self indulgence

[brownie]

i was heavily into the smiths in the late 80's/early 90's. i can honestly say they made my life worse. i was 15/16 at the time and too naive to realise the self indulgence that morrissey offers in his lyrics. some of those songs should come with a f***ing government health warning. young boys emulate strong masculine figures at 15/16 and your better off acting like Shaun Ryder than Morrissey. at least you'll enjoy yourself. i went to a morrissey gig in 91 and most of the boys/men there were dressed up like morrissey and putting on his persona. this is extrememely confusing and if you join in you are offering people a fake personality - not yours. if you do this a lot it knocks
your self confidence because you think people like you for your facade, not because of who you really are. morrissey had such an extreme personality/views that targeting (?) teenagers is f***in nasty. i've got a massive Smiths bootleg collection and all their singles and EPs. i'll be getting rid when i get them out of storage. the only good thing that i got from the smiths is that i didn't get as heavily into drugs in my teens as all of my friends did - because i was sat in being miserable listening to morrissey whining whilst they were out raving. anyway, thank god when i left home at 18/19 i got into different tunes.

 

[omg]

How weak of you

 

[brownie]

fair comment

i won't be checking this board again as its past history for me.

 

[russ t]

Thank God.

...talk about weak willed and unable to form your own personality?!

Maybe you should have been into Bros, New Kids on the Block, London Boys or Big Fun in the late 80s, after all, they'd have been a far better load of role models for yourself, I reckon.

I've always followed musicians for what they produce (MUSIC), not to blindly follow the style of shirts, haircuts or glasses they wear.... after all, isn't this why we have numbskulls like Mariah Carey, Backstreet Boys, Blue and Westlife? Pretty pop puppets who couldn't write a song or play a note if ther lives depended on it, but who look very pretty on the stage with easily adaptable images for the general dumb Joe Public?

At 15 or 16 I was listening to Smiths records AND going out partying.... I think it may be more to do with yourself than your musical tastes, personally.

i won't be checking this board again as its past history for me.

 

[Billy Budd]

> i was heavily into the smiths in the late 80's/early 90's. i can honestly
> say they made my life worse. i was 15/16 at the time and too naive to
> realise the self indulgence that morrissey offers in his lyrics. some of
> those songs should come with a f***ing government health warning. young
> boys emulate strong masculine figures at 15/16 and your better off acting
> like Shaun Ryder than Morrissey. at least you'll enjoy yourself. i went to
> a morrissey gig in 91 and most of the boys/men there were dressed up like
> morrissey and putting on his persona. this is extrememely confusing and if
> you join in you are offering people a fake personality - not yours. if you
> do this a lot it knocks
> your self confidence because you think people like you for your facade,
> not because of who you really are. morrissey had such an extreme
> personality/views that targeting (?) teenagers is f***in nasty. i've got a
> massive Smiths bootleg collection and all their singles and EPs. i'll be
> getting rid when i get them out of storage. the only good thing that i got
> from the smiths is that i didn't get as heavily into drugs in my teens as
> all of my friends did - because i was sat in being miserable listening to
> morrissey whining whilst they were out raving. anyway, thank god when i
> left home at 18/19 i got into different tunes.

I think there are 2 kinds of Smiths/Morrissey fans, those that can appreciate Moz quality songwriting and class musicianship, and those who can identify more directly with the lyrics. The former is more common, however for some, like myslef, who find Morrissey's lyrics are directly relevant to their own life, it is all all about empathy and having someone else to cling to who, well understands in this cruel society.

I liked the Happy Mondays and all the acid house rave stuff aswell in a different way of course, and although it is a more escapist, I've seen a lot of people f*** up on the acid. I was doing acid before than and it certainly did my head in long term. Wouldn't do acid or speed now I think the comedowns would push me over the edge.

Some people do become hypocritical and take on Moz persona as you put it, but in the main as Moz put it, 'To pretend To Be Happy Would Only Be Idiocy - la de de da da da da'. That is why I don't listen to Abba, that and the fact that they are shite.

 

[Billy Budd]

Re: correction

> I think there are 2 kinds of Smiths/Morrissey fans, those that can
> appreciate Moz quality songwriting and class musicianship, and those who
> can identify more directly with the lyrics. The former is more common,
> however for some, like myslef, who find Morrissey's lyrics are directly
> relevant to their own life, it is all all about empathy and having someone
> else to cling to who, well understands in this cruel society.

> I liked the Happy Mondays and all the acid house rave stuff aswell in a
> different way of course, and although it is a more escapist, I've seen a
> lot of people f*** up on the acid. I was doing acid before than and it
> certainly did my head in long term. Wouldn't do acid or speed now I think
> the comedowns would push me over the edge.

> Some people do become hypocritical and take on Moz persona as you put it,
> but in the main as Moz put it, 'To pretend To Be Happy Would Only Be
> Idiocy - la de de da da da da'. That is why I don't listen to Abba, that
> and the fact that they are shite.

Obviously not Moz' class musicianship, Marr, et all. In a bit of a rush here, not in the same way as many rave MC's have put it.

 

[Banging em' Dave]

I'm with you there and I know plenty of others. A funny bunch who grew up with Rave, the Roses and Mondays and plenty of drugs.

Im a bit older now and prefer the Smiths and Morrissey, I don't think it's changed (ruined) my life- quite the contrary. I appreciate their music but dont go about swinging flowers or staying in all day.

 

[LondonCanYouWait]

Brownie is right I'm afraid.

I agree with part of your statement, Brownie. I've heard this said before so I had to give my opinion. I'm a 15 year fan. Moz is a great artist. One of my faves, in fact. I quite enjoy Marr also(and his solo-projects). All this aside, I have to say Brownie is right in the sense that Moz's lyrics(Smiths and solo) ARE incredibly self-indulgent, moany, etc. Someone at a tender age (teens) can be "influenced" either outright or un(sub)consciously with his lyrics and the general "tone" of the songs. Of course, "weaker" personalities are more prone to this, I believe there is a subconscious element in the songs/lyrics affecting someone in a negative way IF you listen to the songs in LARGE doses. Listen to various Moz/Smiths over and over weeks on end and you may have trouble.

How many of you who have had friends hear any Moz/Smiths for the first time. 100% of mine called the music DEPRESSING. They can't stand it. Sen Moz live a few times. The shows were AMAZING. Sure, there's a gay following. I actually enjoyed in his shows. The audience members were very nice, kind, friendly, helpful, etc... A lot of other acts don't have quite a nice crowd. I met some really great people at the shows.

Gene> i was heavily into the smiths in the late 80's/early 90's. i can honestly
> say they made my life worse. i was 15/16 at the time and too naive to
> realise the self indulgence that morrissey offers in his lyrics. some of
> those songs should come with a f***ing government health warning. young
> boys emulate strong masculine figures at 15/16 and your better off acting
> like Shaun Ryder than Morrissey. at least you'll enjoy yourself. i went to
> a morrissey gig in 91 and most of the boys/men there were dressed up like
> morrissey and putting on his persona. this is extrememely confusing and if
> you join in you are offering people a fake personality - not yours. if you
> do this a lot it knocks
> your self confidence because you think people like you for your facade,
> not because of who you really are. morrissey had such an extreme
> personality/views that targeting (?) teenagers is f***in nasty. i've got a
> massive Smiths bootleg collection and all their singles and EPs. i'll be
> getting rid when i get them out of storage. the only good thing that i got
> from the smiths is that i didn't get as heavily into drugs in my teens as
> all of my friends did - because i was sat in being miserable listening to
> morrissey whining whilst they were out raving. anyway, thank god when i
> left home at 18/19 i got into different tunes.

 

[Fabricio]

you both are wrong I'm affraid

> I believe there is a subconscious element in the songs/lyrics affecting
> someone in a negative way IF you listen to the songs in LARGE doses.
> Listen to various Moz/Smiths over and over weeks on end and you may have
> trouble.

i think if you hear morrissey songs and you become depressed you would be depressed even without morrissey. I hear morrissey and he only did good things to me. It's very good when I hear the man and I recognize there my own feelings.