20 Years Ago: Morrissey loses a court battle, then loses his way on ‘Maladjusted’ by Nick DeRiso

20 Years Ago: Morrissey Loses a Court Battle, Then Loses His Way on ‘Maladjusted’ - Diffuser
By Nick DeRiso.

Excerpt:

"Morrissey was a musician without a sound, a citizen without a country, and man outside the mainstream by the time Maladjusted arrived on Aug. 11, 1997. Beset by all sides, he’d devolve into an unhappy figure who was “devious, truculent and unreliable.”

Those were the words of Judge John Weeks, anyway, as he ruled against Morrissey in a 1996 suit over back royalties brought by his former Smiths bandmate Mike Joyce. Morrissey bristled at the characterization, to the point where his next album was basically sunk by “Sorrow Will Come in the End,” a vicious, dirge-like response to the trial.

In fact, Island Records refused to include the song in U.K. pressings, fearing a libel suit. Morrissey tried to move the album to Mercury, even as he continued to grouse about the seemingly tossed-off cover image. He left England behind in this same darkly unstable period, moving to Los Angeles."

With lots of anniversaries coming up, I guess we should get used to these reflective articles. Some Moz quotes used and the court case rehashed.
Regards,
FWD.

 

[countthree]

Maladjusted is a great album. It's wonderful Morrissey still sings Alma Matters, wich is a beautiful and touching song that seems to be like the conclusion of the process of exorcism he went through in the album. Life gave him lemons in those times and he made the sweetest lemonade for us to enjoy.

"Devious, truculent and unreliable" was a public and undeserved calumny received by Morrissey, aggravated by two facts: 1) it was made by a judge 2) that jugde used that calumny to base his judgement. To that burning at the stake situation must be added British society didn't seem to take notice of the atrocity of condemning a person not based on proven facts but on the basis of interpretations of the facts funded in personal characteristics of a person presumed by a partial judge. Inquisition at its best. Lombrosio would be happy to know about the application of his theories, the same ones which helped to give the theoretical foundations of nazism. I condemn you for who you are, not for what you did. I laugh at the people who call themselves progressive and still use that shameful judicial decision to critizice Morrissey. They do not know what they are doing.

 

[Sidnettle]

The lawn mower quote never came from Morrissey. It was a genius (if hugely cynical) move by Joyce Michael's legal team to use the term, hope that it would stick, and forever be linked to Morrissey. Simple folk (including you, apparently) have ever since assumed it was how Morrissey himself described the Smiths' rhythm section. Joyce accepted his financial terms during the Smiths, and, oddly, even continued to work with Morrissey for a good couple of years after they split. It was only after the Morrissey work dried up that he decided to take legal action about his Smiths financial arrangements. Funny that.

He simply referred to Joyce and Rourke as Rick and Bruce.

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

At the time of the release of Dagenham Dave the local London ITV station sent someone to find Dave's in Dagenham. They gathered a few of them together. I'm not sure what the collective noun might be - a Wanker of Dagenham Dave's perhaps?

Anyway, they played the song to three or four of them followed by a few seconds silence until one of them finally piped up "I 'ate 'im really..."

LOLOL!!!!! I DIED when I read this!! Are you listening to me, Barleycorn?!!! I DIED!!! A wanker of Daves is the best!!

THE BEST!!!!

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

Hilarious comment. Morrissey's ongoing 'bad boy' fixations really all came apart on this dire LP. Absolutely ludicrous songs like 'Dagenham Dave', 'Roy's Keen' and....well, all of them except 'Trouble Loves Me'. The tiresome controversialisms-by-rote of 'Ambitious Outsiders', the deeply boring attempt to approximate grunge on the opening nonsense prog-rock epic....but all of that overshadowed by The Court Case......

Musical historians will look back at that case as the episode whereby both Marr and Morrissey destroyed the legacy and future listenability of 'The Smiths' by daring to fight a court case that they had no moral right to oppose, no chance of winning and that comprehensively exposed their 'truculent, devious' business dealings with The Drummer and The Bass Guitar-ist. If they'd traded as 'Marr-Morrissey' from the start then it would have all been so different, but they didn't. Both Marr and Morrissey ruthlessly purloined the 'mythos of The Band', presenting 'The Smiths' as 'the last gang in town' only to be later exposed as....well, 'unreliable witnesses' is the kindest way of putting it.

Nobody can now listen to a single song by 'The Smiths' without hearing the creaking foundations of dissembling nonsense that informed this supposedly 'authentic' project from the outset. It was anything but 'authentic' even as it shamelessly rifled the cabinet of 'authenticity tropes' to pose as Anti-Thatcher. The business dealings of both Marr and Morrissey in relation to Joyce and Rourke epitomize all that was 'devious, truculent and unreliable' about the business ethics of the music industry in the 1980s. The fact that this heist was attempted whilst 'posing as Indie' just makes the cultural criminality of it all even more egregious and stomach-churning in retrospect. Nobody who values Authenticity can now listen to 'The Smiths' without hearing a carefully crafted veneer of fake 'authenticity' hiding rampant careerism at the expense of those publicly posited as 'co-workers' when they were just hired 'lawn-mover parts'.

All that's left now if for the £ Wonga Reunion Tour of Corporate Enormodomes. If that came with a full and frank admission of crimes committed against musical ethics from both Marr and Morrissey it would be an interesting coda but that's not going to happen. Morrissey remains entranced by his delusional 'victim-script'. 'Sorrow Will Come In The End'? Well, it has finally come home to Morrissey himself and his now ruined legacy. He has wasted his entire career on all this bollocks, instead of just fessin up as a greedy c*** and paying his dues to those he publicly claimed were 'brother-in-musical-arms' from the outset whilst he and Marr were shafting them behind their backs...not a good look for the history books, lads...

Purloining & appropriating Queer Culture whilst 'posing as humasexual'
Shafting business associates whilst pretending their 'brothers-in-musical-arms'
Making an arse of yourselves with 'Meat is Murder' whilst not Being Vegan....

what other 'sorrows of delusion' could be added to this 'list of the el plotto losto'?

For those of us who watched from the beginning as the Q marks rose amidst the fog of NME propagaanda (until they went postal about being trolled on multikulti) it's all rather satisfying to finally see the alabaster come crashing down and Morrissey reduced to becoming a C List draw at arenas around the world that have to fill their seats with acts to remain profitable, ditto festivals. What a fate to befall this clown, playing to mirror-image mental case 'fans' who reflect back the excesses of his delusionality. Now, that's what I call a result!........

have a nice day
BB

I think purloining the mythos of the band is super hot. Ditto the Wonga Reunion Tour of Corporate Enormodomes. Ditto El Plotto Losto.

BUT EL PLOTTO LOSTO BEATS ALL!!!!!!!

Omg. LOL. I can't believe a wanker of daves and el plotto losto both even exist in the same thread. It's like Christmas around here today!!!

And a Merry Christmas to you, Brummie!

 

[manicboy]

Maladjusted is my most listened to Solo album. The brilliant melodies and harmonies get me every time. It's a very personal and emotional album. With the deluxe album, it gets even better with fantastic b-sides

 

[countthree]

Hilarious comment. Morrissey's ongoing 'bad boy' fixations really all came apart on this dire LP. Absolutely ludicrous songs like 'Dagenham Dave', 'Roy's Keen' and....well, all of them except 'Trouble Loves Me'. The tiresome controversialisms-by-rote of 'Ambitious Outsiders', the deeply boring attempt to approximate grunge on the opening nonsense prog-rock epic....but all of that overshadowed by The Court Case......

Musical historians will look back at that case as the episode whereby both Marr and Morrissey destroyed the legacy and future listenability of 'The Smiths' by daring to fight a court case that they had no moral right to oppose, no chance of winning and that comprehensively exposed their 'truculent, devious' business dealings with The Drummer and The Bass Guitar-ist. If they'd traded as 'Marr-Morrissey' from the start then it would have all been so different, but they didn't. Both Marr and Morrissey ruthlessly purloined the 'mythos of The Band', presenting 'The Smiths' as 'the last gang in town' only to be later exposed as....well, 'unreliable witnesses' is the kindest way of putting it.

Nobody can now listen to a single song by 'The Smiths' without hearing the creaking foundations of dissembling nonsense that informed this supposedly 'authentic' project from the outset. It was anything but 'authentic' even as it shamelessly rifled the cabinet of 'authenticity tropes' to pose as Anti-Thatcher. The business dealings of both Marr and Morrissey in relation to Joyce and Rourke epitomize all that was 'devious, truculent and unreliable' about the business ethics of the music industry in the 1980s. The fact that this heist was attempted whilst 'posing as Indie' just makes the cultural criminality of it all even more egregious and stomach-churning in retrospect. Nobody who values Authenticity can now listen to 'The Smiths' without hearing a carefully crafted veneer of fake 'authenticity' hiding rampant careerism at the expense of those publicly posited as 'co-workers' when they were just hired 'lawn-mover parts'.

All that's left now if for the £ Wonga Reunion Tour of Corporate Enormodomes. If that came with a full and frank admission of crimes committed against musical ethics from both Marr and Morrissey it would be an interesting coda but that's not going to happen. Morrissey remains entranced by his delusional 'victim-script'. 'Sorrow Will Come In The End'? Well, it has finally come home to Morrissey himself and his now ruined legacy. He has wasted his entire career on all this bollocks, instead of just fessin up as a greedy c*** and paying his dues to those he publicly claimed were 'brother-in-musical-arms' from the outset whilst he and Marr were shafting them behind their backs...not a good look for the history books, lads...

Purloining & appropriating Queer Culture whilst 'posing as humasexual'
Shafting business associates whilst pretending their 'brothers-in-musical-arms'
Making an arse of yourselves with 'Meat is Murder' whilst not Being Vegan....

what other 'sorrows of delusion' could be added to this 'list of the el plotto losto'?

For those of us who watched from the beginning as the Q marks rose amidst the fog of NME propagaanda (until they went postal about being trolled on multikulti) it's all rather satisfying to finally see the alabaster come crashing down and Morrissey reduced to becoming a C List draw at arenas around the world that have to fill their seats with acts to remain profitable, ditto festivals. What a fate to befall this clown, playing to mirror-image mental case 'fans' who reflect back the excesses of his delusionality. Now, that's what I call a result!........

have a nice day
BB

Your writing style is very peculiar, it's like you sign your posts with your real name. Don't you care?

 

[Jamie]

While they are not top shelf tunes, "Roy's Keen" and "Papa Jack" were sabotaged by Morrissey himself. The backing vocals Alain added make the tunes.

Get rid of the synth strings, lose "Sorrow Will Come In The End," rearrange the tracks and switch out some of the other weaker tracks (e.g., "Ammunition," "He Cried," "Ambitious Outsiders") in favor of the B-sides and you had the potential for a really strong album. Unfortunately, he was so far out of f(l)avor at the time, that the commercial fortunes of the album would probably have remained the same.

 

[Anonymous]

Your writing style is very peculiar, it's like you sign your posts with your real name. Don't you care?

I've seen some of your posts and they might be classed as english where you live but not on here.

 

[markem41]

1997 was still the time of the Modfather. The Mozfather had to wait until 2004.

 

[Anonymous]

At least it sold more than southpaw

 

[bubba]

At least it sold more than southpaw

Southyawn!

 

[countthree]

I've seen some of your posts and they might be classed as english where you live but not on here.

I don't care.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't care.

Me neither but I just found your attack on BB a bit unfair taking into account your own scribbles on here. It is ok not to talk or write in perfect english.

 

[Anonymous]

The album was better than Southpaw Grammar, but it was another lazy effort; especially coming off the back to back critical and commercial successes of Vauxhall, and Your Arsenal.

The meandering, obtuse lyrics of Maladjusted sounded like a man trying to hard too seem creative.

The ridiculous lyrics and production of Ambitious Outsiders: "We knows when the school bus comes and goes."

The corny vocal inflections on He Crie-yai-yai-yaied!

The pleasant lyrics, but shrill, pub rock style production on "Ammunition."

Trouble Loves Me was a standout track, but again, it suffered from some fairly harsh production.

But nothing holds a candle to the absolute absurdity of "Sorrow Will Come In The End." This is hands down Morrissey's worst song next to Margaret On A Guillotine. When Morrissey abandons the use of understatement, this is the kind of juvenile drivel that comes out. I actually blush when I hear that song because I am so embarrassed for him.

The song is so bad that when any fan pretends to like it as a form of rebellion, I pass moral judgment on them.

What we had hoped was just a momentary lapse of inspiration with Southpaw Grammar, turned out to be a trend.

Southpaw Grammar truly marked the end of Morrissey's inspired creative instincts. He seemed to have mailed it in after that. I often wondered if the court case damaged his confidence beyond repair. He's become increasingly bitter since then.

Why he would care what a judge had to say about his character, when the press has said much worse about him, I don't know. Morrissey has always seemed to care more about what the world thinks of him than he's willing to admit. He just can't help himself.

 

[countthree]

Me neither but I just found your attack on BB a bit unfair taking into account your own scribbles on here. It is ok not to talk or write in perfect english.

It's far from an attack because I admire him but I don't understand neither the genesis of his pain nor the way he uses to express it.

 

[Anonymous]

I also think Maladjusted is a better album than You are the Quarry. In comparison, Quarry doesn't have a natural flow and just sounds like a collection of songs.

Some people also regarded Maladjusted as Morrissey attempting to go back to the Vauxhall sound.

I've never heard that. The two albums sound nothing alike musically, or production wise.

I see Maladjusted a slightly more sophisticated version of Southpaw Grammar. Both albums were an attempt to fit into the changing market that demanded heavier post-grunge type elements. I think both were was Morrissey's failed attempt to transition into this new market.

This was also the time when record companies were changing ownership, and dropping artists in droves if they didn't fit into this new model.

Of course, sub-par albums always seem to sound worse when the album cover is bad too. At that point, Morrissey had given up on challenging the record company's art department. Everything seemed like a rushed attempt to fulfill his contractual obligations, and hit the exits.

In his book, Morrissey admits to it being a dark time for him. Without the nostalgia wave that hit in the mid-2000's, I wonder if he would have ever got back on his feet.

 

[Sidnettle]

I've never heard that. The two albums sound nothing alike musically, or production wise.

I see Maladjusted a slightly more sophisticated version of Southpaw Grammar. Both albums were an attempt to fit into the changing market that demanded heavier post-grunge type elements. I think both were was Morrissey's failed attempt to transition into this new market.

This was also the time when record companies were changing ownership, and dropping artists in droves if they didn't fit into this new model.

Of course, sub-par albums always seem to sound worse when the album cover is bad too. At that point, Morrissey had given up on challenging the record company's art department. Everything seemed like a rushed attempt to fulfill his contractual obligations, and hit the exits.

In his book, Morrissey admits to it being a dark time for him. Without the nostalgia wave that hit in the mid-2000's, I wonder if he would have ever got back on his feet.

However, the Southpaw covers and the Maladjusted covers are much better than the horrendous art that has followed with a couple of possible exceptions.

 

[Sidnettle]

I've never heard that. The two albums sound nothing alike musically, or production wise.

I see Maladjusted a slightly more sophisticated version of Southpaw Grammar. Both albums were an attempt to fit into the changing market that demanded heavier post-grunge type elements. I think both were was Morrissey's failed attempt to transition into this new market.

This was also the time when record companies were changing ownership, and dropping artists in droves if they didn't fit into this new model.

Of course, sub-par albums always seem to sound worse when the album cover is bad too. At that point, Morrissey had given up on challenging the record company's art department. Everything seemed like a rushed attempt to fulfill his contractual obligations, and hit the exits.

In his book, Morrissey admits to it being a dark time for him. Without the nostalgia wave that hit in the mid-2000's, I wonder if he would have ever got back on his feet.

If you watched the Importance of Being Morrissey documentary you will have seen he was a very damaged individual at that point and although he has since recovered his confidence to some degree, unfortunately, as you say, the (petty) bitterness has seemingly only increased.

 

[Sidnettle]

The album was better than Southpaw Grammar, but it was another lazy effort; especially coming off the back to back critical and commercial successes of Vauxhall, and Your Arsenal.

The meandering, obtuse lyrics of Maladjusted sounded like a man trying to hard too seem creative.

The ridiculous lyrics and production of Ambitious Outsiders: "We knows when the school bus comes and goes."

The corny vocal inflections on He Crie-yai-yai-yaied!

The pleasant lyrics, but shrill, pub rock style production on "Ammunition."

Trouble Loves Me was a standout track, but again, it suffered from some fairly harsh production.

But nothing holds a candle to the absolute absurdity of "Sorrow Will Come In The End." This is hands down Morrissey's worst song next to Margaret On A Guillotine. When Morrissey abandons the use of understatement, this is the kind of juvenile drivel that comes out. I actually blush when I hear that song because I am so embarrassed for him.

The song is so bad that when any fan pretends to like it as a form of rebellion, I pass moral judgment on them.

What we had hoped was just a momentary lapse of inspiration with Southpaw Grammar, turned out to be a trend.

Southpaw Grammar truly marked the end of Morrissey's inspired creative instincts. He seemed to have mailed it in after that. I often wondered if the court case damaged his confidence beyond repair. He's become increasingly bitter since then.

Why he would care what a judge had to say about his character, when the press has said much worse about him, I don't know. Morrissey has always seemed to care more about what the world thinks of him than he's willing to admit. He just can't help himself.

I agree with most of this, but would love to see such criticism applied to the following 3 albums, which were full of so much dross treated with godawful production.

 

[Sidnettle]

I think is was shortly before the release of V&I that Morrissey said this would be his last album, or the next one would because you run out of things to say. So he even said it himself. Since Vauxhall, I think we could make a nice little compilation album of stand-out tracks, with the majority heading straight for the local household refuse tip.