'I feel like I've been had': Morrissey's collaborators respond to his politics - The Guardian

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'I feel like I've been had': Morrissey's collaborators respond to his politics - The Guardian
The former Smiths singer’s new album features guest spots from Billie Joe Armstrong and Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste. Are they not put off by his increasingly unpleasant right-wing stance?

Excerpt:

As US music magazine the Fader asked: “What possible reason could any of these people have for lining up behind Morrissey now?”

Droste declined to comment. The only artist willing to speak with the Guardian was Canadian vocalist Ariel Engle, who performs with cult indie outfit Broken Social Scene. She received a call from the American producer Joe Chiccarelli asking her to contribute backing vocals for a cover of Joni Mitchell’s Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow. “I thought, ‘Oh the Smiths, sure’,” she says. “It was $500 for two hours’ work.”

Engle says she didn’t become aware of Morrissey’s political views until the album was announced and a friend emailed to question her involvement. “It’s a very weak argument to claim ignorance,” she says, “but it is my argument. It’s not an excuse but it happens to be the truth.”

Morrissey’s manager, Peter Katsis, says he is unaware of statements made by any guest vocalists, but that the intention of the covers album was supposed to be fun. “This is where his head is at,” he says. “Maybe enough has been said with the last few albums being political.” Of Morrissey’s political views, Katsis says: “I manage his artistic career and sometimes I have to deal with things he says, but it’s not for me to comment.”

Chiccarelli echoes Katsis’s sentiment. “I can’t speak to Moz’s politics,” he says. “I’m a record-maker. I’ve known him 10 years and he’s been a gentleman and a pleasure. I consider him a friend.” When asked about the far-right figures for whom Morrissey has expressed support, Chiccarelli says: “I’d really have to research it and see if it crossed a particular line for me.”

Engle says that learning of Morrissey’s political opinions has left a “bad taste”, and that she stands in opposition to his views. “The inflammatory things he says are not my politics. I think he’s completely out of line. I grew up around multiculturalism and I am the product of multiculturalism and immigration. I feel like I’ve been had, but it’s my fault.”

The American singer LP offered a statement through a PR representative: “As I’m a huge fan of his music and poetry, I was honoured to be asked to collaborate on the album.” Representatives for Lydia Night of California band the Regrettes offered no comment, but the 18-year-old told punk magazine Kerrang!: “I’ve grown up loving the Smiths – my cat’s name is Morrissey!” Representatives for Armstrong said he was in the studio and therefore unreachable.

The guest stars on California Son are all North American, suggesting a difference between perceptions of the former Smiths frontman in the US and UK. Katsis, who is American, sees the critical focus on Morrissey’s politics as a British preoccupation.

“I don’t think they know enough about it to care about it,” he says of Morrissey’s US fans. “I don’t feel knowledgable enough to comment on British politics, therefore it’s probably not as important to me or the international fans as it is to UK fans. This whole thing has had me perplexed. The subjects are very complicated and dividing.”

The figures bear out Morrissey’s enduring support across the Atlantic. He ended 2018 with arena shows in North and South America, and has announced his first Canadian tour in 20 years for this April. In November 2017, Los Angeles City Council declared 10 November “Morrissey Day”.

“In America, he tends to be seen as the rock star who sang about queer life and spoke openly about feminism when nobody else did,” says Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield. “These two images define him, and he’s still seen in terms of his pioneering place in history. His grumpy old age is not really held against him. Americans tend not to follow UK politics very closely, so when he makes mind-blowingly offensive statements there might be outrage or humiliation for a few days, or hours, but then it’s back to listening to The Queen Is Dead”.




Media coverage:
 
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:laughing:

:laughing:

the Skinny/Sgt Schultz twat syndrome: NOBODY KNOWS NOTHING!


THE TWAT FROM BSC: :swear I KNOW NOTING. NOTHING:swear
I HAVE EMAIL BUT NO INTERNET OR SOCIAL MEDIA DEVICES!!!

CHICARELLI: I KNOW NOTHING:swear:swear GIVE ME 5 MINUTES
TO RESEARCH!!:swear
OK DONE I KNOW NOTHING BUT THE FEE PAID:bow::moneybag:

I CONTINUE TO KNOW NOTHING!!


:poutingcat: Now the Skinny is triggered we are sure to see a long parade of sock puppe trolls momentarily.
 
I don't really support of all of Morrissey's public statements but it should be clear when someone works with him that they are not doing it to show their solidarity with his politics. And artists can be so competitive. I would really question the friendship of the person that asked her to to explain working with Morrissey. Anything that is going to take you to a larger audience is pretty necessary if you're trying to live as an artist and you don't have a trust fund.
 
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What a strange article. The Guardian is now so heavily invested in its agenda around identity politics that it won't ever be able to publish a straightforward article or review about Morrissey ever again. At least there's an attempt at critical thought in this piece, with the comparison between UK and US perceptions of M right now but really it's just there to drive more outrage, more clicks. (In the same way, perhaps, that some of M's views are there to drive more coverage...) The piece in the Guardian today about Michael Jackson grapples with similar things, I guess - although Jackson did actual harm to fellow human beings, of course.
 
Strange thing to say - Katsis, who is American, sees the critical focus on Morrissey’s politics as a British preoccupation.

Seeing it was British politics Morrissey talked about, isn't that what you would expect?

I have no time for what Donald Trump is up to but I wouldn't go off an American band I like if they showed support for him, as its an American issue and I don't understand the complexity of American politics.

I still think that Morrissey misjudged the majority of peoples feeling in the UK when he made his comments.
 
:rolleyes:

WTF?:crazy: 'i wouldnt talk about american bands..' WTF NDSP!!!!???:lbf:

the guardian and a couple dozen islamic twats dont make up the UK.:lbf:
 
I still think that Morrissey misjudged the majority of peoples feeling in the UK when he made his comments.

Probably not the majority of people's feelings, generally, but a huge number of people who were drawn to the songs he'd sung both as a Smith and subsequently (i.e. his fan-base).
 
:rolleyes:

WTF?:crazy: 'i wouldnt talk about american bands..' WTF NDSP!!!!???:lbf:

the guardian and a couple dozen islamic twats dont make up the UK.:lbf:
 
This may force Morrissey to finally distance himself from far-right politics, the worst examples to date being his support for Anne Walters (and her party) and Johnny Robinson. If it does, it's a good thing.
If you've got any sense, Steve, do this right away.
 
Strange thing to say - Katsis, who is American, sees the critical focus on Morrissey’s politics as a British preoccupation.

Seeing it was British politics Morrissey talked about, isn't that what you would expect?

I have no time for what Donald Trump is up to but I wouldn't go off an American band I like if they showed support for him, as its an American issue and I don't understand the complexity of American politics.

I still think that Morrissey misjudged the majority of peoples feeling in the UK when he made his comments.

"Morrissey misjudged the majority of peoples feeling in the UK when he made his comments"............ere.......which ones are you talking about in particular? The only people he's upset are the loony left.
 
"Morrissey misjudged the majority of peoples feeling in the UK when he made his comments"............ere.......which ones are you talking about in particular? The only people he's upset are the loony left.

So you are saying that all the people who didn't buy tickets for the cancelled UK tour are all part of the loony left?
 
If you click on the full article there is a quote from Uncleskinny at the end.

Peter: Was it the original Bona Drag you listened to this morning or the 20th Anniversary Edition?
 
"Despite the headlines provoked by Morrissey’s every political pronouncement, the same may remain true in the UK. Penguin confirmed that Morrissey’s autobiography – titled Autobiography – has sold more than 200,000 copies, and continues to sell. In 2017, his album Low in High School entered the UK Top 5 and was the highest-selling vinyl record in its week of release. California Son is currently at No 7 in Amazon’s pre-order chart."

:eek:

How can this be??? didnt you read the namedroppingsockpuppet 'theorizing':lbf:
that the UK has turned on Moz:thumb:


they must be acting backwards:lbf:
 
I'm a bit fed up of this whole racist thing. There are worse things you can be. It's not a difining feature of people. You can have racist views but still treat people with respect.
 
So you are saying that all the people who didn't buy tickets for the cancelled UK tour are all part of the loony left?

If Twitter Moz fans are anything to go by, yere generally.....the veggie, vote Labour, stereotypical lefties not really understanding the world these days.
 
"Despite the headlines provoked by Morrissey’s every political pronouncement, the same may remain true in the UK. Penguin confirmed that Morrissey’s autobiography – titled Autobiography – has sold more than 200,000 copies, and continues to sell. In 2017, his album Low in High School entered the UK Top 5 and was the highest-selling vinyl record in its week of release. California Son is currently at No 7 in Amazon’s pre-order chart."

:eek:

How can this be??? didnt you read the namedroppingsockpuppet 'theorizing':lbf:
that the UK has turned on Moz:thumb:


they must be acting backwards:lbf:

The cd is at number 6 now https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/new-releases/music/ref=zg_bsnr_unv_m_h__1_9840751031_1

Vinyl is at number 2 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/new-releases/music/9840751031/ref=zg_bsnr_nav_m_h__1_m_h_?tag=msamzn-21
 
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Well done to Ariel Engle for saying she felt like she's been had. Once again, the usual apologists attempt to play the "freeze peach" card as justification for the stance they hold. Never any surprise there, really. There must be plenty of "loony lefties" about for him to have cancelled his European tour in 2018, after all. They must have been the “logistical circumstances" beyond his control No wonder he's doing a covers album instead. To cover the pungent stench of his recent remarks.
And let's not forget how he's sucking up to Canada, having sworn blind never to tour there again due to their annual seal cull. Long-term principles denied? More like bloodily bludgeoned, it seems. (Lack of) money changes everything, it seems. More than enough of us certainly haven't forgotten - and will still be around to remind those doing the Ostrich Position whenever necessary. :straightface:
 
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