Morrisey's autobiography

[markyboy]

http://www.theomnivore.com/a-a-gill-...-sunday-times/

[D'oriel]

I heard much of that article, not least the damning final paragraph, but the part that most puts me off reading the book (which I received as a Christmas gift) is this:

'It’s what’s left out of this book rather than what’s put in that is strangest. There is an absence of music, not just in its tone, but the content. There are emetic pools of limpid prose about the music business, the ingratitude of fellow musicians and band members and the lack of talent in other performers, but there is nothing about the making of music itself, the composing of lyrics, the process of singing or the emotion of creation. He seems to assume we will already know his back catalogue and can hum along to his recorded life. This is 450 pages of what makes Morrissey, but nothing of what Morrissey makes.'

I've spent 15 years or so listening to The Smiths, and what I would most want to read is the creation of some of the most magnificent lyrics and tunes. Inspiration, muses, developing, collaboration... I'm not as interested in Morrissey as I am in what The Smiths created.

[D-man.]

Are there lots of sex/drug orgies stories?

[Falling At Your Feet]

Originally Posted by D'oriel

I heard much of that article, not least the damning final paragraph, but the part that most puts me off reading the book (which I received as a Christmas gift) is this:

'It’s what’s left out of this book rather than what’s put in that is strangest. There is an absence of music, not just in its tone, but the content. There are emetic pools of limpid prose about the music business, the ingratitude of fellow musicians and band members and the lack of talent in other performers, but there is nothing about the making of music itself, the composing of lyrics, the process of singing or the emotion of creation. He seems to assume we will already know his back catalogue and can hum along to his recorded life. This is 450 pages of what makes Morrissey, but nothing of what Morrissey makes.'

I've spent 15 years or so listening to The Smiths, and what I would most want to read is the creation of some of the most magnificent lyrics and tunes. Inspiration, muses, developing, collaboration... I'm not as interested in Morrissey as I am in what The Smiths created.

I also received it as a Christmas gift. I read a few chapters here and there about him growing up. They are heavy enough to read. I picked it up again last week and am flying through it now, just at the point where the Smiths are breaking up. Overall, it's a heavy enough read at the start, but gets easier as he starts going to gigs and getting to know some contacts, and eventually meets Marr.

The book is not a Smiths book, it's a Morrissey book, so it covers all things Morrissey. The Smiths had 4 studio albums, Morrissy has had 9 so far, so the Smiths are over, and I am only just approaching the half way mark in the book, a weighting, thats okay with me, considering they broke up in 1987, and there is another 26 years to cover in the life of Morrissey to date.

Yes, that reviewer is partially right, it's very light on the detail of the tunes created by the Smiths,(maye try a book on Johnny Marr who did the bulk of the tunes) but there is a definite insight into where Morrissey's - Smiths lyrics came from, the reviewer is I believe wrong on that point, as "what Morrissey makes" are the lyrics. To get, where the lyrics come from you have to read those "heavy" early chapters of his world, it is not explicitly layed out for the reader, but it's there.

Overall am enjoying the read, he's not an easy character to understand or get an insight on, but he certainly is, very interesting.

[boneidol]

I believe Johnny Marr is working on his own memoirs as well as another solo album.

[czar]

I enjoyed it. AA Gill was spot on when he said it was a book crying out for an editor. Mozzer's pettiness and ability to remember the tiniest slight is also staggering. I was reminded of the Fr Ted episode where he wins the clerics' award and spends hours giving out from his little black book.

Loved the bit about "a bearded nun who beat children from dawn to dusk".

If you've a passing interest in The Smiths or Morrissey it's certainly worth a read. Penguin Classic though?!? Not really.

[D'oriel]

Originally Posted by Falling At Your Feet

Overall am enjoying the read, he's not an easy character to understand or get an insight on, but he certainly is, very interesting.

Thanks for all the info... definitely encouraging me to get around to it!

Originally Posted by czar

Mozzer's pettiness and ability to remember the tiniest slight is also staggering.

Might be for the best that it wasn't edited though, as it's clearly a part of who he is.

[Falling At Your Feet]

Originally Posted by czar

I enjoyed it. AA Gill was spot on when he said it was a book crying out for an editor. Mozzer's pettiness and ability to remember the tiniest slight is also staggering.

That is exactly the point.

It's those exact idiosyncrasies, that makes him who he is, a tiny fragment of detail(the rest of us discards) sticks in his mind like a knife, and hey presto, we get a song out of it. "Still Ill" came from such a fragment.

The pettiness is part of his make up, and a vital ingredient in who he is.
One detail that I recall, is that he talks in the book about the almost universally positive reviews "The Queen Is Dead" album received, but then, he specifically mentions the Hotpress review, which says something negative about the album, along the lines of, "The crown has slipped".

[czar]

Originally Posted by D'oriel

Might be for the best that it wasn't edited though, as it's clearly a part of who he is.

One particular bug bear (of many) seems to be that his work has been bastardised in the wrong hands over the years, be it lyrics mis-spelled, artwork changed etc, so I can imagine he handed the raw manuscript to the publisher and said: "Don't change a word. Oh, and make it a Penguin Classic." Knowing that it was worth a fortune, Penguin capitulated and let him have his way, for better or worse.

Anyone wonder about the two pieces of text in bold? One obviously about his unrequited love for Marr I think. Lyric from 'Reel Around the Fountain'.

[Jim Comic]

Originally Posted by czar

Anyone wonder about the two pieces of text in bold? One obviously about his unrequited love for Marr I think. Lyric from 'Reel Around the Fountain'.

to paraphrase capt. Ramius
"there's no room in Morrissey's heart for anyone but Morrissey"