Morrissey - The Singer
Created | Updated Aug 13, 2007
There has never been an artist who was so utterly difficult, so utterly brilliant, and so utterly defiant as Morrissey. People all around try to figure him out, when really all you have to do is… Listen to Him
Steven Patrick Morrissey was born on the 22nd of May 1959, he has changed his name to Morrissey saying that too many people were named Steven, and he didn’t enjoy being named after the American actor Steve Cochran. He was born in Manchester England with his Irish immigrant parents, Peter Morrissey and Elizabeth Dwyer, they moved to England just before Morrissey’s birth.
Some influences to Morrissey during his years locked in his bedroom were: Sandie Shaw, Oscar Wilde, the play, A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney, James Dean and the New York Dolls. Morrissey was for a short time front man to a band called The Nosebleeds.
The Smiths are viewed as one of the most influential rock bands to ever exist. With Morrissey’s ambiguous lyrics and Johnny Marr’s melodic guitar strings, The Smiths took the World by shock and awe. The band soon became and obsession around the US and Europe, a sure cult favorite. The Band Departed in 1987 due to confrontations with Morrissey and Marr. Several years after bassist, Andy Rourke and drummer, Mike Joyce sued Morrissey and Marr because they only received 10 percent of the Smiths earnings while Marr and Morrissey both received 40 percent. Rourke eventually settled out of court while Joyce won his case in late 1996 winning 1.27 million pounds.
Morrissey has probably become even more successful now than he ever was in the Smiths. A year after The Smiths fell apart he released Viva Hate, the title expressing his hatred for the band and its members. In all of his records he has managed to make some sort reference to the band, or at least the court case (although in the recent Ringleader of the Tormentors he has a new twist and is no longer fretting about the past). His 1992 hit album Your Arsenal got him a Grammy nomination for best alternative record. With his release “I Have Forgiven Jesus" in Dec. 2004 he became the only Artist in the UK to receive 4 top 10 hits in singles. His newest release The Ringleader of the Tormentors has been praised as his best record since The Queen is Dead.
Morrissey is known for getting in tiffs with just about, well everyone. If it isn’t Margaret Thatcher then it’s the Press. With his somewhat overly politically songs that take the sort of tongue in cheek jabs at numerous heads in politics, Such as: “Margaret on the guillotine”, “America is not the World”, “The Queen is Dead”, “I will see you in far off places” ext. He has even been interviewed by FBI and British Intelligence because they thought he was a “threat to the government” in short Morrissey's politics are ambiguous: he has certainly flirted with nationalism, yet at the same time he has expressed left-leaning views on subjects like animal rights and the USA.
PETA
Morrissey has always been an advocate for the Animals, his release of Meat is Murder only finalized that thought. Morrissey has been a vegetarian for quite some time (His mother was also a vegetarian). He has mentioned on several accounts that he sees animals as children, ‘If we feed and shelter them, they are like children, so how can we eat them?’ Morrissey like many others though has given up with the leather protests, “There is really no other alternative,” Although to he sometimes gives into the peer pressure of the “pleather” shoe.
Sexuality
Morrissey in the 80’s proclaimed to the public that he was celibate, but not by choice but by force he decided that no one in their right mind would enjoy his sexual company… even though thousands of women, and men at his concerts shout their "I love You's". He has managed to confuse the press on his sexual preference with songs like “handsome Devil”, “Hand in Glove”, “This Charming Man” and a recent “You Have Killed Me” ext. An interview in “The Importance of Being Morrissey” he stated "I don't see any 'crooked record'. People think they know, think they understand. I don't really care what people think... it makes no difference to me. And I'm not hiding anything." He remains tight-lipped on the issue, which only adds to the mystery that has, in no small part, contributed to his allure for over 20 years. He did, however say in a 2006 interview with the MOJO and NME that he was no longer celibate when the issue came up concerning lyrics from his new album (I entered nothing and nothing entered me/Till you came with the key for example)
Kill Uncle (1991)
Your Arsenal (1992)
Vauxhall and I (1994)
Southpaw Grammar (1995)
Maladjusted (1997)
You Are The Quarry (2004)
Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006)
Unofficial Fan Site: Ture to You
Unofficial Fan Site: Morrissey Solo
Official Site: You are the Quarry
Unofficial Fan Site: Morrissey Tour
Early Years:
Steven Patrick Morrissey was born on the 22nd of May 1959, he has changed his name to Morrissey saying that too many people were named Steven, and he didn’t enjoy being named after the American actor Steve Cochran. He was born in Manchester England with his Irish immigrant parents, Peter Morrissey and Elizabeth Dwyer, they moved to England just before Morrissey’s birth.
Some influences to Morrissey during his years locked in his bedroom were: Sandie Shaw, Oscar Wilde, the play, A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney, James Dean and the New York Dolls. Morrissey was for a short time front man to a band called The Nosebleeds.
The Smiths, A Severed Alliance:
The Smiths are viewed as one of the most influential rock bands to ever exist. With Morrissey’s ambiguous lyrics and Johnny Marr’s melodic guitar strings, The Smiths took the World by shock and awe. The band soon became and obsession around the US and Europe, a sure cult favorite. The Band Departed in 1987 due to confrontations with Morrissey and Marr. Several years after bassist, Andy Rourke and drummer, Mike Joyce sued Morrissey and Marr because they only received 10 percent of the Smiths earnings while Marr and Morrissey both received 40 percent. Rourke eventually settled out of court while Joyce won his case in late 1996 winning 1.27 million pounds.
Going Solo
Morrissey has probably become even more successful now than he ever was in the Smiths. A year after The Smiths fell apart he released Viva Hate, the title expressing his hatred for the band and its members. In all of his records he has managed to make some sort reference to the band, or at least the court case (although in the recent Ringleader of the Tormentors he has a new twist and is no longer fretting about the past). His 1992 hit album Your Arsenal got him a Grammy nomination for best alternative record. With his release “I Have Forgiven Jesus" in Dec. 2004 he became the only Artist in the UK to receive 4 top 10 hits in singles. His newest release The Ringleader of the Tormentors has been praised as his best record since The Queen is Dead.
A Misunderstood Man
PoliticsMorrissey is known for getting in tiffs with just about, well everyone. If it isn’t Margaret Thatcher then it’s the Press. With his somewhat overly politically songs that take the sort of tongue in cheek jabs at numerous heads in politics, Such as: “Margaret on the guillotine”, “America is not the World”, “The Queen is Dead”, “I will see you in far off places” ext. He has even been interviewed by FBI and British Intelligence because they thought he was a “threat to the government” in short Morrissey's politics are ambiguous: he has certainly flirted with nationalism, yet at the same time he has expressed left-leaning views on subjects like animal rights and the USA.
PETA
Morrissey has always been an advocate for the Animals, his release of Meat is Murder only finalized that thought. Morrissey has been a vegetarian for quite some time (His mother was also a vegetarian). He has mentioned on several accounts that he sees animals as children, ‘If we feed and shelter them, they are like children, so how can we eat them?’ Morrissey like many others though has given up with the leather protests, “There is really no other alternative,” Although to he sometimes gives into the peer pressure of the “pleather” shoe.
Sexuality
Morrissey in the 80’s proclaimed to the public that he was celibate, but not by choice but by force he decided that no one in their right mind would enjoy his sexual company… even though thousands of women, and men at his concerts shout their "I love You's". He has managed to confuse the press on his sexual preference with songs like “handsome Devil”, “Hand in Glove”, “This Charming Man” and a recent “You Have Killed Me” ext. An interview in “The Importance of Being Morrissey” he stated "I don't see any 'crooked record'. People think they know, think they understand. I don't really care what people think... it makes no difference to me. And I'm not hiding anything." He remains tight-lipped on the issue, which only adds to the mystery that has, in no small part, contributed to his allure for over 20 years. He did, however say in a 2006 interview with the MOJO and NME that he was no longer celibate when the issue came up concerning lyrics from his new album (I entered nothing and nothing entered me/Till you came with the key for example)
Discography
Viva Hate (1988)Kill Uncle (1991)
Your Arsenal (1992)
Vauxhall and I (1994)
Southpaw Grammar (1995)
Maladjusted (1997)
You Are The Quarry (2004)
Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006)
Sites
Official Site: Morrissey MusicUnofficial Fan Site: Ture to You
Unofficial Fan Site: Morrissey Solo
Official Site: You are the Quarry
Unofficial Fan Site: Morrissey Tour
