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That's more than 30 years ago. I doubt if he's the same person now. There seems to be a lot of negativity on Moz Solo towards Craig. Nobody complained when Craig played at the Wolverhampton gig. But now everyone hates him just cos Moz doesn't like him. Same for Mike (and Andy to a lesser extent). That's a lot of faith to be putting in Moz's opinion. Especially when you consider that Moz hates just about everyone.Unfortunately, he’ll always be
Baby Craig.
Didn’t Marr talk about Craig throwing tantrums and ruining hotel rooms during tour? Hope he’s changed his ways.
As bandmates go Craig was definitely one of the best looking guitarists, rivalled only by Neil Codling in Suede.I actually saw Craig Gannon with the Smiths on their best tour, 1986. He was great and he had/has the look. What a cool looking band, compare it to the nerdy, un-rock and roll looking band Morrissey has now. I am taking The Alain Whyte band for the sheer aesthetic of it all.
The huge news is their new band name is 'Morrisey'. Most people won't notice the misspelling and will flock to the (cheaper than normal) concerts. Liberal use of dry ice and red lights will ensure the 'players' are almost invisible as they play Your Arsenal and Vauxhall (and b-sides) in their entirety, clocking in at an impressive 2.5 hour concert. Craig will play 'Ask' on a banjo as encore.So when is the huge news due?
I actually saw Craig Gannon with the Smiths on their best tour, 1986. He was great and he had/has the look. What a cool looking band, compare it to the nerdy, un-rock and roll looking band Morrissey has now. I am taking The Alain Whyte band for the sheer aesthetic of it all.
The huge news is their new band name is 'Morrisey'. Most people won't notice the misspelling and will flock to the (cheaper than normal) concerts. Liberal use of dry ice and red lights will ensure the 'players' are almost invisible as they play Your Arsenal and Vauxhall (and b-sides) in their entirety, clocking in at an impressive 2.5 hour concert. Craig will play 'Ask' on a banjo as encore.
The crowds will leave the venue satiated and happy with the setlist. The merch counter will sell Moz tshirts for £10 (instead of £25), all signed 'Morrisey' by Alain in his left hand scrawl. It will also sell records by other random artists defaced with Alain's signature.
That's more than 30 years ago. I doubt if he's the same person now. There seems to be a lot of negativity on Moz Solo towards Craig. Nobody complained when Craig played at the Wolverhampton gig. But now everyone hates him just cos Moz doesn't like him. Same for Mike (and Andy to a lesser extent). That's a lot of faith to be putting in Moz's opinion. Especially when you consider that Moz hates just about everyone.
It's documented in Autobiog to the effect that:Yes me too and he really beefed up the sound compared to when I saw them pre Gannon.
It's documented in Autobiog to the effect that:
"In the year that preceded the final album, the Smiths had become a quintet, for reasons that furrowed my brow. It was Johnny’s will, and that seemed good enough on face value, but the reality of Craig Gannon was a fascinating bungle. Ripe from a Salford two-up two-down, Craig had a sullen expression, and said nothing. He lumbered onto the payroll and the Smiths were no longer a foursome. I understood Johnny’s need to be released of basic rhythm parts and to then be free for more complicated lead riffs, but I struggled to notice any specific assistance to the sound. It seemed to me that Johnny was still playing everything."
Plus owing his nut-job hotel antics, which are also documented, they sort of got rid of him, through ignoring him, after the US Tour:
"Word quickly circulates that Craig is probably unhinged at this point and – worse – that he has little interest in being a Smith. Once the US tour has ended, Johnny suggests that we do not make contact with Craig, in order to test whether he would actually bother to contact any of us. Unsurprisingly, Craig does not contact anyone, and it becomes evident that nothing useful vibrates in Craig’s upper storey."
So basically, if we believe any of the above excerpts, he was surplus to requirements, he was a bit of a misfit, added nothing of value to The Smiths sound, created merry hell in hotels, resulting in a bad reputation & huge bills for The Smiths, owing to his unpredictable behaviour.
I reckon AW is welcome to him. Good luck there.
I can’t wait to not listen to this.
I imagine you have what is called a very “punchable face”.Well don't then, it's an easy thing not to do.
Yeah but you do have a hearing impairment...Well as a fan in the crowd who saw them without Gannon and with Gannon, the gig with Gannon was far better from a sound perspective in mine and many others opinion.
It's documented in Autobiog to the effect that:
"In the year that preceded the final album, the Smiths had become a quintet, for reasons that furrowed my brow. It was Johnny’s will, and that seemed good enough on face value, but the reality of Craig Gannon was a fascinating bungle. Ripe from a Salford two-up two-down, Craig had a sullen expression, and said nothing. He lumbered onto the payroll and the Smiths were no longer a foursome. I understood Johnny’s need to be released of basic rhythm parts and to then be free for more complicated lead riffs, but I struggled to notice any specific assistance to the sound. It seemed to me that Johnny was still playing everything."
Plus owing his nut-job hotel antics, which are also documented, they sort of got rid of him, through ignoring him, after the US Tour:
"Word quickly circulates that Craig is probably unhinged at this point and – worse – that he has little interest in being a Smith. Once the US tour has ended, Johnny suggests that we do not make contact with Craig, in order to test whether he would actually bother to contact any of us. Unsurprisingly, Craig does not contact anyone, and it becomes evident that nothing useful vibrates in Craig’s upper storey."
So basically, if we believe any of the above excerpts, he was surplus to requirements, he was a bit of a misfit, added nothing of value to The Smiths sound, created merry hell in hotels, resulting in a bad reputation & huge bills for The Smiths, owing to his unpredictable behaviour.
I reckon AW is welcome to him. Good luck there.
PS: & then Gannon sues The Smiths for loss of earnings, and also claims co-authorship with Johnny Marr of certain Smiths songs.
Moz rarely has a good word to say about anyone. How many colleagues has he had a problem with? Moz is full of shit sometimes. His description of Craig in Autobiography is funny but totally unnecessarily vindictive and personal. When someone writes anything negative or non hagiographic about Moz he "squints at it across the room" (his reaction to The Severed Alliance).It's documented in Autobiog to the effect that:
"In the year that preceded the final album, the Smiths had become a quintet, for reasons that furrowed my brow. It was Johnny’s will, and that seemed good enough on face value, but the reality of Craig Gannon was a fascinating bungle. Ripe from a Salford two-up two-down, Craig had a sullen expression, and said nothing. He lumbered onto the payroll and the Smiths were no longer a foursome. I understood Johnny’s need to be released of basic rhythm parts and to then be free for more complicated lead riffs, but I struggled to notice any specific assistance to the sound. It seemed to me that Johnny was still playing everything."
Plus owing his nut-job hotel antics, which are also documented, they sort of got rid of him, through ignoring him, after the US Tour:
"Word quickly circulates that Craig is probably unhinged at this point and – worse – that he has little interest in being a Smith. Once the US tour has ended, Johnny suggests that we do not make contact with Craig, in order to test whether he would actually bother to contact any of us. Unsurprisingly, Craig does not contact anyone, and it becomes evident that nothing useful vibrates in Craig’s upper storey."
So basically, if we believe any of the above excerpts, he was surplus to requirements, he was a bit of a misfit, added nothing of value to The Smiths sound, created merry hell in hotels, resulting in a bad reputation & huge bills for The Smiths, owing to his unpredictable behaviour.
I reckon AW is welcome to him. Good luck there.
PS: & then Gannon sues The Smiths for loss of earnings, and also claims co-authorship with Johnny Marr of certain Smiths songs.
I imagine you have what is called a very “punchable face”.
Moz rarely has a good word to say about anyone. How many colleagues has he had a problem with? Moz is full of shit sometimes. His description of Craig in Autobiography is funny but totally unnecessarily vindictive and personal. When someone writes anything negative or non hagiographic about Moz he "squints at it across the room" (his reaction to The Severed Alliance).