Morrissey Autobiography Review

I've been waiting for today, Morrissey Autobiography day, with the shared electric, anticipation of every other die hard Morrissey fan around the world.  

I'd placed my pre-order with Amazon but not willing to rely on an early morning delivery from Royal Mail, the lure was too much for me and I downloaded the Kindle version just after midnight. 

It's been nearly thirty years since I was first hypnotised by Morrissey's words. Defined by their impact, I cannot comprehend who I would be without them or how the lonely teenage years, shut in my room, with only his voice, would actually go on to form the basis of so many of my adult friendships. Like minded souls, drawn together by our mutual love for the enigma that is Morrissey.

Despite my longing to read his self-told story, I wasn't quite sure what to expect but by this epic line on page 10, I was hooked...

"Miss Redmond is ageing, and will never marry, and will die smelling of attics."

Sheer brilliance...

I read through most of the night, unable to put it down. For the first time, the tale really was told and not fabricated or sensationalised as it had been in previous un-authorised biographies.

I felt some of the Smiths magic fall away as I was forced to consider, for the first time, what had gone on behind the scenes. Rough treatment from Rough Trade and Morrissey's dislike of the released versions of many of the tracks I love. 

I'm not going to fill this post with spoilers and mentions of love affairs or sexuality, as the mainstream, Morrissey hate media have predictably done. Their coverage style speaks volumes and only serves to reiterate what's said in the book. Ironic...

There may be more to life than books, but not this one. Well written and beautifully crafted, Morrissey's Autobiography firmly deserves its place as Penguin Classic. Buy it, lose yourself in it, then go listen to your favourite Smiths album - on vinyl, as you read it again.

I'll leave you with Well I Wonder, an understated masterpiece of that Morrissey & Marr magic that changed so many lives.

Clarice Cliff Spring Crocus Plate : Chic

I have my mum to thank for my love of antiques. As the youngest daughter of dealers, I spent my formative years either freezing my butt off at boot sales or eating cake at auctions, as we waited for the boxes of misc that no one else wanted. We found some good stuff in those 50p boxes of unloved treasure. Dad used to moan about us buying them, but mum knew what she was doing. She had 'the eye'.

My first (and enduring) antique love affair was with Clarice Cliff. I discovered her when I was about 12. I devoured all of the (pre-internet) information I could find on her and I spent at least a hundred boot sales wishing with all my life, that I'd have that elusive 'Clarice Cliff moment'. 

It did happen, though not as an actual 'Clarice moment' and not till I was well into my 30's. Mum was the first person I called to share my amazing news with. She got it. She knew that I'd been searching for it for over half of my life.

She was the first person I wanted to call when I bagged this unmarked Clarice Cliff plate yesterday. 

It's not an epic find in the scheme of things, but mum would have been as impressed as I was when I found it.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my vintage finds, surrogate mum @needaphone for always being interested in my recent buys. It means a lot to me. x

Loving Rick Owens AW13

I'm often asked why I wear baggy shapeless clothes when I have an okay figure underneath. I guess my answer is that I don't see baggy as shapeless. Quite the opposite actually.

Apart from the beautiful dresses that the love of my life, Yan To makes for me, I'm not a huge dress person. My day to day style is usually courtesy of Rick Owens and I'm loving his AW13 collection.

These pieces are my faves.

Rick's Spring/Summer14 catwalk show caused a storm last month. Dancers and beatgirls. Not a single size 6 model in sight. Real fashion for real women.

iPhone Photography : The Gallery

I love iPhone Photography, perhaps just a bit too much. It's made me a lazy snapper but I'm addressing that thanks to the JMP Workshop I went to a couple of weeks ago.

This weeks The Gallery theme is Through the eyes of my phone, I had to join in. Lets call this an ode to my London Underground Lover blog.

You can join in with The Gallery over on www.thestickyfingersblog.com