Morrissey In His Own Words

But of course it wouldn’t be a Morrissey interview if his answers weren’t dripping with tears of woe. In a Q&A posted on fan site True To You the former Smiths frontman tackled more than a dozen questions as only Morrissey could. 

A fan named Róisín from Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland, wrote, “I think a lot of young people, including myself, find it hard to be truly themselves. Your music has helped me immensely on this issue. What would your advice be to the younger generation on how to accept yourself?”

Here’s Moz’s uplifting answer: 

“I don’t think we ever do! I think we all die feeling apologetic and embarrassed. I’m as much of a mess now as I was when I was 16. There are too many forces telling us we aren’t good enough – music critics, bank managers, the police, the judiciary, ex-wives … do you have the nerve to tell them all to get stuffed? That’s the only thing that will do it. The sociological arrangements of the western world rely exclusively on people NOT being their true selves. Otherwise, they couldn’t be governed and frightened and lost and timid – as most people unfortunately are. You can’t control people by telling them to be themselves. As soon as people decide to be themselves, the police reach for their stun guns, and governments roll out the tanks … Egypt, Bahrain, Thailand, Brazil, Ukraine, Syria … the very last thing we are encouraged to be is ourselves. This is why it’s always so shocking when someone stands up and gives an honest opinion. In all cases, such people are criticized by the print media, but never applauded.”

Katie from Cork, Ireland, wants to know where Morrissey gets his spiffy fashion sense.

“When I was a kid – yes, a kid! – I was greatly fascinated by people such as the New York Dolls and Lou Reed and Patti Smith and Iggy Pop who gave new definitions of sexuality. But the truth is that I have always loved very defined male clothes and styles. You possibly haven’t heard of Fabian because he’s practically pre-history these days, but I loved the way he dressed in his heyday. I always loved traditionally masculine suits and accoutrements and classically designed trousers. I don’t like the modern urban peasant look and my mind stalls at clothes that don’t work with the physical contours. It’s important to know what suits you, otherwise you look like a buffoon … or a baboon … take your pick.”

Did you really expect Morrissey not to talk about his extreme passion for vegetarianism?

Here’s his pick for the achievement he’s most proud of in his life:

“Many people have told me that they stopped eating flesh because of something I said. I can’t ask higher than that, and I wouldn’t aim for higher than that. If you believe in the abattoir then you would support Auschwitz. There’s no difference. People who would disagree with this statement have probably never been inside an abattoir.”

Moz says that after the response he’s received from releasing his autobiography this year – which he says has been more successful than any record he’s put out – he’s now mid-way through writing a novel. And although he says radio stations won’t play his music and “the majority of people have lost faith in the music industry,” Moz is about to record a new album.

To read the complete Q&A click here.