Tag Archives: Manchester

MORRISSEY-Vauxhall And I.

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“In my own sick way, I’ll always stay true to you.”

I realised a long time ago that there is a Morrissey song to fit every life situation. Of course you get fools who would regard this as a depressing thing, but as if I would listen to them. Today more than ever, I have found slight comfort in Morrissey’s songs. His lyrics are beyond everything to me.

Today I was spoken to as if I was dirt more than twice when I took that self-loathing trip to the job centre TWICE. Oh yes, twice. I turned up at 9am for my 9.15 appointment, only to be told to go back at 2.40pm. However, nobody needs to hear about how I’ve been today. This is about the 20th anniversary of Morrissey’s exceptional record, Vauxhall And I. A record that I hold so very dear to me, as if it a part of me. There is something about this record that almost defines why I love Morrissey as much as I do.

Ask any Morrissey fan why they love him, and they will all give you different reasons but the one reason that they will always mention is his gorgeous and careful way with words. For me, I would be lost without his comforting words and the way he expresses ugly feelings to make me feel less ashamed of having them, you know? Vauxhall And I isn’t the only Morrissey record I feel such a strong connection to, but with it being 20 years old I figured it was the one to write about.

You can’t mention this record and not touch on the brilliant The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get. Purely for the line, “Beware. I bear more grudges than lonely high court judges.” Simply brilliant and to the point. He articulates niggling feelings in a way that see no need for being sugarcoated. The opening riff to this song is one that just stays in your head. I had this song as a ringtone for sometime. The perfect song to listen to after this is All You Need Is Me. Oh Morrissey, you minx you!

I was only 7 years old when the record came out, so I can’t claim to have been listening to it for 20 years. It was at least 6/7 years later when I was hitting puberty and I was uncomfortable in my skin. To an extent, I still am but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Vauxhall And I is a record that I have turned to for many reasons. Reasons that anyone who has played this record will understand.

The record touches on sensitive topics such as disappointment and betrayal which if written with negligence, will just sound awful. Morrissey digs deep into these feelings (and more) in a way that makes you want to pick up a pen and write down your ugly and exposed feelings. The way he really gets into the core of being used and calling someone out on it on the song Hold On To Your Friends makes you think of those who have done wrong to you. But in the long run, they really do not matter.

Of all the songs on Vauxhall And I, and probably all Morrissey songs- it is Speedway that truly owns my heart. I could happily write you a thousand plus words on this song (maybe I have already) on how much this song means to me and why it means so much to me. The older I get, the more it means to me. When I last saw him live he played Speedway and being able to see your favourite singer play your favourite song by them live is an overwhelming thing. I sang the words back to Morrissey (even though he evidently couldn’t see me) as if it was only him and I in the room. I sang Speedway as if it was written for me. When I listen to Speedway, I am convinced he wrote it for me. That feeling will never go away, and that’s why Morrissey is so important to me. If any line from a song was apt today, it was this one: “And when you try to break my spirit, it won’t work. Because there’s nothing left to break anymore.” 

Vauxhall And I is probably the Morrissey record that I could happily have on repeat closely followed by Viva Hate. It is the kind of record that offers guidance and a source of comfort when you feel as if you have nothing. As if everything around is escaping you and you’re left with no hope. Many are quick to dismiss Morrissey as some miserable sod, but he’s saved many lives with his comforting words and ability to make those on the outside feel part of something. What that something is, I can’t really define. When something is dear to your heart, you just know. And words simply don’t do it justice.

Vauxhall And I will be reissued via Parlophone on 2nd June and will include unseen photographs.

“Don’t rake up my mistakes
I know exactly what they are
And what do YOU do?
Well, you just sit there.
I’ve been stabbed in the back
So many many times
I don’t have any skin.
But that’s just the way it goes.”

BROWN BROGUES- Zoloto.

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Zoloto-front

Last week I wrote about a fine duo called Brown Brogues. I sent them what I had written, and now I get to write about their new EP because they are gentlemen. I’m unsure if I can write anything to truly do this EP justice, but I’m taking a break from what I should be doing (job hunting) and giving it a damn good go.

Zoloto is the name of the EP and it is out on 19th April. Yes that it on Record Store Day; the greatest day of the year for sure. The first 100 copies of Zoloto will come with a 7″ reissue of their first EP, Nobody Dies In Paris. It is honestly worth waking up incredibly early to queue up for it. You’ll have nothing else to do anyway. Most important day of the year, remember that. The word “Zoloto” means “gold” in Russian. It is also an acronym for “Remember, one day people will leave you alone” in prison tattoos.

Getting Caned In The Face With An Ashtray is my favourite track off the EP. If you listen to it carefully, it should remind you slightly of that other duo I adore- The Kills. Some parts of it just remind me of some songs off their last record, Blood Pressures. I guess I’m just in awe of duos and how much delightful noise they can make. You know I said that Brown Brogues were decadently brilliant? Well, Zoloto truly shows that decadent sound as brutal and as brave as ever. If you listen to this EP and you aren’t wanting to break stuff and tear down the walls, then you’ve probably got shit stuck in your ears.

The EP is only 15 minutes long, but you’ve got punchy tracks like Shit In Your Eye and My Birthday which are underground anthems in the making. These songs are going to make fans go nuts when they hear them live. My Birthday is a ferocious gem that I really cannot get enough of. Pretty sure if Joey Ramone was alive he’d be salivating over this track and wishing he wrote it. The EP is made up of 4 songs that have been created to melt your face, shatter your eardrums and to make your body move in an obscure fashion. If this EP is going to be the first thing many hear by Brown Brogues, then they will more than likely be losing their mind over it. I don’t understand how you couldn’t. How can 4 songs sound this GOOD? Never doubt Brown Brogues, ever. They are a band that are evidently going to be around for a long time making this kind of pleasant noise their own way.

Zoloto is pretty much one of the best things to have happened to music this year. To deny the talent that Ben and Mark have would be extremely foolish of you, so on Record Store Day- head down to your local record store and buy this EP. Go home and play it as loud as you like.

Zoloto will be released via Stolen Body Records.

Also, Brown Brogues will be supporting The Young Knives this month on tour. Brown Brogues will also being doing an EXTREMELY special show at the Soup Kitchen in Manchester on 3rd May with Murkage. Both bands will play their set followed by a set together. Tickets are £5 and you can buy them here: http://nowwave.skiddletickets.com/event.php?id=12126298

BROWN BROGUES.

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After spending the day convinced I was going to puke again, I think it is safe to say I’m alright now. Until next time, obviously. I’ve spent the day either sat listening to the radio or sleeping. How long is a nap meant to be because I took one for 3 hours, and I’m pretty sure that’s a good nap. Everyone has their own take on what is a nap and what isn’t. Don’t let anyone dictate to you how much sleep you should/shouldn’t have.

Brown Brogues are a band I mentioned briefly here last year. I know that I should have mentioned more because quite frankly, they make the music I wish I could make. I’m pretty sure if I played them loudly yesterday my migraine would have shifted. Music is a cure. Paracetamol is a mere placebo. Brown Brogues are a fine Mancunian band that sound like they have escaped from California and encountered trouble on the way. They are loud and their songs are pieces of wonder that make you flail your body around in a furiously passionate manner.

My uncle and I frequently exchange texts about bands to listen to. As soon as I’ve typed this up, I’ll be telling him about this bloody brilliant duo. He’s the only person I know that has heard of Pop. 1280- this is a huge thing for me because they are just a fine band with deviant sounds. But this is about a fine band from Manchester who deserve every ounce of success possible to come their way.

What I love and adore about Brown Brogues sound is exactly what caused me to fall in love with The Kills many many years ago. It is the passion in the sound. The sheer determination and fury that just ripples right through every single song just makes your body jolt to the beat. It’s something that I look for in music; I want it to move me the way the Ramones woke up the dead back in the 70s. Brown Brogues would have been the perfect band to melt the faces of crowds at CBGBs. Sure it is 2014, but this back sound like something from the 60s/70s with their Garage Rock flare and Psychedelic vibes.

Beef Teef ruins the brain. It really really does mess with your mind. If you’ve never heard of Brown Brogues before, start with this from their second record. Throw yourself in the deep end and embrace the chaos head on. I’m a calm person but I love the music I listen to to be quite loud and chaotic. Brown Brogues justify fully why I love music as much as I do and also why duos are pretty much the best.

It is easy to fall into a habit when listening to music, but I always want something to move me in a way that leaves me with the inability to put it into words. Beautiful things in life leave us speechless; you treasure them more because you spend the rest of your days searching for words. This is what music does to me. Sure I can sometimes find the words, other times I’m just jotting down bollocks in the hopes I make some sense to someone out there who reads this. I hope someone reads this and Brown Brogues become a band that they listen to religiously, obsessively because they want that feeling of elation that comes when you listen to something new for the first time.

Music should be exciting. Music should do things to you that a person can’t. You cannot be held by a record physically but emotionally and that’s what makes it so so powerful.

Shake It is such a brilliant songs by Mark and Ben. The harmonies with the low droning (I mean this in a positive way, I just can’t describe sounds perfectly) of the guitar is brilliant. You can sense the longing in their voices, and in the drums and guitar. You pick up so many details in their music; the things you may miss when you listen to someone else. There’s honestly something so special about the music that Ben and Mark make, if anything they make you want to grab your best friend and make some noise.

Their song titles are something else, I Drove For Miles Just To Hear About The  Book That You’re Reading (which is one of my favourite songs by them.) There is wit in their lyrics, there are romantic tones, there is everything you could possibly want from a band in their music.

Brown Brogues released their debut record last year. Born To Lose came out on Ultra Cool records and was recorded in 2 days in Graceland about two years ago now. In 2 days they made this massively underrated beast of a record. Sometimes you find with bands, when they finally do a full length record it sounds too polished or it leaves behind that raw sound they once had. Brown Brogues stick two fingers up to this theory. Born To Lose is a fine debut, and to be honest it sounds like a band who have been putting out records for the past 10 years. They remind me of The Gruesomes mixed with Wavves. They’ve got polite aggression in their sound. That’ll be the Mancunian charm. The record is just over half an hour-long, but that’s why we have the repeat button. Just keep on hitting it.

Their second record, Triflin’ is equally bold and pretty much reinforces my love for them. So if I’m right- does this mean they have released two records in one year?! They are beyond hard-working. Triflin’ is a beautiful and punchy record that smacks you passionately in the face. Decadently brilliant. Effortlessly wonderful.

I don’t know what Ben and Mark have planned for this year, but I’m pretty sure they will be melting the faces off the crowds they play to, collecting new fans along the way. If one band can add some bite to modern music, it is definitely Brown Brogues. I’d put money on that, but I’ve got about £100 in my account, and I need that.

With my neighbour playing his awful dance music awfully loud, I think I have found the band to cause his flat to shake should I feel the need to be as much of an arse as him. But until then, I’ll have Brown Brogues playing loudly in my ear.

Please please go listen to their sounds here: https://soundcloud.com/brownbrogues

And buy their worldly possessions from here (or just their music for now): http://brownbrogues.bigcartel.com/

Manchester, be proud of them. The world, you better be bloody listening.

GO SEE THEM SUPPORT THE YOUNG KNIVES THIS MONTH.

SEX HANDS.

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I’ve been attempting to complete a job application form since about half 1 this afternoon. I’ve left it alone for now because I simply cannot write about myself without thinking like a massive wanker. I probably sound like one when I write about music, but we all have our faults.

As you know, Manchester is pretty much the home to the best music around. It’s picked up over recent years and let’s be honest- it is shitting on London from a great height. Of course London is wonderful and all that but the Manchester music scene feels more…I guess, “warmer.” And also, a darker sound.

Sex Hands have a creepy name and a creepy sound. Their eerie and sinister feel to their music is perfect to me. I love music that sounds like this. Yesterday I was sent a few emails from Christian rappers and singers. I’m not sure why I was their target. I probably need to repent for some stuff. I’m sure there is a list somewhere of all my wrong-doings, and I remember them all too well. Sex Hands don’t make you want to repent. They make you want to play their music obnoxiously loud, and if you have a shitty neighbour then this is the music you have to play as loud as you can.

Sex Hands are a fine Manchester band that I’m not even going to say who they sound like as that’s not my style. But if you love weird and wonderful music, then this is the band for you. They have some cool shirt designs on their bandcamp page, and if anyone wants to buy me one I’d be happy with that.

Their perverse and fucking excellent record, Season 1 has some stunners of song titles on there. We’ve got the delightful Jam Sandwich and the frivolous The Moist Maker. If you’re looking to woo someone, play them these songs. If they don’t want to be yours after this, then move on. Pretty sure if I played my girlfriend any of these songs she would just shake her head at me. Or walk off. Maybe both.

The record is handsomely influenced by the TV show Friends (song titles) and to be honest, if these songs were on episodes of Friends I probably would have liked it. Sex Hand riot filled songs are made to be played loud and aggressively. This brilliant and exciting sound they have just reminds me of why I love music so much. The energy they have is brutal and a pleasure to have ringing in your ears.

In a dream world these guys would be playing scary venues with the likes of Bad Grammar. Creating a super haunting atmosphere and screaming into the crowd whilst thrashing their instruments about. When a band play with this much passion, it is pretty easy to love them in an equally intense manner. Some music is just made to be played so loud you feel as if your ears are going to bleed, I can only hope their live shows captivate this. I have every faith that it will.

If you like music that sounds dirty and is wonderfully perverse, then Sex Hands are for you. If not, then don’t be a prude and listen to them. Basically, just listen to them.

Listen to their delectable sounds here: http://sexhandsband.bandcamp.com

Oh and be careful when typing their name into search engines. Or live on the edge and don’t have the parental lock on.

BAD GRAMMAR.

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Last night I saw PINS live, and their support band blew me away. A lot of bands I’ve seen live have always had really good support bands, but last night was something else. I want world domination for Bad Grammar.

Bad Grammar are a duo from Manchester. This just backs up my point that duos and music from Manchester is quite frankly, the best. But, I am willing to cast my biased opinion aside briefly to tell you why Bad Grammar are brilliant without being too biased..if I can. I can only try I suppose.

Bad Grammar are the kind of band that make you pull weird faces when you see them live, or pretty much when you’re sat in your PJs at home listening to them at half 10 in the morning. Their ferocious sound makes it hard to believe that only two people (Lucy and Ben) are making this much noise. Ben broke a guitar string within seconds last night; that’s how furious they are. They play with determination and the ability to immediately make them your new favourite band. Lucy has this amazing talent of making you go “OH SHIT!” when she beats the shit out of the drums. She sits with a look of content on her face as she destroys the drums. It is almost as if she knows she is making people lose their mind to their music.

Their stage presence is a joy to watch, and the way they rip through their set and basically melt everyone’s faces with their rambunctious songs is just outstanding. Again, like PINS, I would not get bored with seeing Bad Grammar live. And is pretty much a reason as to why they need to be your new favourite band.

There are so many reasons as to why Bad Grammar are a pleasure to listen to. They have this raw feel to their sound; it’s unpolished and unapologetic. What’s the point in wanting to smooth your sound out when you can having something like this? I don’t know the names of all the songs they played last night, but I do remember hearing Temper Temper and enjoying every second of it.

As you listen to them, it is hard to believe that only two people are responsible for this excellent sound. Duos seem to play a little harder and with more blood, sweat and tears. Bad Grammar are a perfect example of this. Of course the best way to listen to them is as loudly as you can take. When they hit the stage last night, I felt as if my ears were going to explode and to me, that’s quite alright. Besides, they have a song about hating people with fast metabolisms- something everyone can pretty much relate to!

Bad Grammar’s EP, Forced Fun is out on 31st March on Flatpack Records. If you’re fortunate to live in Manchester or close by, you can catch them at The Castle Hotel on the 29th March for the EP release show. They will also be back down in London on 21st March at Hoxton Bar & Grill and back at The Old Blue Last on  29th April.

You can play their sounds as loud as you like here: https://soundcloud.com/badgrammar

You just know in your gut when you hear something exceptional. I think Bad Grammar are going to be my favourite new band. Their sound is exciting and brutal; I can’t wait to hear more from them.

PINS. The Old Blue Last. 25th February 2014.

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I’ve said it so many times now, but Manchester is truly the home of great music. It is obvious who the great bands are, and PINS will probably be named amongst them in a few more years.

I will mention their support act in a separate post because they are incredible and I’ll just ramble otherwise.

This was the third time I had seen PINS, but the first time seeing them headline their own show. They are a band I could quite happily watch live over and over again, and find different parts of their music to adore. PINS remind me of all the bands I love, but I don’t mean it in a rip-off kind of way. Far from it. They also remind me why I love music so much.

Aside from the gig being free (which was bloody good as I had lost £10 on the way..and as someone who has £5 in their bank account, this was pretty shit) PINS got their visas to go to America. I sincerely hope America falls in love with them because they are a band that just need to be heard by everyone. I think it is obvious that PINS are going to have no problem with being loved in America.

For me, it is always going to be LuvU4Lyf that causes me to move the most. I guess it is because it was the first song I heard by them a few years ago now, you always cling to the first song you hear by a band you love don’t you? It doesn’t matter if they’ve put out a record full of brilliant songs, you always go back to the one you first heard. I love seeing Girls Like Us live because Faith and Sophie beat the shit out of the cymbal in the intro (cymbal bashing is always welcome, just watch Oliver from The XX do it during Infinity.) Mad For You is brilliant live, and the way they all sing together in unison just really shows how tight the band is.

The night before I saw Brody Dalle live, and I’m pretty sure she burst my eardrums, and PINS pretty much did the same (as did their support band, Bad Grammar.) PINS are easily the most exciting bands around because they have this indescribable sound that makes them stand out from everything else that is going on. If you’re fed up of what you’re supposed to be listening to, go listen to PINS. Go see them live and kick out your frustrations because they are truly something else.

On record they are perfect, you cannot fault them and to look for fault would make you an ass. However, when you see them live it is something else. They sound tighter live and the way they sound live is even more perfect, they are simply a band that deserve every ounce of success they get. I’ve seen them support two bands I love; Warpaint and Dum Dum Girls, and to finally see them headline their own show was a memorable experience, especially in a venue so small. They are the kind of band you need to see in a small and sweaty room. They are the best kinds of shows, and only the best kinds of bands play these kinds of venues.

I’m not really sure what the crowd was like, I was just happy to see PINS but I saw some creepy guy taking photo of Faith’s legs throughout the show which was pretty stupid. Then again, some people are just idiots aren’t they.

PINS have this way that, after seeing them live making you wish you had some musical talent so you could start a band. They are the kind of band you wish you could join. They just have this way of playing together that really makes you believe in their music, and I think when you see a band live and you can tell they love playing together, it pretty much makes you love the band even more. If they stood on stage looking as if they didn’t care, you wouldn’t be moved by it. PINS are just an absolute pleasure to watch live because they each lure you into this weird world they have made with their eerie sound. Sophie makes you wish you could play the drums. Anna is a hypnotic bass player. I’ve never seen anyone enjoy themselves on stage as much as Lois does. Faith’s voice is enviable, I wish I could sing like that! You can tell that they have the best time playing live, and that is what makes you want to keep seeing them play.

The sinister undertones in their music really comes alive when you see PINS live, and it is just a beautiful thing to witness. I’m pretty sure this is how people felt when Siouxsie And The Banshees first came out. Oh and also, I know it has nothing to do with the music, but Anna’s hair looked amazing last night. I had hair envy.

If you get the chance to see PINS live, GO. Don’t think twice about it, just GO. To anyone who thinks music is boring or lacks that “something” then go listen to PINS. Oh and if you are a fan, the band have got a treat for you on Record Store Day (this day is better than Christmas.)

THE STONE ROSES-Made Of Stone.

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“Sometimes I fantasise,
When the streets are cold and lonely,
And the cars they burn below me.
Don’t these times fill your eyes.”

 

On Tuesday evening just before I went to see Warpaint, I was walking to meet my friends and as I was walking a man selling The Big Issue stopped me, and said “I love The Stone Roses!” I was wearing my t-shirt of the band, and we ended up having a 10 minute conversation about The Stone Roses and other Manchester bands. He told me all about the Hacienda club and what is was like back then. He asked me what my favourite song by The Stone Roses was. I said I couldn’t choose between Waterfall and Made Of Stone. His favourite is Sally Cinnamon. This Mancunian man was a pleasure to talk to, and I hope if anyone sees him outside Sainburys near Koko in London that they speak to him. Strangers are always more pleasant aren’t they. They are able to see the things that people who apparently know us miss. I could speak to anyone about music. I probably feel more comfortable speaking to someone who doesn’t know me because they won’t dismiss me as being weird or claiming that all the music I listen to is “depressing.”

At 4 minutes and 15 seconds, Made Of Stone is easily one of the best songs ever recorded. I love Ian Brown’s vocals on this song so much. There’s so much sincerity in his voice throughout their debut record (of course it is in everything he does, but there is something much stronger in the band’s debut record.)

Everyone has their own take on what a song means to them and in general. The thing that is so beautiful about The Stone Roses’ songs is you can really make their songs personal to you. You can find sheer bliss in songs such as Waterfall and She Bangs The Drums. You can find the ability to face up to how shit people can be with songs such as I Am The Resurrection and Shoot You Down. For me, Made Of Stone has the most meaning. I think the way that you can truly get lost in this song is just perfect. The chorus really gets me in the gut and it is one of those songs that you think was written for you.

The Stone Roses have influenced so many bands that I love, and songs such as Made Of Stone make you wish you could make beautiful music like this. There’s such determination in their debut record that I can hear in the bands that I love and have cited them as an influence. Thing is, if you’re going to list them as an influence the chances are that you are going to be equally brilliant.

There are certain times in music that you know will never be replicated again. We’ll never have the fury of Punk again, we’ll never experience a singer/song-writer like Bob Dylan again. There will never be a lyricist like Morrissey again and there won’t be anyone as powerful as Patti Smith again. You can put The Stone Roses and the late 80s/early 90s Manchester music scene in there also. However, Manchester is still a thriving place for music. Many will cling onto Liverpool with sweaty palms as the home of music because of The Beatles. I’m not a fan of them, so of course I’ll dismiss it. Scotland has and is producing some of the most incredible music. Manchester is home to three of the best bands to have ever existed (The Smiths, The Fall and The Stone Roses.) Manchester is STILL one of the best places of music. Just listen to bands like PINS and you will hear just how powerful and passionate the music there is.

The Stone Roses were made for Manchester, but they won the hearts of so many across the world. They are still being heard for the first time by people every day, and they too are being blown away by how great they are. For me, Made Of Stone sums up the desperation of loneliness that takes people over at times. It’s the perfect song to listen to as you roam the streets; heading nowhere in particular. You don’t always need a set destination. You shouldn’t feel bad for every feeling unsure.

The Stone Roses give you confidence as you listen to them, and songs like Made Of Stone comfort you as you close your eyes and picture something so far removed from where you are. There is nothing wrong with daydreaming and existing somewhere else in your mind. It’s the most powerful thing that you own, and to use it freely takes guts; The Stone Roses allow you to do so in a different way with their music, especially with Made Of Stone. If I was someone who was just hearing them for the first time, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. When I listen to them now (which is pretty much on a daily basis) I get this overwhelming feeling of hearing something really rare. There will never be a band quite like The Stone Roses. You read their lyrics, and it is fairly obvious that Ian Brown was painting the world in a way that projects frustration and the desire to do more. There is something about him that makes me think of Morrissey and his way with words. Maybe it’s a Northern thing, and that’s a bloody good thing.

My conversation with the man on Tuesday evening about The Stone Roses will stay with me because I will remember how his face lit up as soon as we spoke about The Stone Roses and bands from Manchester. To see a person be that moved by a band was lovely to see and hear. The Stone Roses are a band that, when they first came out spoke to a lot of people. And they are the people who are still devoted to them Just watch the film, Made Of Stone that Shane Meadows made about them and you’ll see just how deeply devoted some people are to that band. Everyone has that one band in particular that they are that committed to. No other band comes close. They drop everything to follow them around the world, will camp outside the venue of where they are doing a one-off show. It’s beautiful.

Made Of Stone posses everything I want in a song. The honest lyrics, the hypnotic music and a voice I can believe in.

To the guy I met on Tuesday evening, this is for you.

THE STONE ROSES.

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“Have you seen her have you heard
The way she plays there are no words
To describe the way I feel.”

 

This weekend I finally watched one of the greatest music films ever made. Of course the film was about a band I’ve kept close to me, but have never been vocal about. I realised the only people who would understand my love for The Stone Roses were middle-aged men from the North of England. I’m perfectly alright with this, as I do realise there are people closer to my age that TRULY get the importance of The Stone Roses. However it is a love that is as sacred as my love for Morrissey. The best bands/singers have a cult-like following. If you’ve seen Made Of Stone, you’ll know what I mean. Many moments in the film reduced me to tears. The love people have for The Stone Roses is just beautiful and pure. The kind of love that some bands will never experience- they can only hope for it. It is rare. The Stone Roses are a rare band, and as I listen to them I can hear their influence in the bands that I love.

Their debut record is easily one of the greatest records ever made. I’d place it closely next to Psychocandy; extremely closely. Both have this sound that is constantly being attempted to be recreated, of course there will never be another band like them. But to hear the influences they have in the bands that I love is just beautiful. The bands I listen to have the fury of The Jesus And Mary Chain. The bands I love have that euphoric style of The Stone Roses.

When you can describe why you love a band without getting flustered, then maybe you don’t love them as much as you thought. When you love a band so much it makes you verbally weak and stops you in your tracks; that’s when you know. When the opening chords of a song choke you up and when certain lines just wrap around you like a security blanket; that’s when you know you have found a band that you are going to love for life.

My love for The Stone Roses hit me in the early 90s. I was in awe with Ian Brown’s presence. I was really young but I was old enough to know I was watching one of the greatest bands ever. Fronted by one of the greatest leaders. There was something about what I saw (yes it was Fool’s Gold) that made me realise I was never going to listen to or be interested in anything everyone else around me was. Music will always take up a large chunk of my life. I’d rather buy a record than a loaf of bread. I’d rather wear jeans with holes in so I can buy a band I like next release. Some call it stupid; but you have to be passionate about something in life or you might as well be dead.

The Stone Roses are a band that speak to those who wanted more from what was around them. Unsure of how to get it (and it never goes away, I know) their music was an outlet for those quiet furies that became obnoxiously loud. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. Maybe I could have summed it up by saying The Stone Roses are probably the greatest band ever, but there’s no fun in that.

I Am The Resurrection is the perfect song to play when you need to get rid of the junk in your life. The drums are perfect in this song. But the thing is, with The Stone Roses they had the best of everything in the band. They still do; so you can’t pick their best song because each one just shows how brilliant they are. However, I Am The Resurrection is one of the best “fuck you’s” I’ve ever heard. Never waste your time hating someone because nobody is worthy of such a powerful and vile emotion. Still, it’s a bloody brilliant song that you have to sing as loudly as you physically can when you hear it. I think the same goes for every song by them to be honest. The last 3 and a half minutes of this song are what euphoric dreams are made of. John Squire leads you into this world where you just lose your mind completely. He’s like the pied piper of guitar playing.

Of course I will never be able to sum up my love for them, but they way they combine 60s Psychedelic music with the backbone of Punk is something I just adore about them. Made Of Stone is the one song that immediately brings tears to my eyes. The way Ian sings “Sometimes I fantasize, when the streets are cold and lonely….” There is something truly special about this song, and everyone has their own take on it. Personally, I think you should just let songs mean whatever you want them to mean to you.

When you read back on their lyrics, you wonder why they aren’t studied in literature classes. I guess Going Down is one they may pass on for obvious reasons, but their lyrics when you read them, you sort of read them in a Beat Poet kind of fashion. What’s so special about The Stone Roses is that their lyrics are equally important now as they were back then. They evidently will always be one of the most influential bands ever. Writing about them has been seemingly scattered, but when you love a band so much you cannot arrange your thoughts in a clear way. All you can do is pour them out in the only way you know how.

This Is The One is the song I hold the highest sentimental value for. When I listen to it, I guess it comes close to describing my love for them. The Stone Roses were a band that so many were waiting for. They are the kind of band that posses this rare quality that no other could ever come close to. If I was hearing them for the first time now, they would without a doubt, inspire me to pick up an instrument and make my own noise.

I feel I have missed out on so much, but when you love a band new reasons surrounding your love for them crop up constantly. I don’t feel as if I’ve said enough, but I think anyone else who loves The Stone Roses will understand that you cannot describe your love for these 4 brilliant and talented people in a flurry of paragraphs. That is real love. That is something truly rare. Just like being in love.

Here’s to Manchester’s finest.

MORRISSEY-Autobiography.

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There is something quite emotional about picking up a book that your hero has written about their life. Knowing you are about to read things about them that you never knew- will it change your view on them? Will it change how you feel about certain songs? Will you be shocked? One thing happened after I finished reading Morrissey’s autobiography today; my love for him became stronger and reinforced why he is my absolute hero. I know heroes are meant to be people who save lives and the like. But the thing is, Morrissey saved my life- that’s why he’s my hero. I’ll take it to my grave debating if it was a life worth saving or not, but he was there when I had nothing or no one. He always will be. His words mean more to me now, after reading his biography.

I’ve never written a book review before and I evidently cannot write music reviews. I suppose this won’t be a review because I won’t tell you what happens and what is said. He does touch on his personal life, and to an extent I do think he mentions things fellow Morrissey fans already knew. We know of the trouble he went through with THAT court case. However for me, there is one moment in the book that brought me to tears (happened a few times, but at this point I had to stop reading for a while.) The friendship he had with the wonderful Kirsty MacColl was beautiful. You can truly sense the love he had (and still has) for her when you see how fondly he writes about her. There’s a paragraph about her death (I won’t type it up) that just made me sob uncontrollably for a while. Maybe I wanted to just hug Morrissey and tell him it’s all okay. Maybe at that point I realised that my hero feels everything I feel and can word it in ways I’ll never be able to, but I already knew that. I don’t know what it was, I suppose it was the way he wrote it. He writes in that beautiful delicate yet honest way that us Morrissey fans love him for. He gets to the core of every human emotion regardless of how ugly it may be, and makes us feel less alone for carrying it around.

Yesterday I watched the news on Channel 4 and ITV, showing clips of Morrissey fans in Sweden finally meeting their hero. I’ve seen lovely photos on Facebook of the fans who were lucky to meet him. The whole atmosphere surrounding this book is something that I don’t think will be repeated, maybe again. Is anyone going to care about the winner of X-Factor’s life? No. Well, maybe if they read Heat magazine/if dull and mundane things interest them. Morrissey’s life has been painful at times, and to read about the losses he has experienced is heartbreaking. I knew that, from his lyrics alone, that this book would be written in that extremely personal way (it’s an autobiography afterall! I know) but to read it all in book form is completely different. At times you do feel as if he is sat next to you telling you everything about his life. All you can do is nod in agreement or cry at the moments that just break your heart.

His book is a work of art and shows him in a vulnerable yet beautiful way. That’s just Morrissey all over. He is someone who is baffled at his own success yet those who love him can see exactly why he is adored like this. Morrissey writes with utter tenderness and sheer humour when needed. He is everything I want in a hero. I remember when I read Patti Smith’s Just Kids, when I finished it I knew it would be a book that I would constantly go back to when I needed something to make me feel human and capable again. The same applies to Morrissey’s autobiography. Except with his book, it is reminder that things take time and you won’t always be the laughing-stock.

I sometimes think about what it must be like to meet him, and to somehow tell him what he means to me, but I’m no good with words. I’m no good with saying certain things, maybe I’d have to play him a song to sum it all up. I have no idea, maybe that day will never come. As the book came to a close I believed he is finally at place where he is happy and has all that he needs. He is by no means a materialistic man, and I think that’s part of why I love him. I don’t understand people who wish to purchase things of value to claim their worth as a person. Your worth is established in your heart.

Morrissey is the person who has dragged me kicking and screaming through life when I didn’t see a point. At times I still don’t see a point, but I play a Morrissey song and I hear hope. I hear hope that will carry me through. Of course, he is my light that will never go out. His charm and wit is an honour to be familiar with on a daily basis. Some may regard his autobiography as 457 pages of self-pitying. It really really isn’t. He is telling his life story, his way. There are stories that will make you cry, stories that will make you laugh- much like his songs. When asked a question at school, he replies with “I’m sorry, I’m not interested.” It was obvious that from a young age that this young boy was destined to be the voice of those who needed to be heard in a way that only Morrissey understood and could express.

There are many stories in his book that are just a pleasure to read, but there is one paragraph that spoke to me instantly and will remain etched upon my heart and brain:

“However heavy-hearted and impossible you might feel about yourself, you can still bestow love through recorded song-which just might even be the only place where you have the chance to show yourself as you really are since nothing in your disposed life gives you encouragement.”

Morrissey fans of the world, unite and take over.

 

Morrissey Fans Of The World Unite And Take Over

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There is something about fans of The Smiths and Morrissey that just stands out from fans of other singers/bands. I’ve never really met anyone in person who truly got my love for Morrissey. Maybe one or two, but that’s it. Those who truly get the love for him are the ones I’ve seen at Morrissey shows. The ones who cry as soon as he walks on stage, the ones who sing every word back to him knowing that it is one of the many songs of his that saved our lives. It doesn’t need words, because the actions of us all just sum up our feelings perfectly.

There are times where I’ve worn one of my Morrissey/The Smiths t-shirts and a knowing nod or smile has been thrown my way from a stranger on the street. Once I was waiting at Piccadilly station in Manchester on the platform, and I was wearing a Morrissey shirt. Stuart Maconie walked past me and smiled. That was pretty cool. I’ve had a woman in Liverpool stop me as I was walking through the street, grabbed my arm and asked if the M tattoo on my arm was for Morrissey. You feel something quite powerful and a mutual understanding when this happens. It makes you feel something that probably wouldn’t mean as much if it was another band or singer.

One of these encounters happened again today.

Today is a year of my girlfriend and I being together, and this afternoon we went out for lunch. On my jacket I have a badge with Morrissey’s face on with the words, “It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate. It takes guts to be gentle and kind” around it. A voice of a young chap said to me, “Excuse me, is that..on your badge..The Smiths?” I said it was. He replied with “I Know It’s Over.” An d we agreed on the beauty of the song and spoke briefly about his autobiography which is FINALLY out next week. That short interaction with someone about a person who has evidently been one of the biggest influences in your life not only makes you proud to be a fan, but it makes you glad that someone else also gets the importance of Morrissey.

Of course you do get these people who seem to love just saying nasty things about Morrissey. They label him as miserable (obviously they don’t get intelligent humour) and such things. However, you cannot please everyone. And why on earth would you want to please everyone and win people over? No thank you. For me, I love Morrissey because he manages to express every ugly feeling I’ve ever had in a way that makes it feel alright. He exposes the feelings we are told to push down and ignore in a way that makes you feel less vile for having them. He also dislikes the Royal Family, which I fully endorse. His words for so long have been my life. He’s changed my life in ways those who TRULY love him will only know how. If you’ve only ever heard of The Smiths because of 500 Days Of Summer and have never listened to another song by him or The Smiths- they will not get it at all. That’s alright, they probably love another band/singer in the same way. Everyone has that one singer/band that they will defend until their very last breath.

When someone stops you in the street to acknowledge the t-shirt you are wearing, and you both exchange understanding acknowledgments- it just makes you even more proud to be a fan of that band/singer.

There is one video, I believe that truly sums up how much us Morrissey fans love him and what it means to love him. Oh and of course the atmosphere you can feel whilst at a Morrissey show:

Morrissey fans are the most passionate and loving fans. They know what it is like to truly love a singer with EVERYTHING they have. They’ve rinsed their bank accounts to just see him live. They’ve declined sleep to travel to see him. His music is our life, and I doubt we’d have it any other way. Many of course will continue to slag off Morrissey, but he’s still around. He’s lasted longer than most, and his words are the lifeline for so many. He is someone who you don’t just play in the background and carry on with whatever you’re doing. You play his music daily and you feel every word deeper than you did the time before, and the time before that. Your love and respect just grows.

Music is a massive part of my life, and I’ll always stand by that Morrissey’s words are why lyrics mean the most to me. Seeing songs like Speedway live was like a healing process of sorts. Seeing I Know It’s Over live was something I’ll just never forget- the words went deeper that time, for obvious reasons. It’ll always be my favourite song by The Smiths. I do believe that no one but Morrissey should sing his songs/ The Smiths songs, but Dum Dum Girls cover of There Is A Light is my only exception. Always. His words may be delicate at times, but he gives you strength. Feel alone, feel weak, cry- whatever. It doesn’t matter, and you shouldn’t be ashamed of having those feelings. He was the only one to have taught me this, and I’ll carry it around with me for the rest of my life. The songs that really did, save my life.