What is your problem with Felton, Jacobson etc ?Great album. Felton is an arse. As is Latta and Cooke. Anything to have their egos massages.
Oh interesting, thanks. Hadn't heard that before. Is it in Mozipedia (which I've yet to read)?Apparently there were more Nevin songs written for Your Arsenal, when he was devastated to find out that only two of his songs made the cut. He thought he was still the main collaborator, when Morreissey in his time-favoured fashion forgot to mention to him that he had been given the boot.
Good post. I'd forgotten that Nevin wrote The Loop, too, which is a brilliant song. Was great to hear it live again a few years ago. So much energy. Agree completely about the 'pub guitar band by numbers' problems of the 1992-2009 years although, of course, there were a few great songs along the way. The only Nevin co-writes I don't really like are Harsh Truth and Pregnant.I’ll always be a fan & defender of Kill Uncle, no matter what Moz & the rest of the world say. I actually wish Morrissey had done more albums with this team of Nevin as co-songwriter & Langer/Winstanley producing; they were just finding their feet as a working unit...as evidenced by the cracking singles & b-sides that followed. Pregnant for the Last Time, I’ve Changed My Plea to Guilty, My Love Life, & The Loop would’ve made Kill Uncle a much better album...or been the beginnings of an excellent follow up album along with I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday, & You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side.
For me, the production & variety in the musicianship & instruments used, is a real breath of fresh air & I think Moz could’ve carved out a much more unique career if he’d have explored this kind of avenue further, rather than going down the pub-guitar-band-by-numbers route followed with ‘the lads’ for much of his career.
Of course, there was plenty of great material to come, but the mostly unimaginative two guitars, bass & drums template they followed for years was mostly wholly unimaginative. In fact, it’s only the past few albums where he has started to really expand on his musical palette - mostly thanks to Gustavo, it seems - & it makes me wish he’d allowed other instruments & musical influences into his orbit a lot more over the preceding decades.
But anyway, Kill Uncle will always be a beloved Morrissey record to me. Driving Your Girlfriend Home, King Leer, & There’s A Place In Hell For Me & My Friends are my personal favourites. Our Frank & Sing Your Life were fine singles. Mute Witness & Asian Rut are quintessential Moz songs (absolutely nobody else would or could have written them) with brilliantly original musical arrangements.
The Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye, (I’m) The End of the Family Line aren’t quite as good, but are still interesting & wholly Morrissey. For me, the only track I ever found to be a lumpen piece of power chord stodge, was Found, Found, Found; if these had been swapped for Pregnant, Guilty, & The Loop, I would be ranking Kill Uncle as one of the finest albums in Moz’s solo catalogue. It certainly would’ve been much better than the reshuffled version of the album that added East, West, the awful Pashernate Love, & replaced Hell with the pointless rockabilly band version.
Yup. I don't have the copy right here, but it does state that Nevin found out the tracklisting only after been given the advance cassette. He phoned Morrissey right away -- and he actually answered the call which was rare -- but when Nevin asked about the state of things, he was just all awkward. Well, that teaches him to answer the phone. Apparently the compositions ended up on the next Kirsty MacCall album.Oh interesting, thanks. Hadn't heard that before. Is it in Mozipedia (which I've yet to read)?
Good post. I'd forgotten that Nevin wrote The Loop, too, which is a brilliant song. Was great to hear it live again a few years ago. So much energy. Agree completely about the 'pub guitar band by numbers' problems of the 1992-2009 years although, of course, there were a few great songs along the way. The only Nevin co-writes I don't really like are Harsh Truth and Pregnant.
Four or five of the Mark E Nevin songs that followed this album would be better than anything here, particularly I've Changed My Plea, I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday and You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side, although Mick Ronson played quite a part in 2 of those.
Yup. I don't have the copy right here, but it does state that Nevin found out the tracklisting only after been given the advance cassette. He phoned Morrissey right away -- and he actually answered the call which was rare -- but when Nevin asked about the state of things, he was just all awkward. Well, that teaches him to answer the phone. Apparently the compositions ended up on the next Kirsty MacCall album.
Kill Uncle the proper reissue:Good post. I'd forgotten that Nevin wrote The Loop, too, which is a brilliant song. Was great to hear it live again a few years ago. So much energy. Agree completely about the 'pub guitar band by numbers' problems of the 1992-2009 years although, of course, there were a few great songs along the way. The only Nevin co-writes I don't really like are Harsh Truth and Pregnant.
100% this. The 3rd chapter of Morrissey Solo is a mess. The second Chapter (Quarry/ Ringleader/ Years) was pretty solid - Especially the first two. The 3rd chapter (World/ Low/ Son/ Dog) is a mess. Is there a decent album in there at all? Are the best 10 songs any good? I can think of 5 or so.It’s a good album, not great...I would take this album over any of the last 3-4 moz solo albums. I think the mix made the album not appealing overall.
If I remember correctly, there was also some kind contractual obligation that prevented Nevin from touring KU. He had to tour something else, because even though Fairground Attraction was defunct, he still owed the record company something, and the company said he couldn't tour with Morrissey. That of course distanced Nevin and Morrissey from each other.I think Morrissey might have continued working with Nevin and even used more of his compositions for Arsenal if Nevin joined the band and did the KUncle tour. Morrissey was really set on having a band again, and Nevin I think decided to stay a family man.
After all that, I wonder if it was through Morrissey even indirectly
that Nevin got the opportunity to work with Macoll.
It's all down to taste, but I can compile a very strong album and a decent album from those four including deluxe editions. Or then two equally strong albums. I'm not sure I would take anything from California Son though. I just don't find it interesting at all, although some of the songs could have been strong b-sides.100% this. The 3rd chapter of Morrissey Solo is a mess. The second Chapter (Quarry/ Ringleader/ Years) was pretty solid - Especially the first two. The 3rd chapter (World/ Low/ Son/ Dog) is a mess. Is there a decent album in there at all? Are the best 10 songs any good? I can think of 5 or so.
If I remember correctly, there was also some kind contractual obligation that prevented Nevin from touring KU. He had to tour something else, because even though Fairground Attraction was defunct, he still owed the record company something, and the company said he couldn't tour with Morrissey. That of course distanced Nevin and Morrissey from each other.
If I remember correctly, there was also some kind contractual obligation that prevented Nevin from touring KU. He had to tour something else, because even though Fairground Attraction was defunct, he still owed the record company something, and the company said he couldn't tour with Morrissey. That of course distanced Nevin and Morrissey from each other.
Fairground Attraction required 1 last album.If I remember correctly, Nevin was playing with another, small-time band & had some dates booked to play with them. These dates clashed with the dates Morrissey’s tour began & Nevin decided he couldn’t let his band down.
Bit of a mistake, I’d say, but I do admire his loyalty.