Cuttings

The Correspondent Questionnaire MORRISSEY was born Steven Morrissey in Manchester on 22 May 1959, the son of a hospital porter and a librarian. An introverted child, he submerged himself in books and pop culture and spent years on the dole before joining The Smiths in 1982. They toured extensively and their third album, Meat is Murder , reached number one in 1985. The group disbanded in 1987 and Morrissey has since pursued a solo career. Kill Uncle , his next album, is due out in February. He lives near Manchester. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being Terence Stamp. What is your greatest fear? Being invited to sing at the Prince’s Trust Rock Gala. With which historical figure do you most identify? Pinocchio or Richard III. Which living person do you most admire? Sir John Mills or Ronnie Kray. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Thrift. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Unpunctuality. What is your greatest extravaganc...

PERFECT KISS NEW ORDER Wembley Arena MOMENTS to love when love is not a three-ring circus but a fork-tongued serpent, when bliss rhymes with lice and diandry is a girl's best friend. This was astonishingly, gratifyingly, abominably perfect. This was New Order at their best, worst, and nowhere in between. They were slovenly and majestic, apathetic and intense, and it took the shackles off as many heads as it jaywalked over. Albrecht, lovable obstreperous sarcastic bastard cutey-pie Albrecht, mutters something about "Bon voyage" and serenades sophistry with something else about “the perfect kiss is the kiss of death*. I start formulating theories about how this is New Order’s farewell gig, but you would have to verify this fantasy with someone who wasn’t so shaken by the shoulders and stimulated. I was glued to it, and well away. New Order don’t emote , they defy you to be touched despite their laconic ennui. They also—even at the Wembley stage—jessie about w...

POWER, STRUCTURE AND BEAUTY With their biggest ever hit single and a definitively brill compilation to their name, 1987 was a good year in NEW ORDER's long-running campaign for world domination of the grooviest kind. Their new single hints at divine patronage as the reason for their ever-growing success. Truly faithful JAMES BROWN sees no reason to doubt their word. Order forms by KEVIN CUMMINS. A study of the properties and kinetic energy of faith, beauty and power in the Western World as experienced through the songs of New Order. Dusseldorf, December, 1987. Peter Hook, bearded bass player with New Order, leans back into DM240 worth of comfortable German armchair and says: "We’re the only respected band in music, mate. You must know that. We're the only truly independent band, we're the only ones that do things because we want to do them. There isn't anyone who's comparable to us. You must know that." He is correct. His case is concrete, ...

THESE THINGS TAKE TIME Bedroom poster gods for a generation of dispossessed youth, or just Mancunian fashion victims with a nice line in twangly guitars? Either way, their generous use of gladioli did wonders for florists throughout the UK. Danny Kelly chronicles the first year of the band who pronounced The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths FIRST TWELVE MONTHS - THE SMITHS Along with the Jesus And Mary Chain, The Smiths saved rock from the limp grasp of the New Romantic fops; on their own, they were the most important British group of the '80s. And their first year in the public spotlight was, like that of so many great bands, a heady cocktail of fine music and rare old controversy... SUMMER ’83 The Smiths spent their embryonic period realising how special they were and playing as many gigs as possible. The latter were extraordinary affairs (Morrissey, with his back pockets full of blooms, his torso swathed in women's blouses from Evans Outsizes, was a new kind of frontman...

ACR: 'Mickey Way (The Candy Bar)' ( Factory ) Not so gritty these boys, but no couch potatoes either. Having as good as slouched through a laidback Latin phase, only to return with the crushingly swell 'Wild Party' single of last year, ACR (F.A.B.) seem to have come good again with this frilly, uptempo dance number. When I was a little younger A Certain Radio (we used proper names in those days) were one of the most influential bands around; everyone except the school caretaker wanted to be obscure funksters with short trousers and (even) shorter hair. They’re certainly not so fashionable these days, but the remaining Ratios seem pretty content just to chisel out their own groove in their own sweet way. 'Mickey Way (The Candy Bar)' is from the forthcoming 'Force' LP. It's maybe reminiscent of Colourbox's roaringly uplifting 'Unofficial World Cup Theme', but here they're all hand-made sounds. There's no singing of any s...