Songs That Saved Your Life

So I think of blog topics, titles and ideas daily now.

My man Cri has me on his blog list so I do not want to disappoint my small audience and not write, so I figured I would answer a question that is always asked of me.

How did you get into listening to Morrissey?

Well....

May 17 2004 & Mar 13 2006 were two recent dates that have had a big effect on me.

May 17 2004 was the release date for You Are The Quarry, Morrissey's first album in seven years.

And the March 13 2006 date was the first time seeing Morrissey in concert in almost 9 years.

Now some of you may or may not know who Morrissey is. But I will try to tell you what the Man means to me.

When I started high school most of the hot girls were into alternative or "new wave" as they called it.

I was head strong into rap so I wasn't getting anywhere with the hot girls-dig?

So my man Rudy Morales, who was straight off the block in East Los, started dubbing me tapes of the new and old stuff he was listening to-New Order, Metallica, Zeppelin, Bauhaus, The Cure and The Smiths/Morrissey. Rudy knew that this was what the rest of the school and "hot chicks" were listening to. Good looking Rudy!

I'll admit, I missed the Smiths period, but when Morrissey's Viva Hate came out, we were all over it.

I honestly never heard so much frustration, so much angst, so much emotion in a rock song.

The only music where I heard frustration and anger was in a Public Enemy album and this was far from that.

Morrissey made it ok to have feelings, to be disappointed, to sometimes feel despair and to celebrate triumphs (when they occurred)

All I remember is that East LA was on it. KROQ was playing it, cats were dressing like him and yes the hot chicks were digging it too.

With great titles off of Viva Hate like:
Alsatian Cousin
Little Man, What Now ?
Everyday Is Like Sunday
Bengali In Platforms
Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together
Late Night, Maudlin Street
Suedehead
Break Up The Family
Hairdresser On Fire (only on certain issues)
The Ordinary Boys
I Don't Mind If You Forget Me
Dial-A-Cliché
Margaret On The Guillotine

Fast forward to May 17 2004 and the release of You Are The Quarry by Morrissey.

Now this was the first album in seven years.

I bought it, listened and was hooked all over again.

I picked up every single and album and completed my Smiths & Morrissey collection.

On March 13 2006, I did the unthinkable. I was in Texas on business and then flew to Tulsa, OK to see the first Morrissey show in the US in a long while. I hadn't seen the Man since 1992 at the Hollywood Bowl. It was a great surprise when my brother Lucky Lou flew in as well and wanted to see what I was talking about. Lou and I had a few beers, a couple of Jacks and the stage was set. Morrissey delivered in an incredible show and it made me wanting to see his shows more.

Since then I have seen shows in Chicago, Oakland, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and my fave Tijuana. I love the feel of a live show and the passion of the fans is unmatched.

Moz's new album will be out in Feb 2009 and will be called "Years of Refusal"

Catch the Man LIVE if you can-Viva La Rock and Viva Hate!