If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it be?

[chrisarclark]

iknow many will shoot off straight away by saying that they never want Morrissey to stop (well then, the final poll option is for you), but let's be honest; there is no doubt that Morrissey's sense of humour and music has gotten gradually worser over the years.

music history is littered with stories of artists who hung on too long and, in doing so, tarnished the memory of their career (i.e. The Rolling Stones, David Bowie). then there are others who find their way back through the wilderness and after a long drought create some of their best work in their final years (i.e. Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan).

during Morrissey's career, there hav been serveral stages that may hav been seen as higher stepping off points to leave behind a great career relatively untainted. while some may still cling to the hope that Moz will one day recapture the magic of years past, ipersonally am less hopeful. while Cash and Dylan may hav temporarily lost their touch, they never really lost their artistic integrity- meanwhile Morrissey it seems has settled for churning out generic pop-rock tunes for the masses, so long as the units keep moving.

for those who hav cringed at much of Morrissey's later output, this could still be a tough decision as there hav been a few songs here and there that hav been enjoyable- but were they worth it enough to hav had to put up with the embarassment of so many others?

to my mind, the last flawless release from Morrissey was the unintended "Sunny" single. perhaps it wasnt really "single" material, but each song on that release was absolutely beautiful, showcasing an emotional depth and tenderness not seen from Morrissey since. if Morrissey had not gone on after Vauxhall And I to record Southpaw Grammar, it's possible (perhaps even likely) that these songs may hav still been released in some way shape or form, so ive included this as an option for those who would want to keep these songs as a final send off but stop short of SG (myself not included).

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

It's have.

 

[chrisarclark]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

It's have.

ohreally? thanks for the clue.

you should tell Moz thats it's "cemetery" too.

 

[Maurice E]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

I'm glad Moz has carried on and I'm looking forward to the new stuff.
However, had he stopped releasing songs after Sunny (but without Southpaw Grammar) his average song quality would have been much higher and his legacy as a musical force would have been stronger.
There have been a few great songs in recent years but, post 94, the overall quality has declined noticeably. Maybe he can pull it back with Years of Refusal, altho probably not if 'Thats How People Grow Up' is deemed worthy of inclusion!

 

[[email protected]]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

i think he should stop when he feels like it

 

[Dave]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

"Cash and Dylan"?

Chrisarclark, you have fallen into a common trap. You think that an artist owes you something because you once connected with their work.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

ohreally? thanks for the clue.

you should tell Moz thats it's "cemetery" too.

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[justme]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

"Cash and Dylan"?

Chrisarclark, you have fallen into a common trap. You think that an artist owes you something because you once connected with their work.

Very well said!

I, for one, like that fact that he is not living in the past, nor trying to write in a certain "mode" and that he keeps releasing honest material - just his life as it is, as it's always been

And to be honest, I think that the Quary and Ringleader albuns are much better than say, Maladjusted (with the exception of trouble loves me) or Kill Uncle.

and you ou can shoot me and you can throw me off a train but I still maintain because that's trully how I feel.

In the end it's all a matter of opinion

 

[ellay mort]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

obviously i would want him to keep releasing forever, but to answer the hypothetical...i think You Are the Quarry was a PERFECT album, and what better place to end such a brilliant/enigmatic career than after a massive hit seven years due, and with 'You Know I Couldn't Last' as the last track??

 

[chrisarclark]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

Chrisarclark, you have fallen into a common trap. You think that an artist owes you something because you once connected with their work.

Very well said!

I, for one, like that fact that he is not living in the past, nor trying to write in a certain "mode" and that he keeps releasing honest material - just his life as it is, as it's always been

im not sayin Morrissey owes anything to anyone (save perhaps himself)- all im saying is that rather than carrying on putting out mostly sub-par material, Morrissey could hav quit whilst he was still ahead. some people might think that there is nothing Morrissey could ever do that would take away from his earlier achievements, but others may feel that he is doing himself a disservice artistically by continuing to release material that is nowhere near the standard he had set for himself earlier on.

and im not saying that he should live in the past, attempting to recreate another Your Arsenal or Vauxhall And I- ihav enjoyed and appreciated Morrissey's past shifts in tone and style when well executed- however ido think he would be better served putting in the kind of effort and artfullness that was clearly evident early on and is now sadly missing.

and maybe it's not actually due to lack of effort- maybe he just doesnt havit anymore- but in that case perhaps there should at least be a realization of this fact and an accompanying humility.

 

[the beast]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

i think he should stop when he feels like it

you could of at least bought a decent bottle of vodka instead of that snide effort there in your avatar

 

[chrisarclark]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

"Cash and Dylan"?

and im not sure why you are questioning my examples of Cash and Dylan. both artists went through mostly painful stretches during the 70's, 80's and early 90's came back to full (or nearly full) force in the mid-to-late 90's and 00's- Cash with his American Recordings series and Dylan with current streak of three classic albums begining with 1997's Time Out Of Mind.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

It would have to be First Of The Gang To Die. The b-sides were astounding - My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye, Mexico, and the criminally, criminally under-rated Teenage Dad On His Estate. Just shades it, in my book, over the amazing b-sides of Everyday Is Like Sunday - Disappointed, Will Never Marry, and Sister I'm A Poet.

Peter

 

[Dave]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

im not sayin Morrissey owes anything to anyone (save perhaps himself)- all im saying is that rather than carrying on putting out mostly sub-par material, Morrissey could hav quit whilst he was still ahead. some people might think that there is nothing Morrissey could ever do that would take away from his earlier achievements, but others may feel that he is doing himself a disservice artistically by continuing to release material that is nowhere near the standard he had set for himself earlier on.

and im not saying that he should live in the past, attempting to recreate another Your Arsenal or Vauxhall And I- ihav enjoyed and appreciated Morrissey's past shifts in tone and style when well executed- however ido think he would be better served putting in the kind of effort and artfullness that was clearly evident early on and is now sadly missing.

and maybe it's not actually due to lack of effort- maybe he just doesnt havit anymore- but in that case perhaps there should at least be a realization of this fact and an accompanying humility.

You think that the new material is sub-par to the point that he should quit. I'm not sure how you don't see this as him owing you something. Turn the dial on the radio. Move to the next CD bin.
Now, I don't think that you owe him anything either. Personally, I don't listen to ROTT very much, but I have enjoyed the things that came out after it very much.

I don't follow Dylan anymore. Let's say that I think he might have quit at Infidels. But then he wouldn't have gone through the things he did artistically that led him to create his new music that you find to be classic.

Being an artist is not about pleasing your audience.

 

[[email protected]]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

you could of at least bought a decent bottle of vodka instead of that snide effort there in your avatar

it belongs to that guy from the song

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

and maybe it's not actually due to lack of effort- maybe he just doesnt havit anymore- but in that case perhaps there should at least be a realization of this fact and an accompanying humility.

I don't understand how you think he doesn't possess humility? Because he's not entertaining specifically you anymore? There's something drastically wrong with this thought.

 

[Kilt Uncle]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

"Cash and Dylan"?

Chrisarclark, you have fallen into a common trap. You think that an artist owes you something because you once connected with their work.

I agree.

 

[chrisarclark]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

I'm not sure how you don't see this as him owing you something.

im not sure how you do see this as necessarily my thinking Moz owes me something.

yuve juste said yourself that, as far as yure concerned, Dylan could hav quit after Infidels. iwouldnt see that statement as you thinking Dylan owed you something better and therefore you stopped listening, but iwould potentially see it as a sad thing that a once great artist could become so irrelevant that a fan would juste as soon hav seen him quit then release another album after 1983.

Being an artist is not about pleasing your audience.

well, actually, part of being a pop artist is about pleasing your audiance, any way that you look at it. if Morrissey was making art solely to please himself, then he wouldnt be selling records adn touring. and if you were to say "well, he does have to make a living as well", well he isnt going to make much of a living without pleasing his audiance.

but iagree that, for an artist of Morrissey's calibur, it should not simply be about pleasing your audiance- it should be about creating something truly good, something worthy of being created. im sorry, but "All You Need Is Me" was not worth being created.

and at some point, if an artist finds himself no longer able to create things that are truly good, thoughts may turn to legacy and how he may want to be remembered; as a truly great artist or as a once truly great artist that lost it but carried on despite his fading artistic desire or abilities to serve a commercial/wealth and ego inflating end?

 

[chrisarclark]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

I don't understand how you think he doesn't possess humility? Because he's not entertaining specifically you anymore? There's something drastically wrong with this thought.

to use the word "humility" is a touch hyperbolic, ill admit- actually, iwas stopping short of using "shame" or "embarassment" in thinking Morrissey's realization of his diminished skills as comparable to the Emperor's realization of his nakedness.

and idont think it is just me specifically that realizes that Morrissey is not the artist he once was, though many are still in denial of this fact.

 

[the beast]

Re: If you could choose one release to be/have been Morrissey's last, what would it b

it belongs to that guy from the song

i know what it means, but you still could of covered yourself in glory by getting a decent bottle,