Five musicians who hate Morrissey: “A crybaby son of a bitch no-talent motherfucker”
When The Smiths first broke onto the scene, it was impossible to ignore Morrissey. Although he might not have been the most extravagant singer in the world, his way with words on songs like ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out’ and ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’ worked their way into the hearts of alternative kids around the world. Unfortunately, he also speaks his mind, and more than a few musicians have had problems with his opinions.
Since The Smiths’ breakup, Morrissey hasn’t been shy about giving his opinion on anything and everything, from critiquing fellow musicians for their mediocre abilities to chastising anyone who doesn’t conform to his vegan principles. Although there’s no judging the man for being committed to his beliefs, every one of his targets also has something to say to him in return.
Granted, not every insult directed towards Morrissey necessarily concerns his music. The separation between the art and the artist is still at play here, and most fans can still enjoy the man’s music even if he seems like a terrible person. For some of these artists, though, the aftermath that has gone on since The Smiths have permanently tainted Morrissey’s reputation.
Over the past decade, Morrissey’s political views have become a focal point of controversy. He has frequently expressed support for far-right ideologies, particularly in relation to immigration and nationalism. His endorsement of For Britain, a fringe political party in the UK known for its anti-immigration stance, shocked many fans who had once admired him for his sharp social commentary and empathy for the marginalised. Morrissey’s public support for such causes has led to accusations of xenophobia and racism, accusations that have severely tarnished his reputation.
His comments on immigration, particularly his suggestion that the UK’s identity is being eroded by multiculturalism, have drawn widespread criticism. For many, these views are seen as a betrayal of the inclusive, anti-establishment spirit that characterised much of The Smiths’ music. Morrissey’s critics argue that his current political positions are at odds with the values of compassion and social justice that his early work appeared to advocate.
Through the ‘80s, Morrissey might have been the idol that most alternative rockers aspired to be, but these acts have had more than enough of his opinions for anyone’s lifetime. Morrissey will forever be the main face behind The Smiths, but most of these artists would rather listen to what Johnny Marr has to say instead.
Five musicians that hate Morrissey:
Warlock Pinchers
Part of what makes Morrissey so polarising to begin with is how dedicated he is to his political views. While it might be fine to be passionate, musicians have called out Morrissey for putting his beliefs before his will to be a good person and have taken to call him out for it over the years. Some may have been snide, and some may have been funny, but none were more vicious than the Warlock Pinchers.
Though this punk outfit was known for their controversial behaviour, the song ‘Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse’ is nothing but insults thrown at the man for ages. Before even getting to his name, The Pinchers start listing off the most smut-filled lyrics ever, calling the Smiths frontman a “crybaby son of a bitch no-talent motherfucker”.
Although hearing them throw this many names Morrissey’s way would have been just as entertaining, the band even call out songs like ‘Suedehead’ for being boring and tell him how no one wants to hear him whine, singing, “he cries some more and more, but I don’t give a shit about his girlfriend in a coma”. Morrissey might think that his lyrics are one of the greatest utterances in the universe, but all that the Warlock Pinchers see is an old man whining about how the world is terrible.
The rest of the Smiths
The ending of The Smiths was bound to get a little bit messy. Although both Morrissey and Johnny Marr regard their swansong Strangeways, Here We Come as their best effort, the writing was on the wall that the rest of the band were not getting along with each other. So, where do you go after launching solo careers? Lawsuits, of course.
After calling it quits, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke were furious when they found out how the royalties were being split up, with Marr and Morrissey taking 80% of the publishing income. Since Rourke’s basslines played an integral part in several Smiths songs, the lawsuit that ensued in both Joyce and Rourke getting back their fair share of royalties.
Joyce and Rourke didn’t leave without a few bruised egos, recalling that their roles in the band had been reduced to “readily replaceable as the parts in a lawnmower”. Even the rest of the world agreed with Joyce and Rourke, with the presiding judge at the hearing referring to Morrissey as “devious, truculent, and unreliable”. Morrissey didn’t take long to strike back either, calling both of his former bandmates inept at their job. The lawsuit might have straightened things out legally, but Morrissey was determined to be a jackass until the bitter end.
David Bowie
It’s not hard to see David Bowie’s influence on a band like The Smiths. Throughout the ‘70s, Bowie was looking to bend people’s expectations of what a rock artist was supposed to look and sound like, and Morrissey was no different. When Moz decided to take a swipe at ‘The Starman’, he wasn’t just going to roll over and take it.
When listening to some of Morrissey’s solo catalogue, Bowie realised that the saxophone riff behind ‘I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday’ bore a striking resemblance to the final seconds of ‘Rock and Roll Suicide’. Not wanting to be outdone, Bowie crafted his own version of the tune in the ‘90s for the album Black Tie White Noise, remembering, “It occurred to me that he was spoofing one of my earlier songs, and I thought, I’m not going to let him get away with that”.
Though Bowie meant the whole thing in jest, it did not sit well with Morrissey, who took to dragging Bowie’s name through the mud and wouldn’t even say the man’s name when performing a tribute to him shortly after his death in 2016. Morrissey might be able to serve up his bitter commentary at every aspect of life, but when someone tries to push it back, it turns out he’s as frail as a wet tissue.
Matt Berninger – The National
A band like The National couldn’t feasibly exist were it not for The Smiths. The shaking tone in Morrissey’s voice is dripping with emotion, and every vocal from Matt Berninger seems to mine in that same style. As Morrissey blurts out one controversial statement after another, though, Berninger has talked about distancing himself from his idol in recent years.
When speaking about his influences, Berninger mentions drifting away from Morrissey’s influence, telling The Guardian, “I haven’t listened to Morrissey in a long time. It’s a little bit hard to separate the ickiness of things he’s said”. Outside of cancelling performances, Morrissey had also been locked in an ongoing battle with his record company, which he claimed had been withholding the release of his album.
Even if the new record does come out, Berninger isn’t holding his breath, saying, “I have genuine love for him. But I’m in the same boat as all Morrissey fans, just like: ‘Agh, please!’”. Berninger might still like to throw on The Queen is Dead every now and again, but there’s a good chance he doesn’t want to give Morrissey the satisfaction of having listened to him.
Robert Smith – The Cure
As the British underground music scene was getting spread out, the tone was switching to something much darker. Although The Smiths’ sound was indebted to the sounds of the ‘60s and old guitar groups Johnny Marr loved, Morrissey often undercut the happiness with lyrics about being miserable every day. In his mind, though, there was only room for one of these depressed boys in England.
Around the same time The Smiths called it a day, The Cure were underway making their first steps into goth rock, which sparked a massive feud between Morrissey and Robert Smith. After Morrissey claimed that The Cure didn’t have any depth, Smith didn’t hold back any of his opinions, telling The Quietus, “He’s a precious, miserable bastard. He’s all the things people think I am. Morrissey sings the same song every time he opens his mouth. If only people knew how easy it is to be in groups like the Smiths…”
Although Smith has tried to make nice over the years, he still mentions not caring for The Smith’s music that much, thinking it lacks any depth that Morrissey once claimed The Cure’s music had been missing. The music scene might be a better place with both The Cure and The Smiths, but it’s no surprise that a goth romantic and one of the most unpleasable men couldn’t get along.
