Alain and Boz

[Anonymous]

So what is the deal? What did ole Moz say about these two in the book! Quotes please. Time for Alain to respond I believe...

 

[MILKISMURDER]

Alain is made out to be as dumb as bricks. Moz couldn't patronise him more if he tried.

 

[Mozmanc]

Alain is made out to be as dumb as bricks. Moz couldn't patronise him more if he tried.

I also thought this at times, sad

especially the tour bus comment

 

[Justin Playfair]

Alain is made out to be as dumb as bricks. Moz couldn't patronise him more if he tried.

I'm really sorry to hear that. In my opinion, Alain is a musical genius & one of the five greatest songwriters of all-time. The other four are Billy Corgan, Elton John, Robert Smith (of The Cure), and of course Johnny Marr. Alain is an extremely gifted and sophisticated songwriter.

 

[Orson Swells]

Well, doesn't he imply they basically didn't get on? He says something about them putting aside their differences to work together.

 

[jdbabz]

Sadly there is probably no coming back from this. The bit on the tour bus was unnecessary. They worked together so recently. Moz may have been anticipating Alain's barbs in a tell all book? but still another hatchet dug up.

 

[Jamie]

I haven't received my copy yet, but I had a feeling there would be condescension afforded to some of the former band members. One of my enduring frustrations with Morrissey is that the contributions he praises so fulsomely when the players are with him somehow become wholly the result of his innate genius when they have moved on. He has similarly denigrated Johnny's contributions over much of the last 10-15 years, not to even mention Andy. (His stance on Joyce is a given.)

It's no surprise that he lavishes praise on the current band - what is he going to say, they're terrible? But, as someone who has found great joy in the music so many gifted & varied musicians provided him, I find his lack of gratitude disappointing. I would assume Gary and Spencer came off worse, if they come across at all.

 

[Anonymous]

He seems fairly even handed in his treatment of Alain - there are a couple of mild digs, but also praise, even up to his songwriting contributions after he had left the band. The whole issue of what happenned with Alain leaving is still slightly obscure - something to do with Alain and Boz not getting on, maybe the threat of Alain writing a book, maybe even Alain's mental state, which seems odd from the conversations Moz recounts.

There's no simple "we had a fight over this issue, so I threw him out of the band" statement.

 

[terrancestamp]

He is at times very nice about Alain and then at other times very nasty about him. The guy was always very nice and pleasant to me. Funny, never knew him and Boz did not get along.

He does not really say anything about Boz! Crazy since Boz has been his musically director for over 20 years. He certainly dishes out the praise for the Walker Bros (who mean nothing to nobody) but Boz gets nothing!! I feel slighted for Boz and sad that he has been so magnificently omitted. This must be rectified in the updated version.

The reason he is so nasty about the previous band members is because they all the sudden go crazy. Look at Gary or Spenser for example. They do and say crazy stuff when their head gets big. They only have that enormous head because Morrissey helped them out. Then they spit in his face. Anybody would be mad!

 

[myboyracer]

Which tour bus comment?

I also thought this at times, sad

especially the tour bus comment

 

[Anonymous]

Which tour bus comment?

" 'Why do people always say Rome wasn't built in a day?' Alain once asked me. 'It's just a silly expression because, in fact, Rome WAS actually built in just one day' I lied, straight-faced and honest-toned. 'Reeeeeally?' Alain gasped - the child alive in his eyes. 'Yes,' I confirm, and wobbled down to my end of the bus. "

 

[jdbabz]

Sigh the age old reasons of money and/or power. Morrissey received two legal documents from Alain one saying he wanted to write a book, the other that he wanted to be on all future album covers. I wouldn't read those as exclusive especially since Alain hasn't produced a book i.e. Put me on the album covers, increase my visibility or else I'll tell what a difficult prima dona you are. Alain's contribution over the years has been massive, who wouldn't expect him to say well actually I'd like more. I'm afraid I'm on Alain's side a bit if that is the case, Morrissey is as stubborn as ever, no compromise, he never gives an inch even if it means losing his best song writing partner since Johnny Marr! It's strange that when Moz mentions Mikey leaving and says that he then received bitter emails, he concedes that they are true! I thought Boz would get more of a mention, Jesse is lauded to the skies. Gary Day gets two brief mentions and Spencer is made out to be a petulant child.

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey says that it wasn't for him to permit or disallow Alain's writing a book. But I distinctly remember Boz being on Radio 1 in the mid-90s to talk about his rockabilly collection and the presenter explaining that he was contractually not allowed to answer questions about Morrissey. Surely band members being allowed to write a book about Morrissey would have been a bit of a loop-hole?

I reckon Alain felt he had earned the right to a contract that treated him a bit more like a collaborator and a bit less like a chattel, but Morrissey didn't see it that way. He probably didn't even want to write a book, just to be bound by a few less contractual "do nots".