MORRISSEY KILL UNCLE
Splitting from producer Stephen Street and hiring ex-Fairground Attractions guitarist Mark Nevin as his principal foil, Morrissey explores new, softer textures to widespread critical derision LANGER: It wasn’t a rock album. It was slated because it was out of time with what was happening, but I think the songs are good, lyrically and musically, and the production is sympathetic. We were at Hook End Manor, which we’d got from Dave Gilmour. The process was: you did backing tracks with the band, and Morrissey wasn’t there. Then he listened to them and, like an Emperor, gave the thumbs up or thumbs down. Sometimes it was frustrating because he would turn down good songs because he had a different picture in his mind to the writer. Then we’d record the chosen backing track to a professional standard, and he’d come and do the vocal. At which point you realised that he’s singing the verse over what you thought was the chorus! WINSTANLEY: He wasn’t hands on, technically. As long as it sounded good to him, he was happy. His voice always sounded good, it was an easy tone to record. He would sometimes mention that he liked the echo I put on it, that was about as technical as he ever got. You lived in Morrissey World. We had to eat vegetarian food all week. It was frustrating when he went to his room for three days and we wouldn’t see him. We’d just carry on recording. LANGER: I’d go and knock quietly: “Hello?” Sometimes there was just silence. He and I went for long walks, went bowling. What I don’t like about him is that as soon as he’s gone, he switches off the light. I think it’s weird for human beings to do that. We were good friends, then no contact. But I’ve got over that…
“While making Kill Uncle, you lived in Morrissey World. We had to eat vegetarian food all week…” ALAN WINSTANLEY