Morrissey Central "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING" (November 7, 2023)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING

You Are The Quarry will be 20 years old in 2024.

The album sold over 1 million copies.
Sweden #1
England #1*
Ireland #3
Norway #5
Finland #8
Portugal #10
USA #11

As usual, the album was not well received by the UK press, where it was certified as Platinum.
You Are The Quarry was the only album of 2004 that managed four top ten hit singles.
Irish Blood, English Heart #3
First Of The Gang To Die #6
Let me Kiss You #8
I Have Forgiven Jesus #10

There is no commemorative issue planned for You Are the Quarry, which was licensed to BMG UK in 2017 for new release.
BMG did not re-issue You Are the Quarry and have no plans to.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

* = edited by Central to #2 after initial posting.
FWD.

 

[Les Tameside]

Unless you expect a flurry of five star reviews to be your birthright, "mostly three and four star reviews" is pretty decent going. Even NME gave it 8/10.

Well, I spoke to Simon Price in 2004 (at The Star and Garter)–who’d awarded it four stars. After the review, he had an encounter with Morrissey, and he was left in know doubt that Morrissey had expected five stars, as a minimum.

 

[Famous when dead]

Full Autobiography quote:

"Out on the open plain, You Are the Quarry spends its first five days of release at ‘mid-week number 1’ position, yet on the final day the group Keane have magically returned to the number 1 spot. Quarry has sold 72,000 in its first week, and although the reviews are predictably pasty, there is enough promotion to make it the album of the moment, and its first single, Irish blood, English heart, has entered the charts at number 3 – my highest ever single position. I argue to Sanctuary that, since Quarry had been released on a Monday it had had six days of sales assessed, whereas the Keane album had had seven days assessed, because it had been available on the Sunday prior to the Quarry Monday. ‘Ah, yes,’ came the scientific reply."

IBEH had been out for a week prior which will have drummed up interest - alongside actually doing loads of press & media work. Quarry was then released with things missing more recently - a video, promo variants and multiple B-sides spread across several formats (playing it live 29 times from 2002-May, 2004 may have helped also). The Attack era possibly owes a lot to that approach including sales and chart placements. There was also the factor of changes to music consumption. The 1997-2004 album hiatus would see Quarry emerge in to the iTunes / download age - which Attack engaged with via 'internet download' tracks.
FWD.

 

[Eldritch]

Well, I spoke to Simon Price in 2004 (at The Star and Garter)–who’d awarded it four stars. After the review, he had an encounter with Morrissey, and he was left in know doubt that Morrissey had expected five stars, as a minimum.

Well, it's not a five star album by any sane standaerd. But in my opinion it's a four star triumpf, a true comeback solidating everything that's great about him but slightly marred bys some album filler. If that not good enough for Morrissey, well then, boo-hoo.

 

[Amy]

Well, I spoke to Simon Price in 2004 (at The Star and Garter)–who’d awarded it four stars. After the review, he had an encounter with Morrissey, and he was left in know doubt that Morrissey had expected five stars, as a minimum.

Just shows how entitled and ridiculous he can be, really. As if anyone can demand five -star reviews, for God's sake. Embarrassing.

 

[Lionsy]

That 'were a long 20 years!

Some of Alain's best work - not Morrissey's best album but it is his best "latter days" album - also best cover art. Dapper moz = best moz.

Probably the last time he did some real promotion for an album too, he was all over the tv when it came out

Deluxe version is the real album if you don't have it (why not!)

 

[matt]

The record that made me a Moz fan aged 17 of that year. My first Moz gig followed for my 18th in December 04. I'm not sorry and Crashing Bores are two of my favourite Morrissey songs hands down. The press ate up 'Quarry, and even Moz haters liked the singles including my Dad, ha. He was everywhere when it came out, Jonathan Ross, Jools Holland, even the NME loved him again and had him back on their front cover. It was literally his golden era, so for him to repackage it as anything but is deluded nonsense. How the mighty have fallen.

 

[BookishBoy]

He really is nuts these days, bless him.

Never been a massive fan of this album but eternally grateful for "Come Back to Camden".

 

[FROSTY]

He really is nuts these days, bless him.

Never been a massive fan of this album but eternally grateful for "Come Back to Camden".

This has always been a favorite of mine as well. Such a great track from that era.

 

[Richard The Fourth]

That's such a shame, I'd love that on a brand new shiny double LP. Our loss.

 

[gashonthenail]

He really is nuts these days, bless him.

Never been a massive fan of this album but eternally grateful for "Come Back to Camden".

Yes, Come Back to Camden is easily the best song on the album. Some great singles, but the album itself has never been up there as one of my favourites. Love the cover pic.

 

[Young And Alive]

Just shows how entitled and ridiculous he can be, really. As if anyone can demand five -star reviews, for God's sake. Embarrassing.

Hopefully Price had the gumption to tell Morrissey that he'll give him a five star review when he records a five star album.

 

[Les Tameside]

Hopefully Price had the gumption to tell Morrissey that he'll give him a five star review when he records a five star album.

He was, apparently, a little surprised and dumbfounded by Morrissey’s response. From what I recall Price felt his review showered praise—with a few qualifications.

Even if you liked all the songs, the listen to Quarry is a little strange as it has several distracting aspects: the drumming is so robotically perfect that it sounds looped, I was never sure if those strings were real or synthesised, and the synths themselves sound like Blackpool karaoke stuff. Those aspects alone are enough to deny it a perfect ten, in my opinion.

 

[everydayslikesunday]

I love Quarry, definitely his last great album, watching him play Manchester is one if my favourite gigs. Happy days.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

On what planet would it sell well? Planet Morrissey?

if there was one, you’d be first to book a flight.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Well, I spoke to Simon Price in 2004 (at The Star and Garter)–who’d awarded it four stars. After the review, he had an encounter with Morrissey, and he was left in know doubt that Morrissey had expected five stars, as a minimum.

I imagine it was probably the first thing he said to Simon. Which of course threw him off. A humorous moment, that probably only Morrissey was aware of it being.

Just shows how entitled and ridiculous he can be, really. As if anyone can demand five -star reviews, for God's sake. Embarrassing.

He ‘expected’ not demanded. There is a difference. But that’s not to say that he doesn’t demand the impossible.

 

[Anonymous]

I love Quarry, definitely his last great album, watching him play Manchester is one if my favourite gigs. Happy days.

I think Dog is the best record since Vauxhall light years better than Quarry. In fact, I pretty much gave up on Morrissey until Dog which I think is a fantastic record by any Morrissey standard.

 

[Les Tameside]

He ‘expected’ not demanded. There is a difference.

Yes, it was definitely too late to demand anything. The cruel damage had been done, and Quarry was forever smeared as merely a really good album.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Hopefully Price had the gumption to tell Morrissey that he'll give him a five star review when he records a five star album.

I bet most are just dumbfounded that he’s even aware of their existence. Price is probably still dining out on that story. Lol.

 

[Anonymous]

Quarry is not even close, but Camden is fantastic. For me it's:
Bona Drag
Viva Hate
Your Arsenal
Dog on a Chain
Vauxhall
Kill Uncle

in that order. Cheers

 

[Lucifer Sam]

The guardian gave it two stars

CD: Morrissey, You Are the Quarry

(Attack)

www.theguardian.com

I disagree with everything in this review except the criticism of the production. The breakbeats and the assorted electro-stutter flourishes are pointless, and like the reviewer says, almost a betrayal coming from Morrissey. But he's increasingly leaned into bombastic production ever since, so I guess he must like it. Two or three clunkers aside, I think the Quarry songs are terrific. All the Lazy Dykes and The World is Full of Crashing Bores in particular are masterpieces that even Jerry Finn couldn't ruin.