It's ironic that most people associate Morrissey with depression, but before I became a fan I used to think that he was so funny. I was indifferent about the actual music for a very long time, but songs like 'Bigmouth Strikes Again', 'Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others' and 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' (which I thought, and still think, is tongue-in-cheek) cracked me up every time I'd hear them.
Case in point, the moment I got "hooked":
I copied Morrissey's then latest album, 'You Are the Quarry', from a friend of mine. As I said, I felt indifferent about his music, but I wanted to expand my musical horizons, so I thought I'd give him a go based on his reputation. I listened to it a few times. It was pretty good. I genuinely liked it. But I was a long way from being "hooked".
Then, one day as I was tidying my room, 'The World is Full of Crashing Bores' came on Shuffle. The following verse jumped out at me:
What really lies beyond the constraints of my mind?
Could it be the sea, with fate mooning back at me?
No, it's just more lock-jawed pop stars
Thicker than pig shit, nothing to convey
They're so scared to show intelligence
It might smear their lovely career
I was in hysterics. I knew that Morrissey was clever and witty and, above all, funny, but I'd never really listened to his lyrics properly to realise just how clever, witty and funny he actually was. I suddenly realised that this guy was a lyrical genius, and I started to actually listen to his lyrics after that moment.
I didn't become the obsessive fan that I am now for a lot longer. But that was the moment that he had me hooked.