More on: Morrissey

Date: 25/01/08
Rating:

Right from the beginning it's clear that all is not well in Morrissey's World. The indie Elvis, who looks rather more like the indie Shakin' Stevens these days, kicks off proceedings by croaking his way through 'Please, Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want', 'Last of The Famous International Playboys' and 'Something Is Squeezing My Skull' before announcing he's taken "steroids and antibiotics" to try to clear up an illness, but the drugs obviously haven't worked.

He's clearly in trouble and halfway through 'I Just Want To See The Boy Happy' he disappears from the stage, leaving his band to finish the song without him. The crowd wait for ten minutes for him to reappear before Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand and David Walliams take to the stage to announce that Stephen Patrick Morrissey is ill and won't be able to carry on. It's a bizarre spectacle seeing three of Britain's biggest TV stars present the verbal sick note of the former king of the misfits and the misunderstood.

The news isn't well received and boos ring out around the venue. Jonathan Ross pleads for people to be quiet and to give Russell Brand an opportunity to let them know what's going on by saying "please, give the overdressed c**t a chance!" Brand then tries to get the crowd on his side: "This isn't my job! I don't work here! I've come here out of love for Morrissey!" Rearrangements and refunds are promised but it's no good - the people want their Morrissey and they want him now.

It's hard not to sympathise with the masses; surely Morrissey could have dragged himself up on stage for one more minute to explain the situation rather than sending Brand and co. to do it. Even if his voice has gone he could have written an apology in big letters on pieces of card and held them up to the audience, like Bob Dylan. Instead the man with one of the most devoted fan bases in pop opts for the rock and roll equivalent of getting your girlfriend/boyfriend to ring the office to tell them you're ill because you don't fancy speaking to your boss.

Of course it's unfair to knock a man when he's ill but, as Morrissey has made a career out of explaining, life isn't fair.

John McCarthy

Morrissey Official Site