Customer Reviews

Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance

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In Morrissey and Marr, The Severed Alliance, Johnny Rogan gives Smiths fans a wonderful look inside the most influential band of the 80's with a great feel for the subject and many pictures. As a rabid Smiths fan (although not a fan until fully 7 years after the breakup), I was both facinated and saddened by the events which conspired to tear apart the beloved band from Manchester. After turning the English music press on its ear for just a few short years, The Smiths still hold the attention of fans around the world. This book gives you the background that helps explain how Morrissey and Marr could write some of the greatest pop songs ever, and how they could lose the whole thing. What's even worse is that it never had to end. Johnny Rogan writes this book from the perspective of the journalist looking for the truth, the novelist providing entertainment, and most importantly, the Smiths Fan who feels the loss. Read it, if you love The Smiths, or even if you just love the history of pop music. The latest edition of the book includes a forward and epilogue and also an invaluable Discography complete with concert tape listings and known "bootleg" recordings. ~Max Silva: Houston, Texas 199

I've spent the better part of high school idolizing Morrissey the entity, the writer, the singer. I had a faint, unrealistic, and embarrassingly devoted view of him. Rogan's even-handed book, full of detail, subtext, and and enthusiasm did nothing to quell my ardor for Morrissey. It helped frame it into more realistic terms. Morrissey and Marr is an eye opening book about a very real, complex, and quintessentially unique man. The detailing of his history, his faults, and his idiosyncries humanized this former "rock god," and made him a little more accessible.

I love Morrissey and The Smiths, so this book could be written [bad] and I would still like it. But fortunately Rogan is a gifted writer who loves the subject matter even more than I do!

You'll learn way more than you ever wanted to know about the band and the split between Johnny Marr and Steve Morrissey from this at times obsessively accurate and detailed account. I was struck by how weird Morrissey really is. His odd antics in print and life are not an act. He really is an odd duck. But isn't that why we love him so much? He speaks for all of us when he whines, moans, and sighs about life's missed opportunities, unrequited loves, and the mystery of personal identity.

Included are dozens of photos of everyone involved in the whole saga. It is a really great read! Enjoy!

"It's so easy to laugh. It's so easy to hate. It takes guts to be gentle and kind...I know it's over, and it never really began. But in my heart it was so real."

From the birth of Morrissey's parents in Dublin to the formation of the most influential English band of the 80's, this book covers every aspect concerning The Smiths' trajectory. Johnny Rogan is careful enough in analyzing some of the events that, even having preceded The Smiths' formation, played an important role on the group's entire artwork. He discusses, for instance, the impact that the Moors Murders had on Morrissey as a young child, explains how the education he was given at school led him to write The Headmaster Ritual, and examines the influence that guitar heroes of the 60's later had on Johnny Marr's compositions. The book also approaches the innumerable problems The Smiths encountered during their brief, yet fruitful existence; from their initial difficulties in signing with a record company to a millionaire proposal from EMI, from their constant problems in finding a proper manager to the controversies raised by their songs, everything is fully detailed here. Moreover, there is an all-special attention to an often unnoticed problem among The Smiths' structure: the unequal division of royalties between Morrissey/Marr and Joyce/Rourke parties. Throughout the whole book, Johnny Rogan can't help letting his sympathy towards the Joyce/Rourke cause show, lamenting the paltry 10% they were given and presenting Morrissey and Marr in all their greed. Indeed, Rogan does not hesitate over demystifying Morrissey, portraying him as an eccentric, selfish and sometimes difficult to deal with personality. "If God exists, then Johnny 'the Rat' will be devoured by his German Shepherd dogs" was Morrissey's response to the book. Regardless of how correct Rogan is concerning Morrissey's character, or whatever Morrissey's reaction was, The Severed Alliance is an excellent biography - essential not only for Smiths' fans, but for all willing to understand the multi-faceted music of the 80's.

This is rightly considered one of the greatest rock biographies ever. I must say, I'm stunned that Rogan was able to find details as miniscule as those here. A completely readable book, the author even manages to make the band members' childhoods and pre-band days seem interesting, something that few rock biographers are able to do--I tend to just skip over the first few chapters in such books. Not here though--everything in The Severed Alliance is fascinating through and through, presenting a fair and balanced view of the band which by no means justifies Morrissey's savage animosity towards Rogan based on its content. A must-read for Smiths fans, as well as anyone contemplating writing a book about a band--this is the way to do it, guys.

I just finished this book, and while I found it to contain a wealth of information, I thought there was maybe too many words dedicated to the family history of Morrissey. Actually, there was more text about the aforementioned subject than there was about the actual breakup of the Smiths.

Rogan would often use Smiths lyrics in what I perceive to be some sort of clever irony when discussing subject matter. I know this was done vecause Morrissey was called in the book an 'ironic plagiarist', and Rogan is just playing his little game. However, it came off as amateurish.

It's pretty obvious that Rogan never talked with Andy Rourke, which is a shame, because he is an unsung hero in the band, and should have felt more slighted for not getting songwriting credits. His basslines were often what carried the tune in those songs, and he should have been treated better by M&M.

While this book is very well researched and provides a wealth of backround information and detail on all of the key players in the Smiths, it ultimately fails to provide any real insight into the inner workings of the band. The lack of interviews with Morrissey and those closest to Morrissey ensure that the book presents at best an incomplete picture of the story of the Smiths.

Another flaw is that Rogan never really seems to get a feel for his subject. Despite all his research, you never get the sense that he understands what the Smiths were really about and what made them truly special.

Despite these problems, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for some insight into the backround of the group, the photo section alone makes this book well worth the purchase.

The Smiths are like your high school sweetheart. You fondly remember all the good times you had together, but don't particularly desire a reunion. The truth for me--and many others like me--is that The Smiths were an integral part of my adolescence. I loved the mixture of Johnny Marr's guitars-upon-jangling-guitars with Morrissey's humorously depressing lyrics. As a rhythm section Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce proved more than capable of Moz and Marr's virtuosity. However, it's been years since I plopped "The Queen Is Dead" into my CD player. The strange truth about The Smiths is that people seem to outgrow their music.

That being said, fans (both old and new) of this 1980s Mancunian quartet won't be disappointed with Johnny Rogan's exposé of what went on behind the scenes during the band's five-year run (1982-87).

As a matter of fact, considering The Smiths' importance in rock music, it's amazing that so little (in terms of books) has been written about them and that most of their fanbase knows little about the group aside from their music and the fact they broke up. Perhaps that is the fate of a cult band, even an important one.

Within these pages, Johnny Rogan gives tons of analysis on the Morrissey family, from their origins in the Irish capital of Dublin to their emigration to Manchester. Morrissey's education at a sadistic high school is examined, as well as Johnny Marr's musical awakenings.

We see the group's beginnings and quick ascent as the indie darlings of British rock. We learn of Rourke's heroin habit, Morrissey's passive-aggressive drama queen antics, and the band's inability to hire a qualified manager (which ultimately proved to be their undoing).

The book's strengths lie in Rogan's meticulous research about the band members, their songs, their origins, and those individuals affiliated with the group (producers, managers, roadies, etc.). I was both saddened and amazed to discover just how quickly (and stupidly unnecessary) the band's 1987 break-up was.

The book's weaknesses lie in two areas. First, Rogan has the annoying habit of putting Smiths lyrics in sentences. Heaven knows I'm miserable now just thinking about it. Capisce?

Second, unlike truly great rock bios--like Stephen Davis' "Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga" and Peter Guralnick's masterful two volume set on Elvis Presley ("Last Train to Memphis"/"Careless Love")--Rogan never captures the AURA of The Smiths. Why were they so important? Why did they matter to so many people? Why was their fanbase so passionately devoted to them? Why does their music still matter? It's much harder to answer these questions and Rogan's failure to do so prevents "Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance" from joining the ranks of the truly great rock biographies.

That being said, it's imporant to note that this book is currently out-of-print, so it only covers up to 1992 (the prickly preface included). The patently greedy and unfair "contract" Morrissey and Marr signed with Rourke and Joyce is discussed, but Joyce's ultimately successful lawsuit against the songwriting duo is only mentioned in its early stages. Considering the bitterness involved (Morrissey still hasn't paid Joyce the money he owes him), I personally doubt The Smiths will ever reunite.

BOTTOM LINE: This book is a must-buy for Smiths fans. It's very good, not great, but still a worthy read.

This book is a must-read for anyone who likes the Smiths. After reading it I felt like I had a better understanding of who Morrissey is and a greater appreciation for his amazing lyrics, as well as the musical genius of the rest of the band. I think Rogan did a good job making all of the Smiths seem like human beings - while he doesn't underestimate their talent, he doesn't paint them as perfect either. Sometimes the book is a bit lengthy and more detailed than necessary, but overall "Morrissey and Marr" is an interesting and well-written book.

When i began reading this book i held morrissey in high praise. the smiths have been a constant in my music collection for around 10 years so i was unprepared to read what i did in this book. Well researched, well written, and extremely honest, i am now able to seperate the artist from the music; meaning: just because the artist (s) may be asses does not mean that the music will automatically suck. i REALLY enjoyed reading this book, as many questions were answered, such as the Myra Hindley child killings in Manchester, the reasons behind certain songs, etc. i think that with a clearer picture of the band i can now appreciate the music even more.