'World Peace Is None Of Your Business' is Morrissey's 10th studio album - and is the subject of this week's episode.
Music blog by Bret Helm (of the band Audra) and Sarah Quarrie Helm (turn signal user, nice person)
Showing posts with label Morrissey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morrissey. Show all posts
Friday, July 25, 2014
[Friday On The Turntable] Morrissey - World Peace Is None Of Your Business
'World Peace Is None Of Your Business' is Morrissey's 10th studio album - and is the subject of this week's episode.
Friday, January 31, 2014
[Friday On The Turntable] Morrissey - Viva Hate
Welcome to this week's Friday On The Turntable feature! For those of you that follow my blog on Facebook, you'll recall that each Friday I post a featured record that I'm currently enjoying. To enhance the experience, I've been filming short videos - discussing a brief history of the record, my favorite tracks and what it means to me. The video is embedded below - and don't forget to subscribe to my youtube channel here.
This week's featured album is Morrissey's debut solo LP - Viva Hate. In this video, I show the original US vinyl edition, discuss the album's history, my 3 favorite tracks and show 5 other albums that were released from the same year - 1988. Please enjoy.
My review of the Mozipedia book - link.
Read about my 15 Favorite Morrissey Songs from 2010 - link.
My Morrissey Playlist:
Producer Stephen Street's Viva Hate journal - link.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Placebo at The Hollywood Palace - May 15, 2001
I have a friend named Gitane DeMone
. You may know her from the band Christian Death, her solo career, or maybe her new band The Crystelles
. Anyways, one night a group of us were at a Denny's after a show Audra (my band) performed with Gitane. She told me about this new band that she liked called Placebo. The next day I went out and bought their album and was pretty blown away.In 2001, I was finally able to catch Placebo live in Hollywood at The Palace. LA locals Tate opened the show, followed by the Scottish band Idlewild, then Placebo.
The show was memorable for two reasons.
1. Placebo were just plain great.
2. Morrissey was in the VIP box. At one point in the show, I looked up towards one of the boxes in the theatre and one of the rotating lights happened to hit a very distinct-looking fellow standing in the back. :)
3. Placebo performed a couple of songs with the guy who fronted the opening band. His name was Justin Warfield. He already had made a guest appearance on Placebo's third album, Black Market Music
, on the track Spite And Malice
. A few years later, Warfield found success with a band that Audra has played with called She Wants Revenge
.Placebo's Set List
1. Dub Psychosis (intro)
2. Haemoglobin
3. Days Before You Came
4. Allergic (To Thoughts Of Mother Earth)
5. Scared Of Girls
6. 36 Degrees
7. Passive Aggressive
8. Leni
9. Little Mo
10. Every You Every Me
11. Without You I'm Nothing
12. Feel Good Hit Of The Summer
(Queens of the Stone Age cover)13. Spite & Malice
(with Justin Warfield)14. Slave To The Wage
15. Special K
16. Taste In Men
Encore 1
17. My Sweet Prince
18. Commercial For Levi
19. Peeping Tom
Encore 2
20. Black-Eyed
21. Pure Morning
(with Justin Warfield)Unfortunately I couldn't find a video from this particular show, but here is one from the same year. Please enjoy and thanks for reading. - Bret
Friday, October 22, 2010
Mozipedia - The Encyclopedia of Morrissey & The Smiths: A Review
If your local college offered a course in Morrissey, this would be the required textbook listed on your syllabus. At over 500 pages, Mozipedia: The Encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smiths
.
is the definitive book on everything pertaining to Morrissey. As its name suggests, Mozipedia is laid out like an encyclopedia, from A - Z.
. is the definitive book on everything pertaining to Morrissey. As its name suggests, Mozipedia is laid out like an encyclopedia, from A - Z.
The 600 alphabetized entries fit into one of six categories:
1. The music of Morrissey and The Smiths - all songs, albums, compilations and video collections.
2. The life of Morrissey - biographical information, schools, youth, etc.
3. The influences of Morrissey - books, authors, films, actors, singers, groups, art, etc.
4. The who's who - all musicians, producers, band members that worked with Morrissey and The Smiths.
5. The world of Morrissey - specific places that are relevant to his life and referenced in song.
6. The tao of Morrissey - everything that didn't fit into one of the previous categories, ex: his thoughts on cats, football, tea, etc.
Author Simon Goddard is very thorough and his entries range from the Starland Vocal Band (the band that brought us 'Afternoon Delight'), to the band a-ha (whom Morrissey liked), to a several page spread on Johnny Marr. Completed by 32 pages of beautiful black/white and color photographs, Mozipedia is a MUST have for Morrissey/Smiths fans.
is a MUST have for Morrissey/Smiths fans.
Mozipedia will take you a while to get through, so get your Smiths and Morrissey records out and listen as you read. Please enjoy!
will take you a while to get through, so get your Smiths and Morrissey records out and listen as you read. Please enjoy!
Published by Plume on September 28, 2010
544 pages
Monday, October 11, 2010
Morrissey. The 15 Best Songs (Post-Smiths)
- review is here. It's an encyclopedia of everything involving Morrissey - The Smiths, solo career, etc. While I am reading, I've been listening to everything Morrissey and it got me to thinking.... what are the absolute best solo Morrissey songs? Here are my 15 selections. Please feel free to leave your list in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Click on song titles to purchase - or scroll down to the bottom for a Spotify playlist.
15. Will Never Marry
- The B-side to Everyday Is Like Sunday. Such a beautiful arrangement of acoustic guitar and strings. The woman shouting 'Steven' in the background is producer Stephen Street's wife who was visiting the studio the day it was recorded.
Memorable quote: I will live my life as I will undoubtedly die - alone.
14. Irish Blood, English Heart
- Morrissey's 25th solo single released after a 7 year recording absence since the release of 1997's Maladjusted
. From 2004's brilliant You Are The Quarry
, IBEH marked an exciting return for Morrissey.
Memorable quote: There is no one on earth I'm afraid of.
13. Life Is A Pigsty
- My favorite track from 2006's Ringleader Of The Tormentors
. In an interview with The Sun upon its release, Morrissey had this to say, "I think life for many people is a pigsty... and I don't think the world is a particularly fantastic place. But once again, we're not supposed to say these things, are we? It's supposed to be rock 'n roll, and wild, and beer, and madness. I'm just being realistic."
Memorable quote: Life is a pigsty and if you don't know this, then what do you know?
12. First Of The Gang To Die
- Also from You Are The Quarry, this great track fits in with the other Morrissey crime songs, such as The Last Of The Famous International Playboys. Although it wasn't released until 2004, it was played live on his August 2002 tour - as witnessed by yours truly on his stop in Phoenix at The Celebrity Theatre. It was so memorable that when I bought the album 2 years later, I recognized it immediately.
Memorable quote: And he stole from the rich and the poor and the not-very-rich and the very poor.
11. Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself
- From my favorite Morrissey album, 1993's Vauxhall And I
.
11. Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself
- From my favorite Morrissey album, 1993's Vauxhall And I.
Memorable quote: I've been stabbed in the back so many many times, I don't have skin but that's just the way it goes.
10. Boxers
- Morrissey's 18th solo single is a tale about a defeated fighter. Originally released as a non-album single in 1995, it was later included on the compilations World Of Morrissey
and My Early Burglary Years
.
Memorable quote: Your weary wife is walking away. Your nephew is true, he still thinks the world of you and I have to dry my eyes.
09. Everyday Is Like Sunday
- This song, also from Viva Hate
, is probably on everyone's top list. Not much more can be said about it. It's one of his most popular solo songs.
- This song, also from Viva Hate, is probably on everyone's top list. Not much more can be said about it. It's one of his most popular solo songs.
Memorable quote: Come Armageddon, come.
Memorable quote: Everyone I love in the house will recline on an analyst's couch quite soon.
07. Interesting Drug
- Originally planned to be a part of his second solo album, Interesting Drug ended up being a single that was then a part of his first compilation Bona Drag
, which collected his early singles and b-sides. Making up part of his backing band on this track are former Smiths, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke. Backing vocals provided by Kirsty MacColl.
Memorable quote: Because enough is too much.
06. Jack The Ripper
- Originally released as the b-side to 1992's Certain People I Know, and produced by Mick Ronson (from David Bowie's Spiders For Mars), the definitive version is the live take that appears on Beethoven Was Deaf
and World Of Morrissey. Breathtaking.
Memorable quote: No one knows a thing about my life. I can come and go as I please.
05. Mute Witness
- I've probably listened to this song hundreds of times. From Moz's second solo album, Mute Witness is about a woman who witnesses a crime but is not able to give the police details on what she saw. Cool haunting, backing vocals at the end of this standout track from Kill Uncle
.
Memorable quote: Now see her mime in time so nicely. It would all have been so clear if only she had never volunteered.
Memorable quote: Why do you come here when you know it makes things hard for me?
03. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
- Most likely one of everyone's favorite Morrissey songs. Former Smiths, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, make an appearance on this track addressed to the gangster Kray brothers. According to author Simon Goddard, one of the Krays gave his 'approval' of the song, stating he 'liked the tune,' but felt the lyrics were 'lacking a little.'
Memorable quote: I never wanted to kill, I'm not naturally evil. Such things I do just to make myself more attractive to you. Have I failed?
02. Speedway
- The closing song from 1993's Vauxhall And I. The thunderous drums at the very end were recorded in the dining room at the studio were the album was recorded.
Memorable quote: I've always been true to you, in my own sick way I'll always stay true to you.
01. Late Night, Maudlin Street
- The truly epic tale of youth, love and loss from Moz's debut solo album Viva Hate. Although it was released back in 1988, it was never played live until 2002. Almost reaching 8 minutes in length, this track is a masterpiece.
Memorable quote: You without clothes, oh I could not keep a straight face. Me without clothes, well a nation turns its back and gags.
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