On the heals of announcing new tour dates and plans for two releases in 2008, Morrissey continues to churn the promotion machine with a defamation lawsuit over construed comments in a recent NME interview.
As reported by Pitchfork, in his interview with the NME, Morrissey was asked if he would return to live in England. What followed was his view of England's lost identity as opposed to other European countries that have been able to maintain their culture and charm.
Here's the quote from the NME article:
"Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears. So the price is enormous. If you travel to Germany, it's still absolutely Germany. If you travel to Sweden, it still has a Swedish identity.
"But travel to England and you have no idea where you are."
As this could be seen as an allegation against immigrants in the UK and a reason for not living there, there was a follow-up interview where Morrissey attempted to clarify his remarks. He further explained:
"It could be construed that the reason I wouldn't wish to live in England is the immigration explosion. And that's not true at all."
When all was said and done, the original quote made it into the article which didn't make the once pop idol turned modern-day crooner too happy. Morrissey demanded a printed apology, but didn't get it. Silly editors.
Cue the legal team!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Morrissey "strikes again" suing NME
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1 comment:
I think I can understand what Morrissey is trying to say. Unlike most European countries, England is trying so hard to be accommodating to immigrants that its own culture is being surrendered in nearly every instance.
This isn't to say we would hope for the National Front Skinhead of the 1980's to come clean up shop, but like America, England is a melting pot. Since it is a much smaller melting pot, the melt has been very quick.
In Germany and the other countries Morrissey cited, there is never a doubt you are in Germany because German pride overrides their desire to be culturally accommodating.
England isn't simply surrendering its cultural distinctiveness to immigrants, it is also selling it off wholesale to corporate branding.
My favorite author, Bill Bryson in his book on his travel through Europe called
"Neither Here, Nor There" he commented extensively on nations that are able to assimilate corporate America into their lives with restraint and skill, and those, that give away their identity to make way for Golden Arches and Clowns.
He noted that England was particularly bad, and had become, "The Nation/State Equivalent of K-Mart".
I can see Morrissey identifying corporate America as foreign invasion just as much as any immigration problem, but I can see it is very opportunistic to classify him as a racist to marginalize him.
If he was so anti-immigrant or racist, what is he doing living in Rome? Does he hate immigrants so bad he chooses to live with them on their own turf?
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