New UNCUT - Morrissey on Mick Ronson (Feb. 2013)

UPDATE Jan. 3:

Uncleskinny has posted scans in the comments section.

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Just got the new UNCUT magazine (Feb 2013 - Gram Parsons on cover).

Great article on Mick Ronson including a two-thirds of a page interview with Moz. Very good interview with some great quotes that I've not seen before.

Also, in the main article itself, Mick's widow says that Morrissey paid him v well for producing Your Arsenal which was good coz it meant that he could continue with his cancer treatment...

Also has a big review of the new deluxe reissue of The Heartbreakers' LAMF.

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See also:

Morrissey: "None of Bowie’s $20,000-a-day US guitarists had a grain of Mick Ronson’s natural style" - Uncut.co.uk

Morrissey has paid tribute to guitarist Mick Ronson, best known for his work with David Bowie, in the new issue of Uncut.

The former Smith has long been a fan of the guitarist, who produced his 1992 album Your Arsenal, and reveals the full extent of his admiration in the latest Uncut, out on Thursday (January 3, 2013).

"No matter how you juggle the words, Mick was not replaced in David’s life," Morrissey tells Uncut. "None of David’s $20,000-a-day US guitarists had a single grain of Mick’s natural style, and even Eno only worked with David for 14 days. Mick had been David’s lifelong asset – no-one else."

The whole story of Mick Ronson's life is told in the new issue, with help from friends and collaborators, including wife Suzi Ronson, singer-songwriter Michael Chapman, Bowie producer Ken Scott and fellow Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue guitarist T-Bone Burnett.

The new Uncut, dated February 2013, is out on Thursday (January 3, 2013).

 

[Skylarker]

First of all, thanks for the scan.

Secondly...it's shit like this that even when I think Morrissey is done, he pulls stuff like this out of his ass and I realize I love him as much as I ever did.

Thirdly...he is totally saying something between the lines here. About someone. Johnny or Alain I don't know. One of them.

I'm not discounting his genuine Ronson love but yeah...it's definitely code.

BUT...

I swear to God I read an old interview once regarding I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday/Rock and Roll Suicide wherein Morrissey describes somebody telling him about the similarity between the two songs; which he claims that until that moment he had not noticed, but then conceded to.

Which, if I'm right, flies in the face of what he said on the subject above.

 

[Southport Grandma]

First of all, thanks for the scan.

Secondly...it's shit like this that even when I think Morrissey is done, he pulls stuff like this out of his ass and I realize I love him as much as I ever did.

Thirdly...he is totally saying something between the lines here. About someone. Johnny or Alain I don't know. One of them.

I'm not discounting his genuine Ronson love but yeah...it's definitely code.

BUT...

I swear to God I read an old interview once regarding I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday/Rock and Roll Suicide wherein Morrissey describes somebody telling him about the similarity between the two songs; which he claims that until that moment he had not noticed, but then conceded to.

Which, if I'm right, flies in the face of what he said on the subject above.

There was something in an old interview vis a vis raised eyebrows when Morrissey heard the outro of I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday; Q maybe with Stuart Macconie?

The article is clearly code for come work with me Jeff Beck!

 

[Anonymous]

To say this site is called Morrissey Solo, is to wrongly name it. It should be called 'slag-off-morrissey.com', 'cause this is what people commenting on the whole seem to do.

I understand your frustration and in some cases you are right.

However, as for Morrissey critisizing Bowie's guitarists....some already pointed out on the irony. Plus, while Ronson's input was important between 1970-1973, Bowie made his best work after 1974. The majority of fans and critics agree on this. So Morrissey can have his opinion, and we can love him for his music, but we still can point out when he's talking rubbish.

Such as now

 

[mozmal]

Nice piece - thanks for the scan. Morrissey is absolutely right about Mick Ronson, he's a brilliant composer/arranger, just listen to Life On Mars? and countless other Bowie classics. He's the best talent to ever escape from Hull.

 

[joe frady]

It's just a shame he finds absolutely nothing redeeming about "Kill Uncle," because there is something there..
Some very good songwriting.

Holy shit.

I agree.

 

[Skylarker]

It's just a shame he finds absolutely nothing redeeming about "Kill Uncle," because there is something there..
Some very good songwriting.

Yes. Some of his best songs. And some of the worst production and arrangements ever committed to tape.

 

[bored]

Mick Ronson agreed with what I've been saying all along.. Spencer wasn't a very good drummer.

I do recognize his work on Southpaw Grammar was a huge step up but prior to that he was pretty bad. I know fan have some nostalgic affection for Spencer but it should be limited to his personality, not his drumming.

 

[Amy]

Mick Ronson agreed with what I've been saying all along.. Spencer wasn't a very good drummer.

I do recognize his work on Southpaw Grammar was a huge step up but prior to that he was pretty bad. I know fan have some nostalgic affection for Spencer but it should be limited to his personality, not his drumming.

I think it was pretty widely acknowledged that Spencer was a hopeless drummer to begin with –I remember reading an old interview where he talked about feeling like he didn’t ‘fit in’ with the Lads because he was the weak link in the band and very nervous onstage.

Morrissey’s liner notes for the reissued Southpaw Grammar a few years ago were very telling, basically asserting that Spencer never liked the other Lads and felt a little bullied in the studio:

"A great personal joy for me on Southpaw Grammar is Spencer’s drumming, which was largely the result of Steve Lillywhite jabbing away at Spencer almost to the point of cruelty. Spencer was pushed, and pushed without mercy, and although his best emerged, he could not be befriended and he held Alain and Boz in mild disregard. Once his craft had been impressively mastered he gave up the drums and ... he waved his goodbyes.”

 

[mcrickson]

To say this site is called Morrissey Solo, is to wrongly name it. It should be called 'slag-off-morrissey.com', 'cause this is what people commenting on the whole seem to do. Think I'll start my own site for all the wonderful genuine intelligent morrissey fans who have more to do than slag him off. Incidentally, background music in 'Pregnant for the Last Time' was used in 'Homes Under the Hammer' this morning.

So, have a blue rose and be on your way, thinking that you're brilliant and that Morrissey is "playing along" with you. Meanwhile, life will go on.

Holy shit.

I agree.

Is that something new for us? Have we disagreed in the past? I have the worst time trying to remember who here has had violently different opinions than me.

Yes. Some of his best songs. And some of the worst production and arrangements ever committed to tape.

It remains a part of the essential story, though. And without that songwriting, it could've been so much worse. I'd just prefer that he didn't write off the album completely. Leave that to the fans.

 

[Anonymous]

Which particular bits of those songs do you imagine John Porter to have written?

I consider him to have co-created the music with Marr. The difference is audible - compare, say, 'This Charming Man' to 'For You' by Electronic or Marr's 'The Messenger'. Compare 'How Soon is Now' to 'Shoplifters'. In every case, the music on the Porter record is more complex, melodically interesting, better riffs, better chord sequences. He pushed Marr to musical heights that he could not achieve without Porter. For that he deserves more than a production credit. Listen to Marr himself describing the process of creating 'How Soon is Now' - he basically states that he and Porter created the track together, but still no co-credit. It's ludicrous that Rourke doesn't get a credit for, at the very least. 'Barbarism Begins at Home'.

 

[davidt]

Off-topic site rudeness/related posts have been moved to the site feedback forum:

http://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/126574-User-rudeness-complaints

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey's a complex soul isn't he? On the one hand he can come across as outrageously puffed up and conceited, but then he always gives full credit to his band members and producers, lavishing praise on them in public, and - in the case of the Southpaw sleeve notes for example - diminishing his own role in the whole thing. He admits Johnny Marr 'saved him' and here he admits Mick Ronson 'saved him'. He always introduces his band on stage, taking a bow at the beginning and end. He's got a huge ego, but it hasn't blinded him.

 

[joe frady]

Is that something new for us? Have we disagreed in the past? I have the worst time trying to remember who here has had violently different opinions than me.

Not especially, just 'holy shit ~ I never thought I'd see someone here, or anywhere actually, say a kind word for Kill Uncle'

It remains a part of the essential story, though. And without that songwriting, it could've been so much worse. I'd just prefer that he didn't write off the album completely. Leave that to the fans

Agree. Again.

 

[mcrickson]

Morrissey's a complex soul isn't he? On the one hand he can come across as outrageously puffed up and conceited, but then he always gives full credit to his band members and producers, lavishing praise on them in public, and - in the case of the Southpaw sleeve notes for example - diminishing his own role in the whole thing. He admits Johnny Marr 'saved him' and here he admits Mick Ronson 'saved him'. He always introduces his band on stage, taking a bow at the beginning and end. He's got a huge ego, but it hasn't blinded him.

Well, he's not a musician, so the credit for the actual instrumental music and its production has to go somewhere. Not even he could pull off taking responsibility for the long-term musical direction of his career.

 

[Skylarker]

Mick Ronson agreed with what I've been saying all along.. Spencer wasn't a very good drummer.

I do recognize his work on Southpaw Grammar was a huge step up but prior to that he was pretty bad. I know fan have some nostalgic affection for Spencer but it should be limited to his personality, not his drumming.

I'll take a slightly subpar drummer (although personally I don't think he is subpar) who could nonetheless pen the music for Lost and Wide To Receive over any musical compositions submitted by Tobias.

I.E....a shoddy drummer who can write great music > a shoddy lead guitarist who can't write anything but crap.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll take a slightly subpar drummer (although personally I don't think he is subpar) who could nonetheless pen the music for Lost and Wide To Receive over any musical compositions submitted by Tobias.

I.E....a shoddy drummer who can write great music > a shoddy lead guitarist who can't write anything but crap.

I shall second that Sir Skylark!!! Bravo

 

[johnnymunro]

To say this site is called Morrissey Solo, is to wrongly name it. It should be called 'slag-off-morrissey.com', 'cause this is what people commenting on the whole seem to do.

I understand your frustration and in some cases you are right.

However, as for Morrissey critisizing Bowie's guitarists....some already pointed out on the irony. Plus, while Ronson's input was important between 1970-1973, Bowie made his best work after 1974. The majority of fans and critics agree on this. So Morrissey can have his opinion, and we can love him for his music, but we still can point out when he's talking rubbish.

Such as now

Eh, Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane - 1971, 1972, 1973 - And you think his best stuff came after this? No chance! Let's Dance? Black Tie, White Noise? There's no evidence to suggest the critics think this either.

Morrissey has said in this article what I have said about Bowie for years - His best years were with Ronson. Together they were greater than the sum of their parts. Exactly the same situation as Morrissey/Marr have experienced after the break up of The Smiths.

 

[Amy]

I'm re-reading this and wondering how the sharp, intelligent, insightful person who comes across on the page can be the same one who has just spewed forth 10 pages of bile and bullshit in 'Loaded'. I'm blaming the wine. He must have been pissed to agree in the first place.

 

[Anonymous]

""Eh, Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane - 1971, 1972, 1973 - And you think his best stuff came after this? No chance! Let's Dance? Black Tie, White Noise? There's no evidence to suggest the critics think this either""

There is actually - Station to Station, Low, Heroes, Lodger, Scary Monsters. These are at least AS GOOD as the ones you listed and hailed by fans and critics alike.

 

[joe frady]

I'm re-reading this and wondering how the sharp, intelligent, insightful person who comes across on the page can be the same one who has just spewed forth 10 pages of bile and bullshit in 'Loaded'. I'm blaming the wine. He must have been pissed to agree in the first place.

He is two people.