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)

 

[Anonymous]

Can you repost as this is unreadable?

your funny see as moderators you do not post everything twats

 

[Surface]

I wasn’t a huge fan of the last one but La Petite Mort, the previous album, was superb.

I thought La Petite Mort was stunning, a really strong album beginning to end. Enjoyed the last one but only 2 stand out tracks for me - Bitch and Girl the end of the world. Heard a few tracks off Living In Extraordinary Times and again it feels like a strong album.

 

[Anonymous]

He is the dick.

Here's yet another person releasing an album who suddenly needs to speak up about how "horrid" Morrissey is.

What's going on? Is slagging off Morrissey the new fashion accessory?


Morrissey made The Smiths what it was... That voice. Those lyrics. That persona. That was Mozza magic. Don't f***ing try and rewrite history. Don't belittle who Morrissey was during The Smiths era.

 

[Thewlis]

Why not, if that’s his opinion he’s entitled to to it. He will no doubt get loads of shit off people on here today. People who have actually never met Morrissey. Tim has and speaks very nicely of him when he was younger and like others, doesn’t appear to like what he has become?

I doubt he’s met Morrissey recently.
So he’s based his opinion on what Morrissey’s ‘become’ on what he’s read in the media and that doesn’t sit well with me.
But yeah, I love James, and whatever opinions he may have won’t have any influence on my appreciation of their music.
As it is with Moz.

 

[Thewlis]

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

I thought La Petite Mort was stunning, a really strong album beginning to end. Enjoyed the last one but only 2 stand out tracks for me - Bitch and Girl the end of the world. Heard a few tracks off Living In Extraordinary Times and again it feels like a strong album.

I was obsessed with that album for months. World Peace and La Petite Mort came out within weeks of each other and I remember at the time lamenting that Morrissey didn’t seem able to write those sort of wonderful pop tunes any more.

Curse Curse is on my headphones right now. Grinning. Thinking the world isn’t such a bad place after all.

 

[ACTON]

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.

 

[ACTON]

I was obsessed with that album for months. World Peace and La Petite Mort came out within weeks of each other and I remember at the time lamenting that Morrissey didn’t seem able to write those sort of wonderful pop tunes any more.

Curse Curse is on my headphones right now. Grinning. Thinking the world isn’t such a bad place after all.

Same for me. A few of the songs from La Petite Mort reminded me of Suede at their best, in terms of anthemic raw energy: curse curse, frozen britain. I also loved World Peace though (and the bsides on the deluxe version).

 

[Anonymous]

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.

like Marr lets strike while the pokers hot , might get another 5 more sales sad

 

[Deleted member 24049]

I’m still waiting to hear from these people what law Morrissey has broken, besides having an opinion with which they disagree. I think I’ll be waiting a long time. I might wear my IngSoc tshirt today to celebrate their mindless idiocy.

It’s obviously not that he broke a law. It’s that he believes his culture and its preservation is an intrinsic right. f*** all that.

 

[gordyboy9]

Last album was only kept off number 1 by Adele.

if its a quiet week with chart releases then every semi successful artist should get to number one,unless theres a heavyweight artist already there,no I didn't mean her weight.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

It’s obviously not that he broke a law. It’s that he believes his culture and its preservation is an intrinsic right. f*** all that.

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

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

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.

Well it’s worked. I didn’t know I’d have something to illegally download and now I do.

 

[Anonymous]

Why in these articles do they refer to hm as 58yrs old...didnt he have his 69th birthday in May.

WHO? Mozz or Tim.....the answer is neither. Get a grip. Pilgrimupnorth

 

[roky]

a group who have been living off one hit a long long time ago,another in the long list,who will be next.

And Morrissey is living of HSIN. What's the difference? Ha

 

[Orson Swells]

And Morrissey is living of HSIN. What's the difference? Ha

I do like James and don't think they are living off one hit at all. But to say Morrissey is living off HSIN is even wider of the mark! He has a number of songs of similar cultural stature, for one thing, and many that are palpably better. I mean, he could easily drop HSIN from his setlists forever and so many other songs could take its place that I doubt anybody would even notice.

 

[Anonymous]

I’m still waiting to hear from these people what law Morrissey has broken, besides having an opinion with which they disagree. I think I’ll be waiting a long time.

Section 1 of the Don't Be a Dick Act 1843. Wouldn't be so bad were it not for the aggravating f***wittery. Sentences can range from being called a dick by a man with a shaved head, right through to no-one being forced to go to your singing or other artistic performances if they don’t want to.

 

[Anonymous]

Astonishing! Morrissey is, as many you argue, entitled to his views, whether you agree with those views or not. Tim Booth, it seems, is not afforded the same luxury. Of course he mentioned Morrissey. What on earth do you think any life-sucking journalist was going to ask him about while masquerading the interview as an album review?

I thought his comments to be thoroughly genuine and gracious of Morrissey and The Smiths (and members thereof) in relation to the time period. His views of Morrissey in the present have changed. He's not alone.
If you think for a second that Morrissey was mentioned merely to boost the imminent album's promotion then you do James a great dis-service. Morrissey was mentioned because the journalist asked a question. In response look how sensitively Tim Booth acknowledged the greatness of the band and the generosity. His view of Morrissey now is that he's being a "dick". It's an opinion. It's an opinion shared by many.

 

[gordyboy9]

` ,m bvc

And Morrissey is living of HSIN. What's the difference? Ha

eh I think you will find Morrissey has an excellent back catalogue of solo material going back 25 years,so your analogy is pretty lame in comparison,but good try.

 

[ACTON]

I do like James and don't think they are living off one hit at all. But to say Morrissey is living off HSIN is even wider of the mark! He has a number of songs of similar cultural stature, for one thing, and many that are palpably better. I mean, he could easily drop HSIN from his setlists forever and so many other songs could take its place that I doubt anybody would even notice.

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)