Morrissey mention in Alan Bennett's latest diary

"14 September ~ An inquiry from Morrissey’s agent wondering if I would like to take part in the video for his new album. ‘The basic premise of the video is that M. is stricken ill in bed and receives a handful of visitors who seek to administer in some way. Mr Bennett would be among these visitors.’ No fee is mentioned, but a part of me would like to do it even if it risks my making a fool of myself. Though videos being what they are I imagine it would be an almost subliminal appearance. I would also like to know who the other visitors are. I suspect this is one of those occasion when acceptance or refusal would be equally mistaken. I ask for more details, mindful at moments like this of how careful Alec Guinness was to stage-manage his life in later years, thus, I’m sure, turning down all sorts of offers – readings, voiceovers, guest appearances – whereas Gielgud took work almost on the cab rank principle, doing whatever came along. It’s true he did a lot of rubbish in consequence but some good things, too – and above all kept busy."


~ from The Alan Bennett Bumper Fun Annual, as published by the "London Review of Books".

https://www.lrb.co.uk/v40/n01/alan-bennett/diary

Joey Barton's 2017 diary to follow in a fortnight...


Related items:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
"14 September ~ An inquiry from Morrissey’s agent wondering if I would like to take part in the video for his new album. ‘The basic premise of the video is that M. is stricken ill in bed and receives a handful of visitors who seek to administer in some way. Mr Bennett would be among these visitors.’ No fee is mentioned, but a part of me would like to do it even if it risks my making a fool of myself. Though videos being what they are I imagine it would be an almost subliminal appearance. I would also like to know who the other visitors are. I suspect this is one of those occasion when acceptance or refusal would be equally mistaken. I ask for more details, mindful at moments like this of how careful Alec Guinness was to stage-manage his life in later years, thus, I’m sure, turning down all sorts of offers – readings, voiceovers, guest appearances – whereas Gielgud took work almost on the cab rank principle, doing whatever came along. It’s true he did a lot of rubbish in consequence but some good things, too – and above all kept busy."


~ from The Alan Bennett Bumper Fun Annual, as published by the "London Review of Books".

https://www.lrb.co.uk/v40/n01/alan-bennett/diary


Joey Barton's 2017 diary to follow in a fortnight...
It would be really interesting to know why they didn't run with this original idea and whether AB opted in or out (and whether this influenced the decision to change tack). Always lovely to read anything new from Mr Bennett (or indeed anything old - I am currently enjoying his Writing Home anthology). I read in one of his diaries that he always replies to letters so I decided to put this to the test recently; he didn't disappoint. Maybe someone should write and ask him what happened about Mozzer's video.
 
Last edited:
why are people so obsessed with money these days,bennet=no fee is mentioned,what about doing a mate of 30 years a favour.some of the happiest times in my life have been when I haven't had two beans in my pocket.
 
why are people so obsessed with money these days,bennet=no fee is mentioned,what about doing a mate of 30 years a favour.some of the happiest times in my life have been when I haven't had two beans in my pocket.
Maybe it was a barbed comment since he knows that Morrissey is notoriously tight-fisted.
 
Great writer
 
The details, fee, compliment, whatever etc. just being asked I say....Do it!
 
Maybe the truth is he couldn't handle yet another conversation about Jimmy Clitheroe......

3-293x300.jpg
 
I met Alan in may 1999 in the Grey Horse Inn in Manchester not far from the Britannia Hotel where me and dad stayed in February 1983 when we went there for the 100th United-Liverpool league game.

I had been shopping amongst other things the Roy's keen single and needed a drink and a rest. Before a set of older United fans arrived from London day after the FA Cup final at Wembley this older man and me started talking.

I don't remember how we ended up talking about Morrissey but he said he once knew the man and used to be his neighbour. I handed him the single and I realise now he didn't want to reveal who he was and I really had no clue at the time who he was.

He told me that Morrissey gave him a big painting that he still had in his house and presented himself as a salesman, maybe feeling that it was nice to talk to someone who did not know who he was. A really quiet nice gentleman and on my travels I always bumped into very special people.

It was only years later I realised it was him from news stories about him and Morrissey and recognising him in pictures and his voice from videos. We had a quiet drink and exchanged a few words with the happy United fans and the bar maid was singing and then I used the outdoor toilet before I left.

Alan claimed that the Grey Horse Inn was Morrissey's uncles local who was a very much appreciated guest there liked by everyone. The whole place had a mystical aura about it and is a very small place.

https://www.timeout.com/manchester/bars-and-pubs/grey-horse
 
I met Alan in may 1999 in the Grey Horse Inn in Manchester not far from the Britannia Hotel where me and dad stayed in February 1983 when we went there for the 100th United-Liverpool league game.

I had been shopping amongst other things the Roy's keen single and needed a drink and a rest. Before a set of older United fans arrived from London day after the FA Cup final at Wembley this older man and me started talking.

I don't remember how we ended up talking about Morrissey but he said he once knew the man and used to be his neighbour. I handed him the single and I realise now he didn't want to reveal who he was and I really had no clue at the time who he was.

He told me that Morrissey gave him a big painting that he still had in his house and presented himself as a salesman, maybe feeling that it was nice to talk to someone who did not know who he was. A really quiet nice gentleman and on my travels I always bumped into very special people.

It was only years later I realised it was him from news stories about him and Morrissey and recognising him in pictures and his voice from videos. We had a quiet drink and exchanged a few words with the happy United fans and the bar maid was singing and then I used the outdoor toilet before I left.

Alan claimed that the Grey Horse Inn was Morrissey's uncles local who was a very much appreciated guest there liked by everyone. The whole place had a mystical aura about it and is a very small place.

https://www.timeout.com/manchester/bars-and-pubs/grey-horse


What a load of f***ing bollocks and lies.
 
why are people so obsessed with money these days,bennet=no fee is mentioned,what about doing a mate of 30 years a favour.some of the happiest times in my life have been when I haven't had two beans in my pocket.

It is actually pretty bad manners to propose something like this and not mention a fee, even if it's to say something like, "I'm afraid there's no fee." Or, "I'm afraid we can only pay expenses."
 
It is actually pretty bad manners to propose something like this and not mention a fee, even if it's to say something like, "I'm afraid there's no fee." Or, "I'm afraid we can only pay expenses."
i would imagine its quite different when its a personal friend.
 
Me meeting him that time is not a big thing and doesn't make me better than anyone and since I was clueless who he was he made me look really stupid. Even if he had told me who he was I would not have known.

I mentioned bumping into him before in another thread and I think I mentioned it in the old chatroom as well. I can still remember the look on his face when he held my Roy's Keen single and I was sitting there like a fool saying "Oh, Morrissey is famous around the world and has fans everywhere".

He replied that he did not know that and just played along. I am no longer certain it was him who mentioned Moz's uncle cause we did talk to that group of United fans who obviously had been there before and maybe it was even their local.

Just forget the whole thing if it bothers you, I did not meet God or the Pope.
 
yeah, just EVERYONE ELSE :rolleyes:

I am sorry if it made you jealous or anything, are you a fan of the man?

I'm not, still not studied him in any way, shape or form apart from short clips that I happened to watch cause of a stories related with Moz.

My only wish in life is to meet you, that would be a far out trip without LSD.
 
i would imagine its quite different when its a personal friend.

I have some experience with this - working in theatre, publishing and so on. I'd say if Bennett mentions in his diary that there's no fee it's because there isn't an existing understanding that there'd be no fee. In this case, failing to bring up the question of fee as someone who proposed the work is really rude.
 

Trending Threads

Back
Top Bottom