!!!!

GD

> Giving you the benefit of the doubt and presuming you're able to be
> objective about things concerning Morrissey,

I don't know how to be "objective" about ANYTHING. All I can do is say how the music makes me feel.

>all I can say is that the
> band has gone way way downhill.

Again, I haven't seen them on this tour, because they're fucking neglecting the east coast and midwest of America. But again, the last songs that I know of that they've written were those on the "Rare Tracks" EP following "Maladjusted," including the instant-classic "Lost," and the powerful
"This Is Not Your Country." And also the five new ones we have now. Of the five new ones, it's only "Mexico" I'm not quite feeling yet, but I've only heard a really shitty bootleg of that track.

I've been blasting the three BBC tracks, as well as "First of the Gang to Die" from The Late, Late Show, all week in my car, and I fucking dig the shit.
"Gang" and "Irish Blood" sound like classics to me as they are. Totally Morrissey at his finest. "I Like You" is a very good song, but I don't think we've heard anything close to the perfected version of it yet. If you listen closely you can hear the subtleties in the guitar that will probably be much more apparent in the studio version. Pay particular attention to the final minute, it's lovely. "I Like You" also, to my ears, sounds *very* Smiths-like BTW. As for "Crashing Bores," the bum-bum bum-bum bum-bum bum-bum when Morrissey is singing the "silly willy taxmen, uniformed whores" bit is cool,
more of the rockabilly feel I like about the band. But that song, too, I think will be improved in the studio. So, I don't know, man, there's four songs that I feel would make the cut at the highest points of the man's career, with two of them being truly great songs and the other two being worthy, good songs. Where is this "way downhill" rubbish you're talking about?

>No fun, no style, no sparkle of any kind.

That's your "objective" analysis I take it. Well, no, it's not, no one is objective. You're just not feeling it yourself, and that's fine. But
I hardly think I'm alone in finding fun and sparkle here. Perhaps you're just too nervous about whether or not it's PERFECT enough, instead of just relaxing, singing along, and letting the songs grow on you? I've been on these Morrissey foums for enough years to know every move the guy makes gets ripped apart...but then later on a lot of those songs start popping up on people's "favorite songs" lists and "dream set list" threads.

> So they've written "some cool songs", do you really think that's
> good enough?

When I said "some cool songs" I was intending that to be much more positive than you took it! Let me put it this way. When I make my Morrissey mixes to play in my walkman or car, or when I'm just playing Morrissey tunes on a Sunday afternoon, most of the songs I choose most of the time are Boz and Alain songs.
I think there are MORE top songs from Boz and Alain than there are from Marr, despite the fact that Marr is a better musician. OTOH, I think The Smiths had a more perfect ALBUMS, fewer subpar songs, and Marr's absolute best moments cannot be touched by Alain or Boz.

So, rather than being totally confusing with this any more, what I'm saying is... the guy's had a long career with lots of good to great songs all along the way. Of course there are some here who only really care for The Smiths. But there are also some of us who think the whole career is pretty damn interesting and cool. When I play The Smiths, I honestly don't get "depressed" that Marr's not with him any more. Sure, he may have made some more great songs with Morrissey had he not left. But since Morrissey made great songs afterwards anyway, I've got nothing to feel depressed about.

> I'm sorry but if you really think any of these news songs sound like the
> glory days, you need help.

We may have a difference of opinions on when the glory days were. As I've said many times on this board, my favorite Morrissey period was the "Live at KROQ" EP thru the "Sunny" single. All the albums, singles, b-sides, tours (and that kick ass live album!) that went on in those years were my happiest days as a music fan in my life. Of course The Smiths were also the glory days (which I was not present for), and the way I see it is his career had two extremely high peaks lasting a few years each. And I just get the feeling that he's on the ascent once again. What particularly pleases me is he's rather pissed off lately. There's still a fire.

>I loved them at first, but listen to Vauxhall
> & I, Your Arsenal, Viva Hate, Bona Drag, and the new songs suddenly
> seem really lacklustre, dull and plodding (musically - I don't mean
> Morrissey).

Well, "Vauxhall & I" is tied as my favorite album, along with "Meat is Murder" (U.S. version w/ "How Soon Is Now?").

>Or if you really want to get depressed listen to the Smiths.
> Now that's the sound of a real band.
> Morrissey sounds great on the new ones, but the music is utter crap. Don't
> be fooled by how good he is, it draws attention away from the mediocre
> rubbish he's singing over.

You know what my least favorite stuff is in my Morrissey/Smiths collection?
Smiths bootlegs. I rarely play 'em. Maybe I have the wrong ones, or maybe it's because I never saw them live, or maybe the recoding technology was shitty back then, but I'm not into them much. And yo're right, Morrissey's a much better singer today than he was in the 80s!

> And yo're right, Morrissey's
> a much better singer today than he was in the 80s!

If I may offer my two cents here...

I always preferred the passion of his youthful Smiths-era voice to his more velvety smooth improving-with-age voice of today. Having said that, when I bought "Maladjusted," I was really disappointed in his vocals - he seemed almost out of breath and a bit monotonous. But when I saw him live a few years later, well, I was damned surprised at how far SUPERIOR his voice was from just a few years ago.

How does he DO that??

> I don't know what you're talking about. I fucking like Boz and Alain and
> Gary a lot! I haven't seen them on this tour, granted. But my past
> experiences have been great. I think they're fun and have style and have
> written some cool
> songs. And the new batch of songs from the BBc and Craig Kilborn, fucking
> ay, it sounds like the glory days all over again to me. "First of the
> Gang to Die" and "Irish Blood, English Heart" especially.

After having listened to some of the so-called "good" bands around, I've heard nothing that would suit Morrissey's style of singing and type of songs he performs. The resurgence of garage bands is a gawd awful development in pop/rock music. Are you trying to change Morrissey? That would be foolish! He has performed with this band for 11-12 years now, and obviously their playing suits him. I can't even imagine him play a guest appearance with another band now.

> Again, I haven't seen them on this tour, because they're fucking
> neglecting the east coast and midwest of America. But again, the last
> songs that I know of that they've written were those on the "Rare
> Tracks" EP following "Maladjusted," including the
> instant-classic "Lost," and the powerful
> "This Is Not Your Country."

Erm, Spencer wrote Lost, and some of the better Maladjusted b-sides/rarities.

> I don't know what you're talking about. I fucking like Boz and Alain and
> Gary a lot! I haven't seen them on this tour, granted. But my past
> experiences have been great. I think they're fun and have style and have
> written some cool
> songs. And the new batch of songs from the BBc and Craig Kilborn, fucking
> ay, it sounds like the glory days all over again to me. "First of the
> Gang to Die" and "Irish Blood, English Heart" especially.

Your key phrase there being "my past experiences". I agree, in THE PAST, Gary and Alain and Boz were fun and had style, and yes, they have written some cool songs. I can't argue with you there.

But give a serious listen to what the boys are pumping out now. Download the Fresno show. Seriously listen to their playing. Compare it to live performances from the mid to early 90's and you'll hear the difference, and the difference is saddening.

True. Spencer wrote some good songs. So did Gary(surprisingly so).

> Erm, Spencer wrote Lost, and some of the better Maladjusted
> b-sides/rarities.

i think morrissey may finally have learnt the meaning of the word "loyalty." in the past he's been accused of using people and ditching them. i obviously dont know if this is true, but i think it's cool that he and the lads stick together. they have a lot of good music in them yet, i think. they seemed fairly enthusiastic at the two shows i went to. admittedly, i havent been to many concerts and i was fairly fixated on morrissey the entire time, but they were by no means awful.

what's up with all the love for dino, by the way? he's cool and all, but several weeks ago, people were bitching about how wooden and unenthused he was. now all of a sudden, he's the only good bandmember. what gives?

Morrissey has always known the meaning of the world loyalty, but in the past he very sensibly only showed loyalty to people who had earned and deserved it (he would have followed Johnny to the ends of the earth), and yes he had high standards, but why shouldn't he? Add that to a good dose of paranoia and an inability to trust people easily and a history of being let down by people who should have known better, and you can see how he has ended up with problems in that area, but I don't think the problem comes from his side.

These days though it seems as if his loyalty is misplaced. If the Lads were loyal to him they would be trying to make this tour something special, wouldn't they? I don't think they've earned his loyalty to the point that he should sacrifice his life and career to stand by them when they obviously couldn't care less about it all as long as they get their cheques at the end of the tour. And let's face it, the Lads and Moz are hardly the best of friends, it's pretty clear it's just a business relationship.

As far as Dean is concerned, he's the only one up there on the stage who at least looks enthusiastic, and he seems like such a fan of Moz, maybe that's what's winning people over?

i wasnt accusing morrissey of anything. i obviously know why he has a hard time trusting people and i'm sure in many cases where he has been accused of being disloyal, the other person did something to warrant it. i just really enjoy the lads and though they might not be the best of friends, they've been together a long while and i dont think it's as simple as him saying "okay, boys, time to move on."

and i havent got a problem with deano (or dino). in fact, i rather like him. i was just commenting on how quickly people change their minds here. i suppose now that the first blush is gone from their tour 2002 experiences, people have time to pick things apart and behave like jerks.

> i wasnt accusing morrissey of anything. i obviously know why he has a hard
> time trusting people and i'm sure in many cases where he has been accused
> of being disloyal, the other person did something to warrant it. i just
> really enjoy the lads and though they might not be the best of friends,
> they've been together a long while and i dont think it's as simple as him
> saying "okay, boys, time to move on."

No, I don't think it's that simple either, but they're dragging him down and that's no good!

> and i havent got a problem with deano (or dino). in fact, i rather like
> him. i was just commenting on how quickly people change their minds here.

I didn't think you were criticising Dean(o). Maybe he's improved with a little practise, or feels more at ease now. Or maybe he's just showing a bit more enthusiasm and people like to see that.

> i suppose now that the first blush is gone from their tour 2002
> experiences, people have time to pick things apart and behave like jerks.

Most of the people here who are criticising the Lads aren't behaving like jerks, they're just speaking their minds. Just because we think Morrissey is great doesn't mean we have to keep quiet about being disappointed by the Lads, which seems mostly to be motivated by a concern for Morrissey and a desire for him to achieve everything he's capable of. It's frustrating to see them clouding the beauty and passion in what he does. His brilliance is being watered down by them, and that's a real shame.

i happen to like the albums he did with the lads and a few "lacklustre" (in your OPINION) performances doesnt necessarily mean that their studio recordings will be no good. why not wait and see what the singles and albums are like, since we know they must be coming soon?

besides who do you have in mind for replacements? if i didnt like the lads as much as i do, i'm sure i could come up with a dreamlist. but you know, as someone so kindly pointed out, morrissey is resistent to change - not just in his band's lineup but stylistically as well. think about it. the last time he drastically changed his musical style (southpaw grammar), he got a lot of shit for it. now i happened to like his foray into prog-rock, but not everyone did. i imagine he has an understanding with the lads. other musicians might try to push him into musical territory he's not too keen on. remember how he said he hopes to god his music doesnt fit in with what's going on now?

that being said, i recall an old interview where morrissey said that he always had a talent for composing little tunes and melodies in his head. he has said he has quite a musical mind, despite his inability to play an instrument. perhaps he could take this gift to the lads and maybe give them a little direction as opposed to taking tapes of their compositions and setting words to them.

> Erm, Spencer wrote Lost, and some of the better Maladjusted
> b-sides/rarities.

Ah, you're right! Was it Spencer who also wrote "Wide to Recieve"? That's one of my faves, can't remember if it was him.

But it was Alain and Boz who played on 'em.

> Your key phrase there being "my past experiences". I agree, in
> THE PAST, Gary and Alain and Boz were fun and had style, and yes, they
> have written some cool songs. I can't argue with you there.

> But give a serious listen to what the boys are pumping out now. Download
> the Fresno show. Seriously listen to their playing. Compare it to live
> performances from the mid to early 90's and you'll hear the difference,
> and the difference is saddening.

That may be. But I'm gonna wait till I get an opportunity to see him with my own eyes and ears present. Or, if he snubs my region entirely, I'll wait for the DVD. I'm not gonna sit here and download an entire concert that you said stunk! I'll take your word for it that it stunk. I did download a couple odd tracks here and there from various shows, and I'll grant you that some of them don't sound as good as they should. And I've also heard that Boz doesn't move around anymore?

> That may be. But I'm gonna wait till I get an opportunity to see him with
> my own eyes and ears present. Or, if he snubs my region entirely, I'll
> wait for the DVD. I'm not gonna sit here and download an entire concert
> that you said stunk! I'll take your word for it that it stunk. I did
> download a couple odd tracks here and there from various shows, and I'll
> grant you that some of them don't sound as good as they should. And I've
> also heard that Boz doesn't move around anymore?

I think I remember reading in one of your posts that you are from my region too. The mistake on the lake ring a bell? Arabica Coffeehouse? I can make you a copy of the Fresno show if you'd like.

Let's hope he comes to the area. I'll see him here, in Detroit and Toronto.


http://www.ohnd.uscourts.gov/Clerk_s_Office/New_Court_House/supersiteweb.jpg

If you've got the bottle to do it, I think you should. I also like the idea of sending him some of the comments from the site. There was a great little essay on the subject posted with one of the polls a while back that was very touching. I'll go back and see if I can find it.

I think there was a poll a year or two ago about replacing the band and almost half of voters said yes so there must be a lot of people out there thinking the same thing.

> I'm going to make a CD with Smiths songs from this tour, combined with
> Marr & Co doing the exact same songs, and mail it to him. When he
> hears the different live versions back to back, it'll help with my
> arguement that his current band (minus Dean) is utterly shite...

> If you've got the bottle to do it, I think you should. I also like the
> idea of sending him some of the comments from the site. There was a great
> little essay on the subject posted with one of the polls a while back that
> was very touching. I'll go back and see if I can find it.

> I think there was a poll a year or two ago about replacing the band and
> almost half of voters said yes so there must be a lot of people out there
> thinking the same thing.

I'd rather leave the band alone and replace some of the fans.

Morrissey's loyalty to his band is honorable and very touching, but it's dragging him towards impending obscurity. It brings to mind his response to the question about one of his worst traits, being "unlimited self-sabotage". I feel bad saying this about the band, Alain and Boz have done some fantastic stuff, Vauxhall & I and Your Arsenal are incredible albums - musically as well as vocally/lyrically, and I really think those two albums can sit proudly with the best Morrissey has done with anyone else, be it the Smiths or his work with Stephen Street. But all good things come to an end, relationships run their course, and it pains me that he doesn't seem to see that musically, things with the Lads have run their course and it's time to move on, in fact I think it was time to move on quite some time ago.

Alain and Boz are very competent musicians (although as much as I like him I don't think I could say the same of Gary; I haven't heard Dean yet so I don't know about him). But the problem is that they are utterly lacking in originality and real style (although to be fair this may not be the case when they are in their own element doing rockabilly etc). Sure they're good, but that's just not good enough - Morrissey is absolutely brilliant, he is one of the best singers in the world in my opinion, and he really deserves better. He is so special, and the people he writes songs with should be special too. It is such a sad and frustrating waste of his talent to work with inferior people.

That sounds horrible I know, and I really hate to say it, the boys seem so nice, and it's obvious they appreciate Morrissey. But I'm sorry, it has to be said. Why do you think no one had ever heard of any of them before, why do you think they are ignored by the world? It's because they're just not that great. They've been involved in numerous other projects before and during their association with Morrissey, and they have all amounted to nothing, they obviously love music and enjoy everything they do, but there is a reason they've never made a name for themselves - they just aren't in the same league as Morrissey, and I think that's obvious to everyone in the world apart from the man himself. Or maybe he does know, but he doesn't know what to do about it, who knows.

I don't know who he should write with, but he is a genius, and he deserves to work with people of his caliber, how can we expect him to produce the groundbreaking, amazing, beautiful, classic songs we know he is capable of if he has average musicians writing the music? That's asking for a miracle, why make things so difficult for himself? He's being massively handicapped and held back by their limitations, and when I see people write him off and say he's past his best, it nearly brings tears to my eyes, because they're wrong, he just can't do this to the best of his ability with the music he's being given. How can we expect him to be truly inspired? There will never be another singer like him, yet his band are mediocre, it's crazy really and I can't for the life of me understand why it has gone on for so long. Yes Moz seems to really like and appreciate the Lads, but they're obviously not that close, they don't even travel together, and he never names any of them among his friends. They are not his equals, and he must realise that, so why not work with people who are at least close to his level of talent and ability? There are many wonderful, talented, original musicians in the world, and I can't believe that almost any of them wouldn't be thrilled to work with him.

Thank god he is good enough to do as well as he has within the limitations of his co-songwriters, but I think we all know how much more he's capable of, and I just hope that one day this dawns on him and he decides to grab the bull by the horns and go out and find some musicians who can keep up with him and inspire him the way I don't think anyone really has since Johnny.

To think that one of the finest singers in history, who still has as much talent as he ever did could write a song called 'Now I Am A Was' just breaks my heart, I was shocked when I read those lyrics. I don't know if he really feels that, I truly hope he doesn't. I know he still has it in him to write stunning songs and get the recognition he deserves. Granted, compared to the rest of the music being made these days both Southpaw and Maladjusted were very good albums, but Morrissey shouldn't be making 'good' albums, he should be making the very best, and I could accept good and be grateful for it if I wasn't sure he could do even better. I know the spark is there, there are still flashes of his brilliance, but if he would only give himself half a chance, I think he would surprise everyone, including himself.

So, sorry for the rant, but I feel better for having said it. I'm sure I'll get ripped to pieces for my views, oh well...

~Emily W.

> I'd rather leave the band alone and replace some of the fans.

nice one, mate!!!!!
i agree.

> I don't know what you're talking about. I fucking like Boz and Alain and
> Gary a lot! I haven't seen them on this tour, granted. But my past
> experiences have been great. I think they're fun and have style and have
> written some cool
> songs. And the new batch of songs from the BBc and Craig Kilborn, fucking
> ay, it sounds like the glory days all over again to me. "First of the
> Gang to Die" and "Irish Blood, English Heart" especially.

god, youre the only smart and tasteful person here.
cheers!!!

Might be a good idea, I wonder why he never does that. I find it hard to believe that he needs the music there to come up with the melodies, they seem to come to him so easily, so why not use them as a starting point? I hope he decides to try it sometime, as I think he is far more talented than they are, so it makes sense for him to come up with his part first, or to at least try it from time to time.

> that being said, i recall an old interview where morrissey said that he
> always had a talent for composing little tunes and melodies in his head.
> he has said he has quite a musical mind, despite his inability to play an
> instrument. perhaps he could take this gift to the lads and maybe give
> them a little direction as opposed to taking tapes of their compositions
> and setting words to them.

see! i'm always right.