Fiona Dodwell: In Conversation With Morrissey - full interview (April 3, 2023)

Morrissey Talks to Fiona Dodwell for Gabfest, April 2023

Excerpt:

"After his recent concert at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, I met with Morrissey backstage, and we acknowledged the difficulties he has faced by not “playing the game” of appeasing the media, or aligning himself with whatever the fashionable movement of the day is. “But you’re not a pop puppet, and you never could be,” I said, and he readily agreed. The truth is, perhaps, that to be the direct and authentic artist he is was never actually a choice. Morrissey is simply himself, fully and wholly, and it is that which likely resonates with his audience, who cling to him in their droves and travel the world for a glimpse of their idol. Truth is not always easy to come by in this world, and when people see it and feel it, they are drawn to it. They want to feel it, up close and personal."

Gabfest Exclusive: In Conversation With Morrissey

Morrissey Talks to Fiona Dodwell for Gabfest, April 2023 Morrissey has always been an artist with something to say, yet very often his truth is shrouded by the fabrications of the media, who have l…

gabfest.co.uk

 

[SuedeMoz]

The music industry is very ageist. It shouldn’t be, but it is.

And it’s worth noting that You Are The Quarry - released when Morrissey was in his mid 40s - is closer chronologically to Strangeways Here We Come than it is to the present day.

How many artists sell more albums in their 60s than they did in their 30s or 40s?

He’s a terrific talent, but his time as a major recording artist has gone. You can’t hold back the tide forever.

At the same time, he had a record deal as recently as 2020 with BMG. Which means they signed him around the age of 57/58. And evidently, Capitol signed him for BOT - although we still don't know exactly what happened. So I don't think age is the main barrier to a record deal.

 

[SuedeMoz]

If he truly thinks Capitol will release Bonfire after he's dead, he may as well play the entire thing live at this point. And Without Music.

and/or just leak it...

 

[Ryan]

and/or just leak it...

Then he won't get any money.

 

[Intheknow]

When will he accept that there will never be another Morrissey released by a label. Retirement is the only way forward. As for the interview, it’s the same old patter. The same woe is me. For someone who lives a very comfortable life at the Mandarin Oriental Knightsbridge, it’s time to call it a day. Every post from central ruins his career ever so slightly. Maybe it’s beyond help. Morrissey certainly is!

 

[SuedeMoz]

Then he won't get any money.

Well that was in the case that it wouldn't be released until after he dies

 

[Cornflakes]

The comment about Rough Trade is a far warmer take than he’s offered for years on Geoff Travis and the label as a whole.

Yes. In Autobiography, Travis was wickedness and stupidity personified. Now he's like an old friend. Expect the next Morrissey interview to focus on his favourite meat pies.

 

[Redacted]

Sounds like he wants a Smiths reunion

 

[Lawrence]

Morrissey is the champion of missed opportunities and the patron saint of squandered goodwill. We don’t need yet another lazy interview with Fiona Dodwell to know that.
He could so easily self-release new material if he wanted to, but he loves playing the wronged party, the “victim” (yawwwwnnnnnn!) throughout all his recent self-made disasters. And time is against him now, if he’s as fixated as some say he is with securing his legacy.
Of course he’ll never openly admit this to be so, but that’s the case right now. His own management are too subservient and spineless to challenge him and get him to do what he needs to in order to get him and his career back on track and where it should be.
Other artists of his generation put out new stuff which sells healthily and doesn’t plummet from the album charts in less than a month or so. Why can’t he even manage this? Deep soul-searching is in order.

 

[Tom Blom]

The reception to the shows have been absolutely immense, haven’t they? I attended the concert at London’s Hammersmith Apollo and it was one of the best shows I’ve seen. You are still clearly on top form, as the concerts and your new songs attest to

Is this journalism? Dmitry Peskov needs a rest soon, Dodwell is a really good replacement. Embarrasing

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like he wants a Smiths reunion

I don't think he'd ever consider it, but ironically the best thing for Morrissey's solo career right now would be to do some kind of Smiths reunion. Take a concentrated 3 or 4 months with Johnny to knock out a new album and do a short run of live dates - then spend the rest of the year or two touring his own material with his own band, whilst Johnny also can be free to do whatever he wants. He would get MASSIVE publicity and goodwill off the back of a Smiths reunion, and if he tied his own solo material into any deal record companies would be falling over themselves to sign him. Major labels would be happy to offer the sweetner of releasing Bonfire/Without Music/whatever else he wants, if they knew they were also going to get some new Smiths material out of it.

Instead of being a weight around their necks, The Smiths should be a rocket-booster that Moz and Marr can temporarily plug into whenever they need a lift. But, of course, doing something like this would be far too sensible a career move, so it will never happen.

 

[Redacted]

I don't think he'd ever consider it, but ironically the best thing for Morrissey's solo career right now would be to do some kind of Smiths reunion. Take a concentrated 3 or 4 months with Johnny to knock out a new album and do a short run of live dates - then spend the rest of the year or two touring his own material with his own band, whilst Johnny also can be free to do whatever he wants. He would get MASSIVE publicity and goodwill off the back of a Smiths reunion, and if he tied his own solo material into any deal record companies would be falling over themselves to sign him. Major labels would be happy to offer the sweetner of releasing Bonfire/Without Music/whatever else he wants, if they knew they were also going to get some new Smiths material out of it.

Instead of being a weight around their necks, The Smiths should be a rocket-booster that Moz and Marr can temporarily plug into whenever they need a lift. But, of course, doing something like this would be far too sensible a career move, so it will never happen.

I am going to respectfully disagree and say he is considering it. He is speaking very fondly of that period in his life (esp Geoff Travis which is really wtf), and is saying someone is trying to force a reunion by sabbotaging his solo career. I do not believe someone is doing this to him, because that means the other 3 would have to be onboard and Johnny has said he would absolutely never reunite with Morrissey (not sure I believe that, but that is beside the point), but I don't think anyone is sabbotaging him except himself. Also, he's been offered a lot of money to do this before so no one would have to sabbotage him to entice him. He seems to believe this is the only way he would get a record contract and everything else he wants. I don't even think they would have to make a new album, I think people really would want to hear what's already been recorded.

 

[Ryan]

Sounds like he wants a Smiths reunion

The Misfits did it after decades of bitterness ("before we get too old"). He should take on that same mindset.

 

[Redacted]

The Misfits did it after decades of bitterness ("before we get too old"). He should take on that same mindset.

I honestly thought I would never see/hear/read him even being somewhat interested, but his nostalgia for that period of time as expressed in that interview was kind of shocking, imo

 

[Amy]

I think the time for any kind of reunion passed years ago, and the goodwill with it, but this is the first time that I have ever heard Morrissey bring it up unprompted. Almost like he's so angry at being "cut off" by labels that the idea has emerged as a last resort.

Johnny won't forget the open letter, though. I think there is more chance of JM hacking his magic fingers off one by one than there is of him giving Morrissey the time of day now. Especially when it would be plain that M was doing it for money and through a complete lack of other options.

 

[Anonymous]

If he truly thinks Capitol will release Bonfire after he's dead, he may as well play the entire thing live at this point. And Without Music.

A Cappella? Interesting idea.

 

[Lujan369]

I would have asked about details of the Capitol situation: Has he tried to buy the album back? What exactly happened after signing the contract? Why did they put Rebels out?

Plus I would have asked questions about the recent and unreleased albums. How they differ from his previous works? To which direction he thinks his music is evolving? How come he used synths in Dog, despite looking down on them for the most of his career? What happened with Boz? What has Alain brought back to the songwriting?

And so on. It's pretty easy to think of good questions. And not let him blather on about the state of current pop music, because he has obviously lost all interest in it. All his reference points are at least a decade old. And no, Smiths definitely doesn't get as many streams as Beyonce.

Yes, the truth is that the departure of Boz without giving an explanation seems to me a lack of respect towards the fans, Boz is very loved and it was necessary a few words from Morrissey about it. Even Boz himself should come out and say something... is my opinion,

 

[Lujan369]

Lawrence of Felt, Hayward, lanzo.su new.album.this year and is full of crazy melodies and very nice songs! Moz should go down a bit and get a more modest label or produce all of it, if Lawrence can. and is touring all over Europe, Moz could do so much.... I love Lawrence is great to support him really buy his record "Pop up ker ching and the possibilities of modern shopping!!! By Mozart Estate !!!! Sorry me.volvi fan of Felt and Lawrence

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey. Unlike the song, the more I ignore him the further he gets, from my mind!

 

[Redacted]

It's hard to not notice he cannot compulsively stop talking about open borders and Muslims. This does not help at all.

I think this is the craziest interview I have ever read from Morrissey, if you can call it an interview. His mental health seems more on the decline than ever.

 

[🐈🐈🐈]

I disagree with him about modern music/bands. If you’re in mainstream ok, but let’s think about Dry Cleaning! You can’t pin them down.