Morrissey Music Minion Out of the Peer Closet

Oliver, my little minion

 My name is Andrea Willoughby-Jones and I am not only a music Nazi but also a Morrissey music minion.

This week on True to You (a Morrissey fan website) Morrissey wrote a short blog about a band he obviously finds exemplary called Young the Giant. Now, I have heard of them but had not heard any tunes by them. I listened to a song called "Apartment'" which I absolutely LOVED! I was proud also that they are from my area of the world-Newport Beach/Irvine, California. Its amazing that anything even slightly original can come from Orange County-especially Newport Beach-the land of boob jobs and cookie cutter blonde bimbos. On the other hand, when you find a real person they are like gold in a sea of lead. Young the Giant shines even more because of this, in my eyes.

I was eager to hear more and then I went to the Facebook page the link was posted to and  Moz fans  had posted comments basically declaring that Morrissey has bad taste in music and that this group was okay.

It was shocking that anyone could listen to Sameer's voice and the harmonies of this band and not at least recognize the beauty in that. And then I began to feel somewhat ashamed and nerdy that I would like something that Morrissey likes for fear of looking like some lame Morrissey minion. I became refamiliarized with peer pressure at that moment. Scared that I might not fit in.Frightened that I may have become a mindless follower-forgetting my own musical tastes.

Then, I considered the fact that it shouldn't be shocking that I would like music that Morrissey likes-after all, I like The Smiths and in all liklihood I might like some of the music that influenced my pop hero. Is it odd that I like many of the bands that have opened for him-even though I have never seen them live? Yet. (Ever?)

Two other bands I like that have opened for Morrissey are Doll and the Kicks who sang such a beautiful version of Throwing My Arms Around Paris, I almost prefer it to the original and The Heartbreaks are another talented band as well.They are opening for Morrissey in some of the gigs "Up North."

In writing this blog, despite how it may appear, I have spent quite some time reading different Morrissey web sites and blogs and have come to the conclusion that the Moz fans who made the comments about Morrissey's musical tastes perhaps want for Morrissey to like a band that sounds much like the Smiths or like him. But when you think about it, why would he do that? Its been done! It was/is still amazing but if you are looking for something new it isn't going to come from the 1980s.

I thereby give myself and anyone else permission to like music that Morrissey likes. He has my permission to be a musical leader.

I leave you with "Apartment" by Young the Giant. They are the kind of band that I fantasize about being when playing guitar and singing with a group of friends (which happens not so often). Why can't pop stars be born at the age of forty-six?

By the way, they are opening at the Hollywood Bowl in October for Incubus.I am not an Incubus fan but Roland would probably dig it. I mean, it is the Hollywood Bowl. I may never see Morrissey but Young the Giant is a possibility.