joe frady
Vile Refusenik
I just acquired the new LP and CD/DVD.
Side A has the words 'ASK FOR TOUGHEY' etched in the run-out groove. Which is, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you, a 'Bleak House' nod. 'Toughey' is the nickname given by Mr.Bucket to Jo the street-sweeper boy. Here is the full passage, from Chapter 57 - 'Esther's Narrative', which features the matrix message ~
"Why, now I'll tell you, Miss Summerson," he replied. "Your mind will be all the better for not running on one point too continually, and I'll tell you for a change. It was him as pointed out to me where Toughey was. I made up my mind that night to come to the door and ask for Toughey, if that was all; but willing to try a move or so first, if any such was on the board, I just pitched up a morsel of gravel at that window where I saw a shadow. As soon as Harold opens it and I have had a look at him, thinks I, you're the man for me. So I smoothed him down a bit about not wanting to disturb the family after they was gone to bed and about its being a thing to be regretted that charitable young ladies should harbour vagrants; and then, when I pretty well understood his ways, I said I should consider a fypunnote well bestowed if I could relieve the premises of Toughey without causing any noise or trouble. Then says he, lifting up his eyebrows in the gayest way, 'It's no use menfioning a fypunnote to me, my friend, because I'm a mere child in such matters and have no idea of money.' Of course I understood what his taking it so easy meant; and being now quite sure he was the man for me, I wrapped the note round a little stone and threw it up to him. Well! He laughs and beams, and looks as innocent as you like, and says, 'But I don't know the value of these things. What am I to DO with this?' 'Spend it, sir,' says I. 'But I shall be taken in,' he says, 'they won't give me the right change, I shall lose it, it's no use to me.' Lord, you never saw such a face as he carried it with! Of course he told me where to find Toughey, and I found him."
That's probably the most interesting thing about the packaging!
The LP is not gatefold, it's 2 discs in a wide spine sleeve (cute catalogue # ~ SMLP71). There is precisely one extra photograph included within both LP and CD. It's this shot by Perou from 2006 (?!) ~
For the LP that shot is sliced into quarter squares and folded together to make up the inner bags housing the 2 discs. The original announcement on tty talked of a pull-out poster but also a poster bag. This must be what they mean. In order to make up the poster you would have to pull apart the inner sleeves and arrange the 4 quarters to make a 24"x24" poster! That's a new one on me. I did laugh out loud though when I opened the LP to be greeted with one inner sleeve featuring Morrisseys massive head and the other sleeve featuring his slender pelvis!
The CD/DVD does come in a gatefold sleeve and features the top half of the Perou shot (no crotch shot). There is no booklet of any kind. Which is a bit bobbins.
There are a few cute little touches, like a retro technical instruction on the back : 'Control Guide For Settings - mark in your preferred setting of control for ready reference when adjusting your machine for all future playings' beneath 3 little dials for Treble, Bass and Stereo Balance.
Also ~ 'Very Best Of Morrissey Is A Major Minor Production'
And, above the barcode, "FILE UNDER POPULAR"
So, a bit 'meh'.
Nice matrix though...
Side A has the words 'ASK FOR TOUGHEY' etched in the run-out groove. Which is, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you, a 'Bleak House' nod. 'Toughey' is the nickname given by Mr.Bucket to Jo the street-sweeper boy. Here is the full passage, from Chapter 57 - 'Esther's Narrative', which features the matrix message ~
"Why, now I'll tell you, Miss Summerson," he replied. "Your mind will be all the better for not running on one point too continually, and I'll tell you for a change. It was him as pointed out to me where Toughey was. I made up my mind that night to come to the door and ask for Toughey, if that was all; but willing to try a move or so first, if any such was on the board, I just pitched up a morsel of gravel at that window where I saw a shadow. As soon as Harold opens it and I have had a look at him, thinks I, you're the man for me. So I smoothed him down a bit about not wanting to disturb the family after they was gone to bed and about its being a thing to be regretted that charitable young ladies should harbour vagrants; and then, when I pretty well understood his ways, I said I should consider a fypunnote well bestowed if I could relieve the premises of Toughey without causing any noise or trouble. Then says he, lifting up his eyebrows in the gayest way, 'It's no use menfioning a fypunnote to me, my friend, because I'm a mere child in such matters and have no idea of money.' Of course I understood what his taking it so easy meant; and being now quite sure he was the man for me, I wrapped the note round a little stone and threw it up to him. Well! He laughs and beams, and looks as innocent as you like, and says, 'But I don't know the value of these things. What am I to DO with this?' 'Spend it, sir,' says I. 'But I shall be taken in,' he says, 'they won't give me the right change, I shall lose it, it's no use to me.' Lord, you never saw such a face as he carried it with! Of course he told me where to find Toughey, and I found him."
That's probably the most interesting thing about the packaging!
The LP is not gatefold, it's 2 discs in a wide spine sleeve (cute catalogue # ~ SMLP71). There is precisely one extra photograph included within both LP and CD. It's this shot by Perou from 2006 (?!) ~
For the LP that shot is sliced into quarter squares and folded together to make up the inner bags housing the 2 discs. The original announcement on tty talked of a pull-out poster but also a poster bag. This must be what they mean. In order to make up the poster you would have to pull apart the inner sleeves and arrange the 4 quarters to make a 24"x24" poster! That's a new one on me. I did laugh out loud though when I opened the LP to be greeted with one inner sleeve featuring Morrisseys massive head and the other sleeve featuring his slender pelvis!
The CD/DVD does come in a gatefold sleeve and features the top half of the Perou shot (no crotch shot). There is no booklet of any kind. Which is a bit bobbins.
There are a few cute little touches, like a retro technical instruction on the back : 'Control Guide For Settings - mark in your preferred setting of control for ready reference when adjusting your machine for all future playings' beneath 3 little dials for Treble, Bass and Stereo Balance.
Also ~ 'Very Best Of Morrissey Is A Major Minor Production'
And, above the barcode, "FILE UNDER POPULAR"
So, a bit 'meh'.
Nice matrix though...