Music Week: "Johnny Marr signs new worldwide album deal with BMG" (August 3, 2021)

[Vegan Cro Spirit .888]

i dont think anyone knows what that almost forgotten suco
antelopeia song was about.
a talking comet maybe? that communicates in outer space
with Le?

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Also a lot cheaper and at smaller venues.

Yes. Even his voice is pretty good—the match of many lead singers.

 

[Surface]

Haven’t heard that one in a good while. Need to give it a spin. I think Call the Comet is his best full length, though. Like Armatopia, it’s a bit left of center.

I really enjoyed Bright Parade as well, it was nice to see an artist releasing singles that weren't on any album.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

I really enjoyed Bright Parade as well, it was nice to see an artist releasing singles that weren't on any album.

That’s a lost art!

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Not really.

Actually shouldn’t we be thanking
Steve Pomfret for introducing Marr to Morrissey?

So Pomfret is the real hero, if it wasn’t for Pomfret we wouldn’t have had The Smiths, Marr or Morrissey as they became known, and we also wouldn’t be here.

To be fair, we should thank Pomfret’s parents, or ancestors, really, for bringing him into this world, and thus giving him the opportunity to introduce Marr to Moz. This site should really be StevePomfret4-ever.com.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

To be fair, we should thank Pomfret’s parents, or ancestors, really, for bringing him into this world, and thus giving him the opportunity to introduce Marr to Moz. This site should really be StevePomfret4-ever.com.

Why stop there? what about the Big Bang ?!

 

[Deleted member 28251]

Haven’t seen Marr (or listened to his music) since the Healers so I can’t really compare the two, but what soured you on Morrissey’s recent gigs?

I guess it’s a given many of the venues are too big—the simple act of seeing becomes problematic, especially with kids. Plus, he simply doesn’t have an enthused energetic audience anymore—though as many here tend to head for the front they might not notice.

I saw The Stone Roses at Leeds Arena a year before I saw Morrissey there and the former reminded me what could be achieved (with the right set-list, lighting, and visuals) even in the most cavernous venues. Morrissey didn’t come close to generating the excitement The Roses achieved there.

Twenty-One Pilots set Wembley Stadium on fire, even though I was only taking my kid I got into it—the band had a sensibility for performance which recognised the huge environment and I could see that everyone (even other reluctant parents) felt involved.

Imagine Dragons played songs on two separate stages, at the O2 Arena—a strategy which recognised and addressed the challenge of scale.

Elbow (Bristol Downs) had a tremendous warmth and spontaneity which I could feel worked the audience.

And a good support act does no harm at all—in terms of adding value and creating some energy before the headline.

I’ve seen George Benson and Frankie Valli at massive concerts relatively recently (proper stars, I’d say) and they seemed to shrink the venues to the size civic halls. You could’ve almost believed they were there to enjoy seeing the fan base—rather than to let the fans see them.

It’s fifteen years since I’ve seen Morrissey absolutely nail it, live (Paris, 2006). I’ve been to around ten gigs since then, and the only one which came close was Cardiff Motorpoint 2015 (?). Although the dire opening act did their best to ruin that one too.

 

[Anonymous]

Not really.

Actually shouldn’t we be thanking
Steve Pomfret for introducing Marr to Morrissey?

So Pomfret is the real hero, if it wasn’t for Pomfret we wouldn’t have had The Smiths, Marr or Morrissey as they became known, and we also wouldn’t be here.

Honestly, the length some people go to in order to deny Marr his due credit...

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit 555]

Yip, just as I thought, I 'think' it was about the comet that was going
to blow us up, everybody with no job smoking drugs and
drinking coors beer waiting on the killer comet.
comet never arrived to kill us but all the
dystopians remain on the dole



Where do we go, my blue eyed son
We're going out with everyone
Who's buying in Utopia
We go a long, long way, crackin' up emissions
Spending all our wages, going out of fashion
Who's buying Utopia
It's such a long, long way, wishing and a-hoping
Long hot days, gassin' and ignoring
Let's kill it in oblivion
Every minute, minute by minute
A hissing, fizzing atmosphere
This is it, this is it, this is it, this is it
Oh, here comes history
Kiss of history
Hey hypnotist
We're smoking till we burn out
Take it to the limit
Oh, baby it's our business
So let's dance to the sound of our time running out
And watch the smoke on the breeze of the rising seas
Going down, down, down, around, round, round
'Cause we're so history

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Honestly, the length some people go to in order to deny Marr his due credit...

Well, if we want to be honest and if we want to be true, let’s give credit where credit is due ...

Why erase Steve Pomfret from the real story?

And how about Bill Duffy ? he introduced a younger Marr to Morrissey at a Patti Smith gig.

Let’s thank Patti Smith for bringing them together too!


And, if Marr never turned up with someone to introduce him to Morrissey, Morrissey would have eventually worked with someone else.

 

[The.Truth.]

Yes, that's what I thought.
Johnny does deserve to be RE signed, so do Sparks who are still on BMG. Both artists create good music, put on good, nay, great gigs, and sell, sell , sell .
Both artists have lps that stay in the top 100 twice as long as M, at least (i think Im right about this, anyway) So, it's a shame if people start slating them just because M has been dropped. Its not Johnny and Sparks fault M has been dropped.

I haven't heard of any games Sparks and Johnny have played with BMG, in regards to trying to call their bluff or moaning about records not being released and of course, none of them gets as much bad press as M (I'm not saying M deserves the bad press, im just saying its there)- you have to include all this stuff when you think "Why was M dropped, yet Johnny and Sparks remain?"

You can't say "They dropped M, because they are being agest ", either. As Johnny is only a few years younger than M and Sparks are both way older.

You can't even say Morrissey is making higher quality, more daring music. As Call The Comet was objectively much better produced and had higher standards of musicianship (though not singing) than the last two Morrissey records and a Morrissey LP has never once pushed the envelope more than a sparks lp . It was funny reading on here, people trying to suggest that Dog On A Chain was cutting edge. Yes it was a different sound for M but only people whose musical knowledge begins and ends with Smiths/ Morrissey would dare suggest it was cutting edge. Dog was like some 80s/ 90s hybrid.
Again im being objective, I thought the LP was fab

For me personally, I'd much rather listen to a Morrissey record than a Johnny or Sparks record. The sad thing is, although I would much rather see M live than go to a Johnny or Sparks gigs, sadly both Johnny and Sparks tend to be more reliable in LA than M. M still does fantastic gigs but in LA its very patchy. Where as Sparks and Johnny nearly always deliver.

I agree with this but I think that the way the thread was started implies that Morrissey is losing some sort of competition with Marr. Most people are probably just reacting to that.
About the sound of Dog, I think you're exactly right. It was exciting because it's a different sound for Morrissey.

 

[The.Truth.]

Would be great if Marr did some acoustic stuff like Back To The Old House, he needs to write some good stuff again like he did in The Smiths.

I think he should have joined the Pet Shop Boys. He could stand behind the curtain and play wah-wah guitar. That Behaviour album is great.

 

[Anonymous]

I think he should have joined the Pet Shop Boys. He could stand behind the curtain and play wah-wah guitar. That Behaviour album is great.

Johnny's played out with the Pet Shop Boys several times. Wish he would tour with them and New Order.

 

[Mayfly]

Would be great if Marr did some acoustic stuff like Back To The Old House, he needs to write some good stuff again like he did in The Smiths.

I am not convinced that Johnny’s voice would be a good match for accoustic songs though, al though his guitar playing would almost certainly be magnificen. I am really eager to hear Morrissey with a more spartan musical arrangement again. When was the last time we heard that? Seasick yet still docked? Or My dearest love perhaps?

 

[Mike Rourke]

I am not convinced that Johnny’s voice would be a good match for accoustic songs though, al though his guitar playing would almost certainly be magnificen. I am really eager to hear Morrissey with a more spartan musical arrangement again. When was the last time we heard that? Seasick yet still docked? Or My dearest love perhaps?

Smiler with Knife

 

[Mayfly]

Smiler with Knife

Yes, I love that one.
Just hoping to find another one on Bonfire.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I am not convinced that Johnny’s voice would be a good match for accoustic songs though, al though his guitar playing would almost certainly be magnificen. I am really eager to hear Morrissey with a more spartan musical arrangement again. When was the last time we heard that? Seasick yet still docked? Or My dearest love perhaps?

Yes, I should have added, the Marr compositions would be instrumental
layers of acoustic instruments, sparse and orchestrated.

Yes, I once saw two people busking
in a park with just violin and acoustic guitar and it sounded so good, and I was thinking if Morrissey was singing on top of that. Just dreaming.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Johnny's played out with the Pet Shop Boys several times. Wish he would tour with them and New Order.

When is Pet shop boys and Elton John getting together? that would be a natural and winning combination!

 

[ThePoliticalRevolution]

Of course people buy his music, people by music by ‘artists’ like Lady Gaga, etc

Does that mean it’s actually good?


No.


Surface, we’ve been through this a million times, record, ticket sales, popularity does not mean the artist is an Artist or creates good music.


I’m happy for Johnny, he’s a family man paying the bills, it’s a job for him.

I hear she’s fabulous in House of Gucci.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I hear she’s fabulous in House of Gucci.

Lady Day ?