He’s being a bit of a… Tim Booth calls out Morrissey amid far-right support claims - Echo

He’s being a bit of a… Booth calls out Morrissey amid far-right support claims - Echo
Press Association 2018

Tim Booth has labelled Morrissey a “dick” amid claims the revered singer supports the far-right.

The former Smiths frontman has just postponed his UK and European tour dates with his management saying “logistical problems” were to blame.

Booth and Morrissey were contemporaries in the Manchester music scene of the 1980s, as members of James and The Smiths respectively, with Booth saying the pair were once friends.

The 58-year-old, who is preparing to release a new album with James titled Living In Extraordinary Times, told the Press Association: “I knew Morrissey as a friend when he was sweet, very shy, very frightened. Wanting success, wanting what happened with The Smiths and also terrified of it simultaneously.

“I saw about their seventh gig in Manchester and they were fully formed. They were ready, they were lock and loaded. And we weren’t.

“They were so kind to us. Morrissey called us the best band in the world, they took us on tour, they tried to take us to America but we actually turned them down. And they were so sweet, all of them, for years.

“But I know he’s become a bit of a dick.”

Booth also said Morrissey’s former bandmate, Johnny Marr, “kept that band together” and was “one of the sweetest human beings you will ever meet”.

Morrissey, 59, recently sparked fury when he expressed sympathy for the jailed EDL founder Tommy Robinson.

Protesters labelling themselves former fans of the singer planned to hold an anti-racism party to coincide with his gig at the Castlefield Bowl in Manchester before it was postponed.

Booth added: “As I say, he did some very kind things for us so therefore it’s hard for me to say he’s a dick but he’s being a dick at the moment.”

Tim Booth performing with James (Karin Albinsson/PA)

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

Think there's a limit to how much they come for the culture. Maybe to some extent, but I never heard anyone at Sangatte being interviewed about why they wanted to come to the UK and saying "Coronation Street".

I think we are more than Coronation Street. We also have steam trains, deerstalker hats, London pea-soupers and cream teas every evening.

On a more serious note people migrate for many reasons but the central issue is to improve their lives. Perfectly laudable.

Taking Sangatte as an example though, as you mention it, they are passing through several perfectly safe nations and endangering themselves to get to the UK.

Last night an England team of almost every skin tone under the sun won a World Cup match and were celebrated across the country. Perhaps the immigration argument should be calibrated more finely. Maybe we just don’t want arseholes of any hue. Perhaps the great majority aren’t racists or Nazis, they are arseholists.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh come off it you lot, Booth just says what pretty much everyone thinks. And he’s right.

Power To The sheeple. As long as everyone thinks the same then it must be correct

 

[vegan.cro spirit# 676]

the James DH has but in his beard. Like he dipped his half dipped his head in a
bottle of Clairol. Why am I not surprised?

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

 

[firstodie]

I am going to withhold judgement until Martin Fry weighs in on this.

I remember him being a panellist on a programme discussing the best albums of all time where The Queen Is Dead figured. He seemed quite apathetic towards The Smiths. He conceded that Morrissey wrote in a lyrical way but was miffed that The Smiths were treated as The Holy Grail of the eighties to the detriment of all other bands of that era. Bob Geldof was also on the panel and reserved his judgement. Probably using diplomacy due to the fact that Morrissey said that famine in Africa was one thing, but inflicting so much pain on UK citizens with Live Aid was another. At the time, Bob was dismissive saying that this was coming from someone who couldn't organise themselves out of bed in the morning. His wife of the time, Paula Yates said 'we're short staffed and so we had to get a bit of a twat' when she introduced Morrissey's interview with Sean Duggan on The Tube a little later. Sean Duggan based his play, William, on William It Was Really Nothing. Inthink he was only a teenager when his play was first performed.

 

[scatterkeir]

Any more lefties want to share their insights ? I'm sure the bass player with Showaddywaddy must have an opinion ?Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear ? We need to know.

Roger is a freemason, so I'm not confident that he's a lefty. I don't know about Nookie though.

 

[Anonymous]

a group who have been living off one hit a long long time ago,another in the long list,who will be next.

Says someone who transparently knows nothing about James. My bet is that their next album will be better than either of Mozzer’s last two below par efforts.

They’re also better live. And yes I’ve seen them both.

 

[vegan.cro spirit# 676]

Any more lefties want to share their insights ? I'm sure the bass player with Showaddywaddy must have an opinion ?Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear ? We need to know.

The dork from Kajagoogoo is yet to chime in.
or the one dork from Happy Mondays.
Check out their Clairolicty.

 

[gordyboy9]

I remember him being a panellist on a programme discussing the best albums of all time where The Queen Is Dead figured. He seemed quite apathetic towards The Smiths. He conceded that Morrissey wrote in a lyrical way but was miffed that The Smiths were treated as The Holy Grail of the eighties to the detriment of all other bands of that era. Bob Geldof was also on the panel and reserved his judgement. Probably using diplomacy due to the fact that Morrissey said that famine in Africa was one thing, but inflicting so much pain on UK citizens with Live Aid was another. At the time, Bob was dismissive saying that this was coming from someone who couldn't organise themselves out of bed in the morning. His wife of the time, Paula Yates said 'we're short staffed and so we had to get a bit of a twat' when she introduced Morrissey's interview with Sean Duggan on The Tube a little later. Sean Duggan based his play, William, on William It Was Really Nothing. Inthink he was only a teenager when his play was first performed.

they had to issue an apology the week later.the tube was the worst produced programme ever,car crash tv.

 

[Lustman]

Another journalist that use a question about morrissey...
Another old bourgeois artist (Tim...) who doesn't Know how Real people live...

 

[gordyboy9]

Says someone who transparently knows nothing about James. My bet is that their next album will be better than either of Mozzer’s last two below par efforts.

They’re also better live. And yes I’ve seen them both.

when you make an account you can be taken seriously on here,until then go and listen to a james album

 

[Tibby the cat 93]

Roger is a freemason, so I'm not confident that he's a lefty. I don't know about Nookie though.

Yeah,you're right sorry. I understand Nookie has become a tankie to give balance/inclusivity.

 

[Nicko Manuva]

Billy Bragg remains silent.
Good for him.
Top bloke.

Hope you’re not speaking too soon!

 

[countthree]

I would cut my own tongue before speaking ill of someone who helped me so much. If I really cared, I would try to talk to that person and ask him why he thinks what he thinks, and give him my own political opinion. But I would never publicly crucify in that way someone who was on my side in the past.

 

[Anonymous]

Roger is a freemason, so I'm not confident that he's a lefty. I don't know about Nookie though.

It's all sex, sex, sex with you, isn’t it? Can't stay on topic for two sentences.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes Timothy, why not, everyone else is saying it, so I will too, brave brave man, and a bit of publicity too, all courtesy of Morrissey. Give it 2 years an I think Morrissey will be proven right, I see it everyday, will English still be allowed to be spoken in England? Wake up goons, stand up for England,

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

I would cut my own tongue before speaking ill of someone who helped me so much. If I really cared, I would try to talk to that person and ask him why he thinks what he thinks, and give him my own political opinion. But I would never publicly crucify in that way someone who was on my side in the past.

thing is, Moz is a stuck up prick now mostly, so my guess is the only way to influence him is by in some way publicly admonishing him, especially if he’s so deluded to say these racist things over and over again year after year without even the tiniest recognition that yes, he is indeed a bigot and will be til he at least admits so, it’s like an intervention for a famous person who it seems has long since surrounded himself with groveling ass kissers, that’s why I don’t really blame him completely.
He lives in a bubble our Moz

 

[Tommy Robinson's Quiff]

Tim looks like Nazi lol
Another twat that has latched on to the anti Moz gravy train to promote his WRETCHED career

 

[Surface]

Tim looks like Nazi lol
Another twat that has latched on to the anti Moz gravy train to promote his WRETCHED career

If 25 million sales by 2010 is wretched, I want wretched career

 

[Anonymous]

If 25 million sales by 2010 is wretched, I want wretched career

James are shite I think, nonsense songs, same as New Order, no lyrical strength, but I do like Joy Division, maybe I am racist