HEAVEN KNOWS HE’S MISERABLE NOW

01-12-2007

He once draped himself in the Union Flag and sang about a “Bengali in Platforms”. Now, as Richard Nevin reports, Morrissey’s been playing with right-wing fire again.

“Legendary” Manchester sourpuss Morrissey has been at it again. No, not making good records - he gave that up years ago - it seems he has got into a bit of a tiff with the NME over remarks made about the loss of “Old England” and how the opening of the “floodgates” with regard to immigration has exacerbated the problem.

Of course, this has been labelled racist and the ex Smiths front man has gone legal, citing misrepresentation.

The thing is, Stephen Patrick is right on one thing, England isn’t what it used to be.

On the one hand mass consumerism and globalisation have swept the country leading to a materialistic and morally bankrupt population, pubs are open all hours, children are running wild on the street and we’re governed by self serving politicians, whose every utterance is treated with suspicion.

The new places of worship are vast out of town shopping centres, open around the clock and even longer at Christmas. The only time you see people at church these days is when they are stealing lead from the roof. Yes, it’s a sad society we live in.

On the other hand, if you want a pint of milk at half seven at night, you can nip out and get one. You don’t have to wait for a grumpy man in the world’s slowest vehicle to bring you one the next day.

If you decide to have another pint of beer after 11 o’clock you can, instead of being told by a pot bellied landlord with rampant body odour that you can’t (and please push off now we’ve had your money).

Why go to church when you can watch it on satellite TV in the warmth and comfort of your own home, instead of shivering in the west wing because the vicar is too mean to turn on the heating.

England is certainly a different place to the one so wistfully remembered by Morrissey, the England of the late 60’s, all Capstan Full Strength and Pat Phoenix. But it’s not due immigration, it’s due to progress and that’s something none of us can stop, so I have some advice for the Mancunian Englishman, now resident in Rome:

If you’re so fond of the past, how about reforming the Smiths and putting your mouth to better use?

What’s better about England now than it used to be? What’s worse?

And should The Smith’s reform?

Are bands ever as good second time around?

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