Did Morrissey ever rehearse for those TOTP appearances?

Librarian On Fire

Active Member
I was watching on YouTube a lovely interview with Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers. Nicky was saying how when he was younger he was really into sports, cricket and rugby mainly. This all changed he said when he watched "Top Of The Pops" and Morrissey was on singing. Nicky said he turned up at school the next day with "A bunch of daffodils hanging out of my arse". Lovely turn of phrase. From then on Nicky wanted to be in a band.

For so so many older fans those TOTP appearances become the life changing moment. The exact point in time when there was life before Morrissey and life forever with Morrissey. The usual comments seem to be something along the lines of "I was eating me beans on toast when this skinny, gawky singer came on the telly. From that moment on, I knew that there were others like me out there". But I've been wondering, did Morrissey agonise for days before his TOTP appearances about what he was going to wear? How he was going to dance and mime? Would it be flowers or the Eucalyptus branch this time? Or did he simply front up and just do it all in one take?

TTOPs no longer exists. Perhaps all those stupid X Factor talent quests are the replacement. I'm sure if TOTP's did exist we'd have stylists, chorographers all over the place rehearsing with the band. I'm sure I've seen on YouTube a TOTP appearance of The Smiths with Morrissey wearing a tie. Correct me if I'm wrong, but he looks great in that clip.

Also in the interview with Nicky Wire, he proudly shows off his bedroom where he would write many of his lyrics and also he gives his mum a big hug during the interview. Very nice.
 
Maybe in the shower a little bit. He just seems to emote very naturally, it doesn't appear overly choreographed or thought about.

 
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Shame he doesn't have anybody miming the guitar with him! He should have at least got the audience with him onstage! It must have been the period when Vini wasn't with him. Gannon wasn't with him..and he hadn't met Alain yet!
 
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