I've been a serious Smiths/Morrissey fan since 1983. I was a pen pal with Morrissey for a short time in 1984, this unfortunately only lasted for a month. I suppose he became too famous and busy, in the end my letters never reached him, so it all ended. Please see the 3 attached files which are the scans of the letter and postcards that I received from Morrissey in 1984. I hope you and all people looking at them find them interesting.

I can't describe the feeling of receiving the 1st letter from him, nobody ever believes me when I tell them that he once wrote to me. I'll give you a brief description of the subject matter of each item.

Morrissey letter (scan)

My initial letter enquired on when 'This night has opened my eyes' would be released commercially, it's only airing was from the John Peel sessions. I also mentioned how much I liked 'Girl afraid', which was of course one of the B sides on 'Heaven knows I'm miserable now'. I really like the way he ended the letter with 'Not happy/not sad'

Morrissey postcard 1 (scan)

I questioned Morrissey on his famous 'James Dean is not dead' book (I also had an unhealthy fixation on Mr Dean). Also mentioned was the 'James Dean - The first American teenager' documentary. I also asked whether my Smiths album and single covers could be signed if I sent them to him. I also mentioned that I'd recently heard 'Rusholme ruffians' from the latest John Peel session, but I wasn't sure of how to spell it, hence the correction.

Morrissey postcard 2 (scan)

I received all of my covers back - all signed by the man himself! He goes on to explain why the remaining Smiths didn't sign them. I sent him a cassette of a rare James Dean documentary that he hadn't heard before, he refers to listening to it on a train journey to Manchester. I also asked him if he had an extremely rare book on James Dean by an author called Bill Bast. Finally, I asked him whether a replica the famous red jacket worn by Dean could be bought in London.

I really wish my short-lived contact with Morrissey had lasted a lot longer, but it gives me immense pleasure that I was able to have the contact and actually expand his James Dean collection.

I met Morrissey directly after The Smiths set at the 10th summer festival at the G-Mex centre in Manchester in 1986. Very nervously, I introduced myself and he put his index fingers to his temples and after a few seconds thought, he simply said 'James Dean'. I remember it like it was yesterday, to think that he remembered someone from 2 years previous was amazing, I just wish I'd had a camera with me. I'll obviously never forget it and the letter and postcards will go to my grave with me.

This is the article by Siobhán Kane Morrissey referred to at the last Dublin gig. Thanks to www.eventguide.ie

The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get

did you see Morrissey on C4 last week pre-V talking to that blond presenter, the thin one with the exaggerated northern accent, I digress. When asked why he does not fit in with the Pop industry Moz calmly pointed out that he simply doesn't exist on the same plane as them,

"I just exist on a different plane, not a higher plane just a different one". You were willing him to just come out and reel through all the artists on the bill declaring NO, NO, NO, Oh dear lord No, anyway he went on "I mean everyone (in pop) really does look and sound the same to me". Yes she replied agreeing like a monkey with one eye on the auto cue, before turning to meet the camera. "Now were off to the Kaiser Chie... I mean Kasabian" you could almost hear Morrissey's wry smile travel throught the camera. Poetic and Delightful. Channel fours crashing bores.

I thought that Moz would be all toured out, but I heard a rumour today that there would be dates in the UK around Christmas - apparently the source of the story was good.

- I'd also like to say that the set at V Stafford was brilliant as usual.

In an article entitled 'Looking for a new England' in English trade publication The Bookseller (18 August 2006), Billy Bragg discusses reclaiming nationalist symbols from extreme right groups such as the British Nationalist Party:

'But you've got to be completely clear about what you're saying when you use that imagery. The dangers are shown by Morrissey's problems with the Union Jack when he wrote 'National Front Disco' and appeared on stage with the flag and skinheads. I know for a fact that Mozza is not a racist, but in using those images, people make assumptions.'