Best musical era?

[Liam]

I can understand a lot of that, but I think his lyrics are awesome. Not many people can do wry, dry wit and sarcasm like Morrissey does.

[Underage Politician]

1960's. Beatles, Beach Boys, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Dylan, Stones, Velvet Underground, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Frank Zappa, Tim Buckley, Janis Joplin, Bowie, Neil Young...

[ClaRK! Kent]

A lot of Morrissey fans come across as pretentious, I'm sure, just as I'm sure he comes across as pretentious to the uninitiated.

I've read a lot about him, listened to every single one of his albums/singles, and he's an incredibly deep individual with an extraordinary personality and sense of the world around him. Like rvdwannabe said, he's got a great knack for dry wit, sharp humour, and whatnot.

As for the instruments, with The Smiths at the very least they were anything but 'just background.' Johnny Marr was a musical genius who deserves to be revered up there with Hendrix, Clapton, and Paige IMO, because his riffs and arrangements powered those songs along. How Soon Is Now?, What Difference Does It Make?, Panic, etc - these songs were driven by the music, and still stand up as great music today.

The voice is superb, IMO, but I guess that's a matter of personal preference. It's very different to almost everything you heard in the genre up to that point, and even today - although he has his imitators as everybody does now. He conveys a lot of emotion and power through his voice.

I don't think it's fair to call a man who - despite being away for 7 years and without 'the band' for 17, is still revered by millions worldwide and has the ability to shift an absolute shitload of albums with virtually no airplay and very little promo, and has been holding reverent audiences in his hand for 20 years now - nothing special.

He's something to care about, within music, I think. These days, everything is so pre-packaged and commercially-driven, even in the alternative market a lot of the time, that anybody who seems to have a vaguely-working brain is jumped on as some icon. Morrissey is different, he is an icon. Maybe it's a British thing, I don't know, because a lot of his songs are very British in their humour, subject matter, and emotion, but his songs speak to me on a very profound and personal level.

He's somebody to love, a true icon in the Dylan/Lennon/Hendrix/Reed sense of the word. I mean, yeah, people like Josh Homme and Jack White and Pete Doherty and the like make some great music, but who could love them? Their mothers?

I wasn't a huge Morrissey fan, until about 3 years ago. I'd heard some albums, thought they were alright, but did think he was 'a bit depressing' - the classic words of the uninitiated. Whilst staying with friends in America, I was lucky enough to see him live - he blew me away, he won me over in 90 minutes. I've seen him live twice since then, and it's been beautiful each time.

Sorry if that was a bit of a rant, but I do love the man and his music so I'm a bit protective.

VIVA MORRISSEY!

RK!

[DMN in the House]

Dosen't change the fact that his music is still boring, and makes me yearn to listen to shit like Good Charlotte. When you make ME want to listen to Good Charlotte instead of you, then you suck.

The 80s were great, but only because of bands like DI and Guns n' Roses. Those were great bands.

[tristy]

Speaking of GnR, have you heard that new song?

[DMN in the House]

Speaking of GnR, have you heard that new song?

←

GnR are dead. Whatever Axl Rose is doing now is not GnR. And I don't care about it.

So no, I haven't.

[tristy]

Speaking of GnR, have you heard that new song?

←

GnR are dead. Whatever Axl Rose is doing now is not GnR. And I don't care about it.

So no, I haven't.

←

[Guest George]

You talking about "Oh my god"?

[tristy]

IRS or something.

[Guest Bluesman]

I'll agree with UP and go with the 60's. There was so much great music, so many great artists, all which provided a massive influence for many years to come. Personally I also like this time period as this was when there was a large influx of British musicians, many of whom took the blues (while adding to it) to a whole new audience.

As far as blues and jazz goes, I'd have to go with the 40's and 50's. This was the time when many of the genre's icons flourished, and set the standard for those that would follow.