the name is Coan wrote:Some Smiths' songs were miserable. That's the truth. I don't know why some people have a hard time with that.
Blinkers! Blinkers! Blinkers! Blinkers! Blinkers! Blinkers!
Oscar wrote:I can agree that Morrissey does have a voice that conveys the feeling of misery, anguish and suffering but come on, let's put him in a line with Scott Walker, Neil Young, Frank Sinatra, Ian Curtis, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Leonard Cohen, Michael Stipe .... etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc
This statement seems to have been conveniently neglected. How miserable is Scott Walker? More so than Morrissey I would say. But it never seems to be a regular topic of discussion. It's never the first thing you expect to hear when you mention his name. "God, that scott walker blokes a miserable cunt isn't he?". Same goes for the rest of the artists I mentioned (and I can add to that if need be - particularly that whining dylan bloke). When I hear Frank Sinatra sing "Autumn Leaves" it breaks my fucking heart. Here's a man who doesn't fear to wear his emotions on his sleeve. A man's man who can convey heartbreak and misery like no other (well, maybe johnny ray ... and tim buckley .... ). Listen to the albums "Where Are You", "Close To You" or "Point Of No Return". They're all full of anguish and sadness but I've never known anyone walk away from them, shaking their heads and uttering "Miserable fucker!". Same with Neil Young. People will revere "Down By The River", which is a world of misery in itself sang with such a miserable whine, and then criticise Morrissey for being miserable.
So I would say that we celebrate misery in song and in doing so we are able to understand and experience it from the safety of our armchairs. So why does this make some people angry? Particularly when Morrissey is involved? This is why fans get so defensive. Because it seems to be more about Morrissey as a person than Morrissey as a performer.
Anyway, kids to school and all that.
Later maybe!