Morrissey has gone a rampage directed at Kate Middleton and the royal family and says Kate specifically is the person to blame for the suicide of the nurse involved in the radio station prank.
"Even with the recent story about the nurse killing herself in King Edward VII’s Hospital, there's no blame placed at Kate Middleton, who was at the hospital, for as far as I can see, no reason. She feels no shame about the death of this woman, she's saying nothing about the death of this poor woman. The arrogance of the British royals is staggering and why it's allowed to be I really don't know."
Morrissey then went on to question whether Kate really had morning sickness and how it magically got better the second the woman killed herself. Morrissey suggests that Kate has anorexia.
"Does she have a health condition? Is it anorexia or is it pregnancy? What is the we don't know. Morning sickness, already? So much hoo haw and suddenly bright as a button as soon as this poor woman dies she's out of hospital? It doesn't ring true."
I am a big fan of the music of The Smiths and Morrissey. I always have been and have realized over the years that Morrissey is going to say some things that I don't agree with but until today I have forgiven him. I just can't in good conscience forgive someone who calls a group of people a subspecies. Morrissey did just that. In an interview with The Guardian, Morrissey said, "Did you see the thing on the news about their treatment of animals and animal welfare? Absolutely horrific. You can't help but feel that the Chinese are a subspecies."
There are lots of people who treat animals poorly. Do I think animals should be treated well? Absolutely. As I have said before I have an adopted cat and dog that I got from a shelter and I hate people who treat animals cruelly just because they are animals. However, to call a quarter of the world's population a subspecies and when given the chance, stand by the statement is just wrong.
There are good and bad portions of society no matter your race or gender. I doubt he called them a subspecies when they buy his music or attend his concerts. Morrissey has been called a racist before and this is not his first attack against Asians. However, he has apologized in the past and for some reason I gave him another chance. I won't this time. I know too many people who are Chinese and Asian and who love their dogs and cats and animals and give time and energy and service to the love of animals.
I know this is probably not going to shock many people, but we eat meat in our house. I know, I know. Big surprise huh? I mean even when my mom make vegetables they have meat in them. Now you know why I love bacon so much. I can't remember the last time my mom made vegetables without putting some bacon in them.
So, whenever Girl In A Coma comes to town it always amazes me how my mom suddenly becomes Miss Vegetarian of the year and pulls out some new recipe for hummus which she assures me that Jenn, Phanie, and Nina who comprise the group will love. At some point in time, one of the three women who are all vegetarians must have told my mom that hummus was their favorite. Since that day, my dad and I have been subjected to countless variations of hummus, all being kitchen tested for these three. On their last trip to town a few months ago, my mom was out of town on a cruise and she almost decided not to go on the cruise, such is her obsession with serving them the perfect hummus. When she heard they were going to be in town this weekend, chick peas all over Los Angeles scurried for cover.
Surprisingly enough a few years of mom's hummus and the trio actually still return for more. Either that or they are just really, really polite. I'm going with the latter. Trust me. I have tasted the hummus. That isn't why they are coming by. Jenn and Phanie swear they love it, but they also don't think I drink too much, so again, just very polite. Because my mom didn't see them last time they were in town she had not got to hear their Morrissey stories. Last year they opened for Morrissey on a lot of his tour and of course the name of their band is a tribute to The Smith's song, Girlfriend In A Coma. Anyway, one of my favorites that I had forgot about was when the tour was wrapping up in Paris they decided they were going to get Morrissey a gift. Not knowing what to get him, they asked Morrissey's tour manager for some help.
After what seemed like thoughtful contemplation, the manager said, "A tie. Yes, I do believe he would quite like a tie. Nothing too loud of course. Oh, or too bright. Something tasteful. I think a Gucci would do rather nicely." I think the manager had been asked this question previously. Tie in hand, it was presented to Morrissey who returned the favor by giving them a very, very nice bottle of champagne and sitting with them and chatting while they enjoyed it.
My mom asked them if Morrissey still smelled like a church. She wasn't being rude or disrespectful, it is just that Morrissey has a very unique smell of incense that follows him around wherever he goes. Nina, who is the younger sister of Phanie and the lead singer and guitarist of the group said she would be performing on stage and all of a sudden she would smell incense and know that Morrissey must be watching and very close. The next thing you know I was hearing about something that was really strange. Dave Navarro it seems has a crush on Nina. Nina is 21. Dave is like 121. Great guy, but older than dirt. But Dave, being Dave is such a fan of Nina that his newest tattoo is of Nina. All I am saying is that he better hope she never cuts her hair.
I know I have talked about Girl In A Coma before, but I try not to force them on you too much because I am overly biased and I like people to judge for themselves. That being said, they are incredible and everytime they come into town, the crowds just get bigger and bigger. On Saturday night, The Knitting Factory was jammed with people who knew all the words to every song. It is so cool to see a band that I have been watching for five years go from performing in front of five people in a garage in San Antonio to sold out shows all over the world. They have gone from sleeping in a van to hotels and stardom, but still have time to come over to the house for hummus. Even if their music wasn't so damn good, to me that would still be a great reason to love them.
Kristeen Young of the group called Kristeenyoung (big stretch) had a sweet little gig opening for Morrissey on his US tour. Last Tuesday, Kristeen decided that pissing off the boss might be fun and in response to the audience's chant for Morrissey said, "Morrissey gives good head, I mean, er, cunnilingus..."
Yea. That's not going to be something that Morrissey is going to enjoy so he kicked the group off the tour. Granted, there is only one week left, but this is not how you want to be perceived by other headliners for whom you wish to work.
In a valiant defense, Kristeen took to her MySpace page and released the following statement.
"Unfortunately, the statement has been perceived as being profane (when, actually, one of the two words in question is a scientific term found in junior high, health class text books, and the other word, I feel most would agree, is lightweight slang) or defamatory.
"What I said was part of a thread of stage statements I made throughout our set. (The statements) were metaphorical and overstated to make an artistic point. The 'offending' statement, in particular, was in no way a literal statement, and was very much in keeping with the tone of my writing in general... Maybe I misjudged... but I meant no harm. I love Morrissey with all of my heart, soul, body, spirit, to the core of my existence and always will."
In excellent news for this blog, our very good friends Girl In A Coma will now be the opening act for the remaining dates on the tour. I just wish they had been the opening act for Morrissey when he was out in LA. Granted, I didn't get to the show until after the opening act, and have no idea if Kristeen is any good, but I actually would have showed up to see Girl In A Coma.
This of course has nothing to do with the fact that Girl In A Coma is from San Antonio and probably can't stand Eva as much as much, but rather the fact that anyone who can find a way to put Amanda LePore in a video is just plain cool. If you don't know the name Amanda LePore, you surely know the face. Check out this video.
Korn - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Bonner Springs, KS Evanescence - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Bonner Springs, KS
Killers will be releasing an album in the US before the end of the year. The album will be made exclusively of B sides to singles released in other countries. The tentative song list includes "All the Pretty Faces" ("When You Were Young" B-side), movie soundtrack tunes "Shadowplay" (a Joy Division cover from Anton Corbijn's Ian Curtis biopic "Control") and "Move Away" ("Spider-man 3"), as well as a cover of Mel Tillis' "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town."
Morrissey is selling season tickets to his North American tour which kicks off September 20 in Tijuana Mexico. Morrissey is playing ten nights in LA at the Palladium and will offer fans tickets to all ten shows for the price of 9. An added benefit will allow fans early entry and a special poster. A similar plan will be offered for his 5 night run at NY's Hammerstein Ballroom. In other Smith's news, Morrissey recently turned down a $75M offer to tour with Johnny Marr under The Smith's name.
I really don't have much music news. I just was really excited to see that Morrissey is going on a North American tour beginning April 27. The tour starts in Stockton, CA because everyone knows Morrissey plays real well in Stockton. I guess the theory is that if he sucks real bad that no one will notice there and then he can cancel. Shows are also planned for Madison Square Garden and The Hollywood Bowl.
If you are going to be in LA tonight or tomorrow, then I encourage you to stop by Largo and see Glen Phillips of Toad The Wet Sprocket fame in concert. Glen and the guys in Toad literally paid for about 10% of my tuition and expenses in law school by playing 3 shows a year for 3 years for me and I am eternally grateful to him. He keeps asking for 10% of my earnings in return, but instead I thought I would just plug his shows and hope you can stop by. Ask him to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and tell him to put on some damn shoes too.
The videos are a Glen Phillips song, and a Toad song.
