''My first US tour was huge venues and incredible sellouts, but the band were quite poor and I lost a lot of my audience, who quite rightly said, 'The Smiths were better'. But I've worked hard at America, and these amount to the very best of days for me."
First, I wonder how Boz privately feels about that statement. Second, it is just not true that he "lost a lot of [his American] audience" - certainly not during 1991 - 1995. And when have select factions of his fanbase EVER stopped saying "The Smiths were better." It goes on to this day.
Did the original iteration of the Lads get off to a rough start? Fair to say there were jagged edges aplenty in their early performances. But I find it quite sad that he makes such an offhand dismissal of a band that he once professed was a lifeline. It also ignores the dramatic effect Alain and Boz immediately had on his material, most of which holds up nicely against his own solo catalog and the Smiths'.
I don't know if the intention was to defend the current "arrangement" (I refuse to call them a band anymore) and I know he is prone to the categoric revision of history - but this one takes the cake. Very disappointing to read.
And, having worked through about half of it, I think Fletcher's book does an estimable job so far with the facts/prevailing opinions at hand and paints a more than fair portrait of Morrissey. Of course, it's a given that he would slate it. I'm a bit surprised that a discussion thread hasn't popped up already.
First, I wonder how Boz privately feels about that statement. Second, it is just not true that he "lost a lot of [his American] audience" - certainly not during 1991 - 1995. And when have select factions of his fanbase EVER stopped saying "The Smiths were better." It goes on to this day.
Did the original iteration of the Lads get off to a rough start? Fair to say there were jagged edges aplenty in their early performances. But I find it quite sad that he makes such an offhand dismissal of a band that he once professed was a lifeline. It also ignores the dramatic effect Alain and Boz immediately had on his material, most of which holds up nicely against his own solo catalog and the Smiths'.
I don't know if the intention was to defend the current "arrangement" (I refuse to call them a band anymore) and I know he is prone to the categoric revision of history - but this one takes the cake. Very disappointing to read.
And, having worked through about half of it, I think Fletcher's book does an estimable job so far with the facts/prevailing opinions at hand and paints a more than fair portrait of Morrissey. Of course, it's a given that he would slate it. I'm a bit surprised that a discussion thread hasn't popped up already.