Morrissey in German Rolling Stone

A lotta Mozza in new German Rolling Stone:

*Interview with Moz
*YOR Review (3,5/5)
*Smiths Singles Box Review (4,5/5)

Sadly I have no scanner. Maybe anyone else could scan it...?
 
I haven't got a scanner either, but here are some (badly) translated tidbits:

"That's How People Grow Up" and "All You Need Is Me" were alway supposed to be featured on YOR:

"The album was supposed to be released much earlier. These two songs belong on the album, they are part of the whole. By some strange accident they also ended up on 'Greatest Hits', but they definitely belong on 'Years'.

Why YOR was not released in September 2008:

"I've changed management twice. The first manager left, the second left, and the third one finally fixed the current date of release. Just practical obstacles - but very annoying and very discouraging all the same. You want your songs to be heard, after all. You don't want to suffocate on the whole thing."

On Alain Whyte:

"He had to leave for personal reasons. Nothing to do with me at all. He then started his own band, Red Lightning, and was very busy. That's why we haven't seen each other as much lately. But there's no bad blood between us."

On "Paris" and the escapism of travelling:

"Travelling is always some kind of flight, of course - it always works. You can occupy yourself with different and new things. You have the secure feeling of having a goal - and a reason to pack your bags. You hope that something is waiting for you on the other side. Not somebody to pick you up and take you home, but maybe a photograph of a building you just have to take. Or something like that. It's all about planning an itinerary and staying on the move."

About his celebration of independence in THPGU and "I'm OK BY Myself":

"We've all been indoctrinated to believe that we have to mate in order to be happy. That we are only able to find strength in other people. That other people have to give us everything we desire. I don't believe that this is necessarily true. Since the second we were born, we've been taking care of ourselves. And we've been quite sucessful, we're still here after all. That's why we're just as worthy.
We're constantly oppressed and inhibited by the idea that, as a solitary figure, we're just half a person, that something is lacking. And the other side of the coin: People in relationships, who are married or whatever, feel superior and think they're some kind of dominating clan. That's just nonsense, because most of them live in utter turmoil and are teetering on the edge of divorce"

Did he often think about giving up music?:

Yes. Well, maybe not often, but once, twice, or thrice, it all became too much for me. But then I always realised: It's a vocation. An absolute vocation. You have to dedicate yourself completely: Regardless how I feel on days on which I'd rather withdraw, I'm always overwhelmed by the feeling that these songs just have to be sung."

About his biography:

There are so many completely absurd things written about me - very extreme and almost unbearable things. That's nothing extraordinary if you're famous. But why shouldn't I respond? You have to seize your right to represent yourself. That's what I'm going to do now. I've just started writing, but it's almost ridiculously easy."

About Jerry Finn's death:

It was absolutely shocking. One minute you're at his house, listening to finished songs together and laughing yourselves silly, and a few weeks later he has a heart attack and brain haemorrhaging, goes into a coma and then dies two weeks later. I was at the hospital, and the decline was inconceivable. It's a lesson. A lesson we never really learn because human nature is so obsessed with trivialities. We allow ourselves to be pressurized by absurdities, and are so helpless in the face of almost everything."
 
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Thank you so much lapislazuli! :D

I totally agree with every word he said on travelling, and about Jerry Finn - the fact that people waste too much time worrying about unimportant trivial crap. :tears:
 
Thank you so much lapislazuli! :D

I totally agree with every word he said on travelling, and about Jerry Finn - the fact that people waste too much time worrying about unimportant trivial crap. :tears:

Beautifully said, and beautifully translated lapislazuli! Thank you
 
I haven't got a scanner either, but here are some (badly) translated tidbits:

"That's How People Grow Up" and "All You Need Is Me" were alway supposed to be featured on YOR:

"The album was supposed to be released much earlier. These two songs belong on the album, they are part of the whole. By some strange accident they also ended up on 'Greatest Hits', but they definitely belong on 'Years'.

Why YOR was not released in September 2008:

"I've changed management twice. The first manager left, the second left, and the third one finally fixed the current date of release. Just practical obstacles - but very annoying and very discouraging all the same. You want your songs to be heard, after all. You don't want to suffocate on the whole thing."

On Alain Whyte:

"He had to leave for personal reasons. Nothing to do with me at all. He then started his own band, Red Lightning, and was very busy. That's why we haven't seen each other as much lately. But there's no bad blood between us."

On "Paris" and the escapism of travelling:

"Travelling is always some kind of flight, of course - it always works. You can occupy yourself with different and new things. You have the secure feeling of having a goal - and a reason to pack your bags. You hope that something is waiting for you on the other side. Not somebody to pick you up and take you home, but maybe a photograph of a building you just have to take. Or something like that. It's all about planning an itinerary and staying on the move."

About his celebration of independence in THPGU and "I'm OK BY Myself":

"We've all been indoctrinated to believe that we have to mate in order to be happy. That we are only able to find strength in other people. That other people have to give us everything we desire. I don't believe that this is necessarily true. Since the second we were born, we've been taking care of ourselves. And we've been quite sucessful, we're still here after all. That's why we're just as worthy.
We're constantly oppressed and inhibited by the idea that, as a solitary figure, we're just half a person, that something is lacking. And the other side of the coin: People in relationships, who are married or whatever, feel superior and think they're some kind of dominating clan. That's just nonsense, because most of them live in utter turmoil and are teetering on the edge of divorce"

Did he often think about giving up music?:

Yes. Well, maybe not often, but once, twice, or thrice, it all became too much for me. But then I always realised: It's a vocation. An absolute vocation. You have to dedicate yourself completely: Regardless how I feel on days on which I'd rather withdraw, I'm always overwhelmed by the feeling that these songs just have to be sung."

About his biography:

There are so many completely absurd things written about me - very extreme and almost unbearable things. That's nothing extraordinary if you're famous. But why shouldn't I respond? You have to seize your right to represent yourself. That's what I'm going to do now. I've just started writing, but it's almost ridiculously easy."

About Jerry Finn's death:

It was absolutely shocking. One minute you're at his house, listening to finished songs together and laughing yourselves silly, and a few weeks later he has a heart attack and brain haemorrhaging, goes into a coma and then dies two weeks later. I was at the hospital, and the decline was inconceivable. It's a lesson. A lesson we never really learn because human nature is so obsessed with trivialities. We allow ourselves to be pressurized by absurdities, and are so helpless in the face of almost everything."


That's really useful stuff. Thanks a lot.
Loads of little-understood issues dealt with in just one interview e.g. the Alain Whyte situation, why the two Greatest Hits singles are on the new album, and his experience of Jerry Finn's sad passing away...
 
are there more questions included in that interview??
or is the interview that short?
pics?

thnks lapzi!
 
Great interview, thanks for sharing and posting it, :cool:

It certainly explains the inclusion of his last two singles on the new album and after playing the album repeatedly, the album would probably sound a bit off the rails if he had included new songs to replace them, who knows.

I hope Alain is not gone for good, I miss him terribly on the line up.
 
I'm glad he finally said something about Alain. It's too bad no one asked about this in the many English language interviews that have gone under the bridge since he left.

So did Decca strongarm Morrissey into releasing both of the new songs as singles? Either way, it was a crass decision to get the diehards to buy the Greatest Hits on the relative (de)merits of the new songs only to release them on an album one year hence. But that's the music biz for you, I guess.

In my opinion it doesn't change the fact that THPGU is crap. ;)

Cheers,
Jamie
 
Thanks to our brothers and sisters in Germany -- always proper Moz fans, they are.

You know, all it takes is an interviewer to respectfully ask direct questions and Moz will respond in kind. If I ever had the chance to interview him, every question would be something he's never been asked in print.

Glad to hear about Jerry (RIP) and Alain (though he could've mentioned his songwriting contribution to YoR despite having left the live act). Management machinations make sense in regard to singles.





I'm glad he finally said something about Alain. It's too bad no one asked about this in the many English language interviews that have gone under the bridge since he left.

So did Decca strongarm Morrissey into releasing both of the new songs as singles? Either way, it was a crass decision to get the diehards to buy the Greatest Hits on the relative (de)merits of the new songs only to release them on an album one year hence. But that's the music biz for you, I guess.

In my opinion it doesn't change the fact that THPGU is crap. ;)

Cheers,
Jamie
 
Can you tell me who's on the cover? I'm going to Germany next week, and I'm sooooooooo buying this mag. :D

Edit again: I've just found the answer, sorry.

Edit: @lapislazuli: I love your avatar! :horny:
 
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which I had not considered... vielleicht trägst du eine nelke im knopfloch, dann könnte es vielleicht klappen... *g*
 
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