He’s being a bit of a… Tim Booth calls out Morrissey amid far-right support claims - Echo

He’s being a bit of a… Booth calls out Morrissey amid far-right support claims - Echo
Press Association 2018

Tim Booth has labelled Morrissey a “dick” amid claims the revered singer supports the far-right.

The former Smiths frontman has just postponed his UK and European tour dates with his management saying “logistical problems” were to blame.

Booth and Morrissey were contemporaries in the Manchester music scene of the 1980s, as members of James and The Smiths respectively, with Booth saying the pair were once friends.

The 58-year-old, who is preparing to release a new album with James titled Living In Extraordinary Times, told the Press Association: “I knew Morrissey as a friend when he was sweet, very shy, very frightened. Wanting success, wanting what happened with The Smiths and also terrified of it simultaneously.

“I saw about their seventh gig in Manchester and they were fully formed. They were ready, they were lock and loaded. And we weren’t.

“They were so kind to us. Morrissey called us the best band in the world, they took us on tour, they tried to take us to America but we actually turned them down. And they were so sweet, all of them, for years.

“But I know he’s become a bit of a dick.”

Booth also said Morrissey’s former bandmate, Johnny Marr, “kept that band together” and was “one of the sweetest human beings you will ever meet”.

Morrissey, 59, recently sparked fury when he expressed sympathy for the jailed EDL founder Tommy Robinson.

Protesters labelling themselves former fans of the singer planned to hold an anti-racism party to coincide with his gig at the Castlefield Bowl in Manchester before it was postponed.

Booth added: “As I say, he did some very kind things for us so therefore it’s hard for me to say he’s a dick but he’s being a dick at the moment.”

Tim Booth performing with James (Karin Albinsson/PA)

 

[Qvist 1]

Oh come off it you lot, Booth just says what pretty much everyone thinks. And he’s right.

 

[pandaproducts]

Exactly. Moz could drop all Smiths songs and still do ok if he picked his stronger solo stuff (Everyday, Last of Famous, Suedehead, Irish Blood, First of Gang, Now My Heart, Ripper, More Ignore, Fatty, Day In Bed, November, Spring Jim, Disappointed, etc)

Wouldn't include Spent the Day in Bed in there.

 

[Anonymous]

The very culture the world and his wives are battering down the door to reach.

Think there's a limit to how much they come for the culture. Maybe to some extent, but I never heard anyone at Sangatte being interviewed about why they wanted to come to the UK and saying "Coronation Street".

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

I like James. I like Tim but you're not going to get any political insights or deep quotes about the state of geo-politics from an old vegan hippy.

 

[Ugly Devil]

Shut the f*** up bald Brit. You are just upset because you can't afford to live in LA or Malibu like Uncle Steve.

Apparently he does live in LA. His band have sold 25 million records in total. He is bald though.

 

[gordyboy9]

Exactly. Moz could drop all Smiths songs and still do ok if he picked his stronger solo stuff (Everyday, Last of Famous, Suedehead, Irish Blood, First of Gang, Now My Heart, Ripper, More Ignore, Fatty, Day In Bed, November, Spring Jim, Disappointed, etc)

that lot would make a good compilation.

 

[Thewlis]

We Hate it when our friends become political

 

[Surface]

your funny see as moderators you do not post everything twats

Can you repost that as it makes no sense whatsoever?

 

[vegan.cro spirit# 676]

I like James. I like Tim but you're not going to get any political insights or deep quotes about the state of geo-politics from an old vegan hippy.

Ballet dancer(not in an autistic way if get my meaning). Likes to gyrate.

 

[evennow]

I am going to withhold judgement until Martin Fry weighs in on this.

 

[Anonymous]

Britain was issues when standing up against child grooming and religious cults makes you the bad person.

exactly. Scientology. a cult. Islam. a cult. what is wrong in the uk where you can't name something for what it is? call the 1st option a cult and you're fine. John Travolta isn't going to behead you, and white liberals aren't going to label you racist. Try it with the second, and you're immediately labeled racist, right wing, like morrissey, when he isn't either of those. liberals need to be standing against gang rape, oppression of women, hatred of the LGBT community, terrorizing cartoonists and authors. the muslim population in the uk is due to triple in the next 50 years. what sort of dark, oppressive, backward society will it become if the english don't take their country back now, and stand up for liberal values against a vile ideology?

 

[Tibby the cat 93]

Any more lefties want to share their insights ? I'm sure the bass player with Showaddywaddy must have an opinion ?Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear ? We need to know.

 

[Thewlis]

Billy Bragg remains silent.
Good for him.
Top bloke.

 

[URBANUS]

That moment when someone looking like a dick calls someone else a dick. I mean come on, do they still play and record music and tour?

Fook me it is 1993 again and I am sitting down on the dance floor inside Piccadilly 21 singing sit down next to me celebrating United's first title in my lifetime.

In 1992 Tim sure smiled at me just for wearing a Moz t-shirt at James' gig when he came walking to the venue after having gone for a walk in Stockholm.

Him and me can draw a black line on our heads and go for that dick look every day now. Fooking hell they are wheeling out every has been now. Even the ones at Madame Tussauds are more alive and relevant. We should move Tim and Haslam and the rest to the chambers of horrors.

 

[URBANUS]

Being a tit and having tits are two different things but if Tim tells me his bra size I will be glad to ship some sexy ones over free of charge.

I am beginning to hate 60 year old men or older that are behaving like they are 25 onstage. Where did those mature men go and why is no one wearing a hat and suit anymore?

We need to get some more mad men into the modern men.

 

[Surface]

Any more lefties want to share their insights ? I'm sure the bass player with Showaddywaddy must have an opinion ?Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear ? We need to know.

Do we care about what they think, key point here is that Tim has met him and toured with him a number of times in the past and for me that's justification for him to voice to his opinion.

 

[Surface]

Billy Bragg remains silent.
Good for him.
Top bloke.

You sure about that?

 

[Anonymous]

why is racism the only topic of conversation in Britian? Are any of you really been a victim of racism? What has happened in the UK as a consequence of racism? not what one person has said.

This is what has been happening all over Europe:someone says something that doesn't support mass immigration and you gang up on that person. Is it rational ?

It's called mob mentality and usually reserved for those who have lower IQ. The intelligent people make a judgement for themselves based on all facts not just one sentence. Its how people thrive not survive. I laugh at the people that had been friends with Morrissey coming out against him because of a few sentences. His is a very calm person and wouldn't be mean to anyone if you met him. David Haslam is very rude buth e is anti racist so he branded a saint.

I personally have been a victim of because of the way I look. It doesn't bother me. I am a bit stronger than that to let it rule my life.
I don't feel the need to post stupid slogan after slogan on my facebook page or instagram, reserved for the holier than though , passive aggressive woman.

 

[Thewlis]

You sure about that?

Thanks, hadn’t seen that.

Don’t agree with him, but still love his music

 

[Uncleskinny]

I like James and I don't necessarily disagree with Tim, but his statement will also draw attention to the fact James have a new album coming out.

How many people are interviewed for publications when they DON'T have an album coming out?