The year was 1988, The Smiths were a year gone and their enigmatic ex-frontman Morrissey faced the daunting task of taking on the pop world solo – ‘surely he’ll never make it without Marr’ they said…
30 years, 11 studio albums, 11 compilation albums, 2 live albums and 1 haircut later and in 2018 it’s clear to see that Morrissey is one of the most enduring pop artists of all time.
His 11th studio album, Low In High School, is one of his most divisive yet – with it’s direct attacks on the mass media, British monarchy and military. Album tracks aside, singles “Spent The Day In Bed” and “Jacky’s Only Happy When She’s up on the Stage” emanate vintage Morrissey – they’ve got a quintessentially pop catchiness, paired with a clear message constructed via Morrissey’s unparalleled lyricism.
LIHS brings Morrissey back on the road again, arriving in Tyneside for a landmark arena show in February.
If you’ve ever been to, or even just seen footage of Morrissey gigs over the years, you’ll know they’re not your typical pop show. There’s no other artist in the world with the cult-like following of Morrissey, with fans throwing themselves over the barriers in an attempt to touch the hand of their hero – an act of devotion that Morrissey himself encourages, speaking in 1992 he said “security people always complain about it, but I don’t really understand the complaints, I just think it’s the biggest compliment that anybody can pay.”
RIDE MUSIC 