Today's NME - Conor McNicholas responds

[Currer Bell]

There's no backtracking there. My view is IPC are confident Morrissey has no case. A large organisation won't risk losing all that money just to back up a tiny little rag.

I suppose they could be banking on him not having the money or stomach to go to court but I doubt they'd make that mistake. They must know he's a bit mental when it comes to defending his name.

They may be saying that stuff in public, but they might be working on private negotiations for settlement. They aren't going to admit wrongdoing for several reasons. If they buckled too soon, it will send out the message that it is easy for anybody to sue them. Also, imagine what it looks like to say, "yep, we know what he said, but we decided to say something else anyway" to the public and to any artist who wants to interview with them. Right now, they're going from playing it off to "how dare he say that!" to "well, he said it, but we didn't imply what he thinks we implied from it."

 

[justme]

Just fire Conor McNicholas !

that's all

 

[Danny_]

The examples we have are weak, yes. That doesn't mean that's all he's got in his arsenal. He's not going to waste his ammo on a blog statement.

Also, what might seem flimsy could be argued into something weightier in court. Take the change from "You sound like my dad" to "You sound like a Tory", adding an extra layer of political meaning. The change is small but because it's so small it sticks out more glaringly: the editors had absolutely no reason to change that line, since "Dad" would have suited the author's needs just as well.

If Morrissey can demonstrate that similar edits were made, he might have a shot at winning.

But Worm, don't you think that he'd prefer to get them to back down now rather than have to go to court? It seems a bit illogical to wait months to show your hand rather than hit them with it now and get it all over.

I think it's more a matter of interpretation. Morrissey remembers the interview being harmless, even though the written version of the Q&A wasn't that much different to what was actually said.

 

[suparni]

Just fire Conor McNicholas !

that's all

that really is the best solution and then the whole thing would be over (gratefully)... and right.

 

[2-J]

After Conor's reply in the NME this week, it seems - short of IPC firing him - Moz won't get an apology from the NME. So I guess it'll go to court, unless he backs down.

 

[Worm]

But Worm, don't you think that he'd prefer to get them to back down now rather than have to go to court? It seems a bit illogical to wait months to show your hand rather than hit them with it now and get it all over.

I think it's more a matter of interpretation. Morrissey remembers the interview being harmless, even though the written version of the Q&A wasn't that much different to what was actually said.

No, because I think (and more legal-minded people can correct me if I'm wrong) if he reveals his argument now it will, at best, give the defense a chance to prepare a case and, at worst, actually jeopardize his case in court. I think Alcoholic Afternoons or someone has already said that the more he blathers in public the more he appears vengeful or unhinged, and could slip up.

It's very likely that you and Jones are correct and that he has no case. I really don't know. I just know that the NME slanted the coverage in a nasty way based on what I read with my own eyes. Whether he can win a case in court remains to be seen. I'd like to see him win. But even more than that, yes, I guess I'll concede that I'd prefer this was all a lot of sabre-rattling to settle out of court so he can get back to recording and touring.

The NME just doesn't get it. I don't know if you saw Andrew Collins' message on the Guardian blog, but in it he mentions Dele Fadele's "eloquent" piece on Morrissey in 1992, which concluded with this: "For what's it's worth, I don't think Morrissey is a racist. He just likes the trappings and the culture that surround the outsider element. He has some racist friends. And if he carries on this way, he'll have thousands more."

He'll have thousands more...friends...not racist thugs he despises turning up to his gigs and buying his CDs, which he has no control over, but friends. Andrew was quoting this as "eloquent"!

Later on, Andrew writes that it's great that the Union Jack was "reclaimed" by the Spice Girls and says that it's okay because they didn't "have a political axe to grind"-- implying Morrissey did!

The NME is blasting Morrissey for not choosing his words carefully on the one hand while committing the sloppiest, most damaging errors with the other. The "words matter" argument is a double-edged sword. Realistically I'm not sure Morrissey can win, but I'm behind his attempt, either to win in court or force a big settlement, because the NME needs some sense knocked into its head.

 

[suparni]

^^^ I agree! Mostly I feel that I want him not to go to court. Beautiful people and minds do not do well in court methinks... everything that we love about him... his humor and wit and sharpness... all of that is despised by the legal mind - I just don't like courts and I don't have any faith in the system nor do I place much value on what they value - to be honest.

And I don't want to watch Moz go through it. I would fire Conor in heartbeat... a heartbeat... sooo fast and there would be no list of facts needed to support it. It simply is not right according to the laws that I hold higher than those of the land... it is very bad what this man did and he is despised. But I don't want to see Morrissey in a cage (i see the way they rip apart and disect your words and say them back to you as a cage) or a courtroom EVER!!! I want to see him on stage and in the studio and the mainstream press and general public have had more than they deserve of him of late.

 

[Uncleskinny]

No, because I think (and more legal-minded people can correct me if I'm wrong) if he reveals his argument now it will, at best, give the defense a chance to prepare a case and, at worst, actually jeopardize his case in court. I think Alcoholic Afternoons or someone has already said that the more he blathers in public the more he appears vengeful or unhinged, and could slip up.

It's very likely that you and Jones are correct and that he has no case. I really don't know. I just know that the NME slanted the coverage in a nasty way based on what I read with my own eyes. Whether he can win a case in court remains to be seen. I'd like to see him win. But even more than that, yes, I guess I'll concede that I'd prefer this was all a lot of sabre-rattling to settle out of court so he can get back to recording and touring.

The NME just doesn't get it. I don't know if you saw Andrew Collins' message on the Guardian blog, but in it he mentions Dele Fadele's "eloquent" piece on Morrissey in 1992, which concluded with this: "For what's it's worth, I don't think Morrissey is a racist. He just likes the trappings and the culture that surround the outsider element. He has some racist friends. And if he carries on this way, he'll have thousands more."

He'll have thousands more...friends...not racist thugs he despises turning up to his gigs and buying his CDs, which he has no control over, but friends. Andrew was quoting this as "eloquent"!

Later on, Andrew writes that it's great that the Union Jack was "reclaimed" by the Spice Girls and says that it's okay because they didn't "have a political axe to grind"-- implying Morrissey did!

The NME is blasting Morrissey for not choosing his words carefully on the one hand while committing the sloppiest, most damaging errors with the other. The "words matter" argument is a double-edged sword. Realistically I'm not sure Morrissey can win, but I'm behind his attempt, either to win in court or force a big settlement, because the NME needs some sense knocked into its head.

Each time I read your posts I'm reminded how weak-minded the majority of people, me included, can actually be. You take the facts, distil them into a small jar, then spread them on the metaphorical toast of this forum for us. Stick around.

Peter

 

[Worm]

Each time I read your posts I'm reminded how weak-minded the majority of people, me included, can actually be. You take the facts, distil them into a small jar, then spread them on the metaphorical toast of this forum for us. Stick around.

Peter

Thank you, Peter! (You're being waaay too kind but I'm not picky.) I appreciate your contributions just as much.

 

[Dave]

Later on, Andrew writes that it's great that the Union Jack was "reclaimed" by the Spice Girls and says that it's okay because they didn't "have a political axe to grind"-- implying Morrissey did!

But what about these guys?!

sorry...

 

[nugz]

Thank you, Peter! (You're being waaay too kind but I'm not picky.) I appreciate your contributions just as much.

that was UncleSkinny's way of saying that your posts are sexy.

 

[Danny_]

I hope you are right Worm.

I never understood that "He has some racist friends" bit. What did they mean? His fans? His band? People around him? How did they get away with saying it when they didn't have any names?

 

[lottie]

thanks for the scan Peter,
I do hope you 'acquired' your copy of the eNeMiE and didnt pay for it?

 

[MotherlessBird]

Reading the origonal article made me feel ill.
These new journalists at NME are SO ignorant. They just tried to trick Morrissey into this, I was so angry when I read it. How dare they?
I really like Paddy's letter though and CM's pathetic reply, thanks for posting.
Morrissey will come out of this stronger than ever; we all know he is not a racist don't we! What ever happened to national identity, in England its falling through out finger liked grains of sand.
Ha, yeah! What about Geri Spice in the 90's? Or the England fans at the footie with Union Jack flags? They're definatley racist too then yeah!
These ignorant people cannot understand the comedy in songs like National Front disco, they can't even understand the lyrics! Sigh, Morrissey is right to have moved away from this forsaken coutnry, we are all DOOOOMED!

 

[suparni]

^^ Just as motherless birds fly high,
Then so shall I.

Does anybody else hear "so shall I" slip in and out of being "social lie" when they listen to TFWMBK or am I simply being mad again?

 

[the judge]

The modest mouse gig mention was hilarious

 

[the judge]

The examples we have are weak, yes. That doesn't mean that's all he's got in his arsenal. He's not going to waste his ammo on a blog statement.

I also thought the exaples were weak. Good post. That's probably the reason.

 

[vivabob]

i've not read it but to be honest i cant see it being anything less than a one sided view point , with perhaps a 1 in 5 ratio against morrissey and supporting the NME

I have no interest in buying this Shite anymore , i would rather read the sun

 

[2-J]

The modest mouse gig mention was hilarious

I thought it was kinda low; the obvious implication being that he, Morrissey, would be vastly better with Marr (perhaps even that he hasn't produced anything worthwhile since). On one level fair enough if someone believes that, but elsewhere (e.g. the previous issue) Conor and Jonze effectively praised Moz's solo stuff particularly the new material.