Moz and Damien Dempsey both mentioned hanging out together a lot; he was certainly photographed often enough with Phranc, and seems to have at least met the Libertines. Conversely, yes, he only ever wrote to the Boyfriends, and notoriously didn't meet the Dears. It does seem that there's some unevenness with regard to his interactions with opening bands.
That said, I wouldn't read anything deep into which opening acts he meets and which he doesn't. I expect it comes down to which are already his personal friends. And no, I don't remotely believe that Kristeen is opening for him because they are friends, and I think that to say that Moz' personal and professional association with Kristeen in general stems from some "package deal" with Tony Visconti is a rather harsh insult to Kristeen, Tony and Moz. Do you realize what you're saying about these three people? There is no reading of the concept of a "package deal" that doesn't make at least two of them sound cronyish, weak and dubiously invested in their own art and reputation.
Really, does it seem like Morrissey to give a long-term opening slot to someone purely because she's his producer's girlfriend, or even because he likes her? He's worked with a lot of people over the years, and somehow I expect that a lot of them had side projects and/or spouses and SO's who were in bands. How many of these have reached the point of recording with Moz or opening for him? One, I'm pretty sure - Kirsty MacColl, who was brilliant and whose contributions were limited to backup singing. As for his known musical friends, James Maker and Linder have both opened with him - in the short term, or for one-offs. No major tours. No "Sweetie-Pie." Certainly no group television appearances in full costume with gong.
I realize Kristeen's appeal escapes a lot of people here (and, honestly, I can sort of understand why Morrissey and a two-piece, aggressively feminist, intensely camp punk band wouldn't share all the fans in the world) but - "what gives?" Maybe she's his opening act because he likes her and Jeff's music. Maybe they're friends because he likes her. Is this so impossible?
(It bears mentioning, just because it always does while talking about Kristeen, that she was in two groups, made records with both, recorded two solo albums, and was even signed -to a now-deceased label, sadly- before even meeting Tony Visconti. Her career didn't exactly start the day she sent him that demo.)
