From Len Brown, author of Meetings With Morrissey
Yes, my biography/memoir Meetings With Morrissey is on the horizon and should be in all disreputable bookshops within the coming weeks.
I’ve been aware of various comments about me on Morrissey Solo (story) for some weeks but, frankly, I’d hoped my publishers might have predictably jumped to my defence before now with cries of “bravo author”. But, no, not a sausage…instead, it’s left to little old me to respond and at least try to clarify the situation.
In response to Rambo’s comment on Morrissey Solo, to my knowledge I’m not even dead yet. Strangely, many years ago when I confronted David Bret about his unauthorised/unacknowledged sampling of my interviews with Morrissey in his pretentiously-titled 1994 volume Landscapes Of The Mind he defensively replied ‘I thought you were dead’. What a coincidence.
It’s even odder that the press release posted by Mr Rumbelow isn’t actually from the Music Sales/Music Room website. I can't find it there so not sure how he’s got hold of that, or where it’s actually from, but I suppose it does explain what the book’s about. (In truth, it's better than the official press release!)
Thirdly, the flyers at O2 were definitely nowt to do with me and this book. I think someone's confused it with Dickie Henderson's fan-book Meeting Morrissey (a different donkey altogether).
So what’s new and fantastic about this book? (Writer scratches head and waits for tumbleweed to roll in...) If anyone gives a monkey’s…it’s the first biography of Morrissey by someone who’s actually interviewed him several times and stayed in contact with him (off and on) between 1988 and 2006.
Apart from my NME pieces on The Smiths - having first seen them at London’s Venue back in autumn 1983 - my series of journalistic/television encounters with the artist (hence the title) took place at London’s Cadogan Hotel, Wolverhampton, Hook End near Reading, Nottingham Central Television Studios, Waterstone’s Manchester, Bowden Cheshire, Quay Street Manchester and Alexandra Palace London. Plus additional discussions about Wilde’s grave, television, Carry On films and the C4 documentary The Importance Of Being Morrissey.
(NB. I decided not to include my articles for the American magazines Spin and Details. Both were edited in an utterly bizarre way for the US market. Spin added loads of stereotypically English “more tea dear?” asides, while in Details – when Hulmerist came out - they suggested Morrissey was celebrating the Eighteenth century Scottish philosopher Hume rather than his childhood suburb of Manchester. Duh?)
No, the book isn’t authorised. In fact Morrissey’s management (first Merck Mercuriadis, and now David Enthoven at IE) – who received draft copies earlier this year - asked me not to quote from several years of personal correspondence from Morrissey. Naturally I have respected their wishes, even though the requested sections would have been of great interest to fans and could have further revealed his great humour, compassion and ongoing passion for pop music.
(In my opinion ‘authorised’ biographies are only created for people who can’t write – footballers, boxers, minor ‘celebrities’ mainly – and have little real value.)
When I approached Morrissey about my book in early 2006 he was non committal but informed me he would soon be publishing his autobiography, The Thoughts Of Chairman Moz. Quite honestly, I assumed his volume would have appeared long before now, two years down the line. Maybe my tome will merely serve as a stop-gap for M’s devoted fans?
At this point in time, sadly I’ve absolutely no idea what Semi-Sorry himself makes of the book. Perhaps his silence speaks volumes?
But with James Maker’s Autofellatio (?) on the horizon, not to mention Gavin Hopps’ highly-anticipated Pageant Of His Bleeding Heart in the Continuum pipeline, plus other rumoured Morrissey books (by various Brands?), I decided to go ahead and collect together my writings about Morrissey along with previously unpublished interviews, encounters and thoughts.
We can write the reviews now. Those who love Morrissey will love the book but possibly complain it’s too critical in parts. Those who hate Morrissey will hate the book and definitely complain it’s not critical enough in parts. There is no middle ground. But that’s what makes him special and different as a performing, thinking artist. And although I don’t agree with everything Morrissey says or does, I still believe he’s one of the most extraordinary and interesting characters to have emerged in late Twentieth/early Twenty First century pop culture.
That's about the size of it, and to this I give my name. Len Brown, Chipping Sodbury, the arse-end of July 2008.
Ps. I don't support their policy on meat or books, but Meetings With Morrissey will no doubt be cheaper at Tesco's!
PPs. Not holding out much hope for Richard & Judy's Book Club...
---
· NME
· Len Brown
· story
· Meetings with Morrissey by Len Brown
· More News/Media stories
· More Index stories
· Also by davidt
"The Thoughts Of Chairman Moz"??? (Score:1)
Peter
(User #7815 Info)
Sounds like (Score:0)
And, The Thoughts of Chairman Moz?
ahahaha, Moz, I love you so much, with all your ridiculous cheesed out puns and everything.
Mao, indeed. (!!!..)
I will be ordering (Score:1)
cossy
(User #6724 Info)
les brown (Score:0)
great info (Score:1)
I cannot wait to get my hands on Morrissey's autobiography! The Thoughts Of Chairman Moz! Haha, what a great title
C'mon Moz, we're all waiting!!
xox
(User #20022 Info)
Chairman Mo(z) (Score:1)
(User #14674 Info)
Modest Moz (Score:0)
Is it really 400 pages long? Any previously unreleased photos included? I generally avoid Moz bios, but this looks good.
"There's a publisher in the new year..."
"The Thoughts Of Chairman Moz" (Score:0)
what's going on here? (Score:0)
It was probably a windup. (Score:1)
If not, then it is further evidence that Morrissey is slowly losing what good taste he once had. Senility, perhaps?
Of course, Morrissey was suppossed to write a series of other books that never materialized.
I don't see him as having the endurance for a long work, and editing something of that size from him would be a nightmare. His prose often seems naive, and overwrought; more so like someone trying to project the image of a writer.
They're a dime a dozen in creative writing classes.
(User #20764 Info)
Hang on. (Score:0)
Do we really need another Morrissey book, anyway? How many times do we want to read about his homosexuality, the 'racism' thing, his mid-90's peak, the exile in America, the comeback, and the flat greys in between?
Also, I don't like the front cover, and (judging by the original post) I don't like the author's writing style either.
Still, I'm sure the maniac fans will lap it up. "Books won't save them; books aren't Stanley knives..."
(User #14655 Info)
Bring it on! (Score:1)
(User #19759 Info | http://jennifer.cyki.com/)
"The Day I Met Morrissey" - Dickie Felton book (Score:1)
just a slight error in your posting: I'm Dickie Felton not Dickie "Henderson".
I've been called far worse things in my time so please don't lose sleep over your mistake Len!
Yes my book is a different kettle of fish to yours.
In February this year, and as soon as I became aware of your book,I changed the title of mine to "The Day I Met Morrissey".
I did this to hopefully avoid any confusion between your book and mine.
Anyway we are releasing books one year apart(mine is a summer 09 release).
And yes the flyers at the Hyde Park gig were my doing...
good luck with your book
Dickie Felton
(User #10153 Info)
Len Brown Biography (Score:1)
(User #12557 Info | http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=403408908)
One minor criticism (Score:0)
Why not buy it? (Score:0)
There's so much destruction all over the world, and all some people can do is... complain about Len Brown.
Well, not me- sign me up for a copy!
Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera... (Score:1)
(User #21394 Info)
Saw the book today in London. (Score:0)
The book (Score:0)
Enjoyable (Score:0)