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Universal City, CA (Mar. 3, 2000)

SOMETHING IS TROUBLING - SO READ THIS

Posted By: CARY <[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, Mar. 1 2000, at 5:44 p.m.

Before everyone fries me in hot oil. please listen.

I am 28.
I used to live in England (Manchester) with my grandparents.
I have always loved the Smiths and fancy them as my favorite all-time band.
I collect as much Smiths/Morrissey stuff I can get my hands on - boots records, singles, videos, stickers, t-shirts, etc...
I have been to sooo many Moz shows it is not even funny anymore. (including everything from Kill Uncle to Your Arenal to Coachella to his Valentine's day show in Akron!)

Now I feel I can rightly make some statements and observations.

No one really is very critical of the newer material.
On one hand you have die-hards who actually think a bit. on the other, you have newer fans who really honestly like his new stuff as much as whatever...

I've been noticing the setlists this tour and apart from a minor changes it has been the same thing. This is NOT a bad thing. I do like most of the stuff, but if anyone can tell me that ALMA CRAP is anywhere in the same ballpark as something like Half A Person or even Everday Is Like Sunday, please, let me know. The fact that he chooses to play some stuff tells me he's either aware of the new fans on board or (more likely) wants the new stuff to work like the old.
when I say new stuff I mean Boxers, Maladjusted, Southpaw, etc..

It comes down to me being a HUGE fan of Moz, so I will be rather lean on his newer material, and lack of variety on tour.

but how many others will be?

I drove up to Akron a few weeks ago and ran in to Alain at a resturant and spoke to him for a while. "he's out on tour for the fans, and he wants to play some places he's never been before, like Akron Ohio, and to shop himself to prospective labels" (this came out of Alain's mouth in-between bites of pasta) "Morrissey hasn't been satisfied with a record since Vauxhall and I." ( I agree with that totally ) Alain was a very pleasant fellow.

I've read alot about the English audience and how they don't ring in like they used to - well Moz doesn't write them like he used to either. The music seen in England has always been a bit fickle, but, they do know problems when they hear it. (I'm not including obvious contrived crap on top 40 radio) This is not all his fault, HE NEEDS A NEW SUPPORTING CAST AROUND HIM. New band - YES, new producer - DEFINITElY, he has hit a creative rut musically, no one can deny that. But before you slam me, a Moz rut is far better than most other things we as music fans can be subject to. I think most of the lyrical content (though I 've never seen a keener window cleaner is a load of crap) is fine, but the music is the same BLAND @#!!!e since Vauxhall. I like Alain's playing but he has a habit of writing very slick, un-inspired, background notes for a great singer. Alain expessed his dislike of the British music press and how he is constantly compared to you-know-who, but face it, it comes with the gig. If he isn't writing things as interesting as How Soon Is Now or even Interesting Drug (tell me a song he's done with drums and guitar like that) he needs to know that he might be a one trick Tony the Pony.

If nothing changes all will be fine, I will still follow him, still buy the records, still go to the shows, but I will be in an ever-shrinking minority.

But that is one thing I was attracted to in the first place.

thanks for reading,
CARY


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