Stephen Patrick Morrissey is no stranger to controversy. Whether
it be notoriously cancelling performances over the smallest diva-like
complaints or sharing insensitive commentary, the English crooner certainly
knows how to make headlines. Recently during a televised performance on Jimmy
Fallon’s late-night talk show, the former Smiths front man caused a big stir by
sporting a pin from the far-right political party, For Britain. The backlash
has had some negative effect for Morrissey and has shaken fans, but given his history
of not so PC behaviour, are we really all that surprised?
photo: nme.com
For Britain is a minor far-right political party in the
United Kingdom formed in 2017 by anti-Muslim activist Anne Marie Waters and defected
members of the UKIP (UK Independence Party). It runs on a platform of reducing
Muslim immigration to the UK to near zero, to “bring the entire EU project down”
and being the “voice for forgotten people”. It has had in its ranks neo-Nazi group
members and is strongly in support of the Brexit movement, a social and
political shift that has brought out some of the worst cultural intolerance in human
behaviour in the UK.
While Morrissey sounds good in some respects on paper (he’s
a staunch animal rights activist, a gay man who has given a voice to the
hushed, and has ironically criticized conservative politics and religion), his further
embrace of the far-right, while not a far stretch and somewhat expected, still
stings. His songs of loneliness and belonging made him a hero to many outliers and
were once a refuge for the marginalized, yet a look at his unstable history
leaves little doubt about where he stands. Some examples from a long list of
many include calling the Chinese a “sub species”, making inflammatory remarks
on immigration, performing his not-so-subtle nationalist song “The National
Front Disco” draped in a Union Jack flag, and his thought on the #MeToo
movement and defense of Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey’s sexual misconduct
were no less uncool. In today’s culture wars, Morrissey has clearly chosen his
side, and there have been consequences.
photo: brooklynvegan.com
Most recently, posters for his new album of covers, California Son, were taken down by the Liverpool
train network Merseyrail. A guest vocalist on that record, Broken Social
Scene’s Ariel Engle, expressed frustration and feeling like she’s “been had” by
the singer. Spiller Records in Cardiff, the world’s oldest record store, decided
not to stock the album, with its owner saying sales of his music prior to California Son had slumped because customers
could not support his increasingly divisive politics, with some fans going as
far as selling their entire Morrissey collections and donating the money to
social activist organizations. In truth, California Son really isn't a very good album, if I may add.
As fans, we must ask ourselves, “Is this the final straw?”
Clearly some have already detached themselves from the singer, and some are
still trying to manage separating the man from the music. Others are perfectly
okay with his sentiments and see the recent attack on his artistry as censorship,
and it is. However, for those on the left side of the spectrum or to those
indifferent, can our justifications of continued support for his artistry be
enough, or should we altogether say our goodbyes and walk away? It’s a hard one
to answer. As a ticket holder to his alleged North American fall tour with post-punkers
Interpol later this year and fan of his music, where does that put me? For
those whose difficult formative years were made tolerable by the Smiths, those
who considered Morrissey a friend as he evoked inner turmoil, it’s hard not to
feel cheated by his behaviour. Yes, it sucks, and the Smiths are the greatest
band of particular generation. Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, a completely opposite
figure, was a constraint on him when he needed to fit into the left-wing idea
of the band. But ever since the Smiths’ breakup, he’s been betraying those
fans, betraying (or-shaping) his legacy and empowering the very people Smiths
fans were told to oppose.
photo: consequenceofsound.net
How did we get here? Morrissey’s politics were obviously
leftwing in the 1980s –anti-Thatcher, anti-monarchy, an uncompromising attitude
towards animal rights. The Smiths played at the Jobs for a Change festival in
1984 and did the socialist Red Wedge tour in 1986. It was the singer’s
compassion that shone through, and his songs were about loneliness, empathy for
the excluded and weak, and being an outsider. Once Morrissey began his solo
career, his true character began to shine through. It is hard not to agree that
proper, forceful criticism is overdue and expected. Morrissey is a complex
star, and it can be difficult and painful to separate the things you love about
him from those you despise. It’s no surprise that many of us are still hoping
he is a misguided individual, but typically as we age, we become a little more
extreme and set in our ways. Liberals do it. Conservatives do it. Even centrists
become more frustrating in their devil’s advocate role. Many controversies have
threatened Morrissey’s career in the past, yet he’s still here. He still has an
audience he speaks to, and how we accept whatever message he sings about is at
our discretion. His legacy with the Smiths will certainly remain untouched, but
whatever direction he takes from here on out is his own making. Will his
upcoming North American tour have difficulty selling tickets? Provided he doesn’t
cancel appearances, I predict it’ll be a strong seller. He’ll continue making headlines
over some ridiculous thing or other, and as a fan, yes, it hurts and it’s going
to keep hurting. Personally, I think if you can remove the man from the music
that has brought so much joy throughout the years, you may be alright. Or, in
blunter terms, stupid and blind. Take your pick.
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