Guardian, 31. maj 2003.
POVRATAK USAMLJENOG STRANCA

Mark Simpson

"Gde obično živite?" pita mladi brica sa keceljom oko pasa, pokušavajući da započne uljudnu konverzaciju dok sređuje notorne zulufe na licu kojeg se mnogi ne sećaju, ali koje je šokantno dobro očuvano uprkos njegove 43 godine.

"Obično živim u LA," odgovara Morrissey. "Ako se to može nazvati normalnim životom." Brica se smeje, ali ne kapira. "veseo grad, zar ne?" "Aha," odvraća Morrissey. "Ali ja nisam."

Siroti berberin bori se sa Morrisseyevom kosom kao i sa njegovim humorom na sopstveni račun. "Moram ja to da sredim," kaže Moz i uzima brijač, naslanja se na ogledalo i stručnim potezima trimuje i doteruje najpoznatiji pompadour popa od Elvisovih dana.

Iako možda nije veliki i blistav kao nekada, on je, kao i njegov vlasnik, odmah prepoznatljiv, nepogrešiv i objašnjiv jedino samom Morrisseyu.

Uprkos tome što je bez diskografske kuće još od 1997, a u dobrovoljnom egzilu u Los Anđelesu od početka 1990ih, Morrissey, bivši frontman/rock/pop diva Smithsa, sada solo umetnik od njihovog razlaza 1987, predstavlja sinonim za vrstu slave, poštovanja i ljubavi koji su u današnje vreme retki, kao i Mozove svirke u Britaniji.

Umesto da bude poznat zato što je poznat, Morrissey je poznat zato što je Morrissey. Iako je sumanuto retro kao i njegova frizura, to je stanje na kojem mu mnoge slavne ličnosti danas zavide, ili mu se makar dive, kao što to pokazuje gomila poznatih fanova, među kojima su JK Rowling, Alan Bennett, Chrissie Hynde, Kathy Burke, Will Self i Noel Gallagher, koji su pojurili da Morrisseyu odaju priznanje u dokumentarcu stanice Channel 4 pod nazivom "The Importance Of Being Morrissey".

Na Morrisseya gledaju kao na poslednjeg apostola popa, preživelog iz perioda kada je pop muzika bila sve što postoji i sve što se moglo poželeti. Kao što svako dovoljno mlad da se seti tog vremena zna, seks, droga i materijalizam slaba su zamena za pop muziku.

Pop muziku je kreirala čitava generacija mladih ljudi, dajući joj smisao i značaj. Ali niko joj nije dao toliki smisao kao Steven Patrick Morrissey, koji je sedamdesete proveo u svojoj spavaćoj sobici slušajući New York Dolls i Sandie Shaw i pitajući se kako da postane ta čudna, transfigurisana stvar - pop zvezda.

Ali ne zato što je želeo da mu se dive, već zato što je želeo osvetu. Kada se 1983. pojavio pred zapanjenom publikom u lirično-harmoničnoj ljubavnoj vezi za Johnyjem Marrom u obliku The Smiths, uspeo je da - fatalno - ispuni obećanje popa. On je jednostavno bio najzabavnija, najtužnija, najpametnija, najslađa, najkobnija stvar koju ste ikada čuli i videli.

Očigledno vanzemaljska, nezdrava kreatura koja je tokom izvođenja pesme William It Was Really Nothing u emisiji Top Of The Pops rascepala košulju ispod koje je na mršavim grudima pisalo "MARRY ME", nikada neće biti ista, ali necemo ni mi.

Najvećim delom protekle decenije pravili smo se da smo iznad njega, ali stiče se utisak da pocinjemo da se suočavamo sa činjenicama. NME, njegov zakleti neprijatelj još od početka 1990ih, prošle godine ga je izglasao za "najuticajnijeg muzičara u istoriji". Čak je i Sun zaključio da je prikladno da objavi hvalospevni prikaz njegove prve svirke u Britaniji u poslednjih nekoliko godina, i da objavi da se Morrissey zvanično "vratio na scenu".

Ali, upravo su muškarci bili ti koji se nikada nisu oporavili od Morrisseya - poslednje dve dekade britanske muškosti oblikovao je upravo on. Kumovao, bolje rečeno. Njegov period Smithsa, era hermafroditske lepote i narcisoidnosti stvorio je Novog Čoveka; njegovi rani solo radovi, s preokupacijom gangsterima, bokserima i "low-life" kreirali su Novog Momka - i mada umetnički nastrojenog i strasnog, ono što je usledilo bilo cinično i komercijalno.

Stoga i ne čudi što su njegovi fanovi većinom muškarci, mahom heteroseksualni, svi redom strasno, stravično zaljubljeni u njega, spremni da dobiju batine od telohranitelja samo da bi ga zagrlili i poljubili na bini. "Spavao bih s njim kad bi to zatražio od mene," rekao mi je jedan obožavalac na Mozovoj svirci. "Moja devojka bi to razumela," dodaje. "I ona je Morrisseyev fan." Naravno da bi razumela.

Poslednje veliko pojavljivanje Morrisseya na britanskoj televiziji bilo je 1987. u emisiji South Blank Show, čime je užasno precizno predvideo smrt pop muzike. U novom dokumentarcu, osim snimaka sa njegove svetske turneje prošle godine, videćemo Moza na motoru, Moza u Jaguaru kabrioletu, Moza u svojoj kuci u Holivudu, Moza kako pije caj sa relativno odvaljenom Nancy Sinatrom.

Dok nam pokazuje kroz svoju kuću u Holivudu, objašnjava a oči mu se cakle: "Sagradio ju je Clark Gable za Carole Lombard. Ali ona je umrla onog dana kada je dobila ključeve."

U jednom trenutku se čini da pokušava da nam kaže da je iznad nas, iznad Engleske, koja je tako loše postupala prema njemu; u drugom, zove nas da dođemo po njega i spasemo ga. "Nisam se aklimatizovao," kaže i čkilji u sunce iznad LA.

Na televiziji, Morrissey deluje kao neko ko je dizajnirao svoju stidljivost, kao i frizuru, i pretvorio je u elegantno oružje. I pored toga, on je zadržao razumljivi strah stidljive osobe da bi drugi ljudi mogli da ga kompromituju, kontaminiraju.

"Nikad se ne javljam na telefon," objašnjava; umesto toga, sa svojim prijateljima i saradnicima komunicira faksom. Sama pop muzika kao da je neka vrsta velike faks mašine: "Ušao sam u ovaj biznis jer je to sjajan način da se komunicira s ljudima, bez potrebe da koristite telefon." I tako, kad mu je jedan obožavalac izbezumljeno rekao, "hoću da ti se zahvalim što si toliko usrećio mene i moje prijatelje," Moz odgovara, "Pa, to mi baš nije bio cilj …"

Knjiga Marka Simpsona "Saint Morrissey" izlazi krajem godine u izdanju SAF Publishing. Dokumentarac "The Importance of Being Morrissey" emitovace se na C4, 8 juna u 11.15pm.

GAY SERBIA BONUS TRACKS :

1. WILLIAM, IT WAS REALLY NOTHING

The rain falls hard on a humdrum town
This town has dragged you down
Oh, the rain falls hard on a humdrum town
This town has dragged you down
Oh, no, and everybody's got to live their life
And God knows I've got to live mine
God knows I've got to live mine
William, William it was really nothing
William, William it was really nothing
It was your life ...

How can you stay with a fat girl who'll say :
"Oh ! Would you like to marry me ?
"And if you like you can buy the ring"
She doesn't care about anything
Would you like to marry me ?
And if you like you can buy the ring
I don't dream about anyone - except myself !
Oh, William, William it was really nothing
William, William

2. THIS CHARMING MAN

Punctured bicycle
On a hillside desolate
Will nature make a man of me yet ?

When in this charming car
This charming man

Why pamper life's complexities
When the leather runs smooth
On the passenger seat ?

I would go out tonight
But I haven't got a stitch to wear
This man said "it's gruesome
That someone so handsome should care"

A jumped-up pantry boy
Who never knew his place
He said "return the rings"
He knows so much about these things
He knows so much about these things

I would go out tonight
But I haven't got a stitch to wear
This man said "it's gruesome
That someone so handsome should care"

Oh, la-la, la-la, la-la, this charming man ...
Oh, da-da, da-da, da-da, this charming man ...

A jumped-up pantry boy
Who never knew his place
He said "return the ring"

He knows so much about these things
He knows so much about these things
He knows so much about these things

3. VICAR IN A TUTU

(Dosl. sveštenik u baletskoj suknjici. Preneseno - autovani sveštenik)

I was minding my business
Lifting some lead off
The roof of the Holy Name church
It was worthwhile living a laughable life
To set my eyes on the blistering sight
Of a vicar in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way

A scanty bit of a thing
With a decorative ring
That wouldn't cover the head of a goose
As Rose collects the money in a cannister
Who comes sliding down the bannister ?
The vicar in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way

The monkish monsignor
With a head full of plaster
Said : "My man, get your vile soul dry-cleaned"
As Rose counts the money in the cannister
As natural as Rain
He dances again
My god !

The vicar in a tutu
Oh yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh ...
The vicar in a tutu
Oh yeah
Oh ...

The next day in the pulpit
With Freedom and Ease
Combatting ignorance, dust, and disease
As Rose counts the money in the cannister
As natural as Rain
He dances again and again and again

In the fabric of a tutu
Any man could get used to
And I am the living sign
And I'm a living sign
I am a living sign
I'm a living sign
I am a living sign
I'm a living sign
Sign ...
I am a living sign

4. PICCADILLY PALARE

Off the rails I was and
Off the rails
I was happy to stay
GET OUT OF MY WAY
On the rack I was
Easy meat, and a reasonably good buy
A reasonably good buy

The Piccadilly palare
Was just silly slang
Between me and the boys in my gang
"So Bona to Vada. OH YOU
Your lovely eek and
Your lovely riah"

We plied an ancient trade
Where we threw all life's
Instructions away
Exchanging lies and digs (my way)
Cause in a belted coat
Oh, I secretly knew
That I hadn't a clue

(No, no. No, no, no. You can't get there that way. Follow me...)

The Piccadilly palare
Was just silly slang
Between me and the boys in my gang
Exchanging palare
You wouldn't understand
Good sons like you
NEVER DO.

So why do you smile
When you think about Earl's Court ?
But you cry when you think of all
The battles you've fought (and lost) ?
It may all end tomorrow
Or it could go on forever
In which case I'm doomed
It could go on forever
In which case I'm doomed

Pesma govori o gej eskortima i u njoj se upotrebljavaju reči londonskog gej slenga šezdesetih:

eek - lice
riah - kosa
bona - dobar
drag - odelo
vada - vidi, pogledaj

5. HE KNOWS I'D LOVE TO SEE HIM

He Knows (he knows)
Or, I think he does
'Cause when I lived
In the Arse of the world

He knows, he knows
He knows I'd love
To see him happy
(Or as close as is allowed)
Oh, 'cause when I lived
In the Arse of the world ...

He knows, he knows
He knows I'd love
To see him happy
(Or as close as possible)
As close as possible
As close as possible
As close as is allowed

Oh, my name still conjures up deadly deeds
And a bad taste in the mouth
And the police - they actually know me
They said :

"You're just another person in the world
You're just another fool with radical views
You're just another who has maddening views
You want to turn it on its head
By staying in bed !"

I said : "I know I do"

He doesn't know ...