Re-releases: Viva Hate and Suedehead

Let's wait and see....http://twitter.com/#!/recordstore
Cheers Moz

They'd be brave to get involved again, the Bona drag signed posters didn't arrive for ages after release date, and they never got the promised best of signed albums, even if they say they did. Still it's likely that the promise of, got glamorous glue 7" into top ten best selling vinyls of 2011 even if they couldn't get the signature. So maybe it's worth the risk.
 
I'm slightly taken aback and confused by just how vociferous the reaction to this re-issue is. It's not like Morrissey has only dabbled with the occasional re-issue. He has more than embraced them.

Personally, I like the remasters he has released. I've found the sound quality to be quite good. I certainly wouldn't begrudge anyone who feels they aren't worth buying. I've purchased Viva Hate on cassette, CD, and the expanded CD with the added tracks and booklet. Sorry Moz, I'll be downloading this one from the interwebs.

As for the the larger issue of adding and deleting tracks, I thought this had all been litigated on this board before? Moz wants to re-release the albums as a way of cleaning up and solidifying his legacy. The inclusion of the unreleased tracks seem to me nothing more than an accommodation to the label who re-issues the respective album.

I wish the news that Moz is again working/speaking to Stephen Street would have come years ago, but it's still welcome news. I've always been confused by Moz's statements about his follow up to YOR. He seems to indicate the record is done, he simply needs a label. However, I'm not sure what "done" means? Recorded? I just don't believe that to be the case as Moz would have had to buy the studio time on his own.

Perhaps, there is still a slight flicker of hope his last album could be a re-teaming with Street?
 
Perhaps, there is still a slight flicker of hope his last album could be a re-teaming with Street?

Let's not over-state Street's importance. I'm a fan of his music too, but let's be honest and not romanticize his importance, Street wasn't around long enough to fail and believe me, he would have failed. All he did is try to RECREATE what Marr did. He failed, but what he came up with was good too. But again, Street can't take credit for Vini Reilly's playing and "writing." I believe Street stole some of Vini's writing credits and actually, that happens a lot in the entertainment industry. Morrissey has lifted from James Maker numerous times and vice versa. Streety can come up with all the sheet music he wants, but Vini was the brains behind Viva Hate. In fact, if Morrissey would've listened to Vini, he could've went in a very interesting direction, at least, for an album or two, but oh no! Morrissey had to make "pop" music, couldn't survive without the fame. Having said that though, Street was just as important as Morrissey on Viva Hate, so I understand the love for Street, but he was no Marr, and he wasn't even Boorer and especially not Whyte. Not even close.

vini_reilly_large_1239711771_crop_540x360.jpg
 
The inclusion of the unreleased tracks seem to me nothing more than an accommodation to the label who re-issues the respective album

It won't have have anything to do with the label, and it'll make very little different to sales - rereleased Morrissey solo albums sell in tiny numbers regardless of what Morrissey does to the covers and tracklisting. It's simply a case of Morrissey not liking a song on one of his old albums and wishing to swap it for one he prefers on its rerelease, like he did with Roys Keen. I quite like the Ordinary Boys but it is probably the weakest song on Viva Hate.
I agree with your thoughts on Street though. He was fantastic, and the best aspect of the VH rerelease is that they are back on speaking terms. I'm just hoping that Street has sent him a demo or two. It would be much easier and less risky than Moz recollaborating with Marr, as there would be none of the baggage. Unlike Marr, the average music fan has probably never heard of Street.
 
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Also, I did find it chucklesome that he nixed 'The Ordinary Boys' but retains 'Bengali In Platforms'. I can just see the Zadie Smith op-ed 'Guardian' blog now. Such fun.

Maybe the association with the BNP is easier to swallow than having anything to do with Preston's band...

I know it's easy to get nostalgic for most of Morrissey's output, but 'Ordinary Boys' was one of the songs I sang to my daughter as a lullaby to get her off to sleep when she was tiny
for you were so different
you stood all alone
and you knew
that it had to be so
avoiding ordinary boys
happy going nowhere, just around here
in their rattling cars

That and Girlfriend in a coma.

Come on Moz, if only for my sake, keep it in!

Dave
 
As for the the larger issue of adding and deleting tracks, I thought this had all been litigated on this board before? Moz wants to re-release the albums as a way of cleaning up and solidifying his legacy. The inclusion of the unreleased tracks seem to me nothing more than an accommodation to the label who re-issues the respective album.

This is precisely the issue

he's not going to solidify anything with his fanbase by tampering with the tracklisting of a classic album, especially one as revered as Viva Hate is amongst his fanbase.

Because his core fanbase are the only ones who will be purchasing the Viva Hate re-issue

it's not like EMI is going to haul out some blockbuster marketing campaign to promote the album to a whole new generation of listeners.

For promotion, we get a lousy remix of an old warhorse Morrissey single a month after the reissues are released

he is not doing his legacy or the legacy of Viva Hate any favours whatsoever by tampering with the tracklisting in favour of a subpar b-side.

I wish the news that Moz is again working/speaking to Stephen Street would have come years ago, but it's still welcome news. I've always been confused by Moz's statements about his follow up to YOR. He seems to indicate the record is done, he simply needs a label. However, I'm not sure what "done" means? Recorded? I just don't believe that to be the case as Moz would have had to buy the studio time on his own.

The entire follow-up to YOR is written, but not recorded

and won't be recorded until a label satisfactory to Morrissey's stature of fame agrees to finance and release it.

Hope this helps
 
Maybe the association with the BNP is easier to swallow than having anything to do with Preston's band...

I know it's easy to get nostalgic for most of Morrissey's output, but 'Ordinary Boys' was one of the songs I sang to my daughter as a lullaby to get her off to sleep when she was tiny
for you were so different
you stood all alone
and you knew
that it had to be so
avoiding ordinary boys
happy going nowhere, just around here
in their rattling cars

That and Girlfriend in a coma.

Come on Moz, if only for my sake, keep it in!

Dave



I did half-reckon that his decision may have had something to do with the legacy of Preston, but would Moz be that petty...:squiffy:

Nice choice of lullaby. All I ever got was a "Puff the Magic Dragon" / "Fields of Athenry" segue...
(Vini wrote them an' all.)
 
Another reissue of Viva Hate and still no sign or talk about releasing Wolverhampton 88 on audio or video format. What a piss take! Jesus, at least add something decent so that we'd buy it! :mad:
 
Bona Drag is rated 87th best album of 90s by pastemagazine.com

87. Morrissey – Bona Drag (1990)
Bona Drag was to Morrissey’s solo career much like what Louder Than Bombs was to his former band, The Smiths—a singles and b-sides collection that featured some of his best work. The album included a few songs from his solo debut, Viva Hate (“Suedehead,” “Everyday is Like Sunday”) and set the stage for future, continued idolatry and enigmatic behavior. More than two decades later, Morrissey is still going relatively strong, but songs from this early collection elicit the most rabid fan reactions at his concerts.—Jonah Flicker
- http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/02/the-90-best-albums-of-the-1990s.html

I've not yet read the pages of higher entries which might contain more Morrissey collections?
 
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Amazon.co.uk has now a release date for 10th April....well before is out, this release looks messy already.....
Cheers Moz
 
So... I'm not a LP expert, but why put 12 tracks on TWO Heavyweight LP?? :confused:
I mean, 3 song on each side? ... Just curiosity ;)


 
So... I'm not a LP expert, but why put 12 tracks on TWO Heavyweight LP?? :confused:
I mean, 3 song on each side? ... Just curiosity ;)


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Unless they are made to be played at 45rpm. If that is the case you will get a better sound quality. Although I don't know if this will be the case with this re-release.
 
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