I followed Morrissey down the rabbit hole. I mean if you're into the Smiths, you have to take up the Morrissey trail. I stumbled upon "Saint Morrissey" by Mark Simpson a really strange bird of a book. Simpson calls it a "psycho-bio" and really it does sort of put Morrissey on the analyst's couch. It's a very funny, very insightful little book. It's a perfect companion read to the Smiths biography.
Simpson calls Morrissey the "Anti-Pop Idol" and highlights how Morrissey actually has made high art out of little pop songs. If you really want to know how the Smiths and Morrissey have "changed peoples lives" through their music, and (in the case of Morrissey) through interviews, this is the book for you.
Simpson himself comes across as supremely funny, thought-provoking, audacious, and brilliant. A perfect author to tackle the life and mind of Morrissey. And Morrissey's music and life are the gifts that keep on giving. The more you explore, the more you delve into, the more you discover, the more there really is to enjoy and contemplate.
I have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to the music of Morrissey. I spent most of my time in Smithsville, but Simpson makes the case that if you want to understand Pop, and the importance of Pop, you must study Mr. Anti-Pop!
"Beyond the perimeter of pop music, there was a drop at the edge of the world." - Morrissey - 1981