"Morrissey: lunatic seer of the modern world" - Unherd (May, 6, 2020)

Morrissey: lunatic seer of the modern world

Immigration, wet markets, the plight of the working class: he's always ahead of the curve

unherd.com

 

[Hoover Loosley]

Which shouldn’t detract from the fact that it’s one of the best British albums of all time.

It’s fantastic album. ... regardless of and despite its country of origin. No need to toss out the National Front flag.

Oh. f*** me. It’s a Moorrissey site.

As you were.

 

[EmitFlesti]

Someone on Twitter (on a thread about this article) said that The National Front Disco was about Joe Strummer's brother, who was in The National Front & died in the 1970s.

Is that likely?

First I‘ve heard that the song was specifically about or inspired by him, but possible. Joe Strummer did have a brother named David, who was a year older than him and committed suicide at age 19 in 1970. And Strummer had this to say about him years later:

“David was a year older than me. Funnily enough, you know, he was a Nazi. He was a member of the National Front. He was into the occult and he used to have these deaths-heads and cross-bones all over everything. He didn't like to talk to anybody, and I think suicide was the only way out for him.”

 

[gashonthenail]

'But to advocate a political party, and of the fringe right — in considered statements, not off-the-cuff interviews — was breathtakingly naive. What on earth did he think the reaction would be? Did he really think he was helping — himself or anyone else?'

Very simple. He thought he was helping farmed animals. For Britain is the only political party that mentions halal slaughter. No other party will even go there, let alone talk about banning it. That is why Moz wore that badge and gave them his endorsement.

Otherwise great article - agree with pretty much every word.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

First I‘ve heard that the song was specifically about or inspired by him, but possible. Joe Strummer did have a brother named David, who was a year older than him and committed suicide at age 19 in 1970. And Strummer had this to say about him years later:

“David was a year older than me. Funnily enough, you know, he was a Nazi. He was a member of the National Front. He was into the occult and he used to have these deaths-heads and cross-bones all over everything. He didn't like to talk to anybody, and I think suicide was the only way out for him.”

Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 29417]

'But to advocate a political party, and of the fringe right — in considered statements, not off-the-cuff interviews — was breathtakingly naive. What on earth did he think the reaction would be? Did he really think he was helping — himself or anyone else?'

Very simple. He thought he was helping farmed animals. For Britain is the only political party that mentions halal slaughter. No other party will even go there, let alone talk about banning it. That is why Moz wore that badge and gave them his endorsement.

Otherwise great article - agree with pretty much every word.

Moz liking Anne Marie is inexplicable if you don't know how much she advocates for animals (sincere or cynical ploy, she does it) & how deeply into PETA & Animal Liberation he is.

I thought he'd lost his mind. And then it turned out to be animals - yet again.

 

[Morrissey's left nut]

hoist me from the herd ....

The song is such a turd... Uh, everywhere

 

[Kurtan]

It's a bit of a reach to imply his points on China were predictive of Covid-19 (which tbf is only suggested briefly at the start). He complained about the treatment of animals as an issue; which everybody 100% fully agreed with. Unfortunately he expressed it through the medium of open racism.

Great to have awkward, or challenging stars; it's just sad that Morrissey went to off the rails, and became so extreme that all we have to look at are blogs nobody else will read. Great that a few people appreciate him, but it's tragic that it's such a small group.

The likes of Mark E Smith, while challenging politically, met much of the description in the blog, but didn't destroy his reputation in the same way.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Moz liking Anne Marie is inexplicable if you don't know how much she advocates for animals (sincere or cynical ploy, she does it) & how deeply into PETA & Animal Liberation he is.

I thought he'd lost his mind. And then it turned out to be animals - yet again.

Utter tripe. If he loved animals so much why didn't he advocate for the Greens or Lib Dems? But no, he went for the ones who don't like brown people.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, Gareth Roberts. I remember him writing a novel called 'The Romance of Crime', so I guess he's always been a bit of a Moz fan? Also another victim of 'cancel culture' - wrote actual TV episodes of Doctor Who, and now effectively banned from the brand due to 'wrongthink'. What strange times we live in: https://unherd.com/2019/12/how-i-was-cancelled-by-dr-who/

 

[Deleted member 28251]

It's a bit of a reach to imply his points on China were predictive of Covid-19 (which tbf is only suggested briefly at the start). He complained about the treatment of animals as an issue; which everybody 100% fully agreed with. Unfortunately he expressed it through the medium of open racism.

Great to have awkward, or challenging stars; it's just sad that Morrissey went to off the rails, and became so extreme that all we have to look at are blogs nobody else will read. Great that a few people appreciate him, but it's tragic that it's such a small group.

The likes of Mark E Smith, while challenging politically, met much of the description in the blog, but didn't destroy his reputation in the same way.

Mark E Smith was spared because, outside of a fan base that actually liked him because of his foibles (rather than in spite of them), he had no profile or ‘reputation’ to destroy.

Nevertheless, on a slow news day, pointless allegations of racism did follow Smith’s criticism of Syrian refugees. As I’ve pointed out, the story had zero traction so the media went out hunting for someone else.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

Mark E Smith was spared because, outside of a fan base that actually liked him because of his foibles (rather than in spite of them), he had no profile or ‘reputation’ to destroy.

Nevertheless, on a slow news day, pointless allegations of racism did follow Smith’s criticism of Syrian refugees. As I’ve pointed out, the story had zero traction so the media went out hunting for someone else.

The medium of open racism? Have they seen what Eric Clapton said??? Moz made one mean comment & got endlessly misquoted.

If he socialised & if he did normal publicity it wouldn't have dented his reputation at all.

The press have been bastards on this. Probably because they think he shunned them out of arrogance rather than anxiety.

 

[Deleted member 28251]

The medium of open racism? Have they seen what Eric Clapton said??? Moz made one mean comment & got endlessly misquoted.

If he socialised & if he did normal publicity it wouldn't have dented his reputation at all.

The press have been bastards on this. Probably because they think he shunned them out of arrogance rather than anxiety.

History will be kind to Morrissey. The Guardian and the NME will look like a bunch of wankers managed by c***s.

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

Utter tripe. If he loved animals so much why didn't he advocate for the Greens or Lib Dems? But no, he went for the ones who don't like brown people.

Because the Greens and the Lib Dems love mass immigration and the destruction of everything British. That's why numb nuts.

 

[Anonymous]

The medium of open racism? Have they seen what Eric Clapton said??? Moz made one mean comment & got endlessly misquoted.

If he socialised & if he did normal publicity it wouldn't have dented his reputation at all.

The press have been bastards on this. Probably because they think he shunned them out of arrogance rather than anxiety.

If by press you mean The 'dreaded' Guardian then your right but if you lump other tabloids into the 'tsunami in a teacup' hate campaign then your wrong because this has NOT been front, middle or back page news in any other papers anywhere. It's idiots on antisocial media who whipped a nothing situation into a frenzy...f..k the lot of 'em!

 

[Kurtan]

Mark E Smith was spared because, outside of a fan base that actually liked him because of his foibles (rather than in spite of them), he had no profile or ‘reputation’ to destroy.

Nevertheless, on a slow news day, pointless allegations of racism did follow Smith’s criticism of Syrian refugees. As I’ve pointed out, the story had zero traction so the media went out hunting for someone else.

M.E.S. was still loved by his obsessive fans, as people found his politics challenging and occasionally out of line, but he was at worst a bit reactionary or neo-Conservative.

Morrissey is largely hated by his, as he went to a truly extreme wing - supporting a group described as "a bunch of Nazis" by Nigel Farage and most of UKIP's leadership.

You can claim the difference is due to some coincidence around media coverage, but that's clearly not the case, and not the opinion of the rest of the old Morrissey / Smiths fanbase.

 

[Kurtan]

The medium of open racism? Have they seen what Eric Clapton said??? Moz made one mean comment & got endlessly misquoted.

If he socialised & if he did normal publicity it wouldn't have dented his reputation at all.

The press have been bastards on this. Probably because they think he shunned them out of arrogance rather than anxiety.

One mean comment??? Have you not been following the past 5+ years, or are you just being dishonest?

He's been accurately quoted, and his fans, and the public, turned against him.

You say media conspiracy; I say democracy, reacting to a star becoming a bit of a twat, and alienating his fans. It's probably the most tragic downfall around.

 

[Kurtan]

History will be kind to Morrissey. The Guardian and the NME will look like a bunch of wankers managed by c***s.

That seems fanciful. The Guardian and NME don't control the Morrissey / Smiths fanbase. It was they who chose to leave.

The saddest thing is that when listening to his overly maligned solo work over the years, I always thought they'd at least start to sell a bit more when this charismatic titan passed; that the love of him as a star meant the music would at least continue to sell.

Instead this star has managed to kill all interest in his solo work, and damage the history of The Smiths. Can't imagine why that's going to change over time.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

Utter tripe. If he loved animals so much why didn't he advocate for the Greens or Lib Dems? But no, he went for the ones who don't like brown people.

The Lib-Dems & the Greens don't have the same animal welfare policies - Anne Marie is a vegan & a PETA supporter & he knew her before she founded the party.

& she was part of a charity for ex-Muslims, so her issue isn't 'brown people', it's sharia law - which may be sectarian or insensitive of her, but it's to do with religious attitudes to women, gay people & animals.

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

The medium of open racism? Have they seen what Eric Clapton said??? Moz made one mean comment & got endlessly misquoted.

If he socialised & if he did normal publicity it wouldn't have dented his reputation at all.

The press have been bastards on this. Probably because they think he shunned them out of arrogance rather than anxiety.

M.E.S. was still loved by his obsessive fans, as people found his politics challenging and occasionally out of line, but he was at worst a bit reactionary or neo-Conservative.

Morrissey is largely hated by his, as he went to a truly extreme wing - supporting a group described as "a bunch of Nazis" by Nigel Farage and most of UKIP's leadership.

You can claim the difference is due to some coincidence around media coverage, but that's clearly not the case, and not the opinion of the rest of the old Morrissey / Smiths fanbase.

Farage didn't know what he was talking about and neither do you.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

M.E.S. was still loved by his obsessive fans, as people found his politics challenging and occasionally out of line, but he was at worst a bit reactionary or neo-Conservative.

Morrissey is largely hated by his, as he went to a truly extreme wing - supporting a group described as "a bunch of Nazis" by Nigel Farage and most of UKIP's leadership.

You can claim the difference is due to some coincidence around media coverage, but that's clearly not the case, and not the opinion of the rest of the old Morrissey / Smiths fanbase.

Nigel Farage's only concern was that fights about religious laws would take focus away from Europe.

Moz mentioned Anne Marie a couple of times, wore a pin, has never voted & hasn't mentioned her or politics for a while beyond saying he isn't far right via a t-shirt.

Mark made anti-immigration comments about the Syrian refugee crisis & didn't get the same monstering for it because hacks could always chat to him in the pub.