Born on 22 May: Morrissey, singer of The Smiths… forever

A skilled wordsmith and fan of French black-and-white cinema, Steven Patrick Morrissey was born in 1959 in Davyhulme, Lancashire, England.

He became famous as the singer and lyricist of his first band, The Smiths, between 1982 and 1987, although the roles of the other three musicians in the quartet’s chemistry should not be overlooked. Guitarist Johnny Marr crafted a string of notes that showcased Morrissey’s recurring themes: loneliness, of course, but sometimes, as a consequence of it, romantic longing and depression. From their very first single, "This Charming Man" on the Rough Trade label in 1983, he designed the concepts for the covers and drew inspiration from classic French cinema. For instance, he chose a photo of Jean Marais taken from the film "Orphée" (1950) by Jean Cocteau. Subtly, almost subliminally, he signalled a homosexuality he would later reveal publicly, though today he prefers to describe himself as "asexual".

Later, he would use a photo of Alain Delon from the film "L’insoumis" (1966) for the cover of the album "The Queen Is Dead". He has also sometimes mentioned French actors in his lyrics, such as Claude Brasseur on "At Last I Am Born", or more recently in 2017, Guillaume Canet on "Home Is A Question Mark". As you’ll have gathered, Morrissey is not only a discerning film buff and a talented poet but also quite the intellectual! During a concert at the Grand Rex in Paris in 2014, he even claimed his greatest achievement in life was "being born on the same day as Charles Aznavour".

A proponent of a certain sarcasm and offbeat humour, when asked about his supposed homosexuality, he stated he considered himself rather a "humasexual" (a pun that’s hard to translate). He added that his "attraction to humans is limited to a very small number of them" (to American magazine "Spin").

From "This Charming Man" to "Hand In Glove", from "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" to "Bigmouth Strikes Again", Morrissey has given us some masterpieces of English rock. But he’s also found himself at the centre of a handful of controversies. Is it really surprising for an artist who titled his first solo album "Viva Hate"? He has always defended himself by claiming he’s misunderstood or that his statements are misquoted by a sensationalist press. Indeed, while he has said repeatedly that he "hates racism" (notably—and vehemently—in the columns of the English daily "The Guardian"), he nevertheless claims that "English identity is under threat because of immigration". It’s true that statements like these, especially taken out of context, can have a devastating effect. Especially on an issue as complex as immigration.

A vegetarian since he was 11, Morrissey also fights for more universally accepted causes, particularly animal welfare. "Meat Is Murder", the title of The Smiths’ second album in 1985, was already a message in that direction. Morrissey is also a member of PETA and, much like Moby, has banned the consumption of meat at his concerts. No frankfurters, no hamburgers!

But don’t worry, there’s no need to delve into the convolutions of Morrissey’s tortured mind to enjoy his work.

Upcoming concerts:

31 May: 3Arena - Dublin (Ireland)

4/5 June: 02 Academy - Glasgow (Scotland)

7 June: Co-op Live - Manchester (England)

15 June: Zénith - Paris (France)

16 June: Lotto Arena - Antwerp (Belgium)

19 June: AFAS Live - Amsterdam (Netherlands)

All dates for the coming months here: https://www.morrisseycentral.com/tour

Photo: Morrissey on stage at the KEZ in Antwerp (Belgium), 15 March 2023