... but has anyone had problems with the "Who Put The M In Manchester" DVD? When the first interview at the end appears, the picture becomes pixelated and the sound starts juddering. I've had to exchange it twice now.

In the same issue there's a short piece by Morrissey, reflecting on his early teenage fandom of Marc Bolan. An interesting quote:

"My first ever concert was seeing T. Rex at Belle Vue [June 16, 1972]. It was messianic and complete chaos. Belle Vue was in a quite tough area of Manchester and my father dropped me off outside wearing a purple satin jacket. I think he thought I'd be killed and he waved me off like it was the last time he'd ever see me alive. It must've been like losing your child to a deadly cult-and maybe that's exactly how it was...I had gone by myself and stood by myself throughout, and of course, it was the turning of at least eight corners."

Maybe I missed this story if it came through, but Amazon's review was equally composed of witty praise for the live compilation:

"Claiming that "It's either this or prison" but nevertheless capping his most successful solo year thus far, Morrissey performed to 17,183 of his faithful fans at London's Earls Court in December 2004 in a manner (Morrissey's name in big red lightbulbs) intended to invoke Elvis' 1968 comeback special. Thankfully, as Live At Earls Court testifies, Morrissey's life purpose is better served by rock than the jailhouse. Eremitic melancholia, mordant badinage and rancorous avengement. Nobody does it better. In fact, nobody other than Morrissey does it at all. Whether bemoaning surplus hormones on the breathtakingly immodest "I Have Forgiven Jesus" or wishing--rather self-servingly--that he'd been fashionably martyred in the Bavarian snow along with the Busby Babes, Morrissey never fails to raise an eyebrow. He may have spent his formative years with "three incredibly miserable people" but The Smiths' music endures, herein with slight concessions to modernity; Joan Of Arc now owns a melting iPod on "Bigmouth Strikes Again". Many of the titles are taken from the platinum-selling You Are The Quarry. Even the b-sides are grand. "Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice" sounds like The Pixies gone transsexual. Yes, the world is full of crashing bores but please strike Morrissey's name off the list. Again." --Kevin Maidment

I am attached to the CD by the heartstrings, but why did they expunge the charming witticisms? They are part of the charm of live recordings!

Having had a little time to get into now, I do enjoy it as it was such an amazing night and brings back great memories. But with the quips dispensed of (and he was on such good form that night)it does lack some of the excitement which I felt. Some of the comments and half sentences sound out of context and quite dull, such as "it's either this or prison" or "Time will prove everything". To anyone who was'nt there it will sound like we were all lying about how good it was and not the great end to a fantastic year that left me buzzing for days.
As a consequence, have had to order a bootleg DVD from ebay to fill the void.

Just thought that I might mention that Sanity music has a release date of April 25 for the DVD & CD here in Australia

What is the difference between the live at earls court digipack and the other one - apart from the price? i can't work it out...