Nick Cave on Morrissey (Conversations with Nick Cave, May 3, 2018 in New York)

9 Things We Learned From Nick Cave's Open Forum Q&A by Kory Grow, RollingStone, May 4. 2018

Excerpt:

7. He became a Smiths fan late in life.

When a fan asked if he ever came around to any of the bands he'd written off in the Eighties, Cave named a few. The Cure and the Smiths," he said. "I just kept hearing songs [by the Smiths] and thinking, 'f***, that guy's a really good lyric writer. I thought I was the only one.'" The audience laughed. "So I'm glad I didn't know too much about the at the time because I think I would have given up, but [Morrissey] is a great, great writer. Strange man, but … a brave man."

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...learned-from-nick-caves-open-forum-qa-w519832
 
9 Things We Learned From Nick Cave's Open Forum Q&A by Kory Grow, RollingStone, May 4. 2018

Excerpt:

7. He became a Smiths fan late in life.

When a fan asked if he ever came around to any of the bands he'd written off in the Eighties, Cave named a few. The Cure and the Smiths," he said. "I just kept hearing songs [by the Smiths] and thinking, 'f***, that guy's a really good lyric writer. I thought I was the only one.'" The audience laughed. "So I'm glad I didn't know too much about the at the time because I think I would have given up, but [Morrissey] is a great, great writer. Strange man, but … a brave man."

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...learned-from-nick-caves-open-forum-qa-w519832

Well indeed. We are not talking about the Morrissey of today, but the Morrissey of yesteryear.
 
í used to loathe Nick Cave, or at least the idea of Nick Cave. But í think he's actually OK now {í'm sure he's weeping with relief}. Until he opens his mouth to sing. Then it's just Vic Reeves Club Singer all the way. Which í am guessing isn't the intent of the songs...

í would have been keen to hear somebody ask him exactly what he meant by "a brave man" ~ RS italicised the word in their article, so í'm assuming that Cave gave it a certain emphasis. That's an interesting take on Morrissey, í think. And one rarely heard by critics, and certainly fellow artists, then. And never now.

.
 
í used to loathe Nick Cave, or at least the idea of Nick Cave. But í think he's actually OK now {í'm sure he's weeping with relief}. Until he opens his mouth to sing. Then it's just Vic Reeves Club Singer all the way. Which í am guessing isn't the intent of the songs...

í would have been keen to hear somebody ask him exactly what he meant by "a brave man" ~ RS italicised the word in their article, so í'm assuming that Cave gave it a certain emphasis. That's an interesting take on Morrissey, í think. And one rarely heard by critics, and certainly fellow artists, then. And never now.

.
I get the feeling that it carried an "I'm not going to comment on him shooting his career in the leg, but damn." sort of inflection.

I'm also glad that he played a full show's worth of songs. I thought the Q&A was a pretty iffy move on his end, and wondered about the value for the audience.
 
Well indeed. We are not talking about the Morrissey of today, but the Morrissey of yesteryear.
"... but [Morrissey] is a great, great writer..."
 
"... but [Morrissey] is a great, great writer..."

I'm not sure that Morrissey in his prime would have been capable of such blunders as The List of the Lost, The Bullfighter Dies, pick your own indiscretions. I'd argue there has been a sharp downturn in Morrissey the writer in the last ten years. Of course it's all subjective but for me the humour and nuance cleared off and it's not a good thing.
 
I found List of the Lost intriguing. It held my attention. The prose was so dense it was like nothing I'd ever read before, sort of 'OCD Beatnik'. I love the fact that the plot is always just out of reach and the way Morrissey ignores all of the rules of fiction-writing, almost demonically-possessing his characters for brief periods to rant his views. It's a unique reading experience. If it fails as a novel, it succeeds as a new iteration of what a novel can be.
 
I found List of the Lost intriguing. It held my attention. The prose was so dense it was like nothing I'd ever read before, sort of 'OCD Beatnik'. I love the fact that the plot is always just out of reach and the way Morrissey ignores all of the rules of fiction-writing, almost demonically-possessing his characters for brief periods to rant his views. It's a unique reading experience. If it fails as a novel, it succeeds as a new iteration of what a novel can be.
Succeeds might not be the word. Maybe attempts to? Barrel-rolls bulbously into the bargain bins?
 
Succeeds might not be the word. Maybe attempts to? Barrel-rolls bulbously into the bargain bins?
I couldn't quite understand the derision aimed at 'bulbous salutation'. Most of the sneering centered around it being an unintentionally funny expression/scene, when it was clearly intentionally funny. I think most of the critics assumed Morrissey to be humourless (the Pope of Mope etc), hence incapable of being intentionally funny. Strange creatures, critics.
 
I couldn't quite understand the derision aimed at 'bulbous salutation'. Most of the sneering centered around it being an unintentionally funny expression/scene, when it was clearly intentionally funny. I think most of the critics assumed Morrissey to be humourless (the Pope of Mope etc), hence incapable of being intentionally funny. Strange creatures, critics.
Even if he was attempting to be funny, he viciously abused the English language to within an inch of its life. You know,
It's not what you say, but how you say it.
 
I found List of the Lost intriguing. It held my attention. The prose was so dense it was like nothing I'd ever read before, sort of 'OCD Beatnik'. I love the fact that the plot is always just out of reach and the way Morrissey ignores all of the rules of fiction-writing, almost demonically-possessing his characters for brief periods to rant his views. It's a unique reading experience. If it fails as a novel, it succeeds as a new iteration of what a novel can be.

I made it about 10 pages in and gave up. It's been collecting dust on the bookshelf ever since.
 
I'm not sure that Morrissey in his prime would have been capable of such blunders as The List of the Lost, The Bullfighter Dies, pick your own indiscretions. I'd argue there has been a sharp downturn in Morrissey the writer in the last ten years. Of course it's all subjective but for me the humour and nuance cleared off and it's not a good thing.

Because you invite us to pick our own indiscretions, instead of The Bullfighter Dies, I'll go with Kick the Bride Down the Aisle as a prime example of the worst-of-the-worst from 2014-present. At least Bullfighter has a catchy beat.
 
"Brave"??

BREAKING NEWS
Nick Cave mixes up Morrissey and Merida, causing worldwide concern.
 
That stuff about Johnny Cash was pretty deep. Never heard that. I'll tell you what, Johnny was givin' it everything he got for the music.
Nick is a good dude. He was real good to Shane McGowan on his last birthday.
It might of took Nick some time to come around on Moz, but that was some high praise he gave him.
 
I found List of the Lost intriguing. It held my attention. The prose was so dense it was like nothing I'd ever read before, sort of 'OCD Beatnik'. I love the fact that the plot is always just out of reach and the way Morrissey ignores all of the rules of fiction-writing, almost demonically-possessing his characters for brief periods to rant his views. It's a unique reading experience. If it fails as a novel, it succeeds as a new iteration of what a novel can be.
wow, that's a great description.
 
I found List of the Lost intriguing. It held my attention. The prose was so dense it was like nothing I'd ever read before, sort of 'OCD Beatnik'. I love the fact that the plot is always just out of reach and the way Morrissey ignores all of the rules of fiction-writing, almost demonically-possessing his characters for brief periods to rant his views. It's a unique reading experience. If it fails as a novel, it succeeds as a new iteration of what a novel can be.

^^^^THIS^^^^
I agree totally with you and just as you I was surprised about the mostly very negative reception by many with no eye for the completely original “new” try on fiction. The exaggerated, over the top sarcastic text and meandering sentences creates a weird atmosphere, strictly unique. And very pleasing to read. Pure Morrissey-esque.

And besides that it was very funny and it seems some people don’t want it to be. Because hey, literature is supposed to be very holy and serious.

It was an authentic and daring, little novella, very compact and dense and a completely original one.

I hope he is inspired enough to write another book.
:thumb:
 
I'm not sure that Morrissey in his prime would have been capable of such blunders as The List of the Lost, The Bullfighter Dies, pick your own indiscretions. I'd argue there has been a sharp downturn in Morrissey the writer in the last ten years. Of course it's all subjective but for me the humour and nuance cleared off and it's not a good thing.

Nothing wrong with "Bullfighter". Jaunty little toon. Far worse offenders out there - All the Lazy Dykes, Who will Protect us from the Police, At Last I am Born etc.
 
^^^^THIS^^^^
I agree totally with you and just as you I was surprised about the mostly very negative reception by many with no eye for the completely original “new” try on fiction. The exaggerated, over the top sarcastic text and meandering sentences creates a weird atmosphere, strictly unique. And very pleasing to read. Pure Morrissey-esque.

And besides that it was very funny and it seems some people don’t want it to be. Because hey, literature is supposed to be very holy and serious.

It was an authentic and daring, little novella, very compact and dense and a completely original one.

I hope he is inspired enough to write another book.
:thumb:
I feel certain it will be re-evaluated, years from now, and achieve cult status.
 

Trending Threads

Back
Top Bottom