morrissey on:  
[Wikipedia]  
[Google]  
[Amazon]
Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
the Smiths
The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to eme ...
, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then, he has pursued a successful solo career. Morrissey's music is characterised by his
baritone voice and distinctive lyrics with recurring themes of emotional isolation, sexual longing, self-deprecating and dark humour, and anti-establishment stances.
Born to working-class Irish immigrants in
Davyhulme, Lancashire, Morrissey grew up in nearby
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
. As a child, he developed a love of literature,
kitchen sink realism
Kitchen sink realism (or kitchen sink drama) is a British cultural movement that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in theatre, art, novels, film and television plays, whose protagonists usually could be described as "angry young men" w ...
, and 1960s
pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
. In the late 1970s, he fronted
punk rock band
the Nosebleeds
The Nosebleeds are a punk band formed in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England in 1976. The band is well known in modern rock history for the later successes of its individual members, notably Morrissey (the Smiths), Billy Duffy (the Cult), and Vi ...
with little success before beginning a career in music journalism and writing several books on music and film in the early 1980s. He formed the Smiths with
Johnny Marr in 1982 and the band soon attracted national recognition for
their eponymous debut album. As the band's frontman, Morrissey attracted attention for his trademark
quiff
The quiff is a hairstyle that combines the 1950s pompadour hairstyle, the 1950s flattop, and sometimes a mohawk. It was born as a post-war reaction to the short and strict haircuts for men. The hairstyle was a staple in the British 'Teddy Boy' m ...
and witty and sardonic lyrics. Deliberately avoiding rock machismo, he cultivated the image of a sexually ambiguous social outsider who embraced
celibacy. The Smiths released three further studio albums—''
Meat Is Murder
''Meat Is Murder'' is the second studio album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 11 February 1985 by Rough Trade Records. It became the band's only studio album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, and stayed on the chart for ...
'', ''
The Queen Is Dead
''The Queen Is Dead'' is the third studio album by English rock band the Smiths. Released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records, and on 23 June 1986 in the US by Sire Records, it spent 22 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, pea ...
'', and ''
Strangeways, Here We Come
''Strangeways, Here We Come'' is the fourth and final studio album by English rock band the Smiths. It was released on 28 September 1987 by Rough Trade Records, several months after the group had disbanded. All of the songs were composed by Jo ...
''—and had a string of hit singles. The band were critically acclaimed and attracted a cult following. Personal differences between Morrissey and Marr resulted in the separation of the Smiths in 1987.
In 1988 Morrissey launched his solo career with ''
Viva Hate
''Viva Hate'' is the debut solo studio album by English singer Morrissey. It was released on 14 March 1988 by HMV, six months after the final studio album by the Smiths, '' Strangeways, Here We Come'' (1987).
Vini Reilly, the leader of the E ...
''. This album and its follow-ups—''
Kill Uncle
''Kill Uncle'' is the second solo studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey, released on 4 March 1991 by EMI Records and HMV Records. The title comes from the color black comedy film '' Let's Kill Uncle'' (1966).
Recording
''Kil ...
'', ''
Your Arsenal
''Your Arsenal'' is the third studio album by English singer Morrissey, released on 27 July 1992 by record label HMV.
The album received critical acclaim and reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart.
Content
Morrissey had been rehearsing w ...
'', and ''
Vauxhall and I
''Vauxhall and I'' is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock musician Morrissey. It was released on 14 March 1994, by the record label Parlophone in the UK and Sire/Reprise in the US.
Background
The album's title may be a refer ...
''—all did well on the UK Albums Chart and spawned multiple hit singles. He took on
Alain Whyte
Alain Gordon Whyte (pronounced Alan) (born 3 July 1967) is an English musician, songwriter, composer and singer. He was Morrissey's main songwriting partner and guitarist between 1991 and 2007.
Prior to 1991, Whyte previously been in the bands ...
and
Boz Boorer
Martin James "Boz" Boorer (born 19 May 1962 in Edgware, Middlesex, England) is an English guitarist and producer most known for his work founding the new wave rockabilly group the Polecats; and later for his work as a co-writer, guitarist and m ...
as his main co-writers to replace Marr. During this time his image began to shift into that of a burlier figure who toyed with patriotic imagery and working-class masculinity. In the mid-to-late 1990s, his albums ''
Southpaw Grammar
''Southpaw Grammar'' is the fifth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey, released on 28 August 1995 by record labels RCA in the UK and Reprise in the US.
The album charted at number 4 in the UK and number 66 in the US, but r ...
'' and ''
Maladjusted
''Maladjusted'' is the sixth studio album by English singer Morrissey, released on 11 August 1997 by Island Records.
On release, the album received a lukewarm reception from fans and critics alike, and was Morrissey's last studio album for ...
'' also charted but were less well received. Relocating to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, he took a musical hiatus from 1998 to 2003 before releasing a successful comeback album, ''
You Are the Quarry
''You Are the Quarry'' is the seventh studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 17 May 2004 by record label Attack, and was his first album in seven years following 1997's '' Maladjusted''. The album was a hu ...
'', in 2004. Ensuing years saw the release of albums ''
Ringleader of the Tormentors
''Ringleader of the Tormentors'' is the eighth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 3 April 2006 by record label Attack. The album was described as showcasing "a thicker, more rock-driven sound", which ...
'', ''
Years of Refusal
''Years of Refusal'' is the ninth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 16 February 2009 in the UK by record label Decca and on 17 February 2009 in the US by Lost Highway.
It was the last album complete ...
'', ''
World Peace Is None of Your Business'', ''
Low in High School
''Low in High School'' is the eleventh solo studio album by British singer Morrissey, released on 17 November 2017 through BMG. It was produced by Joe Chiccarelli, and recorded at La Fabrique Studios in France and at Ennio Morricone's Forum Stu ...
'', ''
California Son
''California Son'' is the twelfth solo studio album by English singer Morrissey. Released on 24 May 2019 on the singer's label ''étienne'' and licensed on BMG, the album is a collection of cover versions. The single "Wedding Bell Blues", initi ...
'', and ''
I Am Not a Dog on a Chain
''I Am Not a Dog on a Chain'' is the thirteenth solo studio album by Morrissey, released through BMG on 20 March 2020. It is Morrissey's first album of original material since 2017's ''Low in High School''. It was produced by Joe Chiccarelli, and ...
'', as well as
his autobiography and his debut novel, ''
List of the Lost''.
Highly influential, Morrissey has been credited as a seminal figure in the emergence of
indie rock
Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produc ...
and
Britpop
Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
. In a 2006 poll for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's ''
Culture Show
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tylo ...
'', Morrissey was voted the second-greatest living British
cultural icon
A cultural icon is a person or an artifact that is identified by members of a culture as representative of that culture. The process of identification is subjective, and "icons" are judged by the extent to which they can be seen as an authentic ...
. His work has been the subject of academic study. He has been a controversial figure throughout his music career due to his forthright opinions and outspoken nature—endorsing
vegetarianism and
animal rights
Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
,
criticising royalty and prominent politicians. Morrissey has also held controversial views, such as supporting far-right activism with regard to British heritage, and defending a particular vision of
national identity
National identity is a person's identity or sense of belonging to one or more states or to one or more nations. It is the sense of "a nation as a cohesive whole, as represented by distinctive traditions, culture, and language". National identity ...
, critiquing the effect of immigration on the UK.
Early life
Childhood: 1959–1976
Steven Patrick Morrissey was born on 22 May 1959 at
Park Hospital
NYU Grossman School of Medicine is a medical school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1841 and is one of two medical schools of the university, with the other being the Long Island School ...
in
Davyhulme, Lancashire. His parents, Elizabeth (''née'' Dwyer) and Peter Morrissey, were
Irish Catholics who had emigrated to
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
from
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
with his only sibling, elder sister Jacqueline, a year before his birth. Morrissey claims he was named after American actor
Steve Cochran
Steve Cochran (born Robert Alexander Cochran, May 25, 1917 – June 15, 1965) was an American film, television and stage actor. He attended the University of Wyoming. After a stint working as a cowboy, Cochran developed his acting skills in loca ...
, although he may instead have been named in honour of his father's brother who died in infancy, Patrick Steven Morrissey. His earliest home was a
council house
A council house is a form of British public housing built by local authorities. A council estate is a building complex containing a number of council houses and other amenities like schools and shops. Construction took place mainly from 1919 ...
at 17 Harper Street in the
Hulme
Hulme () is an inner city area and electoral ward of Manchester, England, immediately south of Manchester city centre. It has a significant industrial heritage.
Historically in Lancashire, the name Hulme is derived from the Old Norse word ...
area of inner Manchester. Living in that area as a child, he was deeply affected by the
Moors murders
The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around Manchester, England. The victims were five children—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward E ...
, in which a number of local children were killed; the crimes had a lasting impression on him and would inspire the lyrics of the Smiths song "
Suffer Little Children
"Suffer Little Children" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was included on ''The Smiths'' in February 1984 and as a B-side to the May 1984 single "Heaven Knows I'm Misera ...
". He also became aware of the
anti-Irish sentiment in British society against Irish immigrants to Britain. In 1970, the family moved to another council house at 384 King's Road in
Stretford.
Following a primary education at St. Wilfred's Primary School, Morrissey failed his
11-plus exam and proceeded to St. Mary's Secondary Modern School, an experience he found unpleasant. He excelled at athletics, though he was an unpopular
loner
A loner is a person who does not seek out, or may actively avoid, interaction with other people. There are many potential reasons for their solitude. Intentional reasons include introversion, mysticism, spirituality, religion, or personal consi ...
at the school. He has been critical of his formal education, later stating, "The education I received was so basically evil and brutal. All I learnt was to have no self-esteem and to feel ashamed without knowing why." He left school in 1975, having received no formal qualifications. He continued his education at
Stretford Technical College, where he gained three
O-Levels
The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...
in English literature, sociology, and the General Paper. In 1975, he travelled to the U.S. to visit an aunt who lived in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. The relationship between his parents was strained, and they ultimately separated in December 1976, with his father moving out of the family home.
Morrissey's librarian mother encouraged her son's interest in reading. He took an interest in feminist literature, and particularly liked the Irish author
Oscar Wilde, whom he came to idolise. The young Morrissey was a keen fan of the television soap opera ''
Coronation Street'', which focused on working-class communities in Manchester; he sent proposed scripts and storylines to the show's production company,
Granada Television, although all were rejected. He was also a fan of
Shelagh Delaney
Shelagh Delaney, FRSL (; 25 November 1938 – 20 November 2011) was an English dramatist and screenwriter. Her debut work, '' A Taste of Honey'' (1958), has been described by Michael Patterson as "probably the most performed play by a post-war ...
's ''
A Taste of Honey'' and its
1961 film adaptation, which was a drama focusing on working-class life in
Salford
Salford () is a city and the largest settlement in the City of Salford metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. In 2011, Salford had a population of 103,886. It is also the second and only other city in the metropolitan county afte ...
. Many of his later songs directly quoted ''A Taste of Honey''.
Of his youth, Morrissey has said, "Pop music was all I ever had, and it was completely entwined with the image of the pop star. I remember feeling the person singing was actually with me and understood me and my predicament."
He later revealed that the first record he purchased was
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...
's 1964 single "
Come and Stay With Me". He became a
glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...
fan in the 1970s, enjoying the work of English artists like
T. Rex,
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
and
Roxy Music
Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone ...
. He was also a fan of American glam rock artists such as
Sparks,
Jobriath
Bruce Wayne Campbell (December 14, 1946 – August 3, 1983), known by his stage name Jobriath, was an American rock musician and actor. He was the first openly gay rock musician to be signed to a major record label, and one of the first in ...
and the
New York Dolls. He formed a British fan club for the latter, attracting members through small adverts in the back pages of music magazines. It was through the New York Dolls' interest in female pop singers from the 1960s that Morrissey too developed a fascination for such artists, including
Sandie Shaw Sandie may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Sandie Clair (born 1988), French professional racing cyclist
* Sandie Fitzgibbon, Irish former camogie player
* Sandie Jones (1950/1951–2019), Irish singer
* Sandie Lindsay, 1st Baron Lindsay of Birker (187 ...
,
Twinkle
Twinkle may refer to:
* Twinkling, the variation of brightness of distant objects
People
* Twinkle (singer) (1948–2015), born Lynn Annette Ripley, English singer-songwriter
* Twinkle Khanna, Indian movie actress
* Twinkle Bajpai, female con ...
, and
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, pop and dram ...
.
Early bands and published books: 1977–1981
![James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/James_Dean_in_Rebel_Without_a_Cause.jpg)
Having left formal education, Morrissey proceeded through a series of jobs, as a clerk for the
civil service and then the
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation t ...
,
as a salesperson in a
record store, and as a hospital porter, before abandoning employment and claiming
unemployment benefits
Unemployment benefits, also called unemployment insurance, unemployment payment, unemployment compensation, or simply unemployment, are payments made by authorized bodies to unemployed people. In the United States, benefits are funded by a comp ...
. He used much of the money from these jobs to purchase tickets for gigs, attending performances by
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.[Talki ...](_blank)
, the
Ramones, and
Blondie. He regularly attended concerts, having a particular interest in the alternative and post-punk music scene. Having met the guitarist
Billy Duffy
William Henry Duffy (born 12 May 1961) is an English rock musician, best known as the guitarist of the band The Cult.
Early life
Duffy was born and grew up in Manchester. He has Irish and Jewish heritage and ancestry. He began playing the g ...
in November 1977, Morrissey agreed to become the vocalist for Duffy's punk band
the Nosebleeds
The Nosebleeds are a punk band formed in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England in 1976. The band is well known in modern rock history for the later successes of its individual members, notably Morrissey (the Smiths), Billy Duffy (the Cult), and Vi ...
. Morrissey co-wrote a number of songs with the band—"Peppermint Heaven", "I Get Nervous" and "I Think I'm Ready for the Electric Chair"—and performed with them in support slots for
Jilted John ''Jilted'' is the past tense of jilt
Jilt or may refer to:
* Jilț, a tributary of the river Jiu in Romania
* Jilț Coal Mine, an open-pit mine in Romania
* ''The Jilt'', a 1922 American drama film directed by Irving Cummings
* A B-girl (archa ...
and then
Magazine. The band soon disbanded.
After the Nosebleeds' break-up, Morrissey followed Duffy to join
Slaughter & the Dogs
Slaughter and the Dogs are an English punk rock band formed in 1975 in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Their original line-up consisted of singer Wayne Barrett McGrath, rhythm guitar Mick Rossi, drummer Brian "Mad Muffet" Grantham, lead guitarist M ...
, briefly replacing original singer Wayne Barrett. He recorded four songs with the band and they auditioned for a record deal in London. After the audition fell through, Slaughter & the Dogs became Studio Sweethearts, without Morrissey.
He came to be known as a minor figure within Manchester's punk community. By 1981, he had become a close friend of
Linder Sterling
Linder Sterling (born 1954, Liverpool), commonly known as Linder, is a British artist known for her photography, radical feminist photomontage and confrontational performance art. She was also the former front-woman of Manchester based post-punk ...
, the frontwoman of punk-jazz ensemble
Ludus
Ludus may refer to:
* ''Ludus'' (ancient Rome) (plural ''ludi''), several meanings around "play, game, sport, training"
**''Ludi'', public games held for the benefit and entertainment of the Roman people
* Luduș, a town in Transylvania, Romania
...
; her lyrics and style of singing both influenced him. Through Sterling, he came to know
Howard Devoto and
Richard Boon
James Richard Boon (born 6 July 1953) is the former manager of Buzzcocks and boss of the record label, New Hormones.
Boon, a Leeds Grammar School friend of Howard Devoto, became the manager for seminal punk group Buzzcocks by default, after o ...
. At the time, Morrissey's best male friend was James Maker; he would visit Maker in London or they would meet in Manchester, where they visited the city's gay bars and gay clubs, in one case having to escape from a gang of
gay bashers
Gay bashing is an attack, abuse, or assault committed against a person who is perceived by the aggressor to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). It includes both violence against LGBT people and LGBT bullying. The term covers vi ...
.
Wanting to become a professional writer, Morrissey considered a career in music journalism. He frequently wrote letters to the music press and was eventually hired by the weekly music review publication ''
Record Mirror
''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...
''. He wrote several short books for local publishing company Babylon Books: in 1981 it released a 24-page booklet he had written on the New York Dolls, which sold 3000 copies. This was followed by ''James Dean is Not Dead'', about the late American film star
James Dean. Morrissey had developed a love of Dean and had covered his bedroom with pictures of the dead film star.
The Smiths
Establishing the Smiths: 1982–1984
In August 1978, Morrissey was briefly introduced to the 14-year old
Johnny Marr by mutual acquaintances at a
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946)
is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album ''Horses''.
Called the "punk poet ...
gig held at Manchester's
Apollo Theatre
The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London. . Several years later, in May 1982, Marr turned up on the doorstep of Morrissey's house, there to ask Morrissey if he was interested in co-founding a band. Marr had been impressed that Morrissey had authored a book on the New York Dolls, and was inspired to turn up on his doorstep following the example of
Jerry Leiber, who had formed his working partnership with
Mike Stoller after turning up at the latter's door. According to Morrissey: "We got on absolutely famously. We were very similar in drive."
The next day, Morrissey phoned Marr to confirm that he would be interested in forming a band with him. Steve Pomfret—who had served as the band's first bassist—soon abandoned the band, to be replaced by Dale Hibbert. Around the time of the band's formation, Morrissey decided that he would be publicly known only by his surname, with Marr referring to him as "Mozzer" or "Moz". In 1983, he forbade those around him from using the name "Steven", which he despised. Morrissey was also responsible for choosing the band name of "The Smiths", later informing an interviewer that "it was the most ordinary name and I thought it was time that the ordinary folk of the world showed their faces".
Alongside developing their own songs, they also developed a cover of
the Cookies
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
' "I Want a Boy for My Birthday", the latter reflecting their deliberate desire to transgress established norms of gender and sexuality in rock in a manner inspired by the New York Dolls. In August 1982, they recorded their first demo at Manchester's Decibel Studios, and Morrissey took the demo recording to
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester-based British independent record label founded in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus.
The label featured several important acts on its roster, including Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, the Duru ...
, but they weren't interested.
In late summer 1982,
Mike Joyce was adopted as the band's drummer after a successful audition. In October 1982, they then gave their first public performance, as a support act for
Blue Rondo à la Turk
"Blue Rondo à la Turk" is a jazz standard composition by Dave Brubeck. It appeared on the album ''Time Out'' in 1959. It is written in time, with one side theme in and the choice of rhythm was inspired by the Turkish aksak time signatures. It ...
at Manchester's
The Ritz. Hibbert however was unhappy with what he perceived as the band's gay aesthetic; in turn, Morrissey and Marr were unhappy with his bass playing, and so he was removed from the band and replaced by Marr's old school friend
Andy Rourke
Andrew Michael Rourke (born 17 January 1964) is an English musician, best known as the bassist of the Smiths. He is known for his melodic approach to bass playing.
Career
Rourke's father was Irish while his mother was English. He received an a ...
.
![Morrissey's shirt in Hard Rock Cafe Balcerona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Morrissey%27s_shirt_in_Hard_Rock_Cafe_Balcerona.jpg)
After the record company
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
turned them down, Morrissey and Marr visited London to hand a cassette of their recordings to
Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis (born 2 February 1952) is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978.
Biography
Travis was ...
of the
independent record label Rough Trade Records. Although not signing them to a contract straight away, he agreed to cut their song "
Hand in Glove
"Hand in Glove" is the debut single by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was released in May 1983 on independent record label Rough Trade. It peaked at No. 3 on the UK Indie Chart but did ...
" as a single. Morrissey chose a
homoerotic
Homoeroticism is sexual attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female. The concept differs from the concept of homosexuality: it refers specifically to the desire itself, which can be temporary, whereas "homose ...
cover design in the form of a
Jim French photograph.
It was released in May 1983. It was championed by DJ
John Peel, as were all their later singles, but it failed to chart.
The band soon generated controversy when
Garry Bushell
Garry Bushell (born 13 May 1955) is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author, musician and political activist. Bushell also sings in the Cockney Oi! bands GBX and the Gonads. He managed the New York C ...
of tabloid newspaper ''
The Sun'' alleged that their B-side "Handsome Devil" was an endorsement of
paedophilia
Pedophilia ( alternatively spelt paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of puberty ...
. The band denied this, with Morrissey stating that the song "has nothing to do with children, and certainly nothing to do with child molesting". In the wake of their single, the band performed their first significant London gig, gained radio airplay with a
John Peel session, and obtained their first interviews in music magazines ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' and ''
Sounds
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
''.
The follow-up singles "
This Charming Man
"This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Released as the group's second single in October 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade, it is defined by Mar ...
" and "
What Difference Does It Make?
"What Difference Does It Make?" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was the band's third single and is featured on their debut album, ''The Smiths''. A different version, re ...
" fared better when they reached numbers 25 and 12 respectively on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
Aided by praise from the music press and a series of studio sessions for Peel and
David Jensen
David Allan "Kid" Jensen (born 4 July 1950) is a Canadian-born British radio DJ and television presenter. Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Jensen began as a radio DJ on Radio Luxembourg. Jensen was later a broadcaster for the BBC from 1976 ...
at
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
, the Smiths began to acquire a dedicated fan base. In February 1984 they released their debut album, ''
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to eme ...
'', which reached number 2 on the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
.
As frontman of the Smiths, Morrissey—described as "lanky, soft-spoken, bequiffed and bespectacled"—subverted many of the norms that were associated with pop and rock music. The band's aesthetic simplicity was a reaction to the excess personified by the
New Romantics, and while Morrissey adopted an androgynous appearance like the New Romantics or earlier glam rockers, his was far more subtle and understated. According to one commentator, "he was bookish; he wore
NHS
The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
spectacles and a hearing aid on stage; he was celibate. Worst of all, he was sincere", with his music being "so intoxicatingly melancholic, so dangerously thoughtful, so seductively funny that it lured its listeners . . . into a relationship with him and his music instead of the world." In an
academic paper
Academic publishing is the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in academic journal articles, books or theses. The part of academic written output that is not formally pub ...
on the band, Julian Stringer characterised the Smiths as "one of Britain's most overtly political groups", while in his study of their work, Andrew Warns termed them "this most anti-capitalist of bands". Morrissey had been particularly vocal in his criticism of then-Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...
; after the October 1984
Brighton hotel bombing
A Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) assassination attempt against members of the British government took place on 12 October 1984 at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. A long-delay time bomb was plan ...
, he commented that "the only sorrow" of it was "that Thatcher escaped unscathed". In 1988, he stated that
Section 28
Section 28 or Clause 28While going through Parliament, the amendment was constantly relabelled with a variety of clause numbers as other amendments were added to or deleted from the Bill, but by the final version of the Bill, which received R ...
"embodies Thatcher's very nature and her quite natural hatred".
The Smiths' growing success: 1984–1987
In 1984, the band released two non-album singles: "
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" is a song by English rock band the Smiths. Released as a single in May 1984, it reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band's first top ten single. It was later included on the November 1984 co ...
" (their first UK top-ten hit) and "
William, It Was Really Nothing
"William, It Was Really Nothing" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released as a single in August 1984, featuring the B-sides "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" and "How Soon Is Now?", and reached No. 17 in t ...
". The year ended with the compilation album ''
Hatful of Hollow
''Hatful of Hollow'' is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 12 November 1984 by Rough Trade Records. The album features BBC Radio 1 studio recordings and two contemporary singles with their B-sides. It was eventua ...
''. This collected singles,
B-sides
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
and the versions of songs that had been recorded throughout the previous year for the Peel and Jensen shows. Early in 1985, the band released their second album, ''
Meat Is Murder
''Meat Is Murder'' is the second studio album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 11 February 1985 by Rough Trade Records. It became the band's only studio album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, and stayed on the chart for ...
'', which was their only studio album to top the UK charts. The single-only release "
Shakespeare's Sister" reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart, though the only single taken from the album, "
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. The full-length version of the song appears on the album ''Meat Is Murder''. It was the sole track from the album to be released, in edited form, as a UK single. The ...
", was less successful, barely making the top 50.
"
How Soon Is Now?
"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single " William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the ...
" was originally a B-side of "William, It Was Really Nothing", and was subsequently featured on ''Hatful of Hollow'' and the American, Canadian, Australian and Warner UK editions of ''
Meat Is Murder
''Meat Is Murder'' is the second studio album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 11 February 1985 by Rough Trade Records. It became the band's only studio album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, and stayed on the chart for ...
''. Belatedly released as a single in the UK in 1985, "
How Soon Is Now?
"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single " William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the ...
" reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart.
During 1985, the band undertook lengthy tours of the UK and the US while recording the next studio record, ''
The Queen Is Dead
''The Queen Is Dead'' is the third studio album by English rock band the Smiths. Released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records, and on 23 June 1986 in the US by Sire Records, it spent 22 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, pea ...
''. The album was released in June 1986, shortly after the single "
Bigmouth Strikes Again
"Bigmouth Strikes Again" is a 1986 song by the English rock band the Smiths from their third album ''The Queen Is Dead''. Written by Johnny Marr and Morrissey, the song features self-deprecating lyrics that reflected Morrissey's frustrations wit ...
". The record reached number 2 in the UK charts.
However, all was not well within the band. A legal dispute with Rough Trade had delayed the album by almost seven months (it had been completed in November 1985), and Marr was beginning to feel the stress of the band's exhausting touring and recording schedule.
[Kelly, Danny. "Exile on Mainstream". ''NME''. 14 February 1987.] Meanwhile, Rourke was fired in early 1986 for his use of
heroin. Rourke was temporarily replaced on bass guitar by
Craig Gannon
Craig Gannon (born 30 July 1966) is an English guitar player, best known as the second guitarist in the Smiths. He is now a composer for film and television.
Career
Born in Manchester, Gannon had played in bands with friends since he was 12 ye ...
, but he was reinstated after only a fortnight. Gannon stayed in the band, switching to
rhythm guitar. This five-piece recorded the singles "
Panic
Panic is a sudden sensation of fear, which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reactio ...
" and "
Ask
Ask is the active verb for a direct question.
Ask may also refer to:
Places
* Ask, Akershus, a village in Gjerdrum municipality, Viken county, Norway
* Ask, Buskerud, a village in Ringerike municipality, Viken county, Norway
* Ask, Vestland, a ...
" (with
Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty Anna MacColl (10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) was a British singer and songwriter, daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl. She recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including " There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears ...
on backing vocals) which reached numbers 11 and 14 respectively on the UK Singles Chart,
and toured the UK. After the tour ended in October 1986, Gannon left the band. The band had become frustrated with Rough Trade and sought a record deal with a major label, ultimately signing with
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
, which drew criticism from some of the band's fanbase.
In early 1987, the single "
Shoplifters of the World Unite
"Shoplifters of the World Unite" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr. Morrissey's lyrics, which endorsed shoplifting and referenced Karl Marx, were controversial at the time of the song's release. ...
" was released and reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
It was followed by a second compilation album, ''
The World Won't Listen
''The World Won't Listen'' is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released in the United Kingdom on 23 February 1987 by Rough Trade Records. The album is the second of three compilation albums—following ''Hatful of Hollow'' ...
'', which reached number 2 in the charts
—and the single "
Sheila Take a Bow
"Sheila Take a Bow" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr. Featuring a glam rock-style beat and guitar riff, the song was originally planned to feature Sandie Shaw on backing vocals, but Shaw's dist ...
", the band's second (and last during the band's lifetime) UK top-10 hit.
Despite their continued success, personal differences within the band—including the increasingly strained relationship between Morrissey and Marr—saw them on the verge of breaking up. In July 1987, Marr left the band and auditions to find a replacement proved fruitless.
By the time that the band's fourth album ''
Strangeways, Here We Come
''Strangeways, Here We Come'' is the fourth and final studio album by English rock band the Smiths. It was released on 28 September 1987 by Rough Trade Records, several months after the group had disbanded. All of the songs were composed by Jo ...
'' was released in September, the band had broken up. The breakdown in the relationship has been partly attributed to Morrissey's annoyance with Marr's work with other artists and to Marr's growing frustration with Morrissey's musical inflexibility. Morrissey attributed the band's break-up to the lack of a managerial figure—in a 1989 interview with then-teenage fan
Tim Samuels
Timothy David Samuels (born 3 October 1975) is an English documentary filmmaker, author and broadcaster. His work is characterised by approaching serious topics in provocative and entertaining ways to produce hard-hitting documentaries. Samuels f ...
. ''Strangeways'' peaked at number 2 in the UK, but was only a minor US hit,
though it was more successful there than the band's previous albums.
Solo career
Early solo work: 1988–1991
Several months before the Smiths dissolved, Morrissey enlisted
Stephen Street as his personal producer and new songwriting partner, with whom he could begin his solo career. By September 1987, he had begun work on his first solo album, ''
Viva Hate
''Viva Hate'' is the debut solo studio album by English singer Morrissey. It was released on 14 March 1988 by HMV, six months after the final studio album by the Smiths, '' Strangeways, Here We Come'' (1987).
Vini Reilly, the leader of the E ...
'', at Wool Hall Studios near
Bath; it was recorded with the musicians
Vini Reilly
Vincent Gerard "Vini" Reilly (born 4 August 1953) is an English musician and leader of the post-punk group the Durutti Column. He is known for his distinctively clean, fluid guitar style, which stood out from his punk-era contemporaries in its ...
and
Andrew Paresi
Andrew McGibbon (a.k.a. Andrew Paresi; born 1961 in Chiswick), is an English comedian, actor, writer, musician and composer. He has also produced and directed extensively, chiefly for radio.
Education
The son of James, a prominent educationali ...
. Rather than featuring pre-existing images of celebrities, as the Smiths' album and single covers had done, the cover sleeve of ''Viva Hate'' featured a photograph of Morrissey taken by
Anton Corbijn. In February 1988, EMI released the first single from this album, "
Suedehead
"Suedehead" is a 1988 single by English singer Morrissey, released on 15 February 1988. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's first solo release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was in ...
", which reached number 5 on the British singles chart, a higher position than any Smiths' single had achieved. The second single from the album, "
Everyday Is Like Sunday
"Everyday Is Like Sunday" is the third track of Morrissey's debut solo album, ''Viva Hate'', and the second single to be released by the artist. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's sec ...
", was released in June and reached number 9. The album reached number 1 on the UK album charts. The album's final song, "Margaret on the Guillotine", featured descriptions of Thatcher being executed; in response, the Conservative Member of Parliament
Geoffrey Dickens
Geoffrey Kenneth Dickens (26 August 1931 – 17 May 1995) was a British Conservative politician. He was MP for Huddersfield West from 1979 until the seat was abolished in 1983. He was then elected for Littleborough and Saddleworth and held t ...
accused Morrissey of being involved in a terrorist network and police
Special Branch conducted a search of his Manchester home.
Morrissey's first solo performance took place at
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunians ...
's Civic Hall in December 1988. The event attracted huge crowds, with ''NME'' journalist James Brown observing that "the excitement and atmosphere inside the hall was like nothing I have ever experienced at any public event". Following ''Viva Hate'', Morrissey put out two new singles; "
The Last of the Famous International Playboys
"The Last of the Famous International Playboys" is a song by British solo artist Morrissey. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's third release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was inspi ...
" was about the
Kray twins, gangsters who operated in London's East End, and reached number 6 on the UK singles chart. This was followed by "
Interesting Drug
"Interesting Drug" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's first fourth release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was inspired lyrically ...
", which reached number 9. After his songwriting partnership with Street ended and was replaced by
Alan Winstanley
Alan Kenneth Winstanley (born 2 November 1952) is an English record producer and songwriter, active from the mid-1970s onwards. He usually works with Clive Langer.
His early career during the mid-1970s was as an audio engineer, working on albu ...
and
Clive Langer
Clive Langer (born 19 June 1954 in Hampstead, London, England) is an English record producer and songwriter, active from the mid-1970s onwards.
He usually works with Alan Winstanley. He composed the music for the films '' Still Crazy'' and '' ...
, he recorded "
Ouija Board, Ouija Board
"Ouija Board, Ouija Board" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, released as a single in November 1989. The track appears along with its B-side "Yes, I Am Blind" on the compilation album ''Bona Drag''. A shorter edit, omitting a vers ...
", released as a single in November 1989; it reached number 18. Christian spokespeople and tabloid newspapers condemned the song, claiming that it promoted
occultism, to which Morrissey responded that "the only contact I ever made with the dead was when I spoke to a journalist from ''The Sun''."
![Forum Inglewood](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Forum_Inglewood.JPG)
With Winstanley and Langer he began work on his first compilation album, ''
Bona Drag
''Bona Drag'' is a compilation album by Morrissey released on 15 October 1990. The album features an array of Morrissey's most popular songs from his early solo career, most of which had not been released on any previous album. The album name m ...
'', although only recorded six new songs for it, the rest of the album comprising his recent singles and B-sides. The album reached number 9 on the UK album chart. Two of the newly recorded ''Bona Drag'' tracks were released as singles: "
November Spawned a Monster
"November Spawned a Monster" is a song by British singer Morrissey, released as a single in April 1990. It was written by Morrissey and Clive Langer and features one of Morrissey's former colleagues from the Smiths, Andy Rourke. The single re ...
", a song about a woman who is a wheelchair user, reached number 12 in the charts but received criticism from some who believed that it mocked disabled people. The second, "
Piccadilly Palare
"Piccadilly Palare" is song by British singer Morrissey, released as a single in October 1990. The song features one of Morrissey's former colleagues from the Smiths, Andy Rourke, marking the last time any former member of the Smiths would colla ...
", referenced London
rent boys and featured terms from the
polari
Polari () is a form of slang or cant used in Britain and Ireland by some actors, circus and fairground showmen, professional wrestlers, merchant navy sailors, criminals, sex workers and the gay subculture. There is some debate about its origi ...
gay slang. Released in November 1990, it reached number 19 in the charts. The song attracted some criticism from the British gay press, who were of the opinion that it was wrong for Morrissey to utilise polari when he was not openly gay; in an interview the previous year he had nevertheless acknowledged his attraction to both men and women.
Adopting
Mark E. Nevin as his new songwriting partner, Morrissey created his second solo album, ''
Kill Uncle
''Kill Uncle'' is the second solo studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey, released on 4 March 1991 by EMI Records and HMV Records. The title comes from the color black comedy film '' Let's Kill Uncle'' (1966).
Recording
''Kil ...
''; released in March 1991, it peaked at number 8 on the album chart. The two singles released in promotion of the album, "
Our Frank" and "
Sing Your Life
"Sing Your Life" is a single by English singer-songwriter Morrissey released in April 1991. It was the second single taken from the ''Kill Uncle'' album. On release this was Morrissey's lowest charting single in the UK charts, reaching only num ...
", failed to break the Top 20 on the singles charts, reaching number 26 and 33 respectively.
Another of the album's tracks, "Found, Found, Found", alluded to Morrissey's friendship with
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence.
Pos ...
, the lead singer of American indie rock band
REM.
Planning his first solo tour, Morrissey assembled several musicians with a background in
rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blu ...
for his new backing group, including the guitarist
Boz Boorer
Martin James "Boz" Boorer (born 19 May 1962 in Edgware, Middlesex, England) is an English guitarist and producer most known for his work founding the new wave rockabilly group the Polecats; and later for his work as a co-writer, guitarist and m ...
,
Alain Whyte
Alain Gordon Whyte (pronounced Alan) (born 3 July 1967) is an English musician, songwriter, composer and singer. He was Morrissey's main songwriting partner and guitarist between 1991 and 2007.
Prior to 1991, Whyte previously been in the bands ...
and Spencer Cobrin. Morrissey began the ''Kill Uncle'' tour in Europe; he brought
Phranc
Phranc (born Susan Gottlieb; August 28, 1957), is an American singer-songwriter whose career began playing in several bands in the late 1970s Los Angeles punk rock scene. Her musical style later shifted during the 1980s as a solo artist, into ...
as his
support act
A opening act, also known as a warm-up act, support act, or supporting act, is an entertainment act (musical, comedic, or otherwise), that performs at a concert before the featured act, or "headliner". Rarely, an opening act may perform again a ...
and decorated the stage of each performance with a large image of
Edith Sitwell
Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell (7 September 1887 – 9 December 1964) was a British poet and critic and the eldest of the three literary Sitwells. She reacted badly to her eccentric, unloving parents and lived much of her life with her governess ...
. On the US leg of his tour, he sold out
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
' 18,000 seat
The Forum in fifteen minutes, faster than
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
or
Madonna had done. During the performance,
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
joined him onstage for a rendition of T. Rex's "
Cosmic Dancer". In the US, he sold out 25 of his 26 other performances; one Texan appearance was filmed by
Tim Broad
Tim Broad was a British film director, best known for his music videos for the singer Morrissey.
In a 1990 interview, he was described as Morrissey's closest friend. Broad directed the video for The Smiths' songs " Girlfriend in a Coma" and "Sto ...
for release as the
VHS ''Live in Dallas''. He proceeded to Japan—where he was frustrated by the authorities' tough stance toward fans—and then Australasia, where he cancelled several dates due to acute sinusitis.
The early 1990s were described by biographer David Bret as the "black phase" in Morrissey's relationship with the British music press, which was increasingly hostile and critical of him. In some cases, this involved the press spreading misinformation, such as the claim that he and Phranc were recording a cover of "
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a 1976 duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche", respectively, and intended as an affectio ...
"; others, such as those of Barbara Ellen in ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'', were closer to personal attack than musical review. ''NME'' claimed that his cancelled performances reflected a disrespect towards his fans. He became increasingly reticent in talking to British music journalists, expressing frustration at how they constantly compared his solo work with that of the Smiths; "my past is almost denying me a future". He told one interviewer that the band he was then working with were technically better musicians than the Smiths had ever been.
Changing image: 1992–1995
In July 1992, Morrissey released the album ''
Your Arsenal
''Your Arsenal'' is the third studio album by English singer Morrissey, released on 27 July 1992 by record label HMV.
The album received critical acclaim and reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart.
Content
Morrissey had been rehearsing w ...
'', which peaked at number 2 in the album chart. It was the final release from producer Mick Ronson; Morrissey related that working with Ronson had been "the greatest privilege of my life". ''Your Arsenal'' reflected Morrissey's lament for what he regarded as the decline of British culture in the face of increasing Americanisation. He told one interviewer that "everything is informed by American culture—everyone under fifty speaks American—and that's sad. We once had a strong identity and now that's gone completely". A number of the tracks on the album, most notably "Certain People I Know" and "The National Front Disco", dealt with the lives and experiences of tough, working-class youths. ''Your Arsenal'' was critically well received, and often described as his best album since ''Viva Hate''. The first single, "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful", had been released in April 1992 and peaked at number 17; this was followed by "You're the One for Me, Fatty", which reached number 19 and "Certain People I Know", which reached number 34. From September to December, Morrissey embarked on a 53-date ''Your Arsenal'' tour in which he varyingly decorated the stage with backdrops of skinhead girls, Diana Dors, Elvis Presley, and Charlie Richardson. One of the performances was recorded and released as ''Beethoven Was Deaf''.
By the release of ''Your Arsenal'', Morrissey's image had changed; according to Simpson, the singer had converted "from the aesthete interested in rough lads into a rough lad interested in aestheticism (and rough lads)". According to Woods, Morrissey developed an air of "quietly assured masculinity", representing "a more robust, burlier, beefier version of himself", while the poet and Morrissey fan Simon Armitage described the transition as being one from that of "stick-thin, knock-me-over-with-a-feather campness" to that of a "mobster and bare-knuckle boxer image". This new image was reflected in the cover art for ''Your Arsenal''; a photograph taken by Sterling, it featured Morrissey onstage with his shirt open, displaying a muscular torso beneath.
![York Hall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/York_Hall.jpg)
In mid-1993, Morrissey co-wrote his fifth album, ''
Vauxhall and I
''Vauxhall and I'' is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock musician Morrissey. It was released on 14 March 1994, by the record label Parlophone in the UK and Sire/Reprise in the US.
Background
The album's title may be a refer ...
'', with Whyte and Boorer; it was produced by Steve Lillywhite. Morrissey described the album as "the best I've ever made", and at the time believed it would be either his final or penultimate work. It was both a critical and commercial success, topping the UK album chart. The album had been named for Vauxhall, a district of South West London famous for the Royal Vauxhall Tavern gay pub. One of the album's songs, "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", was released as a single in March and reached number 8 in the UK. The single's sleeve featured images of Jake Walters, a skinhead in his twenties, who was living with Morrissey at the time. Walters had introduced Morrissey to York Hall, a boxing venue in Bethnal Green, part of London's East End, with the singer spending an increasing amount of time there.
That year, he also released a non-album single, "Interlude (Timi Yuro song), Interlude", a duet with Siouxsie Sioux: the track was a cover of a Timi Yuro song. The record was published under the banner "Morrissey & Siouxsie"; due to record company issues, "Interlude" was only available on import outside Europe.
In the autumn of 1994, Morrissey recorded five songs at South London's Olympic Studios. In January 1995 the single "Boxers (Morrissey single), Boxers" was released, reaching number 23 on the singles chart. In February 1995, he embarked on the ''Boxers'' tour, supported by the band Marion (band), Marion and featuring a backdrop depiction of the boxer Cornelius Carr. One of these performances was filmed by James O'Brien (filmmaker), James O'Brien and released as the VHS ''Introducing Morrissey''. In December 1995, the song "Sunny (Morrissey song), Sunny" was released as a single; a lament for Morrissey's terminated relationship with Walters, the song was the first of Morrissey's singles not to chart. In 1995 the compilation album ''World of Morrissey'' was released, containing largely B-sides.
Move to Los Angeles: 1995–2003
After his contract with EMI expired, Morrissey signed to RCA Victor, RCA. On this label he recorded his next album, ''
Southpaw Grammar
''Southpaw Grammar'' is the fifth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey, released on 28 August 1995 by record labels RCA in the UK and Reprise in the US.
The album charted at number 4 in the UK and number 66 in the US, but r ...
'', at the Miraval Studios in southern France before releasing it in August 1995. Its cover art featured an image of the boxer Kenny Lane. It reached number 4 in the UK album charts, but made little impact compared to its two predecessors.
In September 1995, Morrissey served as the support act for the British leg of Bowie's Outside Tour. Backstage at the Aberdeen gig, Morrissey was taken ill and taken to hospital; he did not return for the rest of the tour. Later referring to the tour critically, he stated that when you become involved with Bowie, "you have to worship at the Temple of David".
In December 1996, a legal case against Morrissey and Marr brought by Smiths' drummer Mike Joyce arrived at the High Court of Justice, High Court. Joyce alleged that he had not received his fair share of recording and performance royalties from his time with the band, calling for at least £1 million in damages and 25% of all future Smiths album sales. After a seven-day hearing, the judge ruled in favour of Joyce. In summing up the case, Judge Justice Weeks referred to Morrissey as "devious, truculent and unreliable when his own interests were at stake", with the words "devious" and "truculent" being widely used in press coverage of the ruling. Marr paid the money legally owed to Joyce but Morrissey launched an appeal against the ruling. He claimed that the judge had been biased against him from the start of the proceedings because of his public criticisms of Thatcher and her government. Morrissey lost his appeal in July 1998, although he launched another soon after; this too was unsuccessful. In a November 2005 statement, Morrissey said that Joyce had cost him £600,000 in legal fees alone and approximately £1,515,000 in total.
Morrissey returned on Island Records in 1997, releasing the single "Alma Matters" in July, followed by his next album ''
Maladjusted
''Maladjusted'' is the sixth studio album by English singer Morrissey, released on 11 August 1997 by Island Records.
On release, the album received a lukewarm reception from fans and critics alike, and was Morrissey's last studio album for ...
'' in August.
The album peaked at number 8 in the UK album charts. Its further two singles, "Roy's Keen" and "Satan Rejected My Soul", both peaked outside the top 30 on the UK singles chart.
Having been unhappy with the cover design for ''Southpaw Grammar'', Morrissey left control of cover art of ''Maladjusted'' to his record company, but again was unsatisfied with the result.
''Uncut (magazine), Uncut'' reported in 1998 that Morrissey no longer had a record deal. The following year, he embarked on the ''Oye Esteban Tour'', and was one of the headliners of the Coachella Festival in California.
Leaving Britain, Morrissey purchased a house in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles. It had formerly been the residence of Carole Lombard and had been re-designed by William Haines. Over the next few years he rarely returned to Britain.
In 2002, Morrissey returned with a world tour, culminating in two sold-out nights at the Royal Albert Hall, during which he played as-yet unreleased songs. Outside the US and Europe, concerts also took place in Australia and Japan. During this time, Channel 4 filmed ''The Importance of Being Morrissey'', a documentary which aired in 2003; it was Morrissey's first major screen interview to appear on British television. He told interviewers that he was working on an autobiography, and expressed criticism of reality television music shows like ''Pop Idol'' which were then in their infancy.
Comeback: 2004–2010
In 2003, Morrissey signed to Sanctuary Records, where he was given the defunct reggae label Attack Records to use for his next project.
Produced by Jerry Finn and recorded in both Los Angeles and Berkshire, Morrissey's seventh solo album was ''
You Are the Quarry
''You Are the Quarry'' is the seventh studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 17 May 2004 by record label Attack, and was his first album in seven years following 1997's '' Maladjusted''. The album was a hu ...
''; it was released in May 2004. The album's cover art featured an image of Morrissey carrying a machine gun. It peaked at number 2 on the UK album chart and number 11 on the U.S. Billboard album chart.
The first single, "Irish Blood, English Heart", reached number 3 in the UK singles chart, the highest ranked single of his career. Promoting the album, he made appearances on both ''Top of the Pops'' and ''Later with Jools Holland'', and gave his first television interview in 17 years on ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross''; Morrissey was visibly uncomfortable with Jonathan Ross' questions. He also agreed to interviews with various press outlets, including the ''NME'', stating that "the nasty old guard" who controlled the magazine in the 1990s were gone and that it was not "the smelly ''NME'' any more".
![Morrissey at La Zona Rosa - SXSW 2006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Morrissey_at_La_Zona_Rosa_-_SXSW_2006.jpg)
To promote the album, Morrissey embarked on a world tour from April to November. He marked his 45th birthday with a concert at the Manchester Arena, supported by Franz Ferdinand (band), Franz Ferdinand; it was recorded for release as the DVD ''Who Put the M in Manchester?''.
Morrissey was also invited to curate that year's Meltdown (festival), Meltdown festival at London's Southbank Centre. Among the acts he secured were
Sparks, Loudon Wainwright III, Ennio Marchetto, Nancy Sinatra, The Cockney Rejects, Lypsinka, The Ordinary Boys, The Libertines, and playwright Alan Bennett. He had unsuccessfully attempted to secure appearances from Brigitte Bardot and Maya Angelou. That year he also performed at several UK music festivals, including Reading and Leeds Festivals, Leeds, Reading Festival, Reading, and Glastonbury Festival, Glastonbury.
Morrissey's eighth studio album, ''
Ringleader of the Tormentors
''Ringleader of the Tormentors'' is the eighth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 3 April 2006 by record label Attack. The album was described as showcasing "a thicker, more rock-driven sound", which ...
'', was recorded in Rome and released in April 2006. It debuted at number 1 in the UK album charts and number 27 in the US.
The album yielded four singles: "You Have Killed Me", "The Youngest Was the Most Loved", "In the Future When All's Well", and "I Just Want to See the Boy Happy". The album was produced by Tony Visconti; Morrissey called the album "the most beautiful—perhaps the most gentle—so far". ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' described the album as showcasing "a thicker, more rock-driven sound".
![Morrissey Live at SXSW Austin in March 2006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Morrissey_Live_at_SXSW_Austin_in_March_2006.jpg)
In December 2007, Morrissey signed a new deal with Decca Records, which included a ''Greatest Hits (Morrissey), Greatest Hits'' album and a new studio album. ''Greatest Hits'' charted at number 5 in the UK album chart.
"That's How People Grow Up" was the first single from ''Greatest Hits'', reaching number 14 in the UK charts.
A second single from the album, "All You Need Is Me", followed.
His ninth studio album, ''
Years of Refusal
''Years of Refusal'' is the ninth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 16 February 2009 in the UK by record label Decca and on 17 February 2009 in the US by Lost Highway.
It was the last album complete ...
'', originally due in September, was postponed until February 2009, as a result of the death of producer Jerry Finn, and the lack of an American label to distribute the album. When released by the Universal Music Group, it reached number 3 in the UK Albums Chart and 11 in the US ''Billboard'' 200. The record was widely acclaimed by critics, with comparisons made to ''Your Arsenal'' and ''Vauxhall and I''.
A review from Pitchfork Media noted that with ''Years of Refusal'', Morrissey "has rediscovered himself, finding new potency in his familiar arsenal. Morrissey's rejuvenation is most obvious in the renewed strength of his vocals" and called it his "most venomous, score-settling album, and in a perverse way that makes it his most engaging".
"I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" and "Something Is Squeezing My Skull" were released as the record's singles. The song "Black Cloud" features the guitar playing of Jeff Beck. Throughout 2009, Morrissey toured to promote the album. As part of the extensive Tour of Refusal, Morrissey followed a lengthy US tour with concerts booked in Ireland, the UK, and Russia.
In October 2009, ''Swords (album), Swords'', a B-sides collection of material released between 2004 and 2009, was released. It peaked at 55 on the UK albums chart, and Morrissey later called it "a meek disaster". On the second date of the UK tour to promote ''Swords'', Morrissey collapsed onstage in Swindon, and was briefly hospitalised. Following the ''Swords'' tour, Morrissey had fulfilled his contractual obligation to Universal Records and was without a record company.
Further albums and literary work: 2010–present
In April 2011, EMI issued a new compilation, ''Very Best of Morrissey'', for which the singer had chosen the track list and artwork. In March 2011, Morrissey took Ron Laffitte as his manager.
In June and July 2011, Morrissey played a UK tour; during his 2011 performance at Glastonbury Festival, Morrissey criticised UK Prime Minister David Cameron for attempting to prevent a ban on wild animals performing in circuses, calling him a "silly twit". This was followed by several dates elsewhere in Europe. Morrissey's 2012 tour started in South America and continued through Asia and North America. Morrissey played concerts in Belgium, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Portugal, England, and Scotland. In late September, while visiting Strand Bookstore in Manhattan, he saved an elderly lady who had fainted beside him. Between January and March 2013, Morrissey toured 32 North American cities, beginning in Greenvale, New York and ending in Portland, Oregon.
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946)
is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album ''Horses''.
Called the "punk poet ...
and her band were special guests at the Crypto.com Arena, Staples Center concert in Los Angeles, and Kristeen Young opened on all nights.
![HopFarm2011-0702-036](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/HopFarm2011-0702-036.jpg)
In January 2013, Morrissey was diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer and several engagements were re-scheduled. On 7 March, Morrissey was hospitalised again, this time with pneumonia in both lungs. One week later, the rest of the tour was cancelled. During his rehabilitation he spent time in Ireland, where he watched Republic of Ireland national football team, the country's football team play a match against Austria national football team, Austria in the company of his cousin Robbie Keane.
In April, EMI reissued the single "The Last of the Famous International Playboys", backed by three new songs: "People Are the Same Everywhere", "Action Is My Middle Name", and "The Kid's a Looker", all recorded live in 2011.
Starting in June, Morrissey performed in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile. In August, Morrissey's concert at Hollywood High School on 2 March 2013, had a worldwide cinema release. Morrissey: 25 Live marks Morrissey's 25th year as a solo artist, and was the first authorised live Morrissey DVD in nine years. In July, Morrisey cancelled the South American leg of his tour due to a "lack of funding", saying it was "the last of many final straws".
In October 2013, Morrissey's autobiography, titled ''Autobiography (Morrissey), Autobiography'', was released after a "content dispute" had delayed it from the initial release date of 16 September 2013. The book's release caused controversy as it was published as a "contemporary classic" under the Penguin Classics label at Morrissey's request, which some critics felt devalued the Penguin Classics label. Morrissey had completed the 660-page book in 2011, before shopping it to publishers such as Penguin Books and Faber and Faber. The book received divergent reviews: ''The Daily Telegraph'' giving it a five-star review that described it as "the best written musical autobiography since Bob Dylan's Chronicles: Volume One, Chronicles", while ''The Independent'' criticised the book's "droning narcissism" as well as its status as a Penguin Classic. The book entered the UK book charts at number 1, nearly 35,000 copies being sold in its first week. In December, a 2011 live cover version of Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love#Morrissey cover, Satellite of Love", was released as a single.
In January 2014, Morrissey signed a two-record deal with Capitol Music Group, Capitol Music. His tenth studio album, ''
World Peace Is None of Your Business'', was released in July.
Prior to its release, he embarked on a US tour in May, but was hospitalised in Boston in early June, cancelling the remaining nine tour dates. After finishing a six date tour in the UK, he did a US tour during June and July, including a concert in New York with special guest
Blondie at Madison Square Garden. In July 2015, he publicly claimed that an airport security guard had groped him at San Francisco International Airport. He filed a sexual assault complaint; the Transportation Security Administration found no supporting evidence to act on the allegation.
In August, Capitol Music and Harvest Records ended their contracts with Morrissey. In October, he disclosed he had received treatment for Barrett's esophagus, Barrett's oesophageal cancer.
In September 2015, Penguin Books published Morrissey's first novel, ''
List of the Lost''.
In November 2017, his eleventh studio album, ''
Low in High School
''Low in High School'' is the eleventh solo studio album by British singer Morrissey, released on 17 November 2017 through BMG. It was produced by Joe Chiccarelli, and recorded at La Fabrique Studios in France and at Ennio Morricone's Forum Stu ...
'', was released through BMG Rights Management, BMG and Morrissey's own Etienne record label.
That same month, Morrissey attracted press attention and criticism for comments made in an interview with ''Der Spiegel'': he stated that it was "quite sad" that distinct national identities in Europe were being undermined by politicians trying "to introduce a multicultural aspect to everything",
and that some individuals claiming victimhood as part of the Me Too movement were not genuine victims of sexual assault but were "simply disappointed".
Morrissey accused ''Der Spiegel'' of misquoting him and said it would be his last print interview. He played two shows at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl in November. Morrissey's first UK tour since 2015 began in Aberdeen and concluded in London.
In November 2018, Morrissey released a cover of the Pretenders' "Back on the Chain Gang", performing it on ''The Late Late Show with James Corden''. In May 2019, Morrissey played a seven-night residency at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Broadway theatre, Broadway, prior to the release of his twelfth studio album, a covers album titled ''
California Son
''California Son'' is the twelfth solo studio album by English singer Morrissey. Released on 24 May 2019 on the singer's label ''étienne'' and licensed on BMG, the album is a collection of cover versions. The single "Wedding Bell Blues", initi ...
''.
Morrissey released an 11-track album ''
I Am Not a Dog on a Chain
''I Am Not a Dog on a Chain'' is the thirteenth solo studio album by Morrissey, released through BMG on 20 March 2020. It is Morrissey's first album of original material since 2017's ''Low in High School''. It was produced by Joe Chiccarelli, and ...
'' in late March 2020. The lead single, "Bobby, Don't You Think They Know?" featuring Motown soul singer Thelma Houston, was also made available on streaming sites.
In November 2020, Morrissey's deal with BMG expired and was not renewed. Morrissey completed a Las Vegas residency in July 2022 titled "Viva Moz Vegas" for the second year in a row. He has announced a UK tour and an Irish concert for September.
On 29 October 2022, it was announced that Morrissey will release his fourteenth solo album ''Bonfire of Teenagers'' in February 2023 on Capitol Records in the US. A UK release is still undetermined as no labels have yet picked up the record. The album has eleven songs produced by Andrew Watt (record producer), Andrew Watt, and features Red Hot Chili Peppers alumn Josh Klinghoffer, Chad Smith, and Flea (musician), Flea, with additional backing vocals from Miley Cyrus and Iggy Pop. In addition, Capitol plans to re-issue several of Morrissey's albums released between 1995 and 2014, with the exception of ''Maladjusted''. However, on 15 November, it was announced that ''Bonfire of Teenagers'' was no longer scheduled to release in February, with Morrissey stating that the fate of the album was exclusively in the hands of the label.
On 25 November 2022, the album's lead single, "Rebels Without Applause", was released by Capitol Records worldwide.
On 8 December 2022, Morrissey announced that in January and February of 2023, recording will commence for his fifteenth solo album ''Without Music the World Dies''.
Artistry
Lyrics
Mark Simpson (journalist), Mark Simpson characterised Morrissey as "the anti-pop idol", representing "the last, greatest and most gravely worrying product of an era when pop music was all there was". Music journalist and biographer Johnny Rogan stated that Morrissey's œuvre seems based on "endlessly re-examining a lost, painful past". Morrissey's lyrics have been described as "dramatic, bleak, funny Vignette (literature), vignettes about doomed relationships, lonely nightclubs, the burden of the past and the prison of the home".
According to Mark Simpson, there is a common feeling that his music's emphasis on the sadness of life is depressing.
![Morrissey Live at SXSW Austin in March 2006-8](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Morrissey_Live_at_SXSW_Austin_in_March_2006-8.jpg)
His lyrics are characterised by their usage of black humour, self-deprecation, and the pop vernacular.
Many of his lyrics avoid mentioning the gender of the narrator, and thus provide both male and female listeners with multiple points of identification. Simpson felt that his lyrics often highlighted "the essential absurdity of gender". Discussing the Smiths' lyrics in 1992, Stringer highlighted that they placed great emphasis on the concept of Englishness, but added that unlike the contemporary 2 Tone (music genre), Two-Tone and acid house movements, they focused on white England rather than exploring its multi-cultural counterpart. Although noting that during the 1980s emphasising white identity was a trait closely linked with right-wing politics, Stringer expressed the view that the Smiths represented "the only sustained response that white, English pop/rock music was able to make" against the Thatcher government's "appropriation of white, English national identity".
His lyrics have expressed disdain for many elements of British society, including the government, church, education system, royal family, meat-eating, money, gender, discos, fame, and relationships. In his lyrics for the Smiths, Morrissey avoided explicit descriptions of the consummation of sex; rather, he sings about the anticipation, frustration, aversion, or final disappointment with sex. Stringer suggested that this deliberate avoidance of sex was a reflection of the band's 'Englishness' because it invoked English cultures' "lack of emotional expression, the way in which feelings, and especially sexual feelings, cannot be expressed directly through casual touch, body contact and so on".
Male homoerotic elements can be found in many of the Smiths' lyrics. However, these also included sexualised descriptions featuring women.
Morrissey has described having "a macabre fascination" with violence. Simpson opined that Morrissey's lyrics "bleed and throb with violent imagery", citing the references to bus crashes and suicide pacts in "There is a Light that Never Goes Out", smashed teeth in "Bigmouth Strikes Again", and nuclear apocalypse in both "Ask" and "Everyday is Like Sunday". More broadly, Morrissey had a longstanding interest in thuggery, whether that be murderers, gangsters, rough trade, or skinheads.
Performance style
![Morrissey and band at Zitadelle Spandau in Berlin 2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Morrissey_and_band_at_Zitadelle_Spandau_in_Berlin_2011.jpg)
Morrissey's vocals have been cited as having a particularly distinctive quality. Simpson believed that Morrissey's work embodied and personified that of the "Northern Women", speaking in styles of vernacular language that would be common to many women living in northern England. In this he was strongly influenced by the Northern singer Cilla Black, who had a successful career as a pop music singer in the 1960s, as well as Viv Nicholson, who similarly earned fame during that decade. Other female singers from that decade who have been cited as an influence on Morrissey have been the Scottish Lulu (singer), Lulu, and the Essexer
Sandie Shaw Sandie may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Sandie Clair (born 1988), French professional racing cyclist
* Sandie Fitzgibbon, Irish former camogie player
* Sandie Jones (1950/1951–2019), Irish singer
* Sandie Lindsay, 1st Baron Lindsay of Birker (187 ...
. However, Stringer noted that rather than expressly singing in a Mancunian working-class accent, Morrissey adopted a "very clipped, precise enunciation" and sang in "clear English diction". He is also noted for his unusual
baritone vocal style (though he sometimes uses falsetto).
When performing onstage, he often whips his microphone cord about, particularly during his up-tempo tracks. Simpson believed that Morrissey often gave "slyly aggressive gestures" while onstage; he cited two instances from ''Top of the Pops'', one in which Morrissey used hand gestures in order to pretend shooting at the audience during "Shoplifters of the World Unite" and another in which he turned his microphone cord into a hangman's noose while repeating the lyrics "Hang the DJ, hang the DJ" in the song "Panic". Rogan claimed that Morrissey exhibited "a power onstage which I have seldom seen from any other artiste of his generation", and that while performing he "oozes charisma, offering that peculiar combination of gauche vulnerability and athleticism".
On various occasions, Morrissey has expressed anger when he believes that bouncers and the security teams at his concerts have treated the audience poorly. For instance, at his San Antonio concert as part of the ''Your Arsenal'' tour he stopped his performance to rebuke bouncers for hitting fans.
On November 12, 2022, while playing a live show in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), Greek Theater, he finished the set just after 9 songs and left without notice, upsetting many fans. The bandmates hung around for over 10 minutes before realizing he was not coming back and it was announced that the show was being cancelled for "unforseen circumstances." It was speculated by some fans that the weather may have been too cold for him.
Personal life
Throughout his career, Morrissey has retained an intensely private personal life. A longtime resident of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, he also maintains homes in Italy, Switzerland, and the UK. In 2017, Los Angeles declared 10 November "Morrissey Day". Friends refer to him as "Morrissey", and he dislikes the nickname "Moz", telling one interviewer that "it's like something you'd squirt on the kitchen floor". His mother, Elizabeth Anne Dwyer, died in August 2020 at the age of 82 from gallbladder cancer.
Stringer characterised Morrissey as a man with various contradictory traits, being "an ordinary, working-class 'anti-star' who nevertheless loves to hog the spotlight, a nice man who says the nastiest things about other people, a shy man who is also an outrageous narcissist". He further suggested that part of Morrissey's appeal was that he conveyed the image of a "cultivated English gentleman (and being every inch the typically English 'gent' he is perfectly representative of that type's loathing for cant and hypocrisy, and his fragile, quasi-gay sexuality)". Similarly, Morrissey biographer David Bret described him as being "quintessentially English", while Simpson termed him a Little Englander. During the 1980s, interviewer Paul Morley stated that Morrissey "sets out to be a decent man and he succeeds because that is what he is". Eddie Sanderson, who interviewed Morrissey for ''The Mail on Sunday'' in 1992, said that "underneath all the rock star flim-flam, Morrissey is actually a very nice chap, excellent company, perfectly willing and able to talk about any subject one cared to throw at him". Having photographed him in 2004, Mischa Richter described Morrissey as "genuinely lovely".
Morrissey is known for his criticism of the British music press, royalty, politicians and people who eat meat. According to Bret, his "withering attacks" on those he disliked are typically delivered in a "laid-back" manner. He is a lapsed Catholic and has criticised the Catholic Church. In 1991, he said that he believed in an afterlife. He is a cousin of Irish footballer Robbie Keane and once said, "To watch [Keane] on the pitch—pacing like a lion, as weightless as an astronaut, is pure therapy." He is also a fan of boxing. He has described having clinical depression, for which he has pursued professional help.
Animal rights advocacy
A vocal advocate of animal welfare and
animal rights
Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
issues, Morrissey has been a vegetarian since the age of 11. He has explained his vegetarianism by saying that "if you love animals, obviously it doesn't make sense to hurt them". Morrissey announced in 2015 that he is a Veganism, vegan. He spoke of difficulties transitioning from vegetarianism to veganism. In a 2018 interview, Morrissey stated that he "refuse[s] to eat anything that had a mother" but has always had difficulties with food, stating that he only eats bread, potatoes, pasta, and nuts despite the increasing availability of more varied vegan food than ever before.
Morrissey is a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). In recognition of his support, PETA honoured him with the Linda McCartney Memorial Award at their 25th Anniversary Gala on 10 September 2005. He appeared in a PETA advert in 2012, encouraging people to have their dogs and cats neutered to help reduce the number of homeless pets. In 2014, PETA worked with animator Anna Saunders to create a cartoon called ''Someday'' in honour of Morrissey's 55th birthday. It features his song "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" and highlights the journey of a young chick.
In January 2006, Morrissey attracted criticism when he stated that he accepts the motives behind the militant tactics of the Animal Rights Militia, saying, "I understand why fur-farmers and so-called laboratory scientists are repaid with violence—it is because they deal in violence themselves and it's the only language they understand." He has criticised people who are involved in the promotion of eating meat, including Jamie Oliver and Clarissa Dickson Wright. The latter had already been targeted by some animal rights activists for her stance on fox hunting. In response, Dickson Wright stated, "Morrissey is encouraging people to commit acts of violence and I am constantly aware that something might very well happen to me." Conservative MP David Davis (British politician), David Davis criticised Morrissey's comments, saying that "any incitement to violence is obviously wrong in a civilised society and should be investigated by the police". Morrissey has also criticised the British royal family for their involvement in fox hunting.
In 2006, Morrissey refused to include Canada in his world tour that year and supported a boycott of Canadian goods in protest against the country's annual Seal hunting, seal hunt, which he described as a "barbaric and cruel slaughter". In 2018, he changed his approach, feeling that his previous "stance was ultimately of no use and helped no one", and pledged to donate to animal protection groups in the cities where he would perform. He also invited those groups to set up stalls at his concerts.
During an interview with Simon Armitage in 2010, Morrissey said that "you can't help but feel that the Chinese are a subspecies" due to their "horrific" Animal welfare and rights in China, treatment of animals. Armitage said: "He must have known it would make waves, he's not daft. But clearly, when it comes to animal rights and animal welfare, he's absolutely unshakable in his beliefs. In his view, if you treat an animal badly, you are less than human."
At a concert in Warsaw on 24 July 2011, Morrissey stated, "We all live in a murderous world, as the events in Norway have shown, with 97 dead. Though that is nothing compared to what happens in McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken, Kentucky Fried Shit every day."
His comments, referencing the 2011 Norway attacks which resulted in the killing of 77 people, were described as crude and insensitive by ''NME''. He later elaborated on his statement, saying, "If you quite rightly feel horrified at the Norway killings, then it surely naturally follows that you feel horror at the murder of ANY innocent being. You cannot ignore animal suffering simply because animals 'Speciesism, are not us'."
In February 2013, after much speculation, it was reported that the Staples Center had agreed for the first time ever to make every vendor in the arena completely vegetarian for Morrissey's performance on 1 March, contractually having all McDonald's vendors close down. In a press release, Morrissey stated, "I don't look upon it as a victory for me, but a victory for the animals." The request was previously denied to Paul McCartney. Despite these reports, the Staples Center retained some meat vendors while closing down McDonald's. Later in February, Morrissey cancelled an appearance on ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' after learning that the guests for that night also included the cast of ''Duck Dynasty'', a reality show about a family who create duck calls for use in hunting. Morrissey referred to them as "animal serial killers".
In 2014, Morrissey stated that he believed there is "no difference between eating animals and paedophilia. They are both rape, violence, murder." In September 2015, he expressed his revulsion at the "Piggate" scandal, saying that if Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister David Cameron had really inserted "a private part of his anatomy" into the mouth of a dead pig's severed head while at university, then it showed "a callousness and complete lack of empathy entirely unbefitting a man in his position, and he should resign".
Also in September, he called Australian politician Greg Hunt's campaign to cull 2 million invasive cats "idiocy", describing the cats as smaller versions of Cecil the lion.
Sexuality
Morrissey's sexuality has been the subject of much speculation and coverage in the British press during his career, with claims varyingly being made that he was celibacy, celibate, a frustrated heterosexual, or bisexual. In a 1980 letter he described both himself and his girlfriend as bisexual, although adding that he "hate[d] sex". The ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' states that he created a "compellingly conflicted persona (loudly proclaimed celibacy offset by coy hints of closeted homosexuality)" which has "made him a peculiar heartthrob". Speculation was further fuelled by the frequent references to gay subculture and slang in his lyrics. In 2006 Liz Hoggard from ''The Independent'' said: "Only 15 years after homosexuality had been Sexual Offences Act 1967, decriminalised, his lyrics flirted with every kind of gay subculture."
During his years with the Smiths, Morrissey professed to being celibate, which stood out at a time when much of pop music was dominated by visible sexuality. Marr said in a 1984 interview that Morrissey "doesn't participate in sex at the moment and hasn't done so for a while". Repeatedly, interviewers asked Morrissey if he was gay, which he denied. In response to one such inquiry in 1985, he stated that "I don't recognise such terms as heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and I think it's important that there's someone in pop music who's like that. These words do great damage, they confuse people and they make people feel unhappy, so I want to do away with them." As his career developed, there was increased pressure placed on him to come out of the closet, although he presented himself as a non-practising bisexual. In a 1989 interview, he revealed that he was "always attracted to men and women who were never attracted to me" and thus he did not have "relationships at all". In 2013 he released a statement which said, "Unfortunately, I am not homosexual. In technical fact, I am wiktionary:humasexual, humasexual. I am attracted to humans. But, of course . . . not many."
In 1997, Morrissey said that he had abandoned celibacy and that he had a relationship with a Cockney boxer. That person was revealed in his autobiography to be Jake Walters. Their relationship began in 1994, and they lived together until 1996.
In a March 2013 interview, Walters said, "Morrissey and I have been friends for a long time, probably around 20 years." Morrissey was later attached to Tina Dehghani. He discussed having a child with Dehghani, with whom he described having an "uncluttered commitment".
In his autobiography Morrissey also mentions a relationship with a younger Italian man, known only as "Gelato", with whom he sought to buy a house in around 2006.
Political opinions
British politics
In an academic paper on the Smiths, Julian Stringer characterised the band as "one of Britain's most overtly political groups", while Andrew Warns termed them the "most anti-capitalist of bands". Simon Goddard described Morrissey as being "pro-working class, anti-elite and anti-institution. That includes all political parties, parliament itself, all Public school (United Kingdom), public schools, Oxbridge, the Catholic church, the monarchy, the EU, the BBC, the broadsheet press and the music press. Because his comments are not consistent with any one political agenda it confuses people, especially on left-wing politics, the left. If anything, he's a professional Refusenik."
Morrissey has exhibited enduring anti-royalist views from his teenage years and has fiercely criticised the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarchy. In a 1985 interview with Simon Garfield, he stated that he had always "despised royalty" and that royalist sentiment is a "false devotion". In a 2011 interview, he publicly identified as a Republicanism in the United Kingdom, republican, stating that he regarded the British royal family as "benefit scroungers and nothing else". In a 2012 interview with Stephen Colbert, he spoke out against the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, stating: "It was a celebration of what? 60 years of dictatorship. She's not [my Queen]. I'm not a subject."
Morrissey's first solo album, ''Viva Hate'', included a track entitled "Margaret on the Guillotine", a jab at
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...
. The London Metropolitan Police investigated Morrissey as a result of the song's lyrics. Following Death and funeral of Margaret Thatcher, her death in 2013, Morrissey called her "a terror without an atom of humanity" and said "every move she made was charged by negativity". He described Thatcher's successor, John Major, as "no one's idea of a Prime Minister . . . a terrible human mistake". During the Iraq War, he described George W. Bush and Tony Blair as "insufferable, egotistical insane despots". In February 2006, Morrissey stated he had been interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI and by Special Branch, British intelligence after speaking out against the American and British governments. He said: "They were trying to determine if I was a threat to the government . . . it didn't take them long to realise that I'm not". In 2010 he endorsed Marr's statement that Prime Minister David Cameron was forbidden to like the Smiths, criticising the Prime Minister's hobby of Hunting and shooting in the United Kingdom, stag hunting. In response to the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017, Morrissey criticised Prime Minister Theresa May, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, and Elizabeth II for their statements regarding the bombing.
European Union
In 2013 Morrissey said that he "nearly voted" for the UK Independence Party, expressing his admiration for party leader Nigel Farage and endorsing Farage's Euroscepticism regarding UK membership of the European Union. In 2019, he claimed "It's obvious that "he [Farage] would make a good prime minister - if any of us can actually remember what a good prime minister is."
In October 2016, he praised the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, UK's referendum on EU membership as "magnificent" and said the BBC had "persistently denigrated" supporters of the Brexit, Leave campaign. In 2019, he argued that the result of the EU referendum should be respected, stating "My view has always been that the result of the referendum must be carried through. If the vote had been remain there would be absolutely no question that we would remain. In the interest of true democracy, you cannot argue against the wish of the people" and added that he found "absolutely nothing attractive about the EU."
Race and support for Anne Marie Waters
Morrissey has faced ongoing accusations of racism since the early 1990s from media and commentators around the globe
– prompted by his comments, actions, and recorded material. However, he has constantly rejected accusations of racism, and won a libel action forcing an apology from ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'', a British music magazine, saying: "We do not believe [Morrissey] is a racist."
Various sources accused Morrissey of racism for making reference to the National Front (UK), National Front, a far-right political party, in his 1992 song "The National Front Disco"; it has been argued that this criticism ignored the ironic context of the song, which pitied rather than glorified the party's supporters. According to Bret, these and other allegations of racism typically entailed decontextualising lyrics from Morrissey songs such as "Bengali in Platforms" and "Asian Rut". ''NME'' also accused Morrissey of racism on the basis of the imagery he employed during his 1992 performance at the ''Madstock'' festival at Finsbury Park in north London; Morrissey included images of skinhead girls as a backdrop, and wrapped himself in a Union flag. Conversely, these actions resulted in Morrissey being booed offstage by a group of Neo-Nazism, neo-Nazi skinheads in the audience, who believed that he was appropriating skinhead culture.
Morrissey sued ''NME'' for libel over a 2007 article which criticised Morrissey after he allegedly told a reporter that British identity had disappeared because of immigration.
He was quoted as saying: "It's very difficult [to return to England] because, although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears. . . . the gates of England are flooded. The country's been thrown away."
[ His manager described the article as a "character assassination".] In 2008, ''The Word (magazine), The Word'' apologised in court for a piece written by David Quantick, which commented on the 2007 ''NME'' article and suggested Morrissey was a racist. Morrissey accepted ''The Word''s apology. The legal suit against ''NME'' began in October 2011 after Morrissey won a pre-trial hearing. Morrissey's case against ''NME'' editor Conor McNicholas and publisher International Publishing Corporation, IPC was due to have been heard in July 2012. The parties settled the dispute in June 2012, with ''NME'' issuing a public apology. Morrissey's lawyer said that "no money was sought as part of a settlement. . . . The NME apology in itself is settlement enough and it closes the case."
Morrissey's 2010 statement in which he described the Chinese as a "subspecies" in reference to their treatment of animals was criticised as racist by multiple sources.
In October 2017, he expressed the view that the 2017 UK Independence Party leadership election, 2017 UKIP leadership election had been rigged against Islamophobia, anti-Islam activist Anne Marie Waters. In April 2018 he endorsed Waters' new far-right politics, far-right party, For Britain, subsequently wearing a party badge during several performances in New York City in 2019. Morrissey's apparent support for the For Britain party saw adverts of his album ''California Son'' withdrawn from Merseyrail stations, and several record stores refusing to stock the album. In June 2018, Morrissey reaffirmed his support for Waters and For Britain, stating "she believes in British heritage, freedom of speech, and she wants everyone in the UK to live under the same law. I find this compelling." At the same time, Morrissey also expressed comments criticising the treatment of anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson (activist), Tommy Robinson, and said: "It's very obvious that Labour or the Tories do not believe in free speech … I mean, look at the shocking treatment of Tommy Robinson."
In June 2019, Morrissey rejected further accusations of racism against him, saying, "The word is meaningless now. Everyone ultimately prefers their own race—does this make everyone racist?" In response to his recent political comments, fellow singer-songwriter Billy Bragg accused Morrissey of dragging the legacy of Johnny Marr and the Smiths "through the dirt". However, Nick Cave wrote an open letter defending Morrissey's right to freedom of speech to voice his beliefs, as well as arguing that his musical legacy should be kept separate from his political opinions.
American politics
At a Dublin concert in June 2004, Morrissey commented on the Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan, death of Ronald Reagan, saying that he would have preferred if George W. Bush had died instead. Morrissey openly criticized the War on terror, War on Terror and condemned Bush as "the world's most famous active terrorist, as he bizarrely bombs the innocent people of Iraq out of existence in the name of freedom and democracy" in his Autobiography (Morrissey book), autobiography.
During a January 2008 concert, Morrissey remarked "God Bless Barack Obama" and criticised Hillary Clinton, naming her "Billary Clinton". However, in 2015, he accused Obama of not doing enough to tackle Police brutality in the United States, police brutality, stating he could not "see him doing anything at all for the black community except warning them that they must respect the security forces." He endorsed Clinton in the 2016 United States presidential election, although later criticised her as "the face and voice of pooled money" and praised Bernie Sanders as "sane and intelligent", accusing the US media of paying insufficient attention to his campaign. Morrissey called Donald Trump "Donald Thump" and accused him of not having any sympathy for the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. When asked in a 2017 interview if he would push a button that would kill Trump if given the opportunity, he responded that he "would, for the safety of the human race." He later said the United States Secret Service questioned him over his comments on Trump.
Impact and legacy
David Bret has characterised him as an artist who divides opinion among those who love him and those who loathe him, with little space for compromise between the two. The press termed him the "Pope of Mope".
Fandom
Simpson stated that Morrissey had a global fan following that was unrivalled in its devotion to the singer, characterising this as "the kind of devotion that only dead stars command" normally. Morrissey's fans have been described as being among the most dedicated of pop and rock fans. Music magazine ''NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' considers Morrissey to be "one of the most influential artists ever", while ''The Independent'' says, "Most pop stars have to be dead before they reach the iconic status he has reached in his lifetime." According to Bret, Morrissey's fanbase "religiously followed his every pitfall and triumph". Simpson highlighted an example during the US leg of Morrissey's 1996 ''Maladjusted'' tour in which young men asked the singer to sign autograph their necks, which they subsequently had permanently tattooed into their skin. Rogan compared Morrissey to Wilde's character Dorian Gray "in reverse; while he slowly ages, his audience remains young". Rogan also noted that while onstage, Morrissey "revels in the messianic adoration" of his fans.
Soon after achieving national fame, Morrissey became a gay icon, with Bret noting that by the start of his solo career, Morrissey already had a "massive gay following". This development was influenced by the speculation around his own sexual orientation, his lyrics that dealt with such subjects as age-gap sex and rent boys, as well as the Smiths' heavy use of gay and camp imagery on their record covers. Morrissey's gay following was not restricted to Western countries, for he remained popular within the Japanese gay community as well.
Morrissey also has a significant Hispanic fanbase, particularly in Mexico and amongst Mexican Americans (Chicano, Chicanos) in the western United States. His music has resonated with these communities because of its similarities to the traditional Mexican music genre of ranchera, which revolves around romance, morose metaphors and slow ballads. Morrissey's popularity among Hispanics became widespread knowledge after he toured Latin America for the first time in 2000. Chuck Klosterman, in a 2002 profile for Spin (magazine), ''Spin'' that analyzed Morrissey's relationship with the Latino community, theorized that Morrissey's rockabilly influences were seen as a nod to the Greaser (subculture), greaser culture popular among Latinos and that his status as the son of Irish immigrants in England resonated with immigrant families in Los Angeles.
On numerous occasions, Morrissey has acknowledged his Mexican fanbase. During a 1999 concert in California, he said, "I wish I was born Mexican, but it’s too late for that now." He released the song "Mexico" in 2004, which contained lyrics that condemned white privilege. The film ''25 Live'' evidences a particularly strong following amongst the singer's Latino/Chicano fans. A tribute band named Mexrrissey performs Morrissey covers live translated in Spanish. The 2018 Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel film ''Ant-Man and the Wasp'' contains a scene in which the character Luis discusses how his grandmother owned a jukebox that "only played Morrissey" because of Latinos' love for his music. Director Peyton Reed noted that it was a "funny, really specific true-to-life detail".
There are a number of Morrissey fansites. In the early 2000s Morrissey issued a "cease and desist" notification against the fan website Morrissey-Solo for publishing claims, never proven, that Morrissey had failed to pay members of his touring personnel. In 2011, he issued a lifetime concert ban against the site owner who, it was claimed, had caused "intentional distress to Morrissey and Morrissey's band" over a number of years. Another fansite, True-To-You, enjoys a close relationship with Morrissey and functioned as his official website for statements until May 2017. In April 2018, Morrissey launched his own website, Morrissey Central.
Influence
Morrissey is routinely referred to as an influential artist, both in his solo career and with the Smiths. The BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
has referred to him as "one of the most influential figures in the history of British pop", and ''