W♥M

More Morrissey: Blitz Vega and The More You Ignore Me

Read More The Smiths I was excited to see that This Day Is Music is publishing The Smiths - The Day I Was There, a new book on the Manchester band. This book is more or less a collection of memories from various fans, compiled and edited by Richard Houghton. …

Blitz Vega
twitter.com/blitzvegamusic

I know I’m late to the party, but I just got around to hearing Blitz Vega’s “Strong Forever”, the November 2022 single from FutureSonic Records/CEN/The Orchard.

What is incredibly important about this single is that it features a team-up of Andy Rourke and Johnny Marr, a long time The Smiths reunion of some sort… a meeting that only took 35 years in the making. We all know that Morrissey has never forgiven the other band members (and in fact had an online spat with Marr a few years ago), so seeing Rourke and Marr together is good enough for me!

Andy explains: “We approached a few people to guest on the track and I asked Johnny, who very kindly recorded some guitars and sent them over. Johnny and I have remained friends, we’ve known each other since we were 13 years old. He’s my oldest and dearest friend and I feel our friendship gets stronger as time passes."

Hearing the song, it’s pretty good! Kind of powerful, but familiar and dance-able. I feel like this is a song you want to hear before a big battle or an intense workout. It’s very catchy.

Kav Blaggers from The Happy Mondays and Andy Rourke wrote the “Strong Forever” as a campaign song against discrimination in soccer.

You can purchase the single or preview it on Amazon.

Read More Morrissey As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music .…

The More You Ignore Me (2018)
twitter.com/TMYIMFilm

When I first saw the title The More You Ignore Me, I simply thought it was Morrissey-related, as he had a big hit with that song, “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get”. Personally speaking, I don’t really love the song, but it’s popular song. Even Bill Nye the Science Guy parodied the song with Momentisey’s “The Faster You Push Me, the Further I Get” from Not That Bad Records.

Anyway, so, indeed, the film The More You Ignore Me, is a story about love, family, and 1980s rural England. The film starts with a mental mother and her daughter Alice. One day, she discovered The Smiths on television, playing “This Charming Man”, and instantly fell in love with Morrissey and his music.

I don’t really love drama, and probably wouldn’t have watched it if it wasn’t available for free via TenaaTV.

So if you’re into Morrissey and English humor (which is not funny to some people), check it out.

Description:

The More You Ignore Me is both a poignant and darkly funny coming-of-age story of dysfunctional family life in 1980 s rural England: Gina (Sheridan Smith) whose efforts to be a loving mother and wife are undermined by her declining mental health and her growing obsession with the local weatherman and Alice (Ella Hunt) her daughter, who struggles to relate to her mum. Written by, and starring, Jo Brand based on her critically acclaimed novel of the same name using all the insight gained during her years as a psychiatric health worker, The More You Ignore Me is set to the songs of The Smiths and also stars Mark Addy, Sally Phillips, Sheila Hancock, Tom Davis and Ricky Tomlinson and is directed by Keith English.

Read more Movies and Television.

The More You Ignore Me (2018)

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Morrissey: Washington, DC is now cancelled

11/28 The Anthem, Washington, DC (cancelled) Read More Morrissey As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music .…

It’s not looking good for the Morrissey 2022 Tour. Band illness extended to Washington DC… this is right after the Minneapolis and Milwaukee shows were postponed.

I thought the worst was over… but at this rate, it’s starting to look like the rest of the tour might be cancelled. Four more dates left on the tour.

Here is the official statement:

Regretfully, we announce the cancellation of tomorrow’s show in D.C

This is due to an extended recovery period. We appreciate the love and loyalty shown during this unfortunate time.

Refunds are available at point of purchase, the next show in Brooklyn will go ahead as scheduled.

Morrissey 2022 Tour.

Nov 11 Ontario, CA - Toyota Arena
Nov 12 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre (abbreviated)
Nov 14 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 15 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 18 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
Nov 19 San Francisco, CA - Castro Theatre
Nov 22 Salt Lake City, UT - The Union (canceled)
Nov 23 Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre (canceled)
Nov 25 Minneapolis, MN - Fillmore Minneapolis (postponed)
Nov 26 Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theater (postponed)
Nov 28 Washington, DC - The Anthem (canceled)
Nov 30 Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
Dec 1 Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Dec 3 Philadelphia, PA - The Met Philadelphia
Dec 4 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway

Read more Every date that Morrissey has ever canceled.

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Morrissey: Minnesota & Milwaukee, we're extremely sorry to announce the postponement of shows this coming weekend due to ongoing illness

11/25 Fillmore, Minneapolis (Postponed) 11/26 Riverside Theater, Milwaukee (postponed) Read More Morrissey As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music .…

Happy Thankskilling!

Morrissey says No to Thankskilling

I may have spoken too soon, shortly after hearing Morrissey canceling Salt Lake City and Denver, I thought for sure that Minneapolis was safe. As it turns out, Minneapolis and Milwaukee are now postponed. Just a reminder that Moz rescheduled Minneapolis three times in 2012/2013.

With band illness continuing, it affected Minneapolis and Milwaukee… so in total four dates are affected, with one abbreviated date earlier at the Greek Theatre.

There are five more dates to go in this 2022. Based on previous tours, I think the rest of the tour should go without any issues, if they recover by November 27.

Here is the official statement:

To all the fans in Minnesota & Milwaukee, we're extremely sorry to announce the postponement of shows this coming weekend due to ongoing illness. We're so grateful for your understanding at this challenging time where we need to prioritise band health. Please hold on to your tickets, we are working our hardest to reschedule these dates for next year.

In the meantime, we look forward to resuming the tour in Washington D.C on Monday 28th November.

Morrissey 2022 Tour.

Nov 11 Ontario, CA - Toyota Arena
Nov 12 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre (abbreviated)
Nov 14 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 15 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 18 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
Nov 19 San Francisco, CA - Castro Theatre
Nov 22 Salt Lake City, UT - The Union (canceled)
Nov 23 Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre (canceled)
Nov 25 Minneapolis, MN - Fillmore Minneapolis (postponed)
Nov 26 Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theater (postponed)
Nov 28 Washington, DC - The Anthem
Nov 30 Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
Dec 1 Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Dec 3 Philadelphia, PA - The Met Philadelphia
Dec 4 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway

Read more Every date that Morrissey has ever canceled.

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Morrissey cancels Salt Lake City & Denver (11/22 and11/23) due to band illness

11/22 The Union, Salt Lake City (Cancelled) Read More Morrissey As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music .…

I know it’s depressing, but I was betting that Morrissey would cancel the Minneapolis show, considering that he canceled or rescheduled Minneapolis three times in 2012 to 2013.

11/23 Paramount Theatre, Denver (Cancelled)

The ‘still ill’ explanation was given for last minute cancellation of tonight’s show in Salt Lake City and tomorrow’s Denver shows. It looks like Minneapolis may be safe (for now).

Here is the official statement:

Due to band illness, we are devastated to announce we cannot proceed with tonight’s show in Salt Lake City and tomorrow’s show in Denver.

Thank you to the fans for the ongoing love and support while we take a moment to restore and recover.

All being well, M and the band will be back on stage in Minneapolis on Friday night.

Show refunds are available at your point of purchase

Morrissey 2022 Tour.

Nov 11 Ontario, CA - Toyota Arena
Nov 12 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre (Abbreviated)
Nov 14 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 15 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 18 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
Nov 19 San Francisco, CA - Castro Theatre
Nov 22 Salt Lake City, UT - The Union
Nov 23 Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
Nov 25 Minneapolis, MN - Fillmore Minneapolis
Nov 26 Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theater
Nov 28 Washington, DC - The Anthem
Nov 30 Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
Dec 1 Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Dec 3 Philadelphia, PA - The Met Philadelphia
Dec 4 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway

Read more Every date that Morrissey has ever cancelled.

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Morrissey cancels Los Angeles show 30 minutes in

Read More Morrissey As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music .…

Thanks to Dolly for mentioning that Morrissey’s show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, on November 12th, ended abruptly. She mentioned that it was “too cold outside”, but other fans debate that Morrissey was struggling and losing his voice.

Morrissey said on stage, “As I think you know, it’s extremely cold. Can you tell? I can. However, we will steam on. Where to? God knows.”

It’s also possible that, according to LA Times, that Capitol Records delayed his new album, Bonfire of Teenagers… and the bad news may have played a role in Morrissey walking off the stage and not coming back.

Setlist:

1. We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful
2. Our Frank
3. First Of The Gang To Die
4. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
5. Billy Budd
6. Sure Enough, The Telephone Rings
7. Jim Jim Falls
8. Rebels Without Applause
9. Girlfriend In A Coma
   
   *Show ends due to unforeseen circumstances*

Morrissey 2022 tour dates:

Nov 11 Ontario, CA - Toyota Arena
Nov 12 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre (Abbreviated)
Nov 14 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 15 El Cajon, CA - The Magnolia
Nov 18 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
Nov 19 San Francisco, CA - Castro Theatre
Nov 22 Salt Lake City, UT - The Union
Nov 23 Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
Nov 25 Minneapolis, MN - Fillmore Minneapolis
Nov 26 Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theater
Nov 28 Washington, DC - The Anthem
Nov 30 Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
Dec 1 Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Dec 3 Philadelphia, PA - The Met Philadelphia
Dec 4 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway

Update 11/22/2022: "Due to band illness, we are devastated to announce we cannot proceed with tonight’s show in Salt Lake City and tomorrow’s show in Denver."

Read more Every date that Morrissey has ever cancelled.

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More Morrissey: Mozquito Coast and ASappy

Read More The Smiths I was excited to see that This Day Is Music is publishing The Smiths - The Day I Was There, a new book on the Manchester band. This book is more or less a collection of memories from various fans, compiled and edited by Richard Houghton. … Morrissey As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music .…

We recently talked about how cool it was to see that Morrissey and The Smiths were suddenly in the news (being on The Simpsons and the topic of Shoplifters of the World) a few weeks ago. Here are a few other Morrissey/Smiths items in the news:



MOSQUITO COAST
apple.com

I’ve been enjoying the new American drama series called The Mosquito Coast on Apple TV+. The television series was developed by Neil Cross and Tom Bissell and based on the 1981 novel by Paul Theroux. The same novel was also made into a motion picture (of the same name) in 1986, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.

I haven’t seen the movie, but based on the six episodes that already aired (the finale will air on June 5), I’m really contemplating on checking out the film.

The story is about an American family living off the grid for nine years. They’re discovered by the government and the family soon went on the run. Their journey leads them to The Mosquito Coast, in Mexico.

What I like about the story is that it’s very smart and written in a way that you’re not quite sure how the family will get out of one troubled situation after another. It’s almost on the Breaking Bad level, because you know the main character is really intelligent and without resorting to violence… can out think his way out of the trap.

As for the Smiths appearance, in the second episode, “foxes and coyotes”, the family sought help with a coyote to take them across the border to Mexico. While their father, Allie Fox, removes a police ankle bracelet, their daughter, Dina, goes through the coyotes’ record collection to discover a copy of The Smiths’ classic The Queen Is Dead album. The timeline doesn’t make sense, since the book was written in 1981, and this album came out in 1986. Clearly an invention for the television show.

Anyway, the owner of the records, Chuy, said he much prefers Morrissey’s solo music, and puts on “The First of the Gang to Die” and started dancing with their mother, Margot.

The Mosquito Coast, Episode 2: “foxes and coyotes” (30 April 2021)

A$AP ROCKY
asapmob.com

In the recent GQ interview with A$AP Rocky, he dropped the news that his latest collaboration is with Morrissey! The rapper is a fan and previously mentioned in 2018 on Open Late, that he “f*** with Morrissey on some Smiths sh**. Make some emo, real, retro-infusion, motherf**in’ 2018 shit, man.”

With that, in GQ, A$AP said his album is called All Smiles and will feature the Pope of Mope: “Anything you need him to do, he show up and do.”

Apparently, the new album will be a slight departure from what you normally think of when you think of A$AP. He noted, “It's all about the evolution. If I’m still doing the same sh** with the same sounds and the same bars and the same visuals from years ago, what's the point? You got that catalog. You can go revisit that.”

Say what you will, but based on that, thought, I’m interested in hearing the new All Smiles record.

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Morrissey, an unhappy birthday

Read More The Simpsons This is a lovely medley of "A Fish Called Selma". Basically in this episode they decided to make Planet of the Apes into a musical. The most hilarious song is "Dr Zaius", which is basically a rip-off of Falco's Rock Me Amadeus. .... Morrissey As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music .…

Today (May 22) is Morrissey’s birthday.

It’s so weird that in 2021, we’re seeing Morrissey and The Smiths in current media. For the diehard fans, it’s simply amazing…



THE SIMPSONS
fox.com

The long-running The Simpsons animated series aired an episode parodying Morrissey and The Smiths in an episode called “Panic on the Streets of Springfield”, which aired on April 18, 2021.

In the episode, Lisa Simpsons discovered Quilloughby (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) and The Snuffs through Slapify (parody of Spotify). She instantly fell in love with the morbid music and becomes obsessed.

After an accidental meat-eating mushroom burger incident at school, Lisa started to see Quilloughby as an imaginary friend. After some concerns over her “pre-pre-teen rebellion”, Marge canceled the Slapify music subscription. Lisa runs away to see The Snuffs reunion show at the Bummershoot music festival.

When Lisa finally see the real Quilloughby on stage for the first time in over 30 years, she realized that Quilloughby is now an overweight meat-eating racist.

I thought the first part of the show was good… but the ending was just really mean-spirited. Calling Morrissey money-loving, racist, fat, and meat-eating, is simply just not right. There are some tiny small truths in that attack (sure Moz said some bigoted things or he’s gotten chubbier or he likes money).. But if you know Morrissey, you know those things are not 100% true. The worst part is calling Morrissey a meat-eater, that’s just a lie. And to suggest that he would reunite with The Smiths for money - Morrissey wouldn’t do that out of principle. There is also the fact that the “lawnmower parts” (Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce) sued Moz and he will never work with them ever again…

The one good thing that came out of this is that Fox officially released the parody song “Everyone Is Horrid Except Me (And Possibly You)”, co-written by Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie on May 11, 2021. The “full” song is only slightly longer than what was televised, but it’s fun to see hear the parody - especially that it does sound something that Morrissey would write.

The Simpsons, Season 32, Episode 19 (18 Apr 2021)

Read More The Smiths I was excited to see that This Day Is Music is publishing The Smiths - The Day I Was There, a new book on the Manchester band. This book is more or less a collection of memories from various fans, compiled and edited by Richard Houghton. …

SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD
shopliftersoftheworld.com

The American film Shoplifters of the World is director Stephen Kijak’s love-letter to Morrissey and The Smiths. It’s clear, based on all the attention to details that Kijak is a massive fan. The film came out March 26, 2021, via RLJE Films.

The story is based on an urban legend about a Smiths fan who held up a DJ at gunpoint and demanded that he play nothing but The Smiths all night. That’s pretty much is the whole movie.

While I love hearing the music, seeing the old vintage posters and album artwork… this was not a good film. I love The Smiths, but I just have to be honest: if you are not a Smiths fan, avoid this movie.

My biggest complaint is that I really didn’t care about any of the four major characters. You never really learn why each character loves the Smiths and why they are a fan. They simply are just friends and they are just fans, and that’s as much as you need to know. If you were truly a Smiths/Morrissey fan, you know that it’s hard to meet another like-minded person - especially in those pre-internet days. Maybe it’s just me, but when I first heard of The Smiths, I didn’t know anyone that had their records. I started buying their albums and eventually had to search/seek out other fans through fanzines and letters. You simply didn’t go to school and your classmates all listened to the Smiths…. Again, that may be someone’s story, but not mine.

My other complaint is that song lyrics are cringey when spoken in dramatic dialogue. It just sounds stupid when you hear it, and as a Smiths fan, you recognize the line as taken from a song. I know the movie is winking at the fans, but God, it is embarrassing.

My last issue with the film is that they made the fan who held up the radio station as if he was a hero. I don’t think it’s right to force someone to listen to music they don’t like. Imagine if someone forces you to listen to (insert hated band/music here) - you’ll hate the music even more, right? Especially if you’re a heavy metal listener… to suddenly hear The Smiths, you’ll turn off the radio right away! You’re never going to convert non-fans, so the idea is just dumb.

I know I’m really harsh on the film, but it’s just my opinion… I’m certain most fans will love the film. I don’t think the film was made for non-fans, so if you don’t understand The Smiths, you won’t “get” this movie. You can see this reflection on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics hated the film, while the fans gave it a glowing review.

The best part about the film? The soundtrack. I love hearing the songs… but at the end of the day, isn’t it just the same as putting on Louder Than Bombs or The Queen is Dead and singing along?

PS, Louder Than Bombs is one of the best Smiths compilation … and it’s awesome that it was originally an American release.

PPS, I also got a laugh when I saw someone in the film reading a James Dean is Not Dead book. Morrissey wrote that book and have plead to fans to not buy that book, as he gets no royalties from any sales from the numerous reissues and reprints. I personally own a copy, as well as his New York Dolls book.

Shoplifters of the World (2021)

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R.I.P. Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls

Read More New York Dolls Sylvain Sylvain, the punk icon and guitarist for New York Dolls whose riffs bridged the gap between punk and glam, died Wednesday. He was 69. His wife, Wanda O’Kelley Mizrahi, confirmed the musician’s death to Rolling Stone. …

It’s 2021, and as usual, there are already a ton of Musicians deaths. I will be compiling them when I have time here.

While there are a lot of famous and known deaths, the one that I’m most familiar with is for Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls on January 13, 2021.

To be fair, I’ve only heard of the New York Dolls because they were Morrissey’s favorite band. He covered their song, “Trash” in an early 90s tour, and was very outspoken about what a great band they were. In fact, Morrissey wrote a few books before he joined The Smiths, one of which is the New York Dolls book. I bought a re-issue of the book a few years ago, obsessed with everything Morrissey.

I found a rare New York Dolls live album in Japan, and quickly realized that the band’s music was not really my cup of tea. I’ve never understood what Morrissey saw in the ‘Dolls, I just knew he was very in love with the band. Perhaps it’s the theatrics of their appearance… perhaps it’s that whole glam thing.

If you remember, in 2004, when Morrissey was curating the Meltdown music festival in London, he personally asked the ‘Dolls to reform. Of course, the three original members, including Sylvain, agreed. The result was a positive one, giving the band new life, as they released new music and played alongside Mötley Crüe and Poison in the 2011 Glam-A-Geddon tour.

January (42)

[16 Jan 2021] Pave Maijanen (Finnish musician for Hurriganes), 70, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Musician Pave Maijanen is dead. The matter was confirmed to Iltalehti from Maijanen's close circle. At the time of his death, he was 70 years old. Maijanen's first symptoms of ALS in the fall of 2018. ... via iltalehti.fi

[16 Jan 2021] Muammer Sun (Turkish composer), 88, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome Mumammer Sun, a master composer and instructor who has been struggling with multiple organ failure for a long time, died in the hospital where he was taken. ... via hurriyet.com.tr

[15 Jan 2021] Lệ Thu (Vietnamese-American singer), 77, COVID-19 Le Thu, the "golden voice" of Vietnamese new musician, died at the age of 78 after nearly two months of treatment with Covid-19 at Orange Coast Memorial Hospital, California. ... via vnexpress.net

[14 Jan 2021] Antún Castro (Colombian musician and actor), 74 At dawn today the composer, educator and actor Antún Efrén Castro Urrutia, author of the renowned songs Por qué me lo das y Maquerule, died in Bogotá. Antún was born in Riosucio in 1946, he studied part of the baccalaureate at the Carrasquilla School and finished in Bogotá. There, at the Free University, he studied Philology and Languages, specializing in English. ... via choco7dias.com

[14 Jan 2021] Duranice Pace (American gospel singer for The Anointed Pace Sisters), 62 Evangelist Duranice Pace, a member of family gospel group, The Anointed Pace Sisters, passed away from health complications on January 14, 2021. She was 62 years old. ... via essence.com

[14 Jan 2021] Joanne Rogers (American pianist and puppeteer), 92, heart disease Joanne Rogers, an accomplished concert pianist and wife of iconic kids TV host Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers) who provided an invaluable assist to the filmmakers behind the 2019 feature A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, died Thursday. She was 92. ... via hollywoodreporter.com

[14 Jan 2021] Larry Willoughby (American country singer-songwriter and music executive), 73, COVID-19 Larry Willoughby, the A&R executive who helped the now-superstar get his deal with Capitol Records, died on Thursday (Jan. 14) of COVID-19, Bryan reports. ... via tasteofcountry.com

[13 Jan 2021] Tim Bogert (American rock bassist for Bogert & Appice), 76, cancer Tim Bogert, who was part of such major acts as Vanilla Fudge and Cactus and later in the super-group Beck, Bogert & Appice, died today of cancer. He was 76. His death was confirmed by his former bandmate Carmine Appice. ... via deadline.com

[13 Jan 2021] Duke Bootee (American rapper and songwriter), 69, heart failure Duke Bootee, the pioneering rapper who co-wrote and appeared on Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s classic “The Message” — Number One on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time — died Wednesday at the age of 69. ... via rollingstone.com

[13 Jan 2021] Sylvain Sylvain (American guitarist for New York Dolls), 69, cancer Sylvain Sylvain, the punk icon and guitarist for New York Dolls whose riffs bridged the gap between punk and glam, died Wednesday. He was 69. His wife, Wanda O’Kelley Mizrahi, confirmed the musician’s death to Rolling Stone. ... via rollingstone.com

[12 Jan 2021] Shingoose (Canadian folk musician), 74, COVID-19 Longtime folk musician and activist Curtis (Shingoose) Jonnie died Tuesday morning at the age of 74 after testing positive for COVID-19, his daughter says. ... via cbc.ca

[11 Jan 2021] Howard Johnson (American jazz musician), 79 Howard Johnson, arguably the best-known tuba player in contemporary jazz for the past several decades, died this morning, January 11, following a long, unspecified illness. His death, at age 79, was confirmed on Facebook by Nancy Olewine, who described herself as Johnson’s “beloved partner of many years.” A location was not noted. ... via udiscovermusic.com

[11 Jan 2021] Mark Keds (English punk singer for Senseless Things), 50 Senseless Things singer Mark Keds has died at the age of 50. He was best known as the frontman of the 90s pop punk band and for co-writing The Libertines' 2004 hit Can't Stand Me Now. ... via mirror.co.uk

[11 Jan 2021] Rada Lysenko (Рада Лисенко) (Ukrainian pianist and pedagogue for People's Artist of Ukraine), 99 Ariadna (Rada) Ostapivna Lysenko was born on July 10, 1921, in the town of Khorol, now Poltava. reg. - pianist, teacher. Daughter of Ostap, granddaughter of Mykola Lysenko, wife of A. Shtogarenko. 1st prize of the All-Ukrainian competition of musicians-performers (Kyiv, 1945). ... via kyiv.ua

[10 Jan 2021] Thorleif Torstensson (Swedish singer for Thorleifs), 71, COVID-19 Thorleif's singer Thorleif Torstensson has passed away in the suites of covid-19. The dance band icon died surrounded by his family after being cared for in hospital for a week. ... via expressen.se

[10 Jan 2021] David Stypka (Czech singer-songwriter and guitarist), 41, COVID-19 Singer, guitarist and lyricist David Stypka, winner of the Anděl Music Award in the Solo Artist of the Year 2017 category, died today. He was 41 years old. ... via ceskenoviny.cz

[08 Jan 2021] Ed Bruce (American singer-songwriter and actor), 81 Ed Bruce, the singer and songwriter who got his start during the Sun Records rockabilly era and went on to write or record a long string of country chart-makers, died of natural causes today in Clarksville, Tennessee. Bruce, who sidelined as an actor on such TV series as James Garner’s 1981 Maverick sequel and 1980’s The Chisholms, was 81. ... via deadline.com

[08 Jan 2021] David Darling (American cellist and composer), 79 It is with great sadness that we share the news of David Darling’s passing. David leaves us with a rich legacy through his music, his teaching and his spirit. He touched all of us deeply and impacted the lives of so many around the world, inspiring us to find and express the creative spark within. ... via daviddarling.com

[08 Jan 2021] Michael Fonfara (Canadian keyboardist for The Electric Flag), 74, cancer Internationally renowned Canadian keyboard player Michael Fonfara died in a Toronto hospital on Friday. He was 74. The sad news came in an emailed statement from publicist Eric Alper, who said Fonfara had been battling cancer for two years. ... via thepeterboroughexaminer.com

[08 Jan 2021] Antonín Linhart (Czech folk singer-songwriter and guitarist for Pacifik), 80 Tony Linhart, a folk and tramp guitarist, singer and songwriter, founder of the group Pacifik, has died at the age of 80. His passing on Friday was announced by Country Radio, where Linhart had worked as a radio presenter. ... via radio.cz

[07 Jan 2021] Genival Lacerda (Brazilian forró singer), 89, COVID-19 Singer Genival Lacerda died on Thursday (7), aged 89, after fighting a tough fight with Covid-19. Paraiba was hospitalized since November 30 in a hospital in Recife due to pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus. The death was confirmed by the singer's son, João Lacerda, through social networks. ... via verdesmares.com.br

[07 Jan 2021] Biserka Cvejić (Serbian opera singer), 97 Biserka Cvejić has died. The sad news was announced by her former student Nikola Kitanovski, with the message "Eternal glory to you, my dear Professor". ... via novosti.rs

[07 Jan 2021] Deezer D (American rapper and actor), 55 Deezer D, best known for his role as nurse Malik McGrath on "ER" has died ... TMZ has learned. The actor, whose real name was Dearon Thompson, was found unresponsive at home Thursday morning in Los Angeles. His brother, Marshawn, tells us the family believes he died of a heart attack, but there is not yet an official cause of death. ... via tmz.com

[07 Jan 2021] Jamie O'Hara (American country musician and songwriter), 70, cancer Nashville singer-songwriter Jamie O'Hara, who wrote hit for the Judds and many more, has died. According to his wife, Lola White, O'Hara died on Thursday (Jan. 7) after a battle with a very aggressive cancer. He was 70 years old. ... via tasteofcountry.com

[06 Jan 2021] Osian Ellis (Welsh harpist and composer), 92 Tributes have been paid to a globally-renowned Welsh harpist who has died at the age of 92. Dr Osian Ellis, who started playing again as he approached his 90th birthday, collaborated with leading British composer Benjamin Britten and performed at the world’s finest concert venues. ... via nation.cymru

[06 Jan 2021] Bobby Few (American jazz pianist), 85 He was one of the greatest jazz pianists. Bobby Few died on January 6 at the age of 85. ... via en24news.com

[06 Jan 2021] Yamandú Palacios (Uruguayan singer, songwriter and guitarist), 80 The musician Yamandú Palacios died this Wednesday at the age of 80. Author of songs like Los boliches and Coplas al compadre Juan Miguel, inspired by the life of the "cañeros" of Bella Unión, he was one of the key figures of the first layer of popular song, along with Alfredo Zitarrosa and Osiris Rodríguez Castillos, along with to whom he shared the stage ... via elobservador.com

[05 Jan 2021] John Georgiadis (British violinist for London Symphony Orchestra and conductor for Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra), 81 John was born in Southend on Sea and began playing the violin at the age of six. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and before joining the LSO spent two years as Leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. In 1965, at the age of just 26, he became the LSO’s Leader. ... via lso.co.uk

[05 Jan 2021] Chacha Sherly (Indonesian singer), 29, traffic collision The sad news came from the dangdut singer Yuselly Agus Stevy aka Chacha Sherly. The accident he experienced on Monday, January 4, 2021 yesterday, killed the former Trio Macan personnel. ... via okezone.com

[04 Jan 2021] Alexi Laiho (Finnish death metal singer-songwriter and guitarist for Children of Bodom), 41 Former Children Of Bodom singer and guitarist Alexi Laiho has died. According to his label, Naplam, the Finnish musician passed away at home in Heklsinki last week. Although no cause of death was specified, the 41-year-old had reportedly been suffering from what were described as “long term health issues”. ... via loudersound.com

[04 Jan 2021] Elias Rahbani (Lebanese lyricist and composer), 82, COVID-19 Elias Rahbani, a Lebanese composer and lyricist who wrote the music for some of the Arab world’s top performers, including Lebanon’s diva Fairouz, has died after battling COVID-19, his family said. He was 82. ... via pollstar.com

[03 Jan 2021] Tasso Adamopoulos (French violist), 76, COVID-19 The violist and tutor Tasso Adamopoulos died on 3 January as a result of contracting Covid-19. He was 76. Among his students were Mathieu Herzog, Aurérelie Deschamps, Pierre Vallet, Alain Celo, Françoise Renard and Chara Sira among many others. ... via thestrad.com

[03 Jan 2021] Gerry Marsden (English musician for Gerry and the Pacemakers), 78, heart infection Gerry Marsden, singer of the Liverpool band Gerry And The Pacemakers, has died, it has been confirmed. The musician was 78 years old and died today (January 3) from an infection in his heart, friend and broadcaster Pete Price wrote on social media. ... via nme.com

[03 Jan 2021] Warren McLean (Australian rock drummer for Divinyls), cancer Warren was the drummer on Divinyls Temperamental album. He also did time with The Party Boys, I’m Talking and Machinations. ... via noise11.com

[03 Jan 2021] Anil Panachooran (Indian lyricist and poet), 55, heart attack Thiruvananthapuram; Famous poet and lyricist Anil Panachooran has passed away. He died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. The cause of death was a heart attack. ... via news18.com

[02 Jan 2021] Steve Brown (British music producer for Manic Street Preachers), 62 Famed record producer Steve Brown has died aged 65, it has been revealed. Brown worked with the likes of Manic Street Preachers, The Cult, Elton John, Wham! and more across his lengthy career. The beloved producer died after a short illness related to a fall he had at his home in early December. A statement from his family said that ” apart from his prowess behind the mixing desk, he was an incredibly popular man. He had a wonderful sense of humour and bags of charm in equal measure.” ... via nme.com

[01 Jan 2021] Carlos do Carmo (Portuguese fado singer), 81, ruptured aneurysm Carlos do Carmo is one of the most recognized, awarded and acclaimed fadistas ever. The "Encyclopedia of Music in Portugal in the 20th Century" describes him as a "remarkable figure in the establishment of changes in the fadista tradition", being one of "his greatest references, with national and international recognition". ... via sapo.pt

[01 Jan 2021] Zoran Džorlev (Зоран Џорлев) (Macedonian violinist), 53, COVID-19 Violinist and professor maestro Zoran Dzorlev died today in Skopje at the age of 53 after complications from covid-19, his nephew Ognen Zdravkovski announced on Facebook. Dzorchev died at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Skopje, after a short illness. ... via 24.mk

[01 Jan 2021] George Gerdes (American singer, songwriter and actor), 72, brain aneurysm George Gerdes, the quirky singer-songwriter turned character actor whose career included turns in A Few Good Men, Single White Female, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The X-Files and Bosch, has died. He was 72. Gerdes died in a Glendale hospital on New Year's Day after suffering a brain aneurysm on New Year's Eve, his life partner, Judy Johns, told The Hollywood Reporter. ... via hollywoodreporter.com

[01 Jan 2021] Misty Morgan (American country music singer for Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan), 75, cancer Country singer Misty Morgan, best known for the 1970 hit ‘Tennessee Bird Walk’ with her husband Jack Blanchard, has died after a battle with cancer at the age of 75. ‘Tennessee Bird Walk’ was a number 23 hit in America but reached number three in Australia. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group at the 13th Grammy Awards but lost to Johnny Cash and June Carter for ‘If I Were A Carpenter’. ... via noise11.com

[01 Jan 2021] Liam Reilly (Irish singer and songwriter for Bagatelle), 65 Liam Reilly, the lead singer of Irish band Bagatelle, has died aged 65. The family of the pianist, singer and songwriter confirmed his passing in a statement today. ... via rte.ie

[01 Jan 2021] Jan Vering (German gospel singer and playwright), 66 Jan Vering, once a music dramaturge and deputy director of the Siegen Apollo Theater, is dead. He died on New Year's Eve in a nursing home in Wilnsdorf. Born in Münster, who had made a name for himself in the local cultural scene as a musician, journalist and dramaturge for decades and who was recently waiting for his trial before the Siegen district court because of serious allegations of child abuse, was 66 years old. ... via siegener-zeitung.de

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The Smiths - The Day I Was There

Cover photo by Stephen Wright The Smiths - The Day I Was There Paperback by Richard Houghton Publication date: 15 October 2019. thisdayinmusicbooks.com With fans recalling memories of the earliest Smiths shows at UK clubs, you'll see a portrait of The Smiths from the fans perspective. With personal photographs, memorabilia, fascinating anecdotes, and fan stories that have never been published before. Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Marr, The Smiths are one of the most important bands to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s. All four of their studio albums reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart, including Meat Is Murder which hit number one. They won a significant following and remain cult favourites. The band broke up in 1987 due to internal tensions and have turned down several offers to reunite. Read More The Smiths Legendary The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is on his Call The Comet tour, stopping by the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis last night, September 17th. …

As you know, I used to be a devoted The Smiths and Morrissey fan. Like many of you, I have grown up and may have been a little disenchanted by singer Morrissey’s beliefs and personality... but I still love the music, and I still love guitarist Johnny Marr, and would consider myself somewhat of an expert on The Smiths (at least pre-2000).

I was excited to see that This Day Is Music is publishing The Smiths - The Day I Was There, a new book on the Manchester band. This book is more or less a collection of memories from various fans, compiled and edited by Richard Houghton.

The book is divided by dates 1982 to 1987, Morrissey’s “Solo Years”, Paying Tributes, and finally, Random Encounters. The titles are self-explanatory, and you can go to any section, as it’s not a book you read from start to finish.

Every entry is written by a different person, “who was there”. The problem with this is that some entries are incredible short with very little information (particularly the early days of the Smiths and it’s understandable since it’s over 30 years ago), and some went on too long and misses the point.

Sometime the person who was there, just assume you knew things and don’t explain how they knew this or that. Sometime they use slangs that I’m not familiar with (hey, we’re not all British). Sometime it gets too personal and political, which the Houghton kept in the book because, “I also felt it was wrong to leave them out.”

It’s inconsistent, but that’s just the nature of different views and ideas from many different people. Thankfully, the editor did also add comments and quotes from members of the Smiths about those entries, possibly from magazines or interviews, showing the point of view from the band.

I did enjoy reading entries by various Smiths tribute bands, like Sons and Heirs, The Smyths, Viva Morrissey, Frankly, The Smiths, These Handsome Devils, and Caligula Blushed (what, no Sweet and Tender Hooligans?), as the music of the Smiths affected these fans so much that they had to try to emulate their heroes. It’s interesting to hear what first single or album that they first discovered that really spoke to them.

Undoubtedly the most interesting entry is by Simon Wolstencroft, who was Johnny Marr’s first choice as drummer of The Smiths. He actually turned it down, because he didn’t like Morrissey at the time, in his own words, “I didn’t like the cut of his jib.” Wolstencroft did wonder what could have been if he had joined The Smiths.

If you’re looking for a book on the complete story of The Smiths, this isn’t it. If you’re a Smiths/Morrissey fan and interested in reading about other fans’ perspective about The Smiths or Morrissey, you may want to check out this book. You might also want to look into Mozipedia: The Encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smiths (2010), which I also own, and that reads like an Encyclopedia, as the name suggests.

As a diehard fan, I do own and have read most of the popular books on Morrissey and the Smiths (even read Morrissey’s non-Smiths Autobiography), so I can tell you the best books on the subject of The Smiths and Morrissey are anything written or compiled by Johnny Rogan. He wrote the definitive Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance (1992), the photo-centric and day-by-day breakdown of The Smiths: The Visual Documentary (1994), and the music-centric Complete Guide To The Music Of The Smiths (1995). The other book you may want to seek out is Peepholism: Into the Art of Morrissey (1994) by Jo Slee, which details every cover artwork and designed for The Smiths (and some Morrissey) artwork.

Books you should not seek out (but I also own), are any Morrissey-written books like The New York Dolls, James Dean Is Not Dead, and Exit Smiling. They don’t offer much to the world of The Smiths, and even Morrissey admit they are awful and doesn’t endorse those books.

The Smiths - The Day I Was There Paperback is out now. The book is available as a softcover and limited hardcover (signed by Richard Houghton), available at thisdayinmusicbooks.com.

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Morrissey postponed Houston White Oak show due to flooding

Courtesy of White Oak Music Hall Read More Morrissey This is somewhat old news, but Morrissey is working on an all-covers album called California Son (produced by Joe Chiccarelli and will be released by BMG), according to the official .… Interpol If there is one thing to know about Interpol, it's that the band is always nicely dressed up for their show. Since the New York band came on the music scene with their critically acclaimed 2002 album Turn on the Bright Lights, the band's …

At the last minute, it was announced that the Morrissey’s Houston show that was set for yesterday (21 September 2019) had been cancelled due to extreme flooding.

Personally speaking, I don’t blame Morrissey for this one, considering they might be on the road and the flooding had caused delays in their travel or for safety reasons.

Here’s the full statement from the venue, White Oak Music Hall:

A statement from the Moz team --

"Due to complications from the extreme flood conditions in the Houston area, the Morrissey / Interpol concert set to take place tonight has been re-scheduled for Oct 28th.

It was determined to move the event in consideration and respect of the troubles that people in the area have recently encountered.

It is the group’s wishes that the rescheduled date can better serve all who would like to come to the event.

Morrissey’s team reached the decision after hearing that a number of ticket buyers were having issues attending tonight’s event, along with information of current road closures and other related problematic details.

The team would like to express their deepest apologies for any inconvenience to the fans.

All tickets originally purchased for September 21st show will be honored for the new date on October 28th, 2019."

We know there’s a lot of questions here, so we hope this answers them:

Q. Is the show canceled?
A. No, but it IS being postponed.

Q. What is the new date?
A. October 28th, 2019.

Q. Is Interpol playing the new date?
A. Yes! We are going to bring both bands back on the rescheduled date.

Q. What is going to happen with my tickets?
A. Your ticket, including all parking and upgrade vouchers, will automatically be valid for the rescheduled date. You don’t have to do anything on your end.

Q. What if I can’t make the rescheduled date?
A. Totally get it. We hope everyone can join us, but know this can throw off everyone’s plans. If you can’t make the new date, e-mail [redacted] and we will put the refund back on the original card used to purchase tickets. For tickets bought in cash at the WOMH box office, come by the box office and we will get you a refund. IMPORTANT: Refund requests are due by 9/30/2019.

Q. I bought tickets from someone else. How do I get a refund?
A. If you bought your tickets from a friend, Craigslist, StubHub, or anywhere that was NOT off of our website (or at our box office), please contact the person who you bought the ticket from.

Q. I told you Morrissey was going to cancel!
A. We get it, we’re so bummed by this. Everyone is dedicated to bringing this show to the fans of Houston. Bear with us and we’ll make it happen…

For a full compilation of every date that Morrissey had ever cancelled, go here. So far, 7 dates (in 2019) have been postponed.

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