Morrissey

Hard to contemplate how much la Moz has effected me over the years.

Introduced to the Smiths in 1986 properly by my sister’s friend, I was aware of them from the Whistle Test appearance, but what triggered my obsessional devotion was the South Bank show pre split. I used to get the albums taped, then trawl record fairs for singles, borrow the 12 inches and tape the B Sides and session versions at the end of the albums. What amazed me was revealing song after song that just floored me…. never heard anything like it, but it was the consistently high quality of the stuff, combined with that ‘poor me’ teenage phase  I was going through which struck a chord noone else has matched since. Obviously gutted when they split before I saw them live.

When I was at the School of Sound in Manchester, Morrissey did a signing of Vauxhall and I in 1993. I queued up for 8 hours to meet him. I said ‘I missed Home and Away for you’. His reply? ‘No you haven’t’.

He signed the sleeve and a poster ‘John with an ‘H’?” he asked? ‘Yes’. I hugged him, then off I trotted.

I saw him live in 1991 at Wembley: the first UK date post Smiths (excluding Wolverhampton funny gig)  .. I barely remember much other than excitement .. I travelled down with my girlfriend, Anna on a coach…. and, well, blanked it out. I think, in hindsight after hearing bootlegs, I was shocked at the rubbish band he’d accrued. They’re still a bit shit now. Anyhow…. I’ve seen him about 7 or 8 times since and always get excited when he tours.. I haven’t seen him in a small venue since Sheffield City Hall in 95.. the last couple of times were at Nottingham Arena and Manchester Cricket ground, so was dead pleased to bag a pair of tickets for a hall in Bradford in June.

My fave Moz TV appearance…….