Amy
from the Ice Age to the dole age
Re: Sycophants vs. Haters. Is it really that simple? How do you self-identify as a MORRISSEY fan no
My time as a fan came along in a whirl of obsession, lasted 10 years or so, dwindled and then died. I'm not even sure why. I fell out of love with the music, gradually, and with "the man", more rapidly. Around the time he started parading the band in bras and sequinned dresses, I felt increasing distaste, and then it just faded to boredom and apathy. Everything became predictable - the music, the controversies, the TTY missives - and I just became so tired of it. I have tried to re-stoke the fire - prior to this comment I watched Who Put the M..?, which I love, and went a on video-fest of all the great 90s stuff. Can't feel anything. They're still good songs, sure, but the emotional connection I had to it is gone. If you can watch this and not feel anything, you know it's over.
[youtube]EK_YXVTULLE#t=105[/youtube]
So has Morrissey changed or have I? No idea. I became a fan just before Quarry when I was a young teenager, so it was the perfect time. Seeing him live was a semi-religious experience - I felt a surge of love and allegiance that was almost visceral. Now I'm mid-20s and feel like I've outgrown something that dominated my life for years, it's a strange sense of loss.
I can identify with the sycophants, because I once was one too, and I can identify with the disillusioned and bitter ex-fans who hang around criticising, because I've felt that way as well. My guess is that Barleycorn and Brummy were the most frothing, fizzing obsessives of all at one point in their lives, and the emotional space they allocated to Morrissey was so deep that they can't quite bring themselves to leave the Mozziverse.
In case I haven't fitted into enough 'hater' stereotypes yet.. this numbness hasn't affected my feelings about The Smiths. Every song hits me in the gut like it always did; better to burn out than fade away.
My time as a fan came along in a whirl of obsession, lasted 10 years or so, dwindled and then died. I'm not even sure why. I fell out of love with the music, gradually, and with "the man", more rapidly. Around the time he started parading the band in bras and sequinned dresses, I felt increasing distaste, and then it just faded to boredom and apathy. Everything became predictable - the music, the controversies, the TTY missives - and I just became so tired of it. I have tried to re-stoke the fire - prior to this comment I watched Who Put the M..?, which I love, and went a on video-fest of all the great 90s stuff. Can't feel anything. They're still good songs, sure, but the emotional connection I had to it is gone. If you can watch this and not feel anything, you know it's over.
[youtube]EK_YXVTULLE#t=105[/youtube]
So has Morrissey changed or have I? No idea. I became a fan just before Quarry when I was a young teenager, so it was the perfect time. Seeing him live was a semi-religious experience - I felt a surge of love and allegiance that was almost visceral. Now I'm mid-20s and feel like I've outgrown something that dominated my life for years, it's a strange sense of loss.
I can identify with the sycophants, because I once was one too, and I can identify with the disillusioned and bitter ex-fans who hang around criticising, because I've felt that way as well. My guess is that Barleycorn and Brummy were the most frothing, fizzing obsessives of all at one point in their lives, and the emotional space they allocated to Morrissey was so deep that they can't quite bring themselves to leave the Mozziverse.
In case I haven't fitted into enough 'hater' stereotypes yet.. this numbness hasn't affected my feelings about The Smiths. Every song hits me in the gut like it always did; better to burn out than fade away.