Well I can't see this happening, not with the reactivated Anderson/Butler relationship supposedly resulting in a new group for the two of them. Also Butler has been a bit scathing about Morrissey's solo stuff....

Shouldn't we all?

Who is Bernard Butler? I recognize the name, but can't place what band he played for. Alain better not leave, there better not be a breakup in the Moz family. That would be devastating.

the only reliable sources on the entire site is dst, devout and supercrass, so unless it came from them(which it did not), i wouldn't believe it.
x

i doubt there's any validity to these rumors. bernard is busy writing & forming a new band with brett anderson, his former bandmate in suede. While i'd love to hear the results of a moz/butler collaboration, i doubt it will ever happen. Until i hear it from morrissey or butler themselves, it's all doubtful. And Moz has been very faithful to Boz and Alain (not so much bass & drum players though we all know) so it would surprise me if he kicked them out.

...Moz is beginning to exhibit some sense in attempting to collaborate with Butler. He should have made a decision like this YEARS ago. Boz, Whyte, and the rest are simply lacking in the talent department. They have obviously been a major reason why the Mozzer has produced some very questionable material. Let's hope the rumor proves true.

Well, my take on it is this:

1. Boz is going to be the most reliable source and his version of events seems the most convincing. Why would Moz wish to dispense with the services of Alain and Boz when a) by his own assertion he wouldn't sign a record contract unless it involved them (cf his refusal to simply "collaborate with Radiohead") and b) they, and Alain specifically, have just collaborated with him on the most commercially successful record of his career?

2. As noted, and as officially announced, Anderson and Butler are now collaborating again. Though this would not totally debar a collaboration with Moz it would surely make it less likely for the foreseeable future.

3. BUT - and I hate to have to say this - I personally think that Maladjusted and YATQ, with one or two exceptions ('Trouble Loves Me', 'The First Of The Gang To Die', 'Let Me Kiss You') demonstrate that Moz could do with new collaborators. Those two records are musically stale IMO, something which is not going to change while Moz retains his present line up. So from a musical point of view I would welcome a collaboration with Butler, but I don't think it will happen. Also, Jerry Finn must be changed too - no offence, as I'm sure his intentions were good, but his polished sheen has given the new record a far too mainstream sound, depriving Moz of some of his customary edge. I think that a change in collaborator could also inspire Moz to up the ante lyrically. Vocally, he is at a peak now, his beautiful croon and continued mastery of vocal phrasing require, however, a more edgy, intricate, daring and dynamic musical backdrop. He needs someone who will rise to that challenge, preferably someone (at least a little) younger.

No offence to Boz and Alain, who did much superb work on Your Arsenal and Vauxhall and I, but if Moz's next record is not to be another average effort then I really believe something must change. Either that, or Boz and Alain must raise their game once more.

Hope none of this offends anyone, just bandying some opinions around!

fuck yes! this is what i wanted to hear. no bad feelings towards boz or alain, but butler is probably one of the few guitarists that could reinvent morrissey's songwriting. butler's solo career is a bit spotty, but his colaborations are amazing: suede? edwyn collins? the list goes on. we should embrace this -- as much as we love boz and alain, we should embrace this.

but still, if this rumor is true, and if it's coming from popbitch, that's all it is, i wonder if alain's current ailment has something to do with this.

It has been said many times that Moz very rarely visits this site (if at all) but I hope to God that he sees this thread and appreciates the extent to which the fans would welcome a new collaboration. (Sorry Boz, Alain - I do love your work on Arsenal and Vauxhall!). Of course, not everyone has posted yet and there will be some anti-Butler naysayers, but at the very least Moz could do with a new collaborator with fresh inspiration!

The other sad fact is that while we're all excited about the idea the probability is that it will come to nothing. The third installment of Maladjusted awaits us unless Boz and Alain can find some inspiration.

...to be unable to play the guitar?

Thats who Morrissey should work with ! Get with it dudes Metal is coming back !!! Grow your hair Moz.
Morrissey has been seen hanging out at The Rainbow and The Body shop with Lemmy from
Motorhead getting lap dances in the VIP room after a couple of brews.

Rock on !

Death to False Metal

Johnny Cabazzo

Boz and Alain have written some fantastic music for the YATQ sessions. Never-played symphonies is utterly beautiful. Let me kiss you is gorgeous. First of the Gang is wonderfully upbeat. But many of the other songs are ruined by Morrissey's spiteful, bitter and frankly duff lyrics. You know I couldn't last would be fantastic with lyrics that actually meant something to someone who is not a multi-millionaire indie icon without a record deal (when he wrote it). 'I was a good kid with a nice paper round'. God, how crap is that? The song has a gorgeous chorus but the lyrics are flipping awful. Half the other songs are set to great pieces of music but are ruined by lyrics which bang on about the stupid bloody court case and Moz's obsession with judges, magistrates, taxmen and policemen. And don't even get me started on 'how could anyone possibly' where Moz rhymes 'shit' with 'it'!
Sorry guys but Morrissey himself is the main reason why Quarry is a mediocre listening experience and Bernard Butler can't do anything about that.
Neil

I think too much is being made of this. Alain is ill, big deal. It happens to everyone. Moz was sick as well right? We all know it wasn't meningitis, especially if those 'shopping' reports were true. Perhaps it was the flu, if he was sick at all. Would it then be too hard to imagine that Alain caught it as well? Has anyone actually announced what his illness is? Sure, all these accusations would be put to rest if it was officially stated what the illness was. I don't think it's really anyone's business. All i'm saying is let the man decide.

First it was Morrissey's supposed 'misunderstanding'. Then it was meningitis. After that, it was the Reagan/Bush comment. Now this? Chill out clones. Alain isn't going anywhere. We can see the relationship him and Morrissey have onstage, he is clearly his favorite one. Instead of trying to guess who Morrissey's next guitarist will be, just be glad you have already saw him with his original cast. If not, then hope Alain gets well soon.

OUT

...Berney's a tops geez, e is. He was brill with Sueade and I think we'll be fuckin double magic with Moz.
No fence on Alain, I dug him and think hes a top geezer too and did some excellent work with Moz but, I personally think Berneys a better musician than Al.

If Bernard and Moz got together, it would be the end of both Boz AND Alain. Bernard can't play with another guitar player.
    Justine Fischman cited this as one of the reasons why she quit Suede. She said that if you're playing with Bernard, there isn't much space for anything else.
    Listen to some old Suede live performances. Bernard is all over the place with his guitar playing. He plays rythm and lead at the same time. People always talk about how great of a songwriter Bernard is but he is a very under-rated guitar player.
    Anyway, I've been saying for years that Moz should team of with some out-of-work guitar hero. Boz and Alain are just so bland. Someone as dynamic as he is. I thought he should join up with either a) Bernard Butler (best match), b) John Squire (might work considering Moz's new harder rock direction. Also was a Marr sound-alike back in the day), or c) Graham Coxon (although perhaps a bit too experimental for Moz's tastes). Maybe Dominic Chad of Mansun.
    Or maybe he could do an album with various songwriting collaborators.
    Anyway, I think his current band has gone as far as it can. Moz needs to get over his fear of musos and get with some people who can play.
    Anyway, it's a shame Moz should approach Butler now that he is back together with Brett Anderson. Why didn't he do this back in 1999?

Hellooooooooo, hasn't anyone heard the wordz, under contract.

Do you people really think Morrissey is going to let any of the guys out of the band, when the album is going this well. I mean, think about it..please take some time out and really think about it.
Whoever got the info from popbitch, is a dumb bitch for believing it.

....it was posted as a joke.
butler isn't that keen on mozz.
as for the band, mozz is well happy with them at the moment.

pop bitch is there just to do this.
almost like a shit double of an issue of 'heat' magazine.

who was 'supposed' to have seen them???? anyway.

I sincerely hope none of these rumours are true, and I don't think they are. Boz and Alan are great writers, You Are The Quarry is very good bordering on great and grows with every listen. Moz is in a very successful position now thanks to them. Furthermore, Bernard Butler is no great shakes really (you want dull solo material? He's your man!)

Now more than ever, the band should not break up. If Morrissey is reading which I sincerely doubt don't listen to all the whingers above Moz, some people are never satisfied! And get well soon Alan.

First off, let me say that this Morrissey/Butler collaboration does seem doubtful for all the reasons people have already given

Secondly, I do agree that Moz needs to get back on track lyrically.

But - as I predicted - we now have people decrying the possibility of a new collaboration. Why oh why oh why, folks? Do you really want Moz to repeat the same record over and over and over again? Face it, Boz and Alain are out of ideas musically, they have been since the excellent Vauxhall and I a decade ago! Moz requires reinvigorating. He needs new collaborators. Yes, he needs to get his lyrics sorted but his vocals are great at the moment, what he needs is someone with musical inspiration to cajole him into writing something great.

The whole situation needs overhauling in some way or other or things will never change. The collaborators, particularly in Moz's case, are SO important. Think about the great 'comeback' records of the past decade or so (I mean artistically rather than commercially here) and you will see what I mean. Three examples will suffice.

Bob Dylan - 'Time Out Of Mind' - new producer - Daniel Lanois - gives Dylan the appropriate sound and he responds accordingly.

Johnny Cash - 'American Recordings' - after years of working with the same old Nashville producers he goes out on a limb and works with Rick Rubin (Beastie Boys, Public Enemy producer and so an unlikely collaborator). Rubin offers a new approach. Cash reinvigorated. Result? A bloody superb album ('American Recordings') that ressurrected his career.

The Cure - new album produced by Ross Robinson (Rage Against The Machine, Slipknot) - he won't let Smith get away with anything slack, he pushes the band to their limits and gives them a really heavy sound and now the new Cure album is being hailed as a great return.

Moz needs to take a chance. He needs to collaborate with someone new, be that Butler or another, who will keep him on his toes.

Why oppose this? One of the frustrating things about being a Moz fan at the moment is that to those who aren't aware of who he was he is currently coming across as some middle aged crooner with a solid but slightly dull middle aged backing band. It is slightly annoying because we know that in times past he was anything but 'solid' and 'dull'. He was at the cutting esge, creating such brilliant musical pinnacles as 'The Queen Is Dead', 'Hatful of Hollow' and 'Meat Is Murder', then later the excellent 'Your Arsenal and 'Vauxhall and I'. He was cutting edge, even as late as Vauxhall here was a cult figure with edge and bile in his music. But now he seems a bit like a nostalgia act to those who don't know as much about him as we do. And it is a shame, for he is the greatest lyricist of his generation and should be revered accordingly. And he COULD be if he gets his lyrics in shape again and selects collaborators who will give him a more dynamic and interesting musical backdrop. Age means nothing - he could easily pull off a Bowie and still be respected (please, no anti-Bowie diatribes here please, the fact is that his public image is of a still respectable rock star) or a Dylan/Cash and still put out superb albums in his dotage. But like them he needs to overhaul his present situation to do so.

I know many people agree with me from the posts above, but to those who would have things stay as they are, I merely ask - why?

It's harsh opinions such as that posted below that will make Boz think twice about discreetly keeping us in the picture in the future.

FACT Morrissey as a solo artist is enjoying his highest celebrity and commercial success (in the UK at least). This is because of two things: 1-his personality/reputation and 2-His new music.

Boz and Alain are jointly, with Moz, responsible for point 2.

Bernard Butler would make every Moz song sound almost exactly the same ('cause that's exactly what happened to Suede).

Anyway, I don't even want to think about it, I want us to all get behind "th'lads" as they do not get the recongition they deserve.

I don´t believe any of these rumours and i doubt Morrissey will get rid of boz and alain. Personally and though bernard butler is a very good guitar player, i think he´s too epic for Morrissey and he doesn´t write better songs than alain or boz.
I´ve always thought that Morrissey´s band been completely underrated so i really hope they will stay with morrissey until the end.

If Moz is going to collaborate with Butler, Boz might be the last person to find out about it.

There's only one person who could possibly replace Alain and that's Johnny.
Imagine that.
Ryan.