26.2 Miles of Morrissey

My medal from the Los Angeles Marathon (yes, I finished)

I am very proud to say that I completed the Los Angeles Marathon on March 9, 2014. I know I didn't even share on this blog that I was going to attempt the marathon, but after completing the Long Beach Half Marathon, back in October, I figured I was half way to a full marathon and it seemed a great challenge to undertake.

About five weeks into the training, however, I tore two muscles in my right leg and was out of training for five weeks. 

It was possibly the worst five weeks I've endured. Not because of the pain. It was NOT being able to run. You see, I've actually turned into a runner. I'm hooked. Seeing people run or hearing people talk about running was like being the only one not getting tickets to a Morrissey show but hearing all about it. Sheer misery. 

But I healed and with a lot of determination, I made it across the finish line. 

26.2 miles are a lot of miles to cover all on your feet. And people have asked me what it is I think about during the long run. I decided to compose this post into miles of thought-mostly to do with Morrissey since so much has happened over the time I have been training, recovering and neglecting this blog.
 

The start

Miles 1-2
Some people think that the "last mile is the hardest mile" but for me, its the first two. I guess its because I'm getting used the the whole idea of running a long distance. I'm kind of getting my breathing down still. 

Since his Autobiography, and the announcement that Morrissey was making a new album in France, I had been hoping that a tour would soon follow. My hopes became a reality. A full US tour was announced including a date in Los Angeles with none other than TOM JONES opening!

My shirt and number

Miles 3-4
I think miles 3-4 was when I needed to use the restroom and the line was crazy long. I mean, not to be too detailed, but if you HAVE to do anything other than pee, you haven't prepared yourself well. Seriously, what did those people have for breakfast? I waited nearly ten precious minutes for the restroom. I found myself wanting to yell,"What the hell are you doing in there?" but I didn't really want the answer.

Miles 5-6
During this portion of the run, I was thinking about how I was feeling mentally. I felt pretty good. At this point I was well into the run. I stopped at every watering stop and drank even if I wasn't thirsty and I walked a little as I drank. Because of the injury, I had to think about how I was feeling physically too.

On February 14, I was generously nominated for Teacher of the Year by my English Department. It was nice of them. Happy Valentine's Day to me.

Teacher of the Year (Me)

Miles 7-8
I was still feeling pretty good at eight miles. I was listening to my favorite radio show, Breakfast with the Smiths. I also kept getting tweets from Breakfast Champions encouraging me for the marathon.


One night in February, I went to a venue in Fullerton to see a Cure tribute band called The Curse and before they went on one of my teen idols, Richard Blade, was spinning records. I was able to say hi and get my picture with him. I also met, strangely enough, some "old timers" around my age who attended my high school back in the 80's. We had a great chat and it was fun to talk about how important Richard Blade and KROQ (a Los Angeles area radio station) were to us at the time.

Miles 9-10
I don't know how I'm feeling at 9-10 miles. I just keep going and get lost in the songs I'm listening to and what is happening around me. On the LA course, each neighborhood has something different and its full of character. You encounter mariachis, Chinese drums, disco dancing, for example. Plus, people are cheering for you and encouraging you so its easy to keep going.

My son, Miguel, has become quite a wrestler. We were very proud that he won league champion for his weight class in junior varsity. He certainly works very hard and deserves all his success. On my run, I thought about a lot about how much both our "foster" boys have changed over the last few years. Miguel would probably not want me to tell you this, but he was a chubby insecure boy when he first came to our home, and now he has so much more confidence and LOVES his sport-wrestling. No longer chubby, he has turned it to muscle and core strength.

Miles 11-12
I was just starting to get tired at this point. I wasn't  aching yet and I had consumed, at least 6 packets of Gu (sports "food"). I'm sure I also had to use the restroom again, which just adds more time because of the wait. However, the course is less crowded by this time so its a shorter wait.

Back in January, I went to see The Sweet and Tender Hooligans-my favorite and THE BEST Morrissey/Smiths cover band again. Several times. I went with Roland and I also went with my friend Madeline. Its ALWAYS fun. Can't help it. House of Blues was a venue in Anaheim that sold out and it was crazy. The other shows were smaller venues that sold out but they were certainly less crazy than Anaheim House of Blues.

Miles 13-14 
You have to become like Forrest Gump at miles 13-14. Just run. I felt good knowing I was half way there, but its also the realization that what I just did (half marathon), I had to do again. Only this time I was more tired.


Listening to music, its exciting that Morrissey has had a few re-releases of previous albums, Your Arsenal and Vauxhall and I. Vauxhall and I includes some bonus live recordings and Your Arsenal is remastered and the CD includes a bonus DVD. 

Miles 15-16
At this point I have sweat, it had dried, and I had sweat again. Not pretty. I actually wore make up when I ran this marathon. I figured, "What the heck? I may as well look better than if I never wore ANY make up." But the make up is gone. All that remains on my skin is the salty dried up sweat and I dare not think of my stench. But really, I didn't care. 

I love the name of Morrissey's new album World Peace is None of Your Business. That's just the title of the album and it gets your attention. We don't even know the names of the songs on it! Can't wait!!!

Miles 17-18
I run at such a slow pace, that my breathing at this point was not a problem. But my feet and ankles were hurting. During training, the most I ran was 18 miles so I wanted to go further just to prove to myself that I could do it. Mentally, I was feeling good about making it to 18, but I had to turn off my iphone because batteries were running low. It makes running lonelier for me because music is my constant companion. This means I could hear the cheering more and it kind of made me laugh when someone said, "You're almost there!" I mean, sure, I was closer than I was to finishing at mile one, but I still had to run 8 more miles. Ha ha!

So, I was able to purchase tickets to two Morrissey shows. One in Los Angeles at the Sports Arena with Tom Jones, the second at The Observatory in Santa Ana-which is in Orange County, or more affectionately known as The Orange Curtain. I paid a fortune for the Observatory since I bought them through Stub Hub. I'm bitter so I won't go into that now. Maybe later.

Miles 19-26.2
Despite aches and tiredness, which was all over my body, I kept running. Mile 22 was rough because I had passed my goal of 20 miles and I wanted to carry on but I just wasn't sure that if I kept running, I would make it. I wanted SOMETHING left in me to keep going so that I could cross that finish line. Every time I passed a person with a hose spraying the runners or a fire hydrant, I ran to it. For some reason, the water energized me and allowed me to keep running. However, to conserve energy, I walked a little of each mile after mile 23. When I got to mile 26, though, I ran. I SAY I ran, but by the time I got to that mileage, there was little difference in my speed between running and walking. But I "ran" across that finish line albeit looking like an old man. But I did it, right? 

When I got my medal, I was so happy, but I just wanted to sit down in the shade. Even though I was offered a free beer, the idea of walking ANYWHERE to get it just didn't appeal to me. And I only wanted water to drink because my mouth was so dry. 

I had to catch a shuttle back to my hotel in downtown Los Angeles and I was confused (probably from my exhaustion) and got off at the wrong stop and had to walk 2 miles to the hotel. I was dying, but I knew once I got there I could ice my legs and rest-which I did. And then I had a beer.

Later it hit me that while it took me 6 hours and 26 minutes (an hour slower than the average), I exceeded my goal of 20 miles and I FINISHED! 

I can't wait to do it again next year and improve my time! And I'll have even more about Morrissey to keep me going.



 

 








 
 
 

Lost

Moz at Posers in Hollywood

"I am informed today that the projected tour of South America is snuffed out, thus euthanized - due, I'm reliably advised, to lack of funding. It's quite easy to sell tickets, yet impossible to transport band and crew from F to G.
In a year when far too many disappointments have been buried this really is the last of many final straws, and I am not alone in feeling this. The future is suddenly absent, and my apologies are now so frequent as to be somewhat ridiculous, and it is I who apologize because no one else would bother. It is agonizing to be responsible for imparting such news - especially when it springs upon me unexpectedly and inexplicably. But the collapse of South America rings the curtain down with a colossal thud, and the major problems remain as insoluble now as they were in 2009. The obvious conclusion stares back at me from the mirror, and the wheels are finally off the covered wagon. Cancellations and illness have sucked the life out of all of us, and the only sensible solution seems to be the art of doing nothing.
As always I ask your pardon, and I offer pangs of overwhelming love and gratitude to the band and the crew, whose loyalty stretched above and beyond.
I shall see you in my dreams,"
Morrissey
19 July 2013, Los Angeles
From True-to-you.net

Sometimes being a Morrissey fan is like checking your email and only finding adverts for penis enlargements. A bit disappointing.

Of course, the constant cancellations have much to do with health issues and I can say with complete conviction that any Morrissey fan wants our hero to feel better and to approach any upcoming tour in optimal health.

Its just the tone of his latest letter is rather somber and almost hopeless. Which frightens the hell out of your average adoring Morrissey fan.

What do we do with these feeling of despair and lost desire? Well, if you live in Los Angeles, you seek him out at his favorite LA haunts such as Amoeba music and The Cat and Fiddle Pub as well as a place called Posers (pictured above).

You might attend a Sweet and Tender Hooligans show or a Moz Disco night. You listen to Breakfast with the Smiths and send in a weekly request.

You give yourself things to look forward to such as the movie of the Hollywood High show Moz 25, which will be shown in various theaters around the country in August.

You might even get a Smiths fix and plan to see Johnny Marr on his US tour.

It isn't easy. I liken it to being a hard core fan of any athletic club when its going through a losing streak. You just hold out hope.

Headmaster Ritual

Summerfest in Brea

I've come to the conclusion that performing for a live audience and teaching to young adults (semi-alive) are not as different as it may seem.

 

In my teaching experience, there are two kinds of classes: Honors classes, in which the more eager and knowledgeable students attend and then you have the regular classes in which the students range from eager to nearly comatose in regards to their education. Both require the same end result which is that all kids are learning whatever standards are required for that grade level and hopefully having some fun along the way.

 

I think the same can be said of audiences. Of course, they aren't expected to learn any standards but their enthusiasm and desire to get "into it" varies. How the audience might be is slightly determined by the location and the atmosphere of the show.

Summerfest 

In my quest to attend Morrissey-related events, I took my family to see The Sweet and Tender Hooligans (again) at a free concert at Saint Angela Merici Church in Brea for their annual church carnival. Brea is in the OC, so of course I did not want to pass up the opportunity to attend. 

This show was much different than the one I went to at the Fonda Theater. When you teach the non honors kids, you have to get in the kid's faces and try to woo them into learning. In much the same way, The Hooligans had to woo this audience.

At a free show, you don't know how much the audience knows about Morrissey or The Smiths. Just like my regular classes, you have the kids that are eager on one end of the spectrum, and then you have the kids that barely know the basics-in this case, audience members who may never have heard of The Smiths or Morrissey.

 I had my two older boys, Jovanny and Miguel with me and both of them thought the performance was fantastic, although neither one is a big Moz fan. The Hooligans pretty much wooed, courted and married the audience. I know that that is putting it simply when I am not sure how easy a task it was. 

I think its a toss of the die as a cover band when you throw a sweaty shirt to the audience. Perhaps, they will part like Moses did the Red Sea to avoid it. However, two people actually almost fought over Jose's shirt. I think that is a pretty big indicator as to how successful the show was.

Jose climbing the stage

 Slidebar

I also attended another Sunday show the following week. This time it was NOT the Hooligans but a Morrissey cover band called Maladjusted. I've seen them twice at the Moz Convention but was so busy being a social butterfly, I did not see them long enough to write a proper blog about them.

In terms of audience, it was more of the Honors class. Less was required or expected of the band in terms of reaching out and wooing the audience. On a Sunday afternoon at 4 PM at a small bar, people don't necessarily want a singer in their face.

The band was also limited by the stage at the Slidebar (in Fullerton) because it has an iron railing around it. However, it did not stop the audience from singing along and dancing and fully enjoying themselves and the sunny atmosphere.

It was just the right tone. It was kind of family oriented. I was unable to drag my family to the show, but I still enjoyed seeing others sharing their love for Morrissey,

 

The singer did speak with a Northern accent (one of my pet peeves), but it was tongue-in-cheek rather than in a way that made you think, "Oh dear. He takes himself rather seriously as Moz." He also has a pleasing Morrissey voice. The band also looked like they were enjoying themselves which is important for the enjoyment of the audience.

Maladjusted at the Slidebar in Fullerton

 

Now, this show was also free. I think it's a great way to see a band you have never seen before. I, personally, did not have any reservations, but there are people out there who probably would be cautious about paying to see a band they had never seen before. 

 

Moz Family

 

 

Although both shows had vastly different atmospheres and audiences, they were entertaining and on a Sunday, perfect for the whole family.

Note: Although Morrissey is not touring in North America, it was just announced yesterday that the Hollywood High show will be released in IMAX 3D in 47 theaters across the US in August!

The Bees Knees (In Defense of Tribute Bands)

Not Morrissey (It's Jose)

Morrissey is a drug.

 

 

I think you probably know what I mean. Its just that once you see him perform live, you have to go again. It becomes an addiction. And during this Morrissey drought of not playing for a few months, you have to get your fix.

This is where tribute bands come in.

 

 

May 22nd is Morrissey's birthday. For a Morrissey fan his birthday is what Christmas is for a child. I can't explain why. Its not like you get presents. But you just feel giddy and happy and perhaps try to get up to something related to Morrissey to celebrate.

Every year, The Smiths/Morrissey cover band, The Sweet and Tender Hooligans, plays somewhere on Moz's birthday. This year they played at The Fonda Theater in Hollywood. Unfortunately, it was a school night so I wisely bought tickets without consulting Roland and I think he was quite happy to go even though he knew we'd be tired the next day.( I say "wisely" since if I'd given him the chance, he'd have said no). 

Okay, I know it's not REALLY Morrissey, but its still fun. If you are somewhat snobbish about your music, you might think that the band will suck and it will be lame-to generalize. You might think of them as a cheap polyester suit. But it isn't so! And the only thing worse than being snobby about a tribute band, is BEING SNOBBY ABOUT A TRIBUTE BAND!

 

At the Fonda Theater May 22, 2013

While I have only merely dabbled in playing guitar, I can say that Johnny Marr's tunes are rather complicated and to reproduce his and other Morrissey collaborators' authentic sound must take a lot of tireless skill. I can also say that Jose can perform Morrissey's vocal gymnastics flawlessly.  
When you really think about it, tribute bands sacrifice a lot for the music. They are accomplished musicians and singers but because they are performing someone else's material, they sacrifice much of their own egos just for the love of the artist. I mean, why else would you be in a band? Don't people join bands because they want the women to love them and the men to want to be them? Don't they want to hear the crowd chant their names? You don't necessarily get that being in a cover band. With such a sacrifice in mind, you know that they are truly dedicated to the music.

Another important aspect is artistic representation. The first time I saw this band, I was frightened that they would try to emulate Morrissey and/or The Smiths complete with Northern accent-very scary! But not so. They are themselves. In contrast, Jose has a lot more boundless energy than Morrissey does. (Although I still love Moz and his more stoic performances). His excitement is undeniable in his performance. You sense he's truly enjoying the songs he's singing and its infectious.  

It was great to hear songs that Moz has not played live for many years such as "Sing Your Life," one of my favorites.

The band covered the wide range of Morrissey's career:


The First of the Gang to Die
Still Ill
You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side
Irish Blood, English Heart
Jack the Ripper
What Difference Does It Make?
Speedway
I've Changed My Plea to Guilty
Sweetie-Pie
Everyday is Like Sunday
The Boy With the Thorn in His Side
Scandinavia

Jose with Mikey on keyboards (not my photo)

A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours
Action is My Middle Name
How Soon is Now?
The Loop
King Leer
Sing Your Life
Hairdresser on Fire
Let Me Kiss You
Pretty Girls Make Graves
Suedehead
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Encore-There is a Light That Never Goes Out

A special moment was when Mikey Farrell (former Morrissey collaborator) came on stage and played keyboards with the band on a couple of the songs he wrote with Morrissey. Mikey played along with the band to, "I've Changed My Plea to Guilty," "Sweetie-Pie," "Everyday is Like Sunday," and the encore, "There is a Light That Never Goes Out."

I think the only complaint about The Sweet and Tender Hooligans came from the band themselves because the ticket prices were pretty high-it was $30 per ticket and they didn't set the higher price themselves or benefit from it. Although, it was nice knowing that part of the proceeds went to a local animal charity in honor of Morrissey. Because the price was steep, the band thought it might drive some people away, but for people like Roland and I, who just want a good night out guaranteed, it was worth it.

Seeing a tribute band can temporarily satisfy your musical fix. You just have to put aside the need to be a musical snob and sing along!



Another great shot I can't take credit for!

By the way, Morrissey recently announced confirmed dates for several shows in South America this summer. While I may still need my "fix" at least there is some hope he will be here, in North America, in the future.

Please Keep Me in Mind

Moz Art

I realize it has been several weeks since I last wrote. If I had the opportunity to take pictures of what I do all day everyday, every week in my real life, I think you would be exceedingly bored but at the same time, astounded. In that realization, you would forgive me for not having the time to write more frequently.

 

 

I promised to write about the Johnny Marr gig at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas last time, and I shall. Just remember it has been over a month since the show. Bear in mind, that it was also a New Order headlining concert and remember that I had met Johnny Marr just hours before the performance. I was as high as a kite in a purely joyous sense.

 

Roland and I are not really big New Order fans. If this seems sacrilegious to you, then you need not read any further. Being a teen music fan of the 80s and 90s, I listened to New Order and I truly enjoyed it. But it just played. I couldn't really tell you the names of any particular songs. I would know them if I heard them. but it just played in the background when I wasn't listening to The Smiths or Morrissey. It may seem unbelievable but its true.

So, we enjoyed Johnny Marr of course. Roland, being a sound man, felt that the sound wasn't so great but stated that it was most likely due to the fact that Johnny was the support act.

I nearly punched a man when Johnny came on and the man said loudly, "What the hell is THIS?" referring to Johnny. Wow. I was speechless. I was.

I took as many pictures as I could having snuck in my digital SLR again. Most of the photos were from far away. I tried to get closer to the stage but a security guy saw me and was ready to leap over people to destroy me and my camera, at least that's what his body language and eyes said to me.

In any event, the photo I took from so far away was one of the ten winners in the Johnny Marr tour photo contest on Facebook. I won a vinyl LP and a rockin' poster of his new album The Messenger.

He played twelve songs:

1. The Right Thing Right
2. Stop Me if You've Heard This One Before
3. Upstarts
4. Sun & Moon
5. There is a Light That Never Goes Out
6. The Messenger
7. Lockdown
8. Generate! Generate!
9. New Town Velocity
10. I Fought the Law
11. Getting Away With It
12. How Soon Is Now?

My favorite Smiths cover was How Soon Is Now?. My favorite new song is New Town Velocity. It was a great set. The excitement was real. It wasn't like seeing Morrissey, but I didn't expect it to be like that anyway.

Another highlight was meeting Jose Maldonado of The Sweet and Tender Hooligans-a tribute band. He hosts the radio show Breakfast with the Smiths on Indie 103.com. Its just because I have conversed with him via social media and it was special to meet him briefly at the show.

I don't like how I look in the picture-the four mile ride shows in my hair-but what the hell? It got Jose in it!

Tonight is Morrissey's birthday and Roland and I are off to see Sweet and Tender Hooligans in Hollywood tonight.

I still have to write about Moz Art but I think that can be done in pictures. Also, I want to write about the Smiths/Morrissey Convention. Again, these will mostly be pictures-and many of my friends have already seen them, but ah well.

One of my students wrote Morrissey's name on my arm with a fountain pen, but I can't get the pic to go the right way round.

 

 

 

 



 

 

How Soon is Now?

Jose Maldonado spinning and "reeling round the fountain"

There's a Club and You'd Like to Go

Sunday night I had this strange desire to go out. Perhaps I was inspired in the knowledge that Morrissey is in Los Angeles recovering from his ulcer and Barrett's Esophagus  Now, I have been married for nearly ten years and I can honestly say that during these ten years I have never really wished to go to a club. I love going to see bands, you probably know this (one particular singer as well), but I'm a late bloomer. I didn't even get married until the age of thirty-eight. Up until that time I went out every single weekend. So as far as clubs, it just doesn't usually appeal to me. However, I heard about a Smiths/Morrissey night at The Echo in Hollywood and I thought it might be a fun place for me to go. I mean, Jose Maldonado, who is the singer of The Smiths tribute band, Sweet and Tender Hooligans was the DJ. He also hosts the Indie103 radio show, Breakfast with The Smiths. Who better?

 I wanted dance to "Sing Your Life," which I kept playing over and over again in my mini van as I dropped kids off to school and swim practice. Even better, when at the club, I would be with other Morrissey fans rather than sarcastic kids rolling their eyes when I attach my iphone to the car speakers. "Morrissey? Again?"

The seed of attending began to sprout in my brain and I recalled an evening in which Roland and I tried to go to a bar where Jose was spinning records one night months ago and it was in downtown Los Angeles. I know, I probably watch too many crime shows and documentaries so Roland was not at all surprised at my observations about that part of town. It was seemingly desolate except for the club, and I noted that there were many convenient dumpsters in hidden alleyways. "Convenient" for dumping bodies.

I tweeted this fact to Jose and he suggested having security escort me from the parking lot if I was too fearful. You see, Roland has even less interest in clubs than I do and before I could even suggest it, he fell asleep.Therefore, I was devoid of a male escort. I wasn't sure if it was a great idea to go after all. I planned to leave at 10, giving me plenty of time to get to Hollywood from the OC.

You Can Meet Somebody Who . . .
There is the imaginary barrier dividing the the OC from Los Angeles which I call (and many others) the Orange Curtain. We (Orange County people) have realistic and unrealistic fears of "the big city." For example, once not too long ago I was sucked into a conversation with a man wearing a Spiderman costume showing me random pictures of dogs he encountered and  mumbled "Kill, kill, kill" under his breath. Its a little unsettling to most of us suburban dwellers.

I have also seen Jesus just outside the Comedy Club on Sunset and believe me, Jesus would not hang out in the OC!

So You Go
Since my husband was asleep and two of the kids, I figured no one would especially notice my departure, except Jovanny, who was very excited for me. So I put on some make up so it would look like I went to some trouble to get ready, but most clubs are dark caverns anyway, so I figured if I didn't look like a supermodel, no one would notice.

Having been brought up Catholic, and therefore born with a guilty conscience, I wrote a  note to Roland and stuck it to the bathroom mirror letting him know where I was when he woke up (if he were confused).

My note of guilty conscience

The ride to Los Angeles was joyous as it was empty and devoid of anyone except for me so I blared "Sing Your Life" and "My Love Life." I could have driven clear to San Francisco.

I discovered when I arrived that The Echo was not the scary, desolate place I had confused with the bar in downtown LA, so no security person was required as an escort.

And You Stand on Your Own

After I paid the $10 to get in, I ordered a drink and then wandered around. It was pretty large and  as I walked in Jose was playing "How Soon is Now," a little later he played "Sing Your Life" which had me on the dance floor. I got some photos of Jose and some of the patrons. I tried to find people who had tried to look like Morrissey and I found some but the pictures didn't come out so well since it was so dark and the flash is too strong. It tends to blind people.

Dancing to The Smiths

Lounging Smiths/Morrissey Fans

I felt kind of shy so I didn't particularly speak to anyone. I also knew that I'd be leaving soon. If I had a group of friends there, I might stay longer but I did not have the energy to meet people for the first time. 

But there were quite a few people on the dance floor and the music was of course, great since it was music I love. Jose interspersed Morrissey and Smiths songs with other great 80s (and perhaps some 90s) music-like Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life." Jose doesn't just spin records, he also dances which is fun to watch as it reminds me of spinning records in my own living room when no one was home as a teenager. Honestly, I don't get out much so if every DJ dances around, then I suppose I should not be surprised.

I wanted my picture with a Morrissey cut out but the people in charge would not let me take a picture with my own camera. So they offered to take a picture of me with the 2 dimensional Morrissey but I have no idea how the picture came out or where it may appear some day.

More spinning

And You Leave on Your Own
After getting enough pictures, I left. It takes about 35 minutes on the freeway to get home with no traffic.

I know it sounds anti-climatic and boring if you are a night owl to be home by 12:30, but I had a good time and I would definitely go again, but I would bring a friend or else be in a more outgoing mood. Sometimes I worry that being out going could be confused with flirting and that might be embarrassing for someone.

And You Go Home
When I arrived the house was dark and Roland was still asleep in his clothes with his contacts in as I had left him-obviously he had never even wakened!

Jose Maldonado is the host of Breakfast with The Smiths which airs Sunday mornings and Wednesday mornings on Indie 103. He also spins records occasionally in clubs like The Echo in the LA area. If you have the chance to see The Sweet and Tender Hooligans you should go, they are amazing and its always a good night out!!

A New Sweet and Tender Hooligan

 Sweet and Tender Hooligans at Anaheim House of Blues

My nephew, Cody, attends school at Tustin High, where Roland and I teach. Yes, I know it must be a "boost" to his social life! Lately Cody has been riding with me, Miguel and Oliver in the mornings to school and naturally, I listen to Morrissey or The Smiths every now and again. Naturally. Cody said that he liked Morrissey's music especially Years of Refusal having never heard of The Smiths or Morrissey before. As a Christmas present and to encourage an awesome taste in music, I took him to see the Sweet and Tender Hooligans at the House of Blues in Anaheim. Roland and I decided to see them again during our break. Let me rephrase that: I decided that we were going.


It must be a nightmare being married to someone like me sometimes.

The gig was in Anaheim so no adventure stories trying to get there. No detectable wierdos. Pretty dull.

 Strangelove
The Sweet and Tender Hooligans were supported by a Depeche Mode tribute band called Strangelove.  They were excellent. Technically, they had every move and every note and piece of syth equipment down-just like DM. Problem: its no longer the 80's and Depeche Mode seems kind of boring for an hour or more. They are very "of their time" in my opinion.

Let's face it. How many times can you watch Dave Gahan twirl around with a microphone stand? I kept waiting for him to accidentally hit one of his band mates. I kept imagining it. Not quite hoping.

On the other hand, DM were extremely popular in Southern California back in the day. The audience at Anaheim HOB seemed to know the words to nearly every song.

Gig Legs
It was difficult watching Cody, a mere seventeen year old, at his first gig hanging onto the wall so that he could stay on his feet. It made me impressed with my own 46 year-old legs and feet. That they were seemingly stronger!! My gig legs.

We were kind of situated near a corner by the bar and a door leading to the stage, I guess. It had a pretty good view, but the down side was that everyone and their dog had to pass by us to get to the bar. It was an All Ages event and we saw a child or two younger than Oliver there but I couldn't imagine taking anyone younger than Cody unless they had such a keen interest in Morrissey and the Smiths that they could withstand the noise, the drunkeness and the debachery.

The gig itself was like one big singalong with fellow Morrissey/Smiths people. Jose Maldonado is a spot on performer and the band is obviously extremely talented. Jose has a great voice and he dances like Morrissey used to back when we were younger. I wanted to dance like that again, but I was self-conscious. My gig legs could do it though, I'm sure.

Roland and Cody leaning on the wall

A good tribute band gig is like receiving Holy Communion. I've noted this before when seeing this band. Its like all the lonely people have crawled out of their holes and decided to not be so lonely for an hour or so. Not in a sad way. In a celebratory way. Its reassuring to know that lyrics like Morrissey's speak to so many people. And you aren't alone in your identification with the meanings.

While it was awesome for me, I am not sure what Cody made of it all. He does not know the lyrics to any of the songs except for Throwing My Arms Around Paris. Although I think he appreciated it, it was not great fun for him. He really did have a hard time staying on his feet.

Therefore, we ended up leaving a little early so that I could get my coat easily from the coat check and we could get out of the parking lot without hassles. On our way out, I spotted the performer from Strangelove who impersonates Martin Gore. He had on an amazing outfit and he kindly let me take a photo with him. Wish you could see his shoes in the photo.

We complemented his voice since he really does have a fantastic one, only to learn later that he is a classically trained opera singer. I am glad we complemented him, but he probably knows this already.

Me with Brent, otherwise known as Martin

Love Ya, Jose. But . . .
I only have one tiny bit of criticism for Jose of Sweet and Tender Hooligans: when addressing a crowd from the OC, instead of changing the words in Hairdresser on Fire from "all around Sloane Square" to "all around Manhatten Beach", maybe say "Newport Beach" instead. Its not a big deal, but it shows awareness of our plight as people in the OC. Trust me, we exist and have existed next to some snobby- ass rich people. You don't need to drive clear to Los Angeles to find them!

Dance with Morrissey
I began to think of my Morrissey fantasy. Strange as it may sound I just want to dance with him in that twisty Smiths/80s kind of way. Perhaps one day . . .

Inspired Dancing by Jose Maldonado

Not So Shriney
So. it was interesting finding out that Moz did not enjoy singing to a "mass of hair" at the Shrine-according to True to You.net. Morrissey's official website. I was so overjoyed to simply be there and then wondered why there was no encore. Well, I know now. Its understandable. Interesting to get a new perspective.

Merry Christmas
My family had a very Merry Christmas and hope you did too!