Morrissey’s website shares opinion piece on the response to Rick Astley and Blossoms’ Smiths covers shows

The concerts also recently received criticism from Johnny Marr

Morrissey‘s website has shared a blog entry discussing the response to Rick Astley and Blossoms‘ divisive Smiths cover shows.

Blossoms and Astley teamed up last week week at the former’s gig in London to cover Smiths classics ‘Panic’ and ‘This Charming Man’, with the artists subsequently announcing two Smiths covers shows in Manchester and London next month.

In the new piece on Morrissey Central, written by freelance journalist Fiona Dodwell and titled ‘Morrissey, Astley and the usual suspects’, Dodwell writes: “Morrissey has made headlines and has been trending across social media sites over the last 24 hours, and as usual, it is not about anything he himself has said or done.

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“Indeed, the drama is yet again the outcome of a bored, frenzied online mob and the indecorous mainstream media who enjoy raking his name over the coals whenever the slightest opportunity presents itself.”

Rick Astley and Blossoms
Rick Astley and Blossoms, Kentish Town Forum, 13.9.21 (Picture: Peter Neill / Press)

The piece continues: “With several online users praising Astley and claiming they’d rather “have Astley than Morrissey” and numerous (almost always) anonymous accounts chiming in with “The Smiths were much more than Morrissey” it is perhaps time to revisit the music legend’s immense impact on the world of pop – and to recognise that he was, will always be, the heart of The Smiths.”

Discussing a “futile attempt” to separate Morrissey as a person from the music he wrote with The Smiths, Dodwell wrote: “Maybe Rick Astley will perform well in the upcoming shows, and perhaps they will be successful and enjoyed by fans – but make no mistake, no other artist can bring to the table what Morrissey can. (Let’s face it, there is a reason why artists today like Astley still cover and perform songs written by Morrissey).”

Read the full piece here.

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Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr also recently gave his opinion on the upcoming covers shows, calling them “both funny and horrible at the same time.”

“Well, I met The Blossoms a few weeks ago and they elected to not mention it,” he added to a fan on Twitter. “Nice.”

Replying to another fan on Twitter about the same subject, Marr added: “[Blossoms] didn’t mention [the shows] when we were hanging out a few weeks ago. Must’ve slipped their minds.”

Clearing things up a little more, Marr later revealed: “FYI all you head cases. I’ve got no problem with tribute bands, or with anyone doing anyone’s songs, and I’ve got no problem with Rick Astley. There’s a back story. That’s that.”

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