Ok, so i woke up from this weird dream that i here posted a new topic about Morrissey. Problem is i didn't really in my dream elaborate it more than that before i woke up in the middle of the night, with the feeling i had to get up and post it. So i googled him, thought i might find what ever it is i was supposed to write about, and i can only say that he's a dude some of you might have lots of oppinions on...
I like morrissey. i like the smiths. He's been a vegetarian for along time. He has a weird sort of wit to him, but i think that's part of his charm for me at least... i'm sure the majority of people on this site will have nothing positive to say about him. He's on a major label, he's not punk, whatever (though he was in a punk band called the nose bleeds briefly (he didnt record with them) and he was president of the New York Dolls Fan club. He's probably gay, though no one knows for sure, and it wouldn't matter anyways. My favorite smiths album is The Queen Is Dead and my favorite solo lp of his is Kill Uncle.
Dunno *shrugs* I listen to music for the music, not the dudes behind 'em. I try to see creator and creation as different aspects, though of the same cube, they're separate sides only connected along one line.
I like the smiths and I do find morrissey to be an interesting person. He does have his beliefs and has no problem displaying them. He is witty and has a kind of depressing charm about him. And you have to give him some credit for his years celibacy (i think he said he's not anymore though, but was for years). Anyway, he is politically outspoken and dose support animal rights, and because he has a broad audience, he could have some influence on them in these areas.
I have always loved the Smtihs, can't say I have heard Morrissey's solo stuff much. And I have always heard the Smiths referred to as a punk band, even though they were dark-new-wave... but then again New Wave did branch off of the punk scene anyway. I love good music with a good message though no matter what the sound of it.
the first animal rights song of any sort i ever heard actually was the smiths 'meat is murder'. i thought it was a joke at first, because i was that naive. Still one of my favorite animal rights songs.
Rathryn: The Cure actually was a punk band shortly. Just didn't release it before having changed style. Their roots are in punk music (exactly like Siouxsie and the banshees, which Robert Smith of the Cure used to play guitar for).
siouxsie and the banshees was never a 'punk' band, at least not by modern punk terminology, even when sid vicious was in the band it was probably more noise/gothy then what we think of as punk. the same with the early cure recordings i've heard... definitely there was punk influence, even in the smiths, but they really weren't a punk band per se.
Morrissey is a GENIUS. I've seen him six times. One of my top favorite recording artists of all time.
Although I have the utmost respect and admiration for the man as an artist, I think (As you well know.) his position on animal testing is just horribly misguided. Commercial testing is one thing, but attacking a cutting edge lab at a prestigious university....this is madness. Although I guess I'll give him credit for being consistent. Regardless, he remains one of the greatest lyricists of all time.
Morrisey has recently said that he is moving away from the music scene and is hoping to start a care centre for sick animals in the Californian hills somewhere, run by the homeless and funded by proceeds from selling hand knitted garments on Ebay.
I am somewhat sympathetic to the Great Apes Project, at least in principle. The idea of expanding protections to certain animals that have been proven to have a higher level of cognitive functioning and awareness. (This would not apply to Rhesus monkeys, which are used quite often in research.) Again, this is coming from the facts. However, this group, and Morrissey, are going much further and actually advocating against all animal research PERIOD. That is quite extreme, and for reasons previously stated, I think it's crazy.
Love The Smiths, and a good deal of Morissey solo, great lyrics. Also his animal rights activism is a good thing. It seems some people like NGNM85 will never fully understand...
