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...
