Afternoon tea with Morrissey ! - we talked about YATQ and the US election

[Father Neil Horan]

I met Morrissey over tea this week and he mentioned
to me an affinity with the James Bond character.
I did find it curious as I thought he was a bit more Jesus Christ than JB.
More on that in a bit, but I was eager to ask him about the album
I wanted to know and I asked him what the title meant

Was it he who was reminding himself that he was persecuted?...
Was it he who found himself a quarry to dig inspiration from?.
Was it his fans and general public who were his quarry?..
Was it he telling himself that his fans find him an inspiration?.
Was it he who found his fans a quarry to dig inspiration from?.

"Ohhhh everybody's a clever-clogs nowadays" he said
( mock punching himself in the chin ).
"Well....mmm...yes......it's all of those things and more", he said.
"You did miss the boxer reference though", he chuckled to himself.
I don't know what that's about, but anyway he signed a photo of Sean Connery for me and said he felt like Connery's Bond - great in his prime and still regarded as the best of his kind amongst many pretenders.
You may note the similarilty between this photo and the cover of the album. That amongst other things inspired the cover I imagine...

He asked me about my Olympic marathon incident where I disrupted that Brazilian runner and the media furore surrounding it. He was fascinated by that...
He also asked how I felt about the "American marathon" (election) and I replied that I certainly wouldn't stop a Brazilian winning it - I hoped it would be a Brazilian - A TOTAL REMOVAL OF BUSH!. Morrissey couldn't contain himself!. He almost spat out the tea in his mouth...we laughed quite a bit!.

He wished me well with my next exploit to promote the Second Coming and rued the fact that he had not employed me to promote his album. I said I would gladly do a jig on the roof of Buckingham Palace to promote his next one and he said that there wouldn't be one. "Oh well", I said and we exchanged goodbyes and I wished him well with the rest of the tour.

p.s. it was cinnamon & lavender flavoured herbal tea we drank
(and a couple of slices of toast - he had no marmalade unfortunately)

 

[Stainless Steven]

great post!

How wonderful, thank you for that.
Although no plans to record anymore albums by the sounds of it!!!!.......is this finally it?

i really hope not....
thanks again
Kes!

 

[Stainless Steven]

that olympic incident in full!

here is the link.....




http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/3610598.stm

 

[Father Neil Horan]

Re: great post!

Thank you,
you are welcome - he also signed a copy of "Oye Esteban" for me...

> How wonderful, thank you for that.
> Although no plans to record anymore albums by the sounds of
> it!!!!.......is this finally it?

> i really hope not....
> thanks again
> Kes!

 

[freeyourself]

> I met Morrissey over tea this week and he mentioned
> to me an affinity with the James Bond character.
> I did find it curious as I thought he was a bit more Jesus Christ than JB.
> More on that in a bit, but I was eager to ask him about the album
> I wanted to know and I asked him what the title meant

> Was it he who was reminding himself that he was persecuted?...
> Was it he who found himself a quarry to dig inspiration from?.
> Was it his fans and general public who were his quarry?..
> Was it he telling himself that his fans find him an inspiration?.
> Was it he who found his fans a quarry to dig inspiration from?.

> "Ohhhh everybody's a clever-clogs nowadays" he said
> ( mock punching himself in the chin ).
> "Well....mmm...yes......it's all of those things and more", he
> said.
> "You did miss the boxer reference though", he chuckled to
> himself.
> I don't know what that's about, but anyway he signed a photo of Sean
> Connery for me and said he felt like Connery's Bond - great in his prime
> and still regarded as the best of his kind amongst many pretenders.
> You may note the similarilty between this photo and the cover of the
> album. That amongst other things inspired the cover I imagine...

> He asked me about my Olympic marathon incident where I disrupted that
> Brazilian runner and the media furore surrounding it. He was fascinated by
> that...
> He also asked how I felt about the "American marathon"
> (election) and I replied that I certainly wouldn't stop a Brazilian
> winning it - I hoped it would be a Brazilian - A TOTAL REMOVAL OF BUSH!.
> Morrissey couldn't contain himself!. He almost spat out the tea in his
> mouth...we laughed quite a bit!.

> He wished me well with my next exploit to promote the Second Coming and
> rued the fact that he had not employed me to promote his album. I said I
> would gladly do a jig on the roof of Buckingham Palace to promote his next
> one and he said that there wouldn't be one. "Oh well", I said
> and we exchanged goodbyes and I wished him well with the rest of the tour.

> p.s. it was cinnamon & lavender flavoured herbal tea we drank
> (and a couple of slices of toast - he had no marmalade unfortunately)

While I was fascinated by your fascinating encounter with one of Los Angeles' most fascinating residents, I did find it slightly disappointing that you didn't include the location where this highly amusing & most informative exchange took place.

I quickly ruled out a Public Lavatory, as, to the best of my knowledge, toast is no longer served in such places,although strong tea is still freely available.

Perhaps all will be revealed in the revised edition of 'Morrissey's Manchester'. I do hope so, because after traipsing round Salford all afternoon, standing near things & feeling slightly foolish, I'm ready for a good strong pot o' tea & a Viennese Fancy.

I do feel that you restrained yourself rather admirably when he started "chuckling to himself". If ever I see anyone chuckling to themselves, I always assume they are really laughing at me, & then I spend weeks following them around surreptitiously, until I can predict where they're likely to be & what they're probably doing at any given time.

I tend to feel better after I've taught them a lesson they're never likely to forget.

Since I was very young, I've always thought the YATQ sleeve was inspired by the young Morrissey's tendency to push over fairly big stones & sit watching the various insects/creatures trying desperately to find something to crawl under as if their very lives depended on it.

He used to do that for hours & I bet that's why he called his record "You are the Quarry".

Anyway, thanks again & remember not to put anything in your mouth that's been on the floor.

 

[Father Neil Horan]

Thank you.
Whilst I really would like to, I decided not to give too much information regarding our meeting and conversation away, as Morrissey is a very private individual and an honourable and principled aesthete.
I will say that it was a class of self catering hotel.
It was unusual. The room was stocked with a selection of books and dvds/cds and the fridge was stocked with perishables.

> While I was fascinated by your fascinating encounter with one of Los
> Angeles' most fascinating residents, I did find it slightly disappointing
> that you didn't include the location where this highly amusing & most
> informative exchange took place.

> I quickly ruled out a Public Lavatory, as, to the best of my knowledge,
> toast is no longer served in such places,although strong tea is still
> freely available.

> Perhaps all will be revealed in the revised edition of 'Morrissey's
> Manchester'. I do hope so, because after traipsing round Salford all
> afternoon, standing near things & feeling slightly foolish, I'm ready
> for a good strong pot o' tea & a Viennese Fancy.

> I do feel that you restrained yourself rather admirably when he started
> "chuckling to himself". If ever I see anyone chuckling to
> themselves, I always assume they are really laughing at me, & then I
> spend weeks following them around surreptitiously, until I can predict
> where they're likely to be & what they're probably doing at any given
> time.

> I tend to feel better after I've taught them a lesson they're never likely
> to forget.

> Since I was very young, I've always thought the YATQ sleeve was inspired
> by the young Morrissey's tendency to push over fairly big stones & sit
> watching the various insects/creatures trying desperately to find
> something to crawl under as if their very lives depended on it.

> He used to do that for hours & I bet that's why he called his record
> "You are the Quarry".

> Anyway, thanks again & remember not to put anything in your mouth
> that's been on the floor.

 

[Father Neil Horan]

final details

I will be meeting him again when he returns to Dublin
so if you have any questions, let me know

I was hoping I could stay at his place in Malahide,
but he told me he sold that house a good few years ago
He may be returning to live in Donegal or continental Europe in the new year.

Slán agus beannacht Dé oraibh go léir.

 

[freeyourself]

> Thank you.
> Whilst I really would like to, I decided not to give too much information
> regarding our meeting and conversation away, as Morrissey is a very
> private individual and an honourable and principled aesthete.
> I will say that it was a class of self catering hotel.
> It was unusual. The room was stocked with a selection of books and
> dvds/cds and the fridge was stocked with perishables.

I can understand your reluctance to appear in the Index, or even the Glossary, heaven forbid, of Morrissey's forthcoming Autobiography, & I respect the way you are respectfully respecting his privacy.

However, from your description of what can only be described as a tawdry room, I suspect you may have been duped & that the man you actually spent the afternoon with was some kind of loner who kept himself very much to himself but was polite to his neighbours.

I further suspect that his perishables had, in fact, long since perished, but that was only part of the reason why the room had an acrid stench, suggestive of the sweet smell of decaying body parts.

In all earnestness-ness, I urge you to alert the relevant authorities before someone else is forced to commit acts of gross indecency with a man who is quite clearly not Morrissey.

 

[Colleen1962]

> I met Morrissey over tea this week and he mentioned
> to me an affinity with the James Bond character.
> I did find it curious as I thought he was a bit more Jesus Christ than JB.
> More on that in a bit, but I was eager to ask him about the album
> I wanted to know and I asked him what the title meant

> Was it he who was reminding himself that he was persecuted?...
> Was it he who found himself a quarry to dig inspiration from?.
> Was it his fans and general public who were his quarry?..
> Was it he telling himself that his fans find him an inspiration?.
> Was it he who found his fans a quarry to dig inspiration from?.

> "Ohhhh everybody's a clever-clogs nowadays" he said
> ( mock punching himself in the chin ).
> "Well....mmm...yes......it's all of those things and more", he
> said.
> "You did miss the boxer reference though", he chuckled to
> himself.
> I don't know what that's about, but anyway he signed a photo of Sean
> Connery for me and said he felt like Connery's Bond - great in his prime
> and still regarded as the best of his kind amongst many pretenders.
> You may note the similarilty between this photo and the cover of the
> album. That amongst other things inspired the cover I imagine...

> He asked me about my Olympic marathon incident where I disrupted that
> Brazilian runner and the media furore surrounding it. He was fascinated by
> that...
> He also asked how I felt about the "American marathon"
> (election) and I replied that I certainly wouldn't stop a Brazilian
> winning it - I hoped it would be a Brazilian - A TOTAL REMOVAL OF BUSH!.
> Morrissey couldn't contain himself!. He almost spat out the tea in his
> mouth...we laughed quite a bit!.

> He wished me well with my next exploit to promote the Second Coming and
> rued the fact that he had not employed me to promote his album. I said I
> would gladly do a jig on the roof of Buckingham Palace to promote his next
> one and he said that there wouldn't be one. "Oh well", I said
> and we exchanged goodbyes and I wished him well with the rest of the tour.

> p.s. it was cinnamon & lavender flavoured herbal tea we drank
> (and a couple of slices of toast - he had no marmalade unfortunately)
Ahhh a brilliant post! Really made my evening as I sit here biting my nails to the quick listening to MSNBC. It doesn't occur often, but one must remember that we must appreciate and cherish such moments as you were fortunate enough to experience. Great post! there might be some hope in the world after all. Well, we can always fake ourselves into believing that! GO KERRY!

 

[Father Neil Horan]

You know - I think it must have been yourself I met.

> I can understand your reluctance to appear in the Index, or even the
> Glossary, heaven forbid, of Morrissey's forthcoming Autobiography, & I
> respect the way you are respectfully respecting his privacy.

> However, from your description of what can only be described as a tawdry
> room, I suspect you may have been duped & that the man you actually
> spent the afternoon with was some kind of loner who kept himself very much
> to himself but was polite to his neighbours.

> I further suspect that his perishables had, in fact, long since perished,
> but that was only part of the reason why the room had an acrid stench,
> suggestive of the sweet smell of decaying body parts.

> In all earnestness-ness, I urge you to alert the relevant authorities
> before someone else is forced to commit acts of gross indecency with a man
> who is quite clearly not Morrissey.

 

[Father Neil Horan]

Thank you

Thank you very much Colleen.
As you're aware, it's nice to be appreciated from time to time
in this world of extremist lunatics with radical views.

> Ahhh a brilliant post! Really made my evening as I sit here biting my
> nails to the quick listening to MSNBC. It doesn't occur often, but one
> must remember that we must appreciate and cherish such moments as you were
> fortunate enough to experience. Great post! there might be some hope in
> the world after all. Well, we can always fake ourselves into believing
> that! GO KERRY!

 

[Abrahán]

very clever... very, very clever...