Morrissey - Viva Hate (re release) (Mar. 26, 2012)

Gawd. Even the producer doesn't approve of the changes.

 

According to the article, he's working on them now. How would anyone else know how they sound, let alone have heard them?

 

Complete madness.

 

Insane.

 

Sounds like "Human Being" is the demo.

From the article Corduroy links to above:

It’s quite unexpected to see a fan favourite like ‘The Ordinary Boys’ being dropped for a demo, ‘Treat Me Like a Human Being’…

As far as I’m concerned, the album should not have been changed. I kind of argued this with Morrissey, as much as I can, and made it clear that it was a mistake. I really like ‘The Ordinary Boys’ and think it’s a great song.

‘Treat Me Like a Human Being’ was just something I found in my archives, and it’s a great little demo but to take off ‘The Ordinary Boys’ – which was produced in that session – and put a demo in its place I personally think is wrong.

I think the album should have been left as it was. There’s also a big chunk of ‘Late Night, Maudlin Street’ that’s been taken off, and I’m really not happy about that, but what can I do – it’s Morrissey’s album and I’m the producer. It’s like when Suedehead was put on the Bona Drag remaster and the intro was removed…

 

Oh? I guess you're right. That was the only part I pretty much skipped as I couldn't care less about Blur.

 

And utterly f-ing stupid. No point whatsoever in buying this.

 

Due out later this year. I think a limited "complete works" box set is planned - everything Blur recorded (with and without Graham), plus some outtakes (no revelations here, because they released their best stuff), followed by individual 2 CD reissues of the albums.

 

It's a good interview but I think the real underrated star is Vini Reilly. His playing on Viva Hate made me seek out all the Durutti Column albums. I can't imagine any session player who would have made Viva Hate as magical as he did.

 

I agree with this, and he's one of my favorite guitarists also. I haven't seen the statement where he apparently claims that he "wrote everything" on Viva Hate, but I do give him credit for creating much of the sound on that album.

If physical media doesn't become extinct first, I do think that someday we'll see "restored" editions of Morrissey's remastered albums. I'll wait for those.

 

Check out the Jewel In The Crown Morrissey documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbIi1IXwQ8E

This is the third part that contains Vini's claim, but there may be more information during the previous parts.

 

Thanks for the link, that was really entertaining! Maybe Vini is delusional, or maybe he's an outright liar. On the other hand, maybe Stephen Street is a liar, or maybe there is truth in both of their statements. Both of these guys are talking about things that happened many years ago from their own perspectives. Ultimately, this is a "he said, he said" situation and nobody knows the complete truth except them - maybe not even them, at this point. History has a tendency to confuse the issues even under the best circumstances.

Regardless, Vini Reilly's musical style is all over Viva Hate. Morrissey's later work with Stephen Street, included on Bona Drag, is also brilliant and I love it all. But love it or hate it, the Morrissey/Reilly/Street combination produced something unique.

 

They totally bunged up the cover. That script looks more appropriate to a St. Vitus album. Here's a crazy idea: Why not just reissue the album with the original track order and original artwork in the best possible sound?

 

Brilliant!

 

That would be too easy and simple a thing to do! I'm not too sure about the "Late Night,Maudlin Street" business either,one of my favourite tracks of his.

 

Thank goodness Morrissey wasn't in charge of last years Smiths Complete box. Otherwise Cemetry Gates would have been omitted from TQID, "work is a four letter word" would have led off Rank, and a new sleeve showing Moz circa '99 surrounded by Latinos would have adorned the debut LP sleeve.

 

Be grateful on that front. Be very VERY grateful. He'd have probably wiped Mike Joyce's parts and got his current drummer to re-record them.

 

Vini ought to lay off the pipe, eat and sleep more. Stephen Street wrote the music and arranged most of the songs. Vini was drafted in as a guitarist to fill the Marr-sized void. He worked out quite brilliantly. The sad thing is that Moz didn't build on what was a highly fertile creative partnership.

Stephen can easily prove it all by uploading all the instrumental "sketches" he gave Moz during and after the Strangeways sessions. One of the last things Moz recorded under The Smiths moniker (post-Marr) was a punkish version of Bengali in Platforms. Tune by S Street. He wrote most of the music for Viva Hate. Vini had a hand in the arrangements, but the album was mostly Moz and Stephen Street.

 

Very true.

I do believe this. Vini probably just feels like he contributed more than he was given credit for. His claim that the album is almost all him is obviously an exaggeration brought on by hurt feelings, and years of colored memory (and maybe just little egomania). I love his music anyway, and what he brought to Viva Hate. And he certainly wouldn't be the first musician who felt like they deserved a songwriting credit for their arranging contributions.

 

Moz is turning into George Lucas.

I love the guy, but he needs to quit mucking about with his back catalog. The ONLY thing I would approve of, is if somehow he deleted a couple of songs off the second side of Vauxhall(probably I Am Hated For Loving and Lazy Sunbathers), and put on Jack The Ripper and Swallow On My Neck. I know it won't turn out like that though. I think the old releases sound fine anyway. Especially Your Arsenal and onward. Who cares about Kill Uncle anyway? Blah.

EDIT: Just read that he is trimming LNMS...Oh man...that's probably the second or third best song on the whole thing. And it really stands out in Morrissey's library.

As for you frustrated with Bona Drag...just snag that 3 disc Parlaphone collection. It has all the B-Sides(except for Let The Right One Slip In ), and even has the long version of Will Never Marry. It's a must have. It also has a lovely cover, without the goofy font.

 

I can't wait to see the changes he'll make to Vauxhall.

 

That's one house that doesn't need rebuilding.

 

If only Bruce Mitchell sat in on drums for Viva Hate, we'd basically have a Durutti Column album.

Many of the string section members had worked with Reilly previously. And, as we all know, Stephen Street helped produce The Guitar and Other Machines in 1987. There was a certain magic in those sessions that was never matched again, despite the fact that the ex-Smiths came back into the fold in 1989.

Don't forget that Stephen Street continued to work with Vini Reilly long after Viva Hate as producer for 1994's Sex and Death.

 

I love that three disc compilation! Of course Morrissey tried to discourage fans from buying it...oh well, I'll always go to the superior product.

 

What's that comp called?