Review:

(Musician/Artist)

Morrissey: happy and gay? – written by Queer Radio presenter John Frame 6^th July 2002

As published in Brisbane’s local queer street press “Queensland Pride” magazine.

March 2006 note:  - The only thing I'd change is to make it clear that I really don't believe that all Morrissey's songs are written about his own personal experience, the breadth of same-sex attracted nuance expressed in his lyrics is enough for me. Like Morrissey, his characters have a right to a life of their own. – John Frame.

Morrissey is about to release a new studio album and go touring. Queer Radio’s John Frame puts the case that far from being miserable now, Morrissey is both happy and gay. Morrissey’s (as yet un-named) first new album in 5 years will be released in September (Sanctuary Records SAND CD133). In support he launches his first concert tour for 2 years on 31^st July in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – with 22 shows taking him to Japan and ending on September 15th in the very gay city of San Diego. That’s eleven years, almost to the day, since his one and only Australian concert, when he really rocked a big crowd at Brisbane’s historic Festival Hall. It stands out as one of the most emotionally impressive musical performances I’ve ever seen. You can almost recreate the same feeling by watching his live video “Introducing Morrissey” all the way through - and at a damned good volume. By the last song you weep for the honesty and generosity of this man. Morrissey speaks articulately through his lyrics, there is no doubt, but he is not into “small talk” on stage: “I know you’d quite like me to say at least something – but I’m, really, quite, shy.” Like Morrissey before him, seven years ago REM’s Michael Stipe got thoroughly hammered by the gay press for not owning up to his same-sex attractions. It took some years for him to be able to explain that he was also intensely shy in regard to personal issues. Michael and Morrissey have both championed the individual’s right to love on their own terms, and without the need for the limiting effects of labels. “We are all sexual”. What I see in Morrissey’s lyrics, however, is very much what I have felt inside, as someone who is decidedly same-sex attracted. To me that’s different enough to earn the descriptive quality of “gay”. There are 17 songs I can name that clearly confirm Morrissey’s gayness: Speedway / He Knows I’d Love To See Him / Late Night On Maudlin Street / Ambitious Outsiders / Piccadilly Palare / Billy Budd / Driving Your Girlfriend Home / Boy Racer / I Am Hated For Loving / Break Up the Family / I’m The End Of The Family Line / Dial-A-Cliché / There’s A Place In Hell For Me And My Friends / Lucky Lisp / Roy’s Keen / Tomorrow / Used To Be A Sweet Boy. “He Knows I’d Love To See Him” is a coy look at unstated smoldering desire for a man. “Lucky Lisp” celebrates any natural attributes which make his sexuality clear to others. “Driving Your Girlfriend Home” is the frustration of being “friends” with the man you’d really love to love (been there!). “Tomorrow” forcefully voices that desire, while “Boy Racer” is about an overly straight-acting man standing rigid with homophobic fear at a urinal. I love the joy of “Roy’s Keen” in which a cute, flirty window cleaner knows he’s setting Morrissey’s heart a flutter with each movement. The “gay” winner for me though is the very sarcastic “Ambitious Outsiders” - taunting gay-hating conservatives with the fact that they really don’t know exactly who is or isn't gay in their neighbourhood, and that, whether they like it or not, they’re propagating more of us. The other unfortunate misconception about Morrissey is that his music is irretrievably sullen or depressive. So how come so many younger to mid-forties fans feel their hearts surge and sail to his work? I believe Morrissey is the ultimate holistic artist. His most maudlin song will have a balancing song of reveling celebration. There’s at least one hour of undisputedly happy music in the Morrissey songbook (some also relate to his gayness): The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get / Sing Your Life / Cemetery Gates / Alsatian Cousin / Hand In Glove / Ask / Ambitious Outsiders / Certain People I Know / Piccadilly Palare / Daggenham Dave / Lucky Lisp / Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others / Roy’s Keen / Stretch Out And Wait / This Charming Man / You Handsome Devil / Vicar In A Tutu / You’re The One For Me Fatty / You’re Gonna Need Someone On Your Side. If I need to feel “up”, the driving swing of “Sing Your Life” challenges me to look at the good things in my life and to be outspokenly proud. “Stretch Out And Wait” looks at the business of forgetting the world, relaxing and really enjoying sex. “This Charming Man” is an ultimate pick-up fantasy and “You Handsome Devil” is pure testosterone (“a boy in the bush is worth two in the hand – I think I can help you get through your exams.”) Cross-dressing Anglican clerics around the world must pirouette to “Vicar In A Tutu”. Morrissey offers his fans the assurance that he will always be there to support them in “You’re Gonna Need Someone On Your Side”. Certainly there’s enough in his lyrical compendium to back that up. Keep an eye on the websites www.morrisseytour.com and www.morrissey-solo.com , buy the CD as soon as it’s released, and start praying that he decides to extend the tour to Australia. Morrissey’s as gay as you want him to be, and he’s certainly happy if you are too.

(NB: enhanced smile)