HSIN narrowly beaten to the top of "The Nation's Favourite Lyric" on MTV UK, as voted by viewers of their website. Winner was "One" by U2. Nirvana, Bob Marley & Coldplay are 3rd, 4th & 5th respectively.

Link:
U2 line tops favourite lyric poll - BBC News

The official music chart of Australia, the ARIA chart, reports that Ringleader of the Tormentors has entered at number 55.

Below is a short paragraph that accompanied the news. It features chart placings for Morrissey's previous albums...

After being released late (on 31st March 2006) on 7" and MXCD (the English CD2 only), You Have Killed Me finally entered the official German single charts yesterday at #65.

Though Morrissey's singles since 1991 never had a great impact on the single charts, this is a disappointing rank.

In opposite to both CD versions of ROTT, released here on 7th April and due to enter the german album charts next friday (21st April), it is difficult to buy the MXCD in local stores; the 7" is virtually only available in virtuality - the online stores.

YATQ entered at number 42, so he's slowly getting there in Spain!

Top 50 - los40.com

In the latest issue of the Las Vegas Weekly Magazine (noise section), there's a short Interview they did w/Andy Rourke. In the interview, they ask him all sorts of Smiths Questions, and about the reunion, and if he'd do it if there were a chance?

Here's the link:

Talking with Andy Rourke of The Smiths - Las Vegas Weekly

Last Sunday April 9th, I met Andy Rourke at VZD's in Oklahoma City before his DJ set. I had him sign a couple Smiths 12", a bootleg, the Mick Middles book, and lastly I had him sign my copy of Morrissey's New York Dolls book.

For the New York Dolls book, I asked him to write something like "Thanks for buying this book even though Morrissey told you not to." He found this slightly amusing and started writing out on the cover of the book. When he got to the word Morrissey, he paused and instead wrote "Dorrissey". He then said "Dorrissey. That's my name for him."

I remembered hearing that "Doris" was UK slang for a girl and thought the name was poking fun at Moz for being overly feminine.

But later, to see if my memory was right, I googled "Doris" and "slang" and discovered that in addition to "girl", Doris has another meaning. In the Wikipedia entry for Doris, it says "Finally, in British rhyming slang, Doris is a mild insult on a par with 'pansy' (from Doris Day meaning gay)." So I'm not sure what he meant by that.

Here are some other bits of conversation
Me: "Are you a City or United fan?"
Andy: "United. I think Johnny was City and I know Mike was City."
Me: "Morrissey's is a United fan."
Andy: "Is he?"
Me: "Yeah, but I think he might have switched to West Ham."
Andy: "Oh yeah, when he went all London." (he said the word "London" with some extra contempt)

also...
Me: "I heard that there is going to be a Smiths box set."
Andy: "Yeah, Warner are trying to put it together."
Me: "Are you involved with it in any way?"
Andy: "Only in terms of bass playing."

When I was having him sign my vinyl copy of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Me: "That's a bootleg of the Troy Tate album"
Andy: "Oh?" (He seemed genuinely interested. He then flipped the record over and started reading the tracklist. Pointing to Pretty Girls Make Graves) "Pretty Girls Make Graves. That's a great song."
Me: " Oh yeah. Actually..."

At this point, I was about to show off the true depth Smiths nerdiness by mentioning that the Troy Tate version of Pretty Girls Make Grave did end up as a b-side. But he instictively sensed where I was going, smiled and interrupted me by saying "Oh really?" in this funny faux-sophisticated scholarly posh accent. Made me feel like the pretentious fanboy that I was no doubt coming across as.

Andy Rourke is a really nice guy and doesn't mind talking about the Smiths. He is, however, slightly bitter. Told an aquaintance of mine "If you and a cat were drowning, Morrissey would save the cat first."

There is an excellent review of ROTT and some cool pics of his PIMPship, in the latest issue of Blender magazine(Christina Milian cover), page 103. Here's a sample from the article/review:

"The 46 Year Old Virgin"
Some very overdue sex does wonders for pop's repressed "Pope Of Mope".(**** stars out of 5) "He transforms insecurity into something Grand and Gallant".

Basically, a wonderful review for the Disc and Morrissey. Nice to see him finally getting his due.

However, the Blender website has no listing for the review. I have the mag in my hands though, they say it's better than Quarry.

Just spotted this in the tv listings... Andy Rourke is going to be a guest on "Nevermind The Buzzcocks", which will be shown on BBC2 on Monday 17th April (9pm) and repeated on the same channel on Saturday 22nd April (10.30pm).

The guest host is Huey Morgan from Fun Lovin' Criminals, and the other guests are a bunch of people I've never heard of. Bill Bailey and Phill "I could be Boz Boorer's long-lost cousin" Jupitus are the team captains as usual.

Looks like everyone's favourite comedy rockabilly, Mark Lamarr, is still off-air. "Nevermind the Buzzcocks" just isn't the same without his loud suits and sarcasm.

Andy Rourke is to guest as one of the panelists on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Easter Monday BBC2 at 9.00pm. Other guests are Natalie Cassidy, Sheila Ferguson, and Reginald D Hunter. Hosted by Fun Lovin' Criminal, Huey Morgan I suppose we'll get to see who's the real charismatic member of The Smiths. I know where my money is...