Jeff Beck, who played guitar on Morrissey's "Black Cloud" (from Years Of Refusal, 2009), has died.

"We are losing so many, so quickly, that it is difficult to stay sane and to keep your thoughts strong. Are we all dreaming? The greats of pop and rock music are now almost entirely wiped-out.

Jeff raised the guitar to a higher plane. Watching and listening to him play on Black Cloud … I hadn't ever seen anything like it. He turned the guitar into an adventure for everyone who listened to him. He was also very easy company, and funny, and his death is a stark message for the rest of us. I am privileged beyond words to have witnessed Jeff's greatness. But it's not enough to simply say those words. The days are darker now."

MORRISSEY.

by MORRISSEY


I am aware that the ludicrous 'Morrissey is Far Right' attributions have very recently wiggled back into minor vogue on all of the usual gossip sites. This rush is, I am assured, in view of Miley Cyrus wanting to be removed from 'I Am Veronica', and suddenly the very dated rehash of "This is because of Morrissey's political views" wobbles out - delighting those for whom I am a book that under no circumstances can they stop reading. My friends are fully aware of a certain aim to put me out of circulation, which has inexplicably become relentless even though the entire point of Cancel Culture is to never again acknowledge whomever has been cancelled. You cannot constantly vomit out the same regurgitated "he should not be listened to" dirge year after year, because YOU are displaying an obsession that you urge others to avoid. I had secretly hoped that the glorious benefit of being cancelled would be that I could never again receive a bad review, because even to give me yet another oh-so-predictable bad review confirms that I am not, after all, cancelled. But the Cancel Vultures write only in headlines; they do not answer questions; their darts aim only for the inspired elite of perceptive intelligence. The Vultures are usually chief exponents of the hate and harassment which they themselves define as justification for Cancellation of others. Cancel Vultures are unknowable blanks, and they only attack those of whom they are most jealous - because others don't count. They will not forgive you for being alive, but they will not square up to you face-to-face because they would be forced to look into your eyes … where the wordless truth resides. Worst of all, Cancel Vultures cannot ever apologize for being wrong. This would be worse than death. I have been invited onto U.S. and U.K television news outlets to discuss the situation with Miley and 'Bonfire of teenagers', but of course, there's no point. In truth, Miley has backed off for reasons unconnected to me, having had a major clash with a key figure in 'the circle'. I cannot give any details about the private fight because … it is private, after all.

Miley knew everything about me when she arrived to sing 'I Am Veronica' almost two years ago; she walked into the studio already singing the song. She volunteered. I did not ask her to get involved. Her professionalism was astounding, her vocals a joy to behold. Every minute that I spent with Miley was loving and funny. She asked if she could be in the 'Veronica' video. I was very honored. She told me that Morrissey songs are on 24-hour rotation in her house, and she had frequently been photographed in Morrissey t-shirts. Miley came into my world; I did not venture towards hers. I was eternally thankful, and even now, I remain so.
The campaign to destroy my career was originally led by four male individuals in Britain, each of whom have prominent positions on social media - and they have full unedited access to the Legacy Media. At some point, each one of them had hopes of a candle-lit friendship with me, and this did not happen. Their rage for attention then took a different turn. They want some form of Wikipedia mention as well as a future personal Index reference in 'Who Killed Morrissey?'. Yes, staggeringly, that is their goal.

Although the Left changed and deserted me many years ago, I am most certainly not Far Right, and I have not ever met anyone who claims to be Far Right. My politics are straightforward: I recognize realities. Some realities horrify me, and some do not, but I accept that I was not created so that others might gratify me and delight me with all that they think and do - what a turgid life that would be. I've been offended all of my life, and it has strengthened me, and I am glad. I wouldn't have the journey any other way. Only by hearing the opinions of others can we form truly rational views, and therefore we must never accept a beehive society that refuses to reflect a variety of views.
I am therefore sorry to report to some of you that I am absolutely not Far Right. If your wearisome echo disapproves of me not being Far Right, I wish you the hope that you deny yourself. Britain's 'Question Time' has thrown the red carpet my way six times asking me to appear on television to discuss the Left-Right divide, but I have always refused, and not least of all because I am sick to death of a debate that can never possibly resolve itself. I also refuse because I am apolitical, and if nothing else, I know my place.

I do not care very much about myself - and I never have. But the crucial point about 'Music as Art' is evident in life-changing music that has always happened before anyone expected it. The very best examples are the Sex Pistols, David Bowie, the Ramones, the Velvet Underground, Alice Cooper, and even the Dolls and Iggy: no one saw these monoliths coming, therefore the people discovered them before the industry had time to halt the fun. Now, alas, music cannot happen unless it adheres to strict industry guidelines, and this falsely assures the listening public that things could not possibly be better than they currently are. The infantilised world is delighted to stream music, but if they were asked to walk 50 yards to a record shop to access those very songs … they wouldn't bother to. However, the connection between the music industry and Cancel Vultures is that they both agree that their main job is to stop singers and bands from saying anything important. Respecting equal freedom for those that you control … is not freedom. Music as Art has now been destroyed because it expands public opinion, and thus, with the current Top 100 downloads … no bubbles can ever rise. Songs once kept listeners occupied for years, but this has been replaced by suspiciously instant stardom for anyone obedient enough to agree that babies are naturally born through the left ear. Proper artists need not apply. Imagination must be paralyzed, and saying nothing whatsoever is the only pathway to all music awards. Look for yourself.
Following Britain's 9/11 abomination at the Manchester Arena, Miley was asked to take part in the Don't Look Back In Anger event, and she refused. I asked her why she had refused, and she said "I am not into all that."

I write these words mainly for (but not directly about) my audience - who are the best and most incredible audience that anyone could dream of, and perhaps many onlookers are jealous of this fact. I have not ever voted for a political party in my life, and I have not ever joined a political party, and I have not ever attended a political rally. On the political stage, I do not exist: you have never seen me there and you never shall. I therefore do not mind in the least if you join the Morrissey haters - there is always the likelihood that I'd feel exactly the same way about you. But if you join forces with the Cancel Vultures, your only aim is to numb time, and your eyes are dead.

5 January 2023