research question about Moz fans

[Adele]

Hey guys,
I've been reading Morrissey-solo for years but have never posted anything, so this is very exciting! I have a question for all readers and fans that I know people will have all kinds of opinions on I'm taking a research class in graduate school called Research for Narrative Writing, and I'm interested in writing something about Morrissey fans, what the man's power is, why he inspires such intense devotion, why listen to music that makes us sad or that some would call "depressing" or "mopey," and why groups like Morrissey/The Cure are still relevant and popular. I just think it's interesting that both are able to retain their original audience and generate new listeners 20 years on. I'm also interested in what kind of person the Morrissey fan is as opposed to the general populace. It's all very unfocused at the moment, but if anyone has any thoughts on these topics they'd like to share, I'd be very appreciative! Thanks so much!

 

[mspendl828]

The Cure are NOT still relevent

 

[Bertrand Russell]

That sounds interesting.

Interviewing five or more long term fans might be a start. Does it have to be first hand research or can you use information already gathered by other writers?

 

[jp]

mark simpson's biography would be an excellent source

here's a review i did of it for pop matters:




saint morrissey

 

[seriously flawed - not right in the head]

Re: mark simpson's biography would be an excellent source

> here's a review i did of it for pop matters:

Well for starters they are "not right in the head".

 

[Heros_Often_Fail]

Email me and I will tell you my story..
Jason

 

[Harsh Truth]

I think that your premise is somewhat misguided. You seem to be assuming that Morrissey fans are "depressed" and "mopey" and other such nonsense, when in actuality myself (and most other Moz fans I've encountered) are FAR from that old, tired stereotype.

I am an extremely positive, upbeat, and fun (I think) person and it irks me to no end when I read about people trying to pigeonhole Morrissey fans as this sad, sorry, pathetic group of people. People who blindly write such crap are greatly missing the big picture.

Music is precisely what you make of it. One's interpretation of a song (Morrissey or otherwise) is largely based upon one's general perspective, one's point of view. To one person, a song like "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" might be a sad dirge about an inability to express ones's true feelings to potential love interst. To someone else, its a song a hope in the truest sense of the word, meaning no matter what you might say or do or think, my "light" (personality, individuality, point of view, soul) will never die. I lean heavily towards the later perspective.

I guess I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to say other than I'm not a guy who wears all black while smoking a pack-and-a-half of butts a day while mulling over all the various ways in which this life has screwed me over. Thats not me AT ALL. Yet, I would say I'm as passionate about Morrissey as just about anyone else who posts on this site. All I know is that when I put Morrissey on my stereo or (ideally) walk into a concert hall where he is about to play I am the happiest guy on earth, without exageration.

Sorry to ramble I could write MUCH more but its time for bed. Goodnight.

> Hey guys,
> I've been reading Morrissey-solo for years but have never posted anything,
> so this is very exciting! I have a question for all readers and fans that
> I know people will have all kinds of opinions on I'm taking a research
> class in graduate school called Research for Narrative Writing, and I'm
> interested in writing something about Morrissey fans, what the man's power
> is, why he inspires such intense devotion, why listen to music that makes
> us sad or that some would call "depressing" or
> "mopey," and why groups like Morrissey/The Cure are still
> relevant and popular. I just think it's interesting that both are able to
> retain their original audience and generate new listeners 20 years on. I'm
> also interested in what kind of person the Morrissey fan is as opposed to
> the general populace. It's all very unfocused at the moment, but if anyone
> has any thoughts on these topics they'd like to share, I'd be very
> appreciative! Thanks so much!

 

[Adele]

Re: That sounds interesting.

> Interviewing five or more long term fans might be a start. Does it have to
> be first hand research or can you use information already gathered by
> other writers?

I was going to use a combination of first hand information and articles and biographies. Interviewing several longterm fams is exactly what I had in mind. Are you interested?

 

[Adele]

Thanks for your thoughts...I don't think that's the assumption I'm making about Moz fans anad I know I'm not that way either...I'm just interested in why that perception exists, whether there are fans who identify with it, what we respond to in the music, what causes such intense devotion to the man, and so on. If you want to share more input, please do!

> I think that your premise is somewhat misguided. You seem to be assuming
> that Morrissey fans are "depressed" and "mopey" and
> other such nonsense, when in actuality myself (and most other Moz fans
> I've encountered) are FAR from that old, tired stereotype.

> I am an extremely positive, upbeat, and fun (I think) person and it irks
> me to no end when I read about people trying to pigeonhole Morrissey fans
> as this sad, sorry, pathetic group of people. People who blindly write
> such crap are greatly missing the big picture.

> Music is precisely what you make of it. One's interpretation of a song
> (Morrissey or otherwise) is largely based upon one's general perspective,
> one's point of view. To one person, a song like "There Is A Light
> That Never Goes Out" might be a sad dirge about an inability to
> express ones's true feelings to potential love interst. To someone else,
> its a song a hope in the truest sense of the word, meaning no matter what
> you might say or do or think, my "light" (personality,
> individuality, point of view, soul) will never die. I lean heavily towards
> the later perspective.

> I guess I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to say other than I'm not a
> guy who wears all black while smoking a pack-and-a-half of butts a day
> while mulling over all the various ways in which this life has screwed me
> over. Thats not me AT ALL. Yet, I would say I'm as passionate about
> Morrissey as just about anyone else who posts on this site. All I know is
> that when I put Morrissey on my stereo or (ideally) walk into a concert
> hall where he is about to play I am the happiest guy on earth, without
> exageration.

> Sorry to ramble I could write MUCH more but its time for bed. Goodnight.

 

[Theo van Gogh Martyrs Brigade]

Re: That sounds interesting.

> I was going to use a combination of first hand information and articles
> and biographies. Interviewing several longterm fams is exactly what I had
> in mind. Are you interested?

So you think if you interview 5 people on this web site you'll be able to use that as the basis to make generalizations about all of us?

Please.

What if those 5 people are: Condreanu, Andy Ison, FreeYourself, Belligerent Ghoul, and LoafingOaf?

That would be very amusing.

 

[Harsh Truth]

Just re-read what I wrote last night, sorry if parts of it came off as an attack on you (maybe it didn't, I hope not.) That wasn't the intent, I assure you.

I'll probably write more, but I haven't the time at the moment.

> Thanks for your thoughts...I don't think that's the assumption I'm making
> about Moz fans anad I know I'm not that way either...I'm just interested
> in why that perception exists, whether there are fans who identify with
> it, what we respond to in the music, what causes such intense devotion to
> the man, and so on. If you want to share more input, please do!

 

[kathy]

we all have such personal and maybe private views about our life as a smiths/morrissey fan but can any1 say wat gets to them with morrissey, actually?its everything!!!

 

[Strawberry.]

More questions than answers.

Firstly, what (or who) on earth makes you think that 'The Cure' are still popular. I couldn't resist that but I would skip that part totally and them entirely - my suggestion is why not call back in again, in a week or so, and post again, when you have focused your ........... thoughts.

Strawberry.