Damon Carr writes:

Here is an interesting excerpt and a possible explanation I have been looking for (from the just released Index magazine interview):

Interviewer: “People want to know everything about a famous person. You can log onto an artist’s website and read what he ate for breakfast”

Morrissey: “I feel sad that there’s so much stuff that I theoretically ‘signed’ on eBay. And you can watch the bidding climb and climb."

Could this explain his changing the lyric on ‘Drive-in Saturday’ at his New York performance at the Beacon (which I was privileged to be in attendance of) to: “Cursing at the Internet” as documented here as well : http://www.compsoc.man.ac.uk/%7Emoz/

In the article there is a great photo of Morrissey reclining on the floor surrounded by MIC stands in a rather drab, but very British (in my opinion) studio recording room.

I was struck at how Morrissey appears to have aged. It should be no surprise, I know. But I will forever have images of the youthful crooner embedded in my brain. It’s always hard to watch our heroes age (which Morrissey and the world didn’t have to do in a few obvious occasions).

“Leave a pretty corpse” as they say.
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Info on where to buy Index magazine.

Ping Pong writes:

'Live At The Spitz'
THE MOTIVATORS
Catalogue No: PF1

The first release on the Popfiction label is a special limited edition CD-r only available from www.popfiction.biz. 'Live At The Spitz' is four tracks recorded live at The Spitz, Spitalfields Market, London on July 1st 2003

Tracklisting:
Intro
Face Value
In Your Hands
I Miss You

Audio files are available for streaming/downloading. Also news is available on forthcoming Motivators activity

Jimmy writes:

I know there has been some discussion on the Morrissey solo website about our new Smiths tribute CD, with the most recent posting talking about availability in Australia. The CD is released today in the US and if you want to tell anybody about it here is the information. The CD is only $10 when ordered directly from the label (http://www.indiepages.com/matinee/), but it is also available now from US mailorder outfits Parasol, Darla, Tone Vendor, Twee Kitten, and Microindie, plus Rough Trade (UK), Melody Bar (UK), Pop Polar (Canada), Canciones Huerfanas (Spain), Unisex (Germany), and Candle (Australia). There are links to these places on the Matinee website. The CD is also stocked at Amazon.com, and distributors are shipping to record shops this week. In any event, here is the info. and please let me know if you need anything else. There are a few soundclips on the Matinee website too.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - ROMANTIC AND SQUARE IS HIP AND AWARE (A MATINÉE TRIBUTE TO THE SMITHS) CD
catalog number: matcd 030
format: 12-track CD
release date: 26 January 2004

Tracklisting:

Davy_Havok sends:

Morrissey Album Aims for May Release
Billboard, Jan. 23 (link)

By Jonathan Cohen

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Morrissey's long-awaited new studio album will be called "You Are the Quarry" and is targeted for a May release on the reactivated Attack imprint via Sanctuary, a spokesperson has confirmed to Billboard.com.

Other details about the project, including a track list and the title of a single, remain shrouded in secrecy. Morrissey is expected to tour behind the album, but no dates have been announced.

"You Are the Quarry" was produced by Jerry Finn, best known for his work with rock acts such as Green Day and Blink-182. It is Morrissey's first album since 1997's "Maladjusted," his final release for Mercury. The former Smiths frontman had been without a record deal since inking with Sanctuary last June.

Reuters/Billboard

Sonofward writes:

Morrissey was just mentioned by Radio One's Mark and Lard during their afternoon show. (Monday 26th January 1-3pm)

Their hilarious three part sketch "Great moments in pop" featured our Morrissey as the central character as he went on a shopping spree, which included the barbers and taking his shoes to the cobblers! He stopped off last in the flower shop where he acidentally left his purchase of a gladioli in his back pocket before going on to the top of the pops studio to perform This Charming Man with the Smiths!

The brilliant nothern duo then played "This Charming Man" and went on by mentioning the fact that Morrissey was releasing his new album "You are the quarry" in April before a new Tour. They then went on to mention several of the new album song titles which they found to be typically moz-esque and therefore amusing, before cordially inviting Morrissey to appear on their show some time in the near future!

Absolute class! The excellent Mark & Lard, Morrissey and The Smiths all on BBC Radio One at the same time. Could life get any better?
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An anonymous person also writes:

Mark Radcliff, today, extended an open invitation for Mr. Morrissey to appear on his show [radio 1 (1pm.-3pm. weekdays)]. Having chosen "This Charming Man" and the said gentleman's first purchase of gladoli as today's "Great Moment In Pop", Mark and Lard went on, enthusiastically, to promote the release of the forthcoming album and tour.

They listed a number of the purported song titles (which they certainly seemed to find entertaining) and mentioned, briefly, the problems Mr. Morrissey has had with record companies, over the last few years. They also praised him for his refusal to sack his band, despite the pressure reported to have been applied by the said companies (describing them as a "great band"!) and stated that Mr. M. would be more than welcome to appear on their show, at any time.

Surely this bodes well. Hopefully, Mr. M. will accept the invitation, in due course.

An anonymous person writes:

In the January 15-February 12 (Enero 15-Febrero 12) issue of "al borde," there's an interview with Mikel Erentxun (he's on the cover), where he mentions Morrissey. The part about Morrissey is as follows: (Sorry my Spanish is too rusty to translate this)

CON MORRISEY (sic) ¿AL FIN?.

Estamos en ello. Yo no me quiero hacer muchas ilusiones, porque Morrisey (sic) es una persona muy ocupado, una persona dificil de tratar. Entonces, estamos tratando y yo espero qu sí, es un sueño que llevo mucho tiempo persiguiendo y quizá ahora esta más cerca que nunca.
    El ha venido a verme más de una vez, hemos estado charlando mucho rato y hemos hablado de colaborar y siepre me ha dicho que sí. Pero, luego cuando se va a hacer como en esta disco, al final él estaba muy ocupado y no pudo ser. Por eso, no me quiero hacer muchas ilusíones... pero lo voy a intentar porque estaria buenísimo. Si llegase a pasar, seria una canción nueva y tendería una parte cantada en inglés, seria cantada en los dos idiomas.

Peter England writes:

The Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London present a one-off screening of the Derek Jarman film for the Smiths, The Queen Is Dead.

To coincide with the 10 year commemoration of Derek Jarmans' death, Riverside Studios will screen a number of his films and mount an exhibition of his artwork whilst Flaming Theatre present a piece entitled, Jarman Garden, in the performance space.

The Queen Is Dead will show alongside films for Pet Shop Boys and the first part of Jarman's quasi-autobiographical trilogy, The Last Of England, on Monday 16th February at 7.30pm.

www.riversidestudios.co.uk