Originally Posted by MSPKYE
(Post 2699657)
Can’t format it cause I’m about to see Idlewild but here’s a copy and paste job
Q&ARecord Collector
01 Jan 2025
Nicky Wire on empty phraseology, Morrissey’s handwriting and more
The title track is an amazing rant. How long has that been building up?
It’s the first time, bar Ballad Of The Bangkok Novotel [B-side of 2001 single Ocean Spray], that I’ve gone in the studio without a written lyric. I had ideas and phrases, but I just fucking went for it instinctively, and then refined it. It’s us showing a bit of a sense of humour, as well as a lot of spite. It’s what our DNA was based on. It’s just about the way we’re bombarded with endless empty phraseology which has infected all parts of life.
What did Morrissey write to you on the postcard that inspired Dear Stephen?
I’ve got postcards off Lawrence, the Mary Chain and The Smiths, which have pride of place in my workplace. All The Smiths are on there but Morrissey’s writing is so big, it just says, “Get well soon”. The idea of the song is that something seemingly unimportant – just a postcard that is nearly 40 years old – can still resonate and invoke so many rich and vivid memories. It’s a tribute to the tactile world and the power of those formative years, a love letter to being 16. It’s a song with many layers, the relationship between art and artists and my own hypocrisy. And the music James wrote for it is so fitting. It’s gorgeous.
What critical thinking inspired the album?
I feel my body decaying and falling apart, but I work incredibly hard to keep my brain just about hanging in there. My main references were Joan Didion, JG Ballard, James Baldwin, Susan Sontag, Albert Camus, John Gray and RS Thomas. Then, Richey is a touchstone for me when it comes to critical thinking. I was listening to Archives Of Pain the other day, and it’s such an amazing lyric. He had these counterintuitive views of the world, which he was just so brilliant at managing. Just trying to keep your brain active is really important, and that includes reading stuff that you might completely reject. I think that’s the key to any kind of critical thinking – don’t live in an echo chamber.
What’s different about yours and James’ approach to lyric writing?
I think James still has a bit more belief, perhaps, in humanity and himself than I do. My lyrics always end up in a slightly more desolate place. He certainly gets more pleasure from the bliss of music or nature or whatever. He’s learned Welsh over the last two or three years and has become really good. He seems to have a broader perspective on life than my lifelong obsession with tunnel vision [laughs]. I mean, Being Baptised is a spectacular lyric. I said to James – quite openly and, of course, he shied away – “I just wish I’d written that lyric.” I would love to have the kindness in my heart to write that! There’s something so warm and appreciative and poetic in that lyric. Has he given me any tips on being a frontman? No!
The three of us are probably at the place now where, apart from moments of absolute coherence and joy, we just have different ways of coping with things, enjoying things or hating things, or whatever. We’re 55 and we have been in the band for 34 years. So there are going to be times where we’re not completely on the same page. It was a really hard album to make, but it’s probably benefited from that. I think, at our age, to still get across this much energy and engagement – it’s a pretty rare trick. Fifteen albums in 30 years is a fucking lot of songs! As told to Jamie Atkins
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