News Archive : Aug. 01-10, 1997
-LP Reviews
-Interviews in "The Guardian" and "Melody Maker"
-"Top Of The Pops" performance


Aug 10 97

Moz on Polygram's site

Thanks to Will Mucker for this shocker:

There is a sh**ty little spot on the Polygram site (August new releases) which is set for Morrissey. It has a pic of him from the cover of the album, a song list and a very short bio.

Check it — they spelled his name wrong in the song list page. Let's see how long it takes them to fix it.


"Alma Matters" on 120 Minutes tonight

Kobin Kendrick was the first to let me know that according to MTV Online, the video will be played. Hopefully it will get airplay on other shows also.


More release parties

from Adam Lupercio, Hot Rocks Records in Covina, (southern) CA is having a CD Release Party on Monday, Aug. 11, 9pm to 1am. For more info, (818) 967-7802.

from Michel: "The Virgin store in New York City say they will be giving out free Moz stuff the night of Monday at 12:01am, when the album is released."

...I heard the Virgin store in San Francisco was doing something similar. The giveaway is rumored to be some sort of promo interview CD or tape.

Another release party in Hollywood, from Nitin Nayar:

On Sunday, August 17, there is another record release party for Maladjusted at Mogul’s on 1650 Schrader Blvd in Hollywood, courtesy of Mercury Records. Local scenesters will note that it’s the same night as Coven13, "a gothic phantasmagorica."

5 days after the release?


And more reviews

From James Lushey:

There is a review of Maladjusted posted on a new web page at www.eyepiece.com. Pretty detailed, it gives a track by track account of the album.

From Stefan Sahlander:

Today the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet gives Maladjusted 4+ out of 5

http://www.aftonbladet.se/puls/musik/rec970808.html with the sentence "In a month the fifth + will probably be added" Maybe I will find the time later this weekend to translate it. And the album is out here in Sweden!

And thanks to everyone who e-mailed about the review in Entertainment Weekly (Aug. 15). Robert was the first with this summary.

from Filip:

There is a review of Maladjusted in The Daily Telegraph, Arts supplement today (Saturday 9th). It’s really positive, describing it as Morrissey’s "David Bowie" album, saying Maladjusted sounds like "Heroes" and Papa Jack like something mad Ziggy Stardust would do. Can’t imagine Mozzer in the wig, somehow. It also says Morrissey has made the leap from "mannerism to style", and that the album should earn him a horde of new fans and that he is now "welcomed to the world". Not only that, but there’s a lovely picture of him, about A5 size.

from Mundeep, a review in The Toronto Star.

from Phil Gilbert
:

Monthly UK magazine, Select, have been almost favourable with their review of Maladjusted. It describes the opening of the album as "as exhilirating as The Queen Is Dead", applauds a few tracks and then complains how certain songs are "unrankable with the music being made by Suede or the Manics". We, of course, know the opposite. However, the final paragraph is the best bit, stating that there is a "good deal" to reccomend on the album, calling it an LP "you can take seriously...he’s still a star," and then finally, "When he bothers to remind us, he’s still a genius making records like no one else." The album only gets a three out of five, but, from Select (a magazine well known for it’s general hatred of Mozzer) that’s pretty gosh darn good. Hurrah.


Aug 08 97

The "Late Show" Appearance - Official!

From Jose Gomez:

I wish to inform you that Y107, the modern rock station in LA that airs Modern Rock Live, is reporting that Morrissey will be on The Late Show. On Aug. 19. This is very possible since the Modern Rock Show happens in LA and New York.

And it is official — it is listed on the "Late Show With David Letterman" guests page. "Singer Morrissey" is listed with the other guests for that night, news anchor Barbara Walters and actor Charles Dutton.


"Alma Matters" in the US

Jason let me know that the U.S. version has been released.


"Maladjusted" release party in Hollywood

From Jason also:

Cafe Bleu (located at 7323 S. Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood) is having a release party for "Maladjusted" on Thursday, August 14th starting at 9pm I believe. The ad I saw in the new LA Weekly mentioned that there would be some giveaways, although I don’t know what exactly they will have.


AOL chat - Aug 13.

No, Morrissey is not scheduled to be there... from Jason:

And finally, on the glorious occasion of the new Morrissey release, I would like to invite everyone out there that has access to America Online to come to chat room Morrissey to discuss the new album "Maladjusted" on Wednesday, August 13th at 7pm Pacific time, 10pm Eastern. We'll also be talking about tour dates, the "Alma Matters" single and video, and some interesting rumors. I hope each and every one of you can make it, and I look forward to meeting you on Wednesday.


UPS delays Maladjusted?

Joe wrote to say that a lot of stores may not be releasing albums on Tuesday the 12th, due to the UPS strike.


Reviews

I'll continue to compile the reviews...

* news from Joseph Whitcher: a review at iMusic.
* JManMaxx reports that "CMJ has it’s first ever Morrissey review in the Sept. edition."
* from The Comtesse DeSpair: Maladjusted rated 6 out of 10 in the latest issue of Spin.
* from Naomi: Channel 4 teletext (3 out of 5), Q magazine (2 out of 5).
* from Rachel Mckeon:

There is a two-page review of Maladjusted in the Daily Mail today (Friday). The paper awards it four stars (out of five) and describes it as "witty, literate pop that confirms Morrissey’s vocal calibre". Although this album seems to have been fairly well-received generally (give or take the odd, inevitable slating in the weeklies), this is probably the most positive review I’ve seen so far. Whether the approval of the Daily Mail is actually desirable is quite another matter...


Aug 07 97

LP Reviews

Thanks everyone for letting me know that the NME.COM review for Maladjusted is up, with a sound clip of "Ammunition". 6 out of 10 (which seems to be about the average). From Stefan Krix:

The NME-Review of "Maladjusted" is available in the net through http://www.nme.com/970809/reviews/lps1.html. It´s called "Everyday Is Like Glum Day". It is announced on the NME Main Page as "the return of NME´s favourite misery-monger"

In the print edition of NME, from Fraser Stewart:

Maladjusted is reviewed in NME this week in the Long Play section. It takes up most of a page and has a really big cartoon style pic of Moz. I haven’t read it yet but it seems negative. They seem more interested in the abbreviations of his name. THEY STARTED IT BY CALLING HIM MOZ AGES AGO!

Kari also reports that a review is in this month's Interview magazine.


Good old-fashioned vinyl

From Gregory Strahl:

Maladjusted has arrived in Denver,CO! It is on vinyl at the Wax Trax vinyl store on 13th ave. It is however selling extremely fast, according to the clerk. My review- ohhhh... ummm.... errrrrr.. YESSSSS!!!


* The Melody Maker interview has been transcribed by Naomi, I'll put it up once the issues are out of the stands...


Aug 06 97

Melody Maker Interview

From Naomi:

Morrissey is on the cover of today’s Melody Maker (Aug 9th), which rather surprised me to be honest. The interview is fairly tense and unrevealing but... Moz in the weeklies again - who’d have thought it?

The same issue also carries a review of "Maladjusted" (indifferent) and a really horrible cartoon. NME is late this week.


Boston - Orpheum Theater, Sept. 14

From Mike M.:

I just heard on Boston radio station WFNX that Morrissey will play the Orpheum Theater in Boston on Sunday September 14. Tickets go on sale Saturday, August 9 at 10 A.M. through NEXT tickets at (617) 423-6398.


Aug 05 97

"The Guardian" Interview

Thanks, Rachel Mckeon:

There is a five-page interview with Morrissey in the magazine supplement which comes with this Saturday’s (Aug. 2) Guardian. Among other topics, he discusses Johnny Marr and the Smiths, claiming that, contrary to popular opinion, he and Johnny first met at a Patti Smith concert in 1979. He also touches briefly on the subject of the court case and goes on to discuss the break up of the band. He says that he no longer sees Johnny Marr but that, if they did meet up, they’d still be friends. On the subject of reforming, he says: "Re-formations don’t work. Pop music is all about timing and the element of surprise, springing something on the public that they won’t expect."

Morrissey also says that he has had two great loves in his life. Two years ago he fell in love, something he thought would never happen ("it never had for such a long time"). He no longer talks about celibacy ("Can’t think why I ever did. It’s incredibly boring") and says that it wasn’t that he didn’t like sex, he "just didn’t have it". He says that his relationship ended recently because the other person stopped loving him and broke his heart.

The article is coupled with some lovely new pictures of Morrissey and the whole interview is excellent - well worth getting hold of a copy.

John Levon has already posted a transcription on his website, It May All End Tomorrow.


Second KROQ Interview Transcribed

OK, the full text transcription of the 2nd KROQ interview (with Richard Blade, July 6) is now available here, included are RealAudio clips. Great big thanks to Melinda Hsu for her excellent job in transcribing the text.


Maladjusted Competition / Pushback

Thanks Naomi for this:

Every night this week on Radio 1’s Evening Session, a signed copy of Maladjusted will be up for grabs. I think some of the LP tracks will be getting airplay, too (release date put back until next Monday).


"Stephen (sic), You're A Single Man Now"

Thanks Christian Arvidson for this article from Record Collector (Aug. 97):

Morrissey's solo singles have been compiled for the first time on "Suedehead — The Best Of Morrissey". Taking in all his Parlophone 45s, the set also comes as a two-CD limited edition package. The bonus disc will include "Trash" (previously only available on the Live In Dallas video) and "That's Entertainment" (B-side of "Sing Your Life"), plus two unreleased tracks, "Oh Phoney" (from 1989) and "Striptease With A Difference" (from the "Viva Hate" sessions).


Radiohead plays "Alma Matters" (?)

Also from Christian:

According to a friend of mine Radiohead was today running the program "Startracks" on MTV Europe. (For those who don’t know what this is, it’s a program where a band/artist chooses his or their favourite videos). Radiohead played Morrissey’s "Alma Matters"!!


Aug 02 97

TOTP

Again, thanks to Stephen.B for screen captures (14 total) of the appearance (Aug. 1). Here are some reports:

from Stephen.B:

TOTP is the #1 UK music show with a weekly audience of about 15m. Don’t expect it to him any favours in the charts next week though. I remember in the 80’s when the Smiths were regulars on the show, the single bombed the following week!!! Whereas for other acts it would guarantee higher sales.

Moz was part of a ‘for one night only’ line up of Boyzone, U2, Puff Daddy & The Backstreet Boys!!!

He seemed to be only on for two minutes with a special (radio play?) early ending that I have not heard before. It seemed to go down well with the (teenage girl) audience. For the record, black drainpipes, black skinny rib V neck and looking fighting fit.

from Rachel Mckeon:

Morrissey’s just appeared on Top Of The Pops, miming to Alma Matters, along with Alain, ‘Martin’, Jonny and Spencer. FYI, Moz was sporting dark trousers and V-neck jumper, with an oval-shaped silver pendant on a chain around his neck - and he was looking very good indeed - Lots of arm movements and hip-swaying - and was that even a little smile I saw at the end? :-)

The programme’s usually repeated on Saturday, for anyone who missed it.

and, from Fraser Stewart:

...He was stunning. It was obviously off tape but that’s the norm for Top of the Pops. They finished the song differently. After the last chorus he just said ‘Oh yeah’ and they finished on that chord. He was dressed in all black and had short, jelled down hair.

His performance was wonderful and it went down well with the crowd. The presenter was from the North as well and she introduced him as being a ‘welcome return’.


Anthony Newley

Thanks to Paul King for this info:

...the sample, "On this glorious occasion...," is said by Anthony Newley in the movie "The Cockleshell Heroes," a 1956 British film. This is the Internet Movie Database summary:

"This is the true story of how a group of Royal Marines were taken by submarine to the mouth of the river Gironde from where they went by kayak to attack the "unassailable" port of Bordeaux (3 days journey) They laid limpet mines on many German warships & freighters causing major devastation. The next problem was how could they get away ... "

(Summary written by Steve Crook)


Maladjusted Reviews

* There is a brief review at dotmusic.com, 3 out of 5 dots. Thanks, Stephane Daigle.

* Thanks to Adil Khan for news of the review (favorable) at The Irish Times On The Web

* And thanks again to Paul King for the news of a review (" ...Maladjusted is a definite score.") in the Aug. issue of OUT Magazine (a U.S. gay and lesbian monthly).


Aug 01 97

Top Of The Pops Tonight

Thanks to Matt The Hat and Naomi for the news. It is uncertain whether if there will be an actual performance or if it's just the video being played.


Maintained by David Tseng. Please e-mail me with news/updates (no matter how insignificant it may seem) from the internet, music magazines, or any other source. To keep this page updated I'll need help from all you trainspotting Moz followers!

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