BOTCG a stab at Johnny Marr?

[Last Night I Tripped]

Is the new video for the Pretender's song "Back On The Chain Gang" a wink to Johnny Marr? Is this just double irony that Morrissey is covering a band that Johnny used to be in? Also, that Moz himself is paying guitar which he never does. Just like Johnny Marr. I love the way he holds the guitar at the end of the video. Just like Johnny has done in so many promotional videos. Also, it could be a play on Johnny covering so many Smiths songs in his live set. Am I way off track here.

Frankly vulgar...red pullover

 

[Lionsy]

I think the video might have just been a bit of fun.

 

[g23]

Sometimes a guitar is just a guitar.

 

[Amy]

I think it's a fun wink towards him, not a stab.

Chrissie is one of their longest mutual friends. She reminds me of Kirsty in that she was fond of Morrissey & Marr and refused to "take sides" between them after the split.

You can see a bit of this in Autobiog, where Chrissie gives Moz "the goss" on Johnny's tenure with the band and his "perpetual lateness" etc. It's described elsewhere but these mutual friends often passed messages between Moz & Johnny when things were tense - if anyone can get them back on good terms, she's the one. She also managed to talk Johnny into this:



As to why he picked "Chain Gang" particularly - lyrics remind you of anything?

Circumstance beyond our control
The phone, the TV and the News of the World
Got in the house like a pigeon from hell
Sand in our eyes, descending like flies

as well as the part about
"They'll fall to ruin one day for making us part."

 

[Amy]

Looks like it was filmed on a potato, but great guitar and they are too cute - 3.23 on.

 

[AztecCamera]

Blikey bull ox blood hell. The California Son hates John Maher and always did. Air Morrissey is almost as good as a guitar player as he is a basketball player mate din't inn n nnn n n n it. He has been taking lessons from John Frusciante down at Sunset Sound on Saturdays.

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like it was filmed on a potato, but great guitar and they are too cute - 3.23 on.

How many times do you suppose Morrissey has watched this video?

 

[mcrickson]

Sometimes a guitar is just a guitar.

And even if it was intended as a stab, I truly think Johnny couldn't give less of a shit.

 

[Anonymous]

Sometimes a guitar is just a guitar.

But are matching cardigans ever just matching cardigans?

 

[SweetnTenderYorkshireman]

I would imagine it was in the back of his mind, but there are other factors.
The lack of Boz - Moz takes the role of guitarist, it is a Pretenders track and Moz is pretending to play, Chrissie plays guitar and in this song he is in her role, and yes possibly there is a wink to Johnny, though I wouldn't imagine it is malicious.

 

[Orson Swells]

If it is intended as a gesture in Johnny's direction, then it seems a conciliatory one if anything.

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey and marr bonded over bands they both loved so it’s not exactly a big surprise that morrissey covered a song by one of them. If anything I thought the guitar a nod to boz being absent but it’s probably more likely just a recreation of the pretenders

 

[katiamos]

No it's because Chrissie usually plays guitars in all the videos of this song

 

[Harsh Truth]

I'm always making sneaky signals towards people I worked with 30 years ago, so yes!

 

[Amy]

How many times do you suppose Morrissey has watched this video?

If YouTube had been around in 1988, I'm pretty sure he would have developed RSI from refreshing and replaying it.
Can't believe it's been 30 years, wow.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm always making sneaky signals towards people I worked with 30 years ago, so yes!

Hmm, do you still play the timeless songs that you wrote with them 30 years ago at every one of your concerts too?

 

[Harsh Truth]

Hmm, do you still play the timeless songs that you wrote with them 30 years ago at every one of your concerts too?

Yeah but he's been playing timeless Smiths songs with Boz and Alain for 150% longer ('95-04) and with Boz and Jesse for 235% longer ('04-Present) than he did with Marr.

Morrissey himself has said he views his back catalog is a singular body of work. Meaning, his.

 

[Abrahan]

She also managed to talk Johnny into this:

And THAT is how you play a solo. So effortlessly.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

BOTCG a stab at Johnny Marr?

' Who's Johnny Marr ? '

- Morrissey

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

How many times do you suppose Morrissey has watched this video?

none.