Balanced article on the NME 'Mozgate' furoré in the Guardian

[Maurice E]

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/11/mozgate.html

discussed elsewhere but buried deep.
it's a pretty good piece...

 

[Not Right in the Head]

Quote from the linked article:

Following their recent Love Music, Hate Racism campaign the NME planned to give away a free Morrissey single to coincide with an interview with the ex-Smith in the paper.

Somehow I hadn't made the connection that the single was pulled because Moz's statements were at odds with the campaign's theme. They should issue "The National Front Disco" on that 7" instead.

 

[Worm]

They should issue "The National Front Disco" on that 7" instead.

Right. With Conor McNicholas speaking beforehand: "Hi. I'm Conor McNicholas. Neither I nor anyone on the editorial staff at the NME approves of this song. To prove our anti-racist bona findes, next month we will feature a 7" single with Rufus Wainright's cover of The Clash's 'Guns of Brixton'. And-- full disclosure, readers-- as I speak these words I am in a room with several friends of various ethnicities. I think it is also fair to point out that I am not wearing clothing made in sweatshops. For now, though, here's Morrissey, who I concede is not a racist, not a far-right spokesperson, not a xenophobic bastard, and absolutely positively does not hate anyone who isn't white. God forbid you should get the idea that Morrissey is a rabid hater of immigrants and a vile nationalistic hatemonger. I welcome any and all dialogue about why Morrissey is not a closed-minded bigoted c***. Enjoy!"

 

[Vauxhall95]

This just smacks of a ginned up "controversy" to sell more magazines. NME, seeing Morrissey in the twilight of his career, weighed the cost/benefit analysis of splashing inflammatory words taken out of context on their cover. I think you all know I can be of Moz on many an occasion, but I cannot find anything inflammatory about his statements. He is simply reminiscing about the England of his childhood. I think it was naive of him to go down that road again, especially with the NME, but from The Guardian article it seems even the original NME interviewer wanted to distance himself from the piece.

Right. With Conor McNicholas speaking beforehand: "Hi. I'm Conor McNicholas. Neither I nor anyone on the editorial staff at the NME approves of this song. To prove our anti-racist bona findes, next month we will feature a 7" single with Rufus Wainright's cover of The Clash's 'Guns of Brixton'. And-- full disclosure, readers-- as I speak these words I am in a room with several friends of various ethnicities. I think it is also fair to point out that I am not wearing clothing made in sweatshops. For now, though, here's Morrissey, who I concede is not a racist, not a far-right spokesperson, not a xenophobic bastard, and absolutely positively does not hate anyone who isn't white. God forbid you should get the idea that Morrissey is a rabid hater of immigrants and a vile nationalistic hatemonger. I welcome any and all dialogue about why Morrissey is not a closed-minded bigoted c***. Enjoy!"

 

[Jukebox Jury]

Excellent piece.
Thanks for posting

Jukebox Jury

 

[vivabob]

i liked the following quote from that artical ....


I agree with NME that in the current climate Morrissey's comments - and certainly, the way they have been sensationalised - are "unhelpful", so why are they a) prompted in interview and b) splashed across the cover of the paper?

 

[dislocate my shoulder]

Thanks!

I liked the caption best:

You're the one for me, batty ... Morrissey.

Nah, very lucid article, actually.