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Morrissey Supporters Hit Out At The NME

85% believe they betrayed the singer...

  • by Scott Colothan
  • Wednesday, November 28, 2007
  • Photo by: Shirlaine Forrest
  • filed in: Indie
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The NME has been feeling the wrath of Morrissey fans who are outraged at the magazine’s controversial feature which attacks The Smiths man for voicing his opinion on immigration.

At the time of writing this piece, a massive 84% of Gigwise readers said that the magazine has betrayed Morrissey by publishing the feature.

In a quick nutshell, despite pleas from Morrissey’s management to retract the feature, and an NME journalist curiously abdicating responsibility for the comments in the piece, NME editor Conor McNicholas went ahead and published the piece calling Mozz’a opinion ‘Naïve and inflammatory.”

One particulraly damning section in the comments compares Morrissey's words to the BNP.

Amongst Morrissey’s quotes to the magazine was: “Britain’s a terribly negative place… with the issue of immigration, it’s very difficult because, although I don’t have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the identity disappears.”

Gigwise has received a number of messages from people blasting the NME for their hard line stance against Morrissey.

One wrote: “The NME are clearly mixing immigration with racism. I’m not against immigration at all, in fact it adds to our culture. But to even insinuate someone is racist for discussing immigration is very, very wrong.”

Another complained: “Immigration is, unlike racism, a hot topic which can be condemned or supported quite viably, either way. So it is NME being quite naive to suggest casting an derogatory view on immigration is a racist view.”

A clear Morrissey fan took it further, writing “I’m glad I have read this article before buying NME, as now I will not be buying it, Morrissey is a huge star, an icon - and if the rest of his fans feel like I do, then I shall be boycotting the NME from now on. Think they’ve shot themselves in the foot with this article.

However, some do support the magazine’s stance against Morrissey, summed up by a Gigwise reader writing: “I also have read the article and you cannot argue with the fact that Mozza’s words read like the BNP manifesto. An organization who’s views and opinions are rooted in racism and fascist thought. England may have a problem with immigration but this is not the root cause of England not being the same place as it was 50 years ago. His comments are misguided.”
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  • Wake up people, this is a cheep and criminal move from the editor of a sinking ship, trying desperate measures to sell his paper, using Morrissey as a vehicle to stay above water. Interviewer Tim Jonze is distancing himself from this piece, which is clear indication that words have been twisted and invented. I’m afraid, anyone with half a braincell can see through this scam, and I sincerely hope for his own sake that Mr McNicholas can afford good laywers. How low can one stoop? Shame on yo

    ~ by Lola 11/28/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • Morrissey has written a number of songs in the past that could be interpreted as openly fascist (e.g National Front Disco) - he has always denied being a racist but there comes a time when you have to say ’if it walks like a duck...’ The bulk of his fans are lefties who know better than to scapegoat immigrants as he has done, and his ignorance will shock many. If these are his views though, I’m glad he’s left the country. It would be nice if every reactionary bigot

    ~ by Athena Murphy 11/28/2007

    Reply to this comment

    • ..left the country.

      ~ by Athena Murphy 11/29/2007

  • The NME’s got form when it comes to besmirching artists and their lack of PC values. Remember when Steven Wells tried to make out the Happy Mondays as a bunch of homophobes? As The Clash once said, ’There’s A tower in The Heart of London.....They Don’t make the City beat, they’re making all the action stop’. Nothing Changes I guess.

    ~ by Kinder Bunker 11/28/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • I think Moz has a point, this is not england anymore, it has changed. He is not a racist but a realist. even if he did have a problem with ethnic minorities Britain was a country where once we could share our personal views or do we have to live in fear of offending people. He, along with thousands have a saddened view of a country once proud to be called Great Britain. You say racist, i say realist. We have immigration problems now? Wait around another 5 years and we wont know where we are.

    ~ by Yuuf 11/28/2007

    Reply to this comment

    • Yuuf, please join Morrissey and pack your bags. The far-right are the ones who are wrecking this country.

      ~ by John Baker 11/29/2007

  • morrisey’s always been a fucking nobhead

    ~ by kerz 11/28/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • With a minimum of research you can find where Morrissey is complimentary of other races, including his many Latino fans. I don’t believe he’s racist, simply nostalgic. Anyplace one grew up changes a lot by the time one reaches their late 40’s. I’ve attended his shows, right up front and I’m not white, he’s never been anything but great.

    ~ by Thirza 11/28/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • Moz is right in what he said, this country has been sold down the river, Immigration and immigrants are killing this once great and lovely country, the problem has got worse since the communists won power in this country in 1997.

    ~ by Roger 11/29/2007

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  • I’ve cancelled my subscription today. There is something stinking about not being able to discuss a subject and come to an opinion that is different from the norm and be slated for it. He clearly states he isn’t racist in the article but that isn’t good enough for the thought police in the NME. Stick your rag you Stalinist fools. Freedom of thought and free speech for all.

    ~ by Steve 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

    • I’ve taken out a subscription today. I like a magazine with a zero tolerance attitude to ignorant muck.

      ~ by Jamie Jay 11/29/2007

  • I think overall the NME is just out to get publicity being mentioned in over 42 different articles on the internet will do it no harm! Also all the newspapers in England from the red tops to the broadsheets are covering it. I for one can relate to What Stephen Morrissey is saying we live on a small Island yet we seem to be sinking into oblivion with the sheer weight of numbers. The very fabric of society is crumbling what was once a hot bed of cultures is turning into an island with no future.

    ~ by Alan L 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • Bye Morrissey and good riddance. If only the rest of the far-right would follow you. This sort of nonsense the UK could do without - maybe take the tabloids with you too. How DULL would this country be if we did not have such a rich mix of cultures - ignorant moron!

    ~ by Arabella M 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • Why is he threatening to sue? He made those comments didn’t he? Good on NME for taking a strong stand against ignorance and for not joining the xenophobia bandwagon that most other mainstream media have jumped on. Morrissey - shame on you. The irony of you moaning about immigrants while YOU live in another country has no doubt escaped you too. One rule for the rich and another for the rest of us, eh?

    ~ by John Baker 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • Arabella M your right we do have a rich mix of cultures however we only have a certain amount of room here. It would appear that you’ve actually not thought about this subject you ignorant moron!

    ~ by Bez 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

    • We’ve got plenty of room here but it seems you’ve bought the tabloid rubbish. ”Divide and rule” is the oldest trick in the book - shame you fell for it.

      ~ by Arabella M 11/29/2007

  • This is not a racist comment, it is conservative, and unwelcome at this time in britain, but it is not actually racist. i too believe britain is a worse country than 30 years ago, but i realise that the cause was thatcher and blair’s ruthless destruction of the idea of a society. morrissey is not a racist, he is an unhelpful big mouth with views on immigration that are probably rightwing but not actually racist. the nme is a sensationalist mag who have expoilted him for profit.

    ~ by Jim 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • uncontrolled immigration is a problem

    ~ by mat 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

    • perhaps it would be if it existed but it doesnt- racism and prejudiece do exist and are problems

      ~ by anti-anti-socialist 11/30/2007

  • I have boycotted the NME ever since they tried this kind of trick on Mozzer around 1992. That time he was being called racist because of his use of Union Flag imagery. I am only sad that Mozzer subsequently decided to give interviews to the NME many years later. Even at age 13 I found the quality of the writing in the NME comparable to the level of Smash Hits. It’s a rubbish publication and the sooner they go out of print, the better. We’ll see you in court.

    ~ by Camilla 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

  • So someone who comments on the self evident changes in Britain is ’far right’? I suppose those who have overseen massive levels of uncontrolled immigration without any mandate or meaningful debate and against the wishes of the majority in this country and who have suppressed and derided anyone who suggests this may not have been a good thing are part of the moderate mainstream? Lol. The cultural Marxists who have bought about the sorry mess that much of England has become are the rea

    ~ by Antisocialist 11/29/2007

    Reply to this comment

    • ”cultural marxists...”? Dear me anti-socialist, are you Christopher Hitchen’s (or his brother) in disguise? Get back to your BNP or Monday club meeting and take the rest of the Morrissey apologists with you for God’s sake

      ~ by anti-racist 11/30/2007

  • its time to ban the BNP and other racists, I am dreaming when the day comes that the whites are a minority in Britain it will be fantastic to see every inch of britain populated by Asian and Black people and eventually an Islamic state, It should happen in my life time, MOZ you are from the past, I hope you stay in Italy and never come here again.

    ~ by Abdul 11/30/2007

    Reply to this comment

    • This will never become an Islamic state, and what you have just said is a racist comment. I’m English and you will never take this country i’ll bet my life on that!

      ~ by dave 11/30/2007

  • I see that my post was cut short. It was meant to end ’real extremists’. Anti-racist, are you capable of seeing the world through anything other than a prism labelled skin colour? The whole skin colour thing is a complete red herring and always has been. More Marxist language control I’m afraid. It’s all about culture. If you think Abdul is joking check the birth rates. I’m not a BNP member and I’d love to debate with you further but with restricted comment le

    ~ by Antisocialist 11/30/2007

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