Morrissey fans in America

[Amanda1024]

Hi,

I think this is in the right section . . . I read the main page more than the forum, so I’m not positive . . . sorry to the mods if it’s not.

I’m a Journalism student at NYU writing my final paper for a class on the media’s coverage of American Morrissey fans. I was hoping some of you guys (US and non-US) might be willing to answer a few questions, both about yourselves as fans and the way you feel the media perceives American fans.

I think that American Moz fans are often shown as being obsessive and that publications almost seem to want to justify the reason they're fans. I think they tend to separate his fans into distinct groups (which are by no means all inclusive) as well – the diehards (new and from The Smiths days), Latinos, and “emos” like Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz and his fans. I plan to look at both the coverage of these groups and the fan base as a whole, while offering some fan point of views.

These are my questions:
1. As a fan, how do you feel Morrissey fans in America are portrayed? Is it an adequate portrayal?
2. Do you agree with my point that they are often split into different groupings? What do you think about the groupings (if you perceive them) and the way they are covered?
3. Do you feel you fit into any of the groups I mention? Why or why not?
4. Is Morrissey himself underrepresented/not understood in America? If so, could this be a reason for why the media seeks to justify the reason people are fans?
5. How could the coverage of Morrissey/his fans be improved?
6. How long have you been a fan and have you seen him live (if so, how many times)?

As I said before, this is for a class, though if I can find a blog or something that would be willing to post it, I’d like to have it published.

Feel free to message me any questions.

thanks!
Amanda

 

[Theo]

So..the academic standards at NYU are apparently in the toilet.

 

[sacred mind]

Well, I must say, "Huh?!?!"
Really??
This is going to generate a grade of some sort?
Mercy.
In that case, allow me to assist.

1: I love Morrissey, in fact, adore, worship, sanctify, might be better words for what I feel, but I am NOT a fan.
And I don't recall being portrayed.
2: What on EARTH has Fall Out Boy got to do with EMO, but beyond that, how has that been made a category into which any Moz fans might be cast with such utter condemnation? Sounds more like a circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno.
3: I don't feel I fit into any groups or categories. I think I share something in common with other humans who like The Smith's and Morrissey's music.
4: Who is supposed to be representing Morrissey? Doesn't he have an agent, a label? Is he being taxed unfairly without proper representation?
Remember what happened the last time that was occurring? That nasty little skirmish called the Revolutionary War?!?!?
As for whether or not he's misunderstood, I would say his music speaks volumes on that subject, clearly, he's felt misunderstood most of his life, and perhaps, not just in Manchester, but America, and maybe even Worldwide!
Thank GOD for that, it's what I understand most about him.
And I have to tell you, I had no idea the media had any preoccupation with justifying why people are fans. That's the first I've ever heard of it.
But, I guess it's better they are trying to justify it as opposed to being in denial. There are worse stages of coping in which they could be.
5: Are they a scantily clad lot? Maybe they are unable to afford proper coverage, we should start a charity campaign, "Fake furs for Moz fans!"
6: I have listened to The Smith's and Morrissey since before I was a teenager, so that makes it a full 25 years, this year!
And I have never once seen either act live, because I'm not a "fan", I just like his music and writing.

edited in the interest of not being a bitch, well, any more of a bitch............

 

[Uncleskinny]

So..the academic standards at NYU are apparently in the toilet.

So that's your contribution after she asked for help.

What are your qualifications, Theo?

Peter

 

[nugz]

Well, I must say, "Huh?!?!"
Really??
This is going to generate a grade of some sort?
Mercy.
In that case, allow me to assist.

1: I love Morrissey, in fact, adore, worship, sanctify, might be better words for what I feel, but I am NOT a fan.
And I don't recall being portrayed.
2: What on EARTH has Fall Out Boy got to do with EMO, but beyond that, how has that been made a category into which any Moz fans might be cast with such utter condemnation? Sounds more like a circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno.
3: I don't feel I fit into any groups or categories. I think I share something in common with other humans who like The Smith's and Morrissey's music.
4: Who is supposed to be representing Morrissey? Doesn't he have an agent, a label? Is he being taxed unfairly without proper representation?
Remember what happened the last time that was occurring? That nasty little skirmish called the Revolutionary War?!?!?
As for whether or not he's misunderstood, I would say his music speaks volumes on that subject, clearly, he's felt misunderstood most of his life, and perhaps, not just in Manchester, but America, and maybe even Worldwide!
Thank GOD for that, it's what I understand most about him.
And I have to tell you, I had no idea the media had any preoccupation with justifying why people are fans. That's the first I've ever heard of it.
But, I guess it's better they are trying to justify it as opposed to being in denial. There are worse stages of coping in which they could be.
5: Are they a scantily clad lot? Maybe they are unable to afford proper coverage, we should start a charity campaign, "Fake furs for Moz fans!"
6: I have listened to The Smith's and Morrissey since before I was a teenager, so that makes it a full 25 years, this year!
And I have never once seen either act live, because I'm not a "fan", I just like his music and writing.

What has happened to NYU's Journalism Department?
Are they underfunded? Why or why not? Compare and contrast.
What could be done to improve it?
FFS, love, did YOU pick this topic?
I think "final paper" is implied here, anyway.
If it isn't your final paper, it should be.
And I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on being published.
Sorry, but this wouldn't really be fit for a high school newspaper, much less
a final at a University.

jesus christ. take a chill pill.

 

[sacred mind]

jesus christ. take a chill pill.

just a good old fashioned piss take...
i'm chill, dude...
just REALLY bored

 

[Disappointed]

Hello, Amanda. Welcome to the forums!

I, for one, think that your paper topic is an interesting one, and am happy to help you. In case you need the information, I am 23 years old, female, living in the Chicago area. If you'd like to quote me in your paper, or have any other questions, feel free to send me a private message.

1. As a fan, how do you feel Morrissey fans in America are portrayed? Is it an adequate portrayal?
--Frankly, I don't think that I've ever SEEN American Morrissey fans portrayed in the mainstream media. Really. Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but I swear that I never have. Morrissey himself doesn't get much coverage in the American media.
2. Do you agree with my point that they are often split into different groupings? What do you think about the groupings (if you perceive them) and the way they are covered?
3. Do you feel you fit into any of the groups I mention? Why or why not?
4. Is Morrissey himself underrepresented/not understood in America? If so, could this be a reason for why the media seeks to justify the reason people are fans?
5. How could the coverage of Morrissey/his fans be improved?
6. How long have you been a fan and have you seen him live (if so, how many times)?

 

[Disappointed]

Whoops! Sorry about that...I posted before I was ready!

Here are my answers to the other questions:

2. Do you agree with my point that they are often split into different groupings? What do you think about the groupings (if you perceive them) and the way they are covered?
--When Morrissey fans are perceived at all, they are are classed into one large group: the "emo" losers.

3. Do you feel you fit into any of the groups I mention? Why or why not?
--I am a Morrissey/Smiths "diehard", and am never ashamed to say so. However, I do not believe that I fall into any of the stereotypical groups of Morrissey fans that you have named. I am not Hispanic. I am most definitely not "emo" (though, as I often have to say, Morrissey is not actually "emo"). I don't dye my hair black, wear skinny jeans, etc., etc.

4. Is Morrissey himself underrepresented/not understood in America? If so, could this be a reason for why the media seeks to justify the reason people are fans?
--As I said above, yes, I absolutely believe that Morrissey is underportrayed in the media. If you stopped Joe Schmoe on Main Street, USA, and asked him to name a song by The Smiths (forget about trying to get him to think of a Morrissey solo tune) he MIGHT--might--say "How Soon Is Now?" Though, most likely, he won't even be able to come up with that much.
I can't tell you how many times I've mentioned Morrissey to someone and heard them reply, "Oh, you mean that whiney guy." To most Americans, that is what Morrissey is: That Whiney Guy. That's all that they know about him, if they know anything at all.
Recently, when Rolling Stone magazine named Morrissey one of its "Best 100 Singers", the little blurb that they wrote about him wasn't even really accurate. Anyone on these forums could've written something better.
Just recently, one of the big rock stations here in Chicago, WXRT, began playing "How Soon Is Now?" fairly regularly, which surprised the heck out of me. I've been listening to them for 10 years, and I had never heard them play any Smiths song until about 2 months ago. Around the time that "Ringleader of the Tormentors" came out, XRT played a couple of the new songs for a few weeks, then took them completely out of rotation. Other than that, I have never heard any Morrissey or Smiths songs played on FM radio. Satellite radio plays them all the time, though, but, of course, you have to pay for that.

5. How could the coverage of Morrissey/his fans be improved?
--Really, FM radio stations need to play his music, first of all. If more people were exposed to it, then more people would become interested in him and in his music. And everything would progress from there.

6. How long have you been a fan and have you seen him live (if so, how many times)?
--I became a fan of Morrissey and The Smiths when I was 19 years old...so, about 4 years, now.
I have seen him live: two and a half times. For all of those shows, I first heard that they were happening from this site, not from the local news media, or from FM radio. For all three shows, there was very little publicity.

 

[SparkleBoy]

So..the academic standards at NYU are apparently in the toilet.

I couldn't have said it better. If covering topics like that was acceptable at every University, I would have gotten my MA in GG Allin ages ago!! Relatedly, does asking people questions in Internet forums now count as research?

 

[fortbethel]

Dorrissey's a TWAT!

 

[starless]

I couldn't have said it better. If covering topics like that was acceptable at every University, I would have gotten my MA in GG Allin ages ago!! Relatedly, does asking people questions in Internet forums now count as research?

Asking questions in Internet forums is a good start. She might be trying to figure out if there is enough interesting and relevant information to go on with her paper. She might be looking for sources (people to interview) later on. She could be looking for leads or ideas for a specific angle.

If you don't want to take part in this just let it go - it's that simple. Leave it up to the professors to judge her work as boring, lazy or not up to standard.

 

[nugz]

I couldn't have said it better. If covering topics like that was acceptable at every University, I would have gotten my MA in GG Allin ages ago!! Relatedly, does asking people questions in Internet forums now count as research?

I took a class my senior year of college, called "Popular Culture." it was just a fun elective to take, not a hard class. the final project, we had to get with a group and do a presentation on basically anything related to pop culture. unfortunately i got stuck with a group who wanted to do it on hip hop, and I was outnumbered. but thats besides the point, the point is....well, basically what Starless said.

but yeah, lay off her, geez. (not you personally, sparklez, just in general)

edit: i know she said she was a Journalism major, but i was also a Journalism MINOR in school, and even in some of my journalism classes, the prof gave you alot of freedom in what you wanted to write about. they were just looking more at how you write and research as opposed to the topic

 

[Amanda1024]

First, thanks to Disappointed for your answers and thanks to those who have answered via PM. Also, thanks to nugz, Uncleskinny, and Starless for your responses to some of the posters.

About the topic choice, I am a Journalism major, but this is for one of my intro classes, so in a way it is like what nugz said – they are trying to see how our research/writing skills have improved over the semester. We were encouraged to choose what interested us, so that’s why I chose Moz fans.

As for my reason for posting here, what Starless said is basically right. The responses I get will help me formulate parts of the paper and supplement other research. And really, I want some fan perspective in my paper about the coverage of fans. I figured what better place to get it than on a popular Moz forum.

Hope that clears up any confusion.