"Lock-jawed pop-stars,
Thicker than pig shit,
Nothing to convey,
So scared to show intelligence,
It might smear their lovely career."
It's kind of in the same vein as Panic's ranting about how "The music that they constantly play, says nothing to me about my life."
Again, it's priceless, in the good way, like you couldn't even dream of putting a tag on it on account of it is so fucking gut-thrashingly thunderous in its wonderment. Or something.
Let Me Kiss You is one of the most beautifully poignant ballads old Moz has ever penned. Against an acoustic guitar strum and some synthesised orchestral movements in the dark or something, it almost has Stephen Patrick admitting to the old L-word. Almost.
"Close your eyes and think of someone you physically admire,
And let me kiss you."
It also offers a few of those tantalising glimpses of what might possibly be "The Real Morrissey" amidst it all. "I've zig-zagged all over America", he sighs, "And I cannot find a safety haven." It's like when you see those photographs on websites about how there was an alien in my back-yard and I took the picture but it's all fuzzy since, I dunno, cameras don't work right when there's extra-terrestrials. You look at it, and you think, Holy Shit! That's a real alien right there! But then you look a bit harder, and you see that no, man, it's just a clothes-line is all. Nice jacket, though.
Bits of You Are The Quarry are kinda like that. You think it's getting all auto with the biographicals, but he might just be messing with you, like what Dylan enjoys on occasion.
And just to pick up those Dylan comparisons for a second and run like Daley Thompson, or that motherfucker from the south that was so fond of the shrimping business back in the mid-90's.
Remember when Time Out Of Mind came out? Who in their right sanities would have guessed it would be so momentous, so like as if Dylan had just popped a 12-gauge in your face and pulled the trigger, sending your brain spraying across the wall, blown apart not by anything so crass as a bullet, but by rumbling bass-lines, focused intensity, the stench of death and the cry of remorse. Or something like that. It was a fucking amazing record is what.
But who expected it? After all, Dylan had spent much of the last decade noodling about, throwing out albums which, whilst certainly far from grotesque, seemed to reek of missed opportunity. All that time spent, I dunno, messing about in basements lookin' for medicines, or sittin on pavements talkin' 'bout governments, all that arsing around seemed to suggest that Dylan would never again make anything approaching the likes of Desire, or Blood On The Tracks, or even Oh Mercy. And what did he do? He gave a motherfucking masterpiece to us all and said, "There y'all go. Now get the hell off my property."
Article comments
1 - HW Saxton Jr.
Duke,In all honesty I must say that I've
never cared for The Smiths or anything
Morissey has done solo.You certainly do
make reading about it interesting though
I'll admit.I do agree with you 101% on
"The Pogues". The disc what is called:
"Sugar Cane Juice,Sex That Don't Lead To
Baby Making and The Leather Strip What
Stings Like A Mother Fucker When Applied
To Ones Backside" is a GRRRRRRRRRRRREAT
record to throw back a few pints to.
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Aw, HW, thanks man. That was real nice is what.
Excellent, excellent duke-ification of that 2nd pogues album, there. Stunning.
I have a tattoo of Shane on my left arm. You might say i approached the fanatical. Shane, incidentally, on the occasion when i finally got to meet him, was incredibly embaressed about it.
Again, thank you ever so lots for the kindness of vocabulary.
3 - HW Saxton Jr.
Thanks for the kind words DDM.You are an
inspiration to many around this neck of
the woods.My own self included.
You got to meet Shane? Color me jealous.
I cannot think of many "famous" people
I'd actually like to meet but MacGowan
is one of 'em (I got to meet Divine once
though).He seems like he'd be very down
to earth though I'm afraid I'd probably
become a tongue tied bumbling idiot(even
more so than usual)if I ever did.
ar
4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
HW, you met Divine? Wow! Pink Flamingos has the biggest number of film folks what The Duke would want to meet of any cinematic work. Unfortunately, the chances of meeting Divine are now scarpered, but John Waters and the bloke with the singing arsehole, they would be wonderful.
As to my meeting with Shane...
In early 2003, i think, just as i was winding down towards the whole "having to get sober" thing, Shane appeared as a guest DJ at the Belfast Death Disco, organised by BP Fallon and Alan McGee. My fiancee and i went up, and lo and behold, there he was, sitting at the the bar. I was indeed tongue-tied and what not, and he seemed highly annoyed by my bursts of "uh...how...uh...you alright shane?" He was indeed incredibly down to earth, and we chatted for much of two hours (after i got my tongue unravelled) about Sergio Leone and stuff, while my fiancee took pictures and watched as her partner's lifetime ambition reached a glorious conclusion. He even played my demo during his set, which i cheekily brought along with me, just in case. Brilliant stuff. He even gave me his phone number, which led to the hitherto unthinkable occurance of phoning his hotel and being told sternly to phone back later on account of he was writing a song. lol. "I'm writing a song!!!!"
Amazingly, i also have the prestigious honour of having been told by shane macgowan that "maybe i should quit drinking". Imagine!!
Ah, memories.
5 - HW Saxton Jr.
Duke that is a great story,especially
what with Shane telling you that you may
want to reconsider your relationship w/
the drink and all.LOL.
I got to meet Divine while he was on the
"Jungle Jezebel" tour. You remember the
record I trust. He was sooooo funny and
really nice.Very similar to the onscreen
persona.A natural comic. We were invited
to go party with him and his entourage
but I had to work early the next day and
couldn't go.I have regretted this ever
since. I should've went as Jobs can be
found and this was a once in a lifetime
oppurtunity missed.But I thought wrongly
that I might have another chance someday
which of course I never did and Divine
died soon after.
Congrats on your 1st Year man.Seriously.
Happy B day and all that. I understand
100%.I've wrestled demons of my own and
it wasn't much fun.The fact that any of
my friends or family still claim to know
me is testimony to their capacity for
forgiveness.
By the by did you ever make contact with
Steckler or TV Mikels ??? Just curious.
6 - HW Saxton Jr
Duke,by the way It would've been around
1986 that I met Divine if memory serves me right.
7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
HW, brilliant Divine story. Don't worry, man, I'm sure Divine says the same thing wherever he ended up. "I should've made that HW fella hang around a bit" he's thinking.
Thank you for the b-day wishes. Means a whole lot. :)
As to the contacts, they're riding atop my "to-do" list. i just wanna have something worthwhile to say. I been racking my brain. How do you adress these lords of smutty genius???
I will be sending the emails shortly, this weekend no doubt. I will keep you posted.
And yead, family and friends have an AMAZING capacity for forgiveness.
Gotta forgive yourself, too, though, which is often a lot more difficult.
Man, that Morrissey, eh? lol
8 - HW Saxton Jr.
Yeah,It's funny how these posts get off
onto unrelated tangents. Good luck with
the interviews.A quick Divine story and
then I've got to scoot along.
Divine LOVED being a celebrity.He was
more than happy to sign autographs,talk
to his fans,take photos and the like.
Well,when I met Divine,after the show,
all of the boys and girls were crowding
about asking him a million questions,
taking photos and all that and Divine
quipped:"God,I feel just like Elizabeth
Taylor... only thinner" LOL!!! I laughed
my arse off man. Ciao.
9 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
god, thats just about the best Divine quote i've ever heard! "only thinner!" Ha! Great stuff HW. thanks for sharing!