Morrissey Central "CANCEL CULTURE BEGINS AT HOME" (January 11, 2024)

CANCEL CULTURE BEGINS AT HOME - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - CANCEL CULTURE BEGINS AT HOME

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

"There is also an obvious media shift to delete me from being the central essence of The Smiths, but this cannot work because I invented the group name, the song-titles, the album titles, the artwork, the vocal melodies, and all of the lyrical sentiments came from my heart … and so it's a bit like saying Mick Jagger had nothing to do with the Stones. Several news sites now claim that the initial meeting at Rough Trade Records was with "Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke," even though Andy wasn't even a committed band member at that point. The meeting, of course, was Morrissey and Marr. Even Geoff Travis has now suddenly decided that he "can't remember who was with Johnny," even though Geoff looked me squarely in the eye on that very day and said "we'd like to release Hand In Glove immediately," and he then more importantly said to me that his name was Geoff with a G, not Jeff with a J. The hounds are snapping!

Hand in glove, I stake my claim! I'll fight to the last breath! "

-Morrissey, in conversation, 2023.

Morrissey in Tokyo, 2023, by Ryan Lowry.

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Media items:

• Far Out: "Morrissey claims he’s being deleted from the story of The Smiths" - January 11, 2024
• Exclaim!: "Morrissey Claims He's Being Deleted From "Being the Central Essence" of the Smiths" - January 11, 2024
• Stereogum: "Morrissey Claims He’s Being Erased From The Smiths’ Origin Story" - January 11, 2024

 

[BookishBoy]

I mean, he's 100% right about the "obvious media shift" but dropping little things like this on to his dreadfully run website isn't going to do anything to correct the balance, is it?

Unless he starts playing the media game again properly (which I completely understand he'd rather not do), then we're going to have wait until his death before (most) people can start admitting his genius again.

 

[Dorothy]

But lots of historical accounts, Severed Alliance, press, Wikipedia etc say it was Johnny and Andy that went to Rough Trade with Hand in Glove? Or am I misunderstanding what he is referring to ? ‘Marr and Rourke visited London to hand a cassette of their recordings to Geoff Travis of the independent record label Rough Trade Records.[38]’

 

[Uncleskinny]

Shut up Moz. How about people think you're a dick these days and are voting with their wallets? How about some apologies and humility? But that's not like you, is it? Never explain, never apolgise, you're always right, everyone else is wrong. How about you stop paying people to agree with you, get your head into the wider world, stop worshipping money, start being nice to people, and just...maybe just...things might change?

 

[Jax Want]

But lots of historical accounts, Severed Alliance, press, Wikipedia etc say it was Johnny and Andy that went to Rough Trade with Hand in Glove? Or am I misunderstanding what he is referring to ? ‘Marr and Rourke visited London to hand a cassette of their recordings to Geoff Travis of the independent record label Rough Trade Records.[38]’

Agreed, he’s conflating two meetings with Geoff Travis. The first one with Johnny and Andy sneaking into the Rough Trade warehouse to give Geoff the demo and a different one where Geoff has listened to the tape and agreed to release it. I mean, can you imagine Morrissey sneaking into a warehouse? There’s no way.

 

[mabuk]

Looking very nautical.

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey CANNOT be erased from the history of The Smiths. It is not possible. We know that much of the magic came from Morrissey. I don't even know why he makes these comments. It's unnecessary. He doesn't have anything to prove. I also wish he wouldn't say that he's the only "central essence" of The Smiths. That's untrue.

It is. Mike was a great drummer.

 

[WiderThanAMile]

Wikipedia etc say link to wikipedia was Johnny and Andy that went to Rough Trade with Hand in Glove? ‘Marr and Rourke visited London to hand a cassette of their recordings to Geoff Travis of the independent record label Rough Trade Records.[38]’

This is correct !
See The Smiths' article on wikipedia, link here !
An user entered that basing on this source "Marr 2016, pp. 275–276"."
is it really what Johnny related in his book ?

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

But lots of historical accounts, Severed Alliance, press, Wikipedia etc say it was Johnny and Andy that went to Rough Trade with Hand in Glove? Or am I misunderstanding what he is referring to ? ‘Marr and Rourke visited London to hand a cassette of their recordings to Geoff Travis of the independent record label Rough Trade Records.[38]’

are these sources to be trusted? Though I guess some here would say the same about M.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

The "Morrissey, in conversation" thing is so stupid

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Agreed, he’s conflating two meetings with Geoff Travis. The first one with Johnny and Andy sneaking into the Rough Trade warehouse to give Geoff the demo and a different one where Geoff has listened to the tape and agreed to release it. I mean, can you imagine Morrissey sneaking into a warehouse? There’s no way.

Hmmm, that’s possible.

Read it once, but the sneaking into the warehouse, is that what Johnny said in his bio? I assume it would be.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

The "Morrissey, in conversation" thing is so stupid

or simply strange.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

or simply strange.

It's both cheesy and strange. But I get it, he's such a colossus that even his conversations must be remembered and quoted for posterity.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

It's both cheesy and strange. But I get it, he's such a colossus that even his conversations must be remembered and quoted for posterity.

well, as long as someone’s taking notes, even if it is himself.

 

[Anonymous]

Shut up Moz. How about people think you're a dick these days and are voting with their wallets? How about some apologies and humility? But that's not like you, is it? Never explain, never apolgise, you're always right, everyone else is wrong. How about you stop paying people to agree with you, get your head into the wider world, stop worshipping money, start being nice to people, and just...maybe just...things might change?

All true

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I mean, he's 100% right about the "obvious media shift" but dropping little things like this on to his dreadfully run website isn't going to do anything to correct the balance, is it?

Unless he starts playing the media game again properly (which I completely understand he'd rather not do), then we're going to have wait until his death before (most) people can start admitting his genius again.

Exactly. He has it in his power to make things happen for himself, but then limits himself with only Central, not having management/PR, and beliefs of needing a major label to release his records.

 

[Dorothy]

are these sources to be trusted? Though I guess some here would say the same about M.

I'm not questioning Morrissey's version, just wondering why it hasn't been noted before because so many sources have the Johnny/Andy version. Perhaps there are 2 different incidents like mentioned above.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I'm not questioning Morrissey's version, just wondering why it hasn't been noted before because so many sources have the Johnny/Andy version. Perhaps there are 2 different incidents like mentioned above.

yes. It may be that Morrissey is only now seeing it(?)

As an anon mentioned above, I think he may be conflating two different stories, if the Marr and Andy story is confirmed to be true by Marr.

 

[Geoffrey Ingram]

I thought Johnny amd Andy went down to Rough Trade with the demo of Hand In Glove? If so, that wasn't a meeting, just a delivery.

 

[William Fisher]

I usually think he’s being overly paranoid about these things, but it certainly felt that with all the jubilation surrounding Rick Astley and The Blossoms at Glastonbury there was an attempt to celebrate The Smiths whilst pretending Morrissey doesn’t exist. It seemed as if Rick Astley wasn’t even allowed to mention his name in the interview after the karaoke session.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I thought Johnny amd Andy went down to Rough Trade with the demo of Hand In Glove? If so, that wasn't a meeting, just a delivery.

Yes, good catch.