That was the year that was...Neatly sidestepping inevitable libel charges by eschewing the annual ‘worst of...’ list, our writers pick out the prime cuts from the rotting carcass of the year gone by. Mmmm... Enjoy.
by Michael Wylie-Harris, first published in LondonTourdates #037 ,12th December 2008
Best Concert
Morrissey
02 Wireless Festival, Hyde Park
4 July
As the “stench of death” wafted from the 02’s backstage barbeque, Mozzer looked flustered. Fast becoming the Dame Edna Everage of pop, we expect some high camp from the ex-Smiths demi-God, but his anti-meat tirade was truly the stuff of legend.
Playing the same set he went on to perform all summer long (annoyingly devoid of some true Smiths’ anthems), the performance was as energised and captivating as ever; but the true star of the show was – predictably – Morrissey’s trousers.
He may be getting old now, but elastic waisted jeans? Really? Not only were they a fashion faux pas, they were also highly impractical. As the great man rolled around the stage like a drunken teenager in love, he kept having to yank them up around his nipples (elastic is not designed for such shenanigans it seems). We can deal with the tofu Morrissey, we can even turn a blind eye to a bit of casual neo-Nazism from time to time, but not this. We came to see a show… Not an old man’s arse!
Best Album
Guns N Roses: Chinese Democracy
Polydor
Had the Son Of God descended upon the earth amidst a shower of heavenly angels in November 2008 and started banging on about the ‘second coming’ in his typically self-righteous fashion, the lads at tourdates would have been, like, “wind your neck in JC, Chinese Democracy’s out on Monday… Have some bleedin’ respect!”
After seventeen years and God knows how many face lifts, it’s finally here. Many feared he was destined to live out his days as a mad, ginger, cycling-shorts wearing recluse; but the one they call Axl has risen from his LA bunker and finally delivered on the album that so many had dismissed as myth.
Let’s face it, Chinese Democracy could have been the worst album of 2008 (it isn’t by the way) and it still would have been my best. Yes, it’s grotesquely over-produced. Yes, it’s got like a million different lead guitar players on it (none of whom come anywhere near being a Slash replacement). And yes, those braids are highly ill-considered.
But listen to the machine-gun melodies on ‘Better’ and ‘IRS’ and you’ll soon release the GNR swagger is still there in abundance. Guns N’ Rose are back… R.I.P. Guns N’ Roses!
