The Smiths offered millions to reform
Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:45 pm
Morrissey reveals big money offer for festival appearance
Morrissey revealed that The Smiths were offered $5 million to play last year's Coachella festival - and turned it down.
Speaking at a press conference before his show at this year's South by South West music festival (March 16), the singer explained that "money doesn't come into it".
He added: "It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am."
He also attacked 'Pop Idol', calling the contestants 'imbeciles' and complained that Arctic Monkeys hadn't paid their dues.
He said: "For them it's happening too quickly. They haven't proven anything and they haven't had to work too hard. It's all a bit unnatural. Yes, they've sold 700,000 albums but it can't be gratifying. They haven't been driving up and down the M1 in a van for 15 years."
The last time that Morrissey was scheduled to play Austin, in 2004, the gig was cancelled due to illness.
This year his fans were treated to a 17-song set that mixed material from his new album with four Smiths classics.
Explaining his decision include Smiths songs in his recent sets the singer said: "I didn't play Smiths songs for a long time. But then I realised that those songs don't belong to somebody else - nobody will sing them as with as much feeling as me and no-one will make them more meaningful than I will".
Morrissey revealed that The Smiths were offered $5 million to play last year's Coachella festival - and turned it down.
Speaking at a press conference before his show at this year's South by South West music festival (March 16), the singer explained that "money doesn't come into it".
He added: "It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am."
He also attacked 'Pop Idol', calling the contestants 'imbeciles' and complained that Arctic Monkeys hadn't paid their dues.
He said: "For them it's happening too quickly. They haven't proven anything and they haven't had to work too hard. It's all a bit unnatural. Yes, they've sold 700,000 albums but it can't be gratifying. They haven't been driving up and down the M1 in a van for 15 years."
The last time that Morrissey was scheduled to play Austin, in 2004, the gig was cancelled due to illness.
This year his fans were treated to a 17-song set that mixed material from his new album with four Smiths classics.
Explaining his decision include Smiths songs in his recent sets the singer said: "I didn't play Smiths songs for a long time. But then I realised that those songs don't belong to somebody else - nobody will sing them as with as much feeling as me and no-one will make them more meaningful than I will".