Just who exactly is a Morrissey fan?
A Fan interview with Malin, Sweden/Norway
Why are you a loyal fan of Morrissey?
He has healed me. Again and again. He makes me feel less lonely. I may stray away but I always come back, Morrissey is home. The bad years are also the years I had no Morrissey in my life. Recently he has filled me with a fighting spirit I never thought I had inside me.
What is it that resonates between you and him?
His humanity, the love for animals, the darkness that coexists with passion in his lyrics.
How has he inspired you?
When I felt alone in my beliefs for animal welfare I turned to the things he wrote on true-to-you. I also think recently he and fellow fans have helped me stand tall in being true to myself and to let my heart show a bit more.
What is it about his songs that inspire you? Strengthen you? Entertain you?
His lyrics are deeply human and I think they can resonate with many. They have made me feel less alienated when I was under extreme pressure from my surroundings. The melodies are often something I feel I can lean back on, like a hand that keeps you upright. Recently they have helped me feel less guilt, that I’m allowed to exist, to have feelings and needs. Some songs are witty and have a dark sense of humour and I find that entertaining (actually I’m smiling right now). Not a particular song, but the album Vauxhall and I. I love it myself but I also had a horse and she adored it. She was a horse with a larger-than-life-personality and with so much energy she had trouble keeping it all inside but for some unknown reason, she found peace with herself when she heard it. I had her for 18 years until she suffered psychosis and wasn’t able to find her way out. I played the album the night before she was put to sleep while brushing her the last time and I think for a moment I saw her true self again. So Morrissey gave me one last moment of love with her.
What cause has he inspired you to pursue?
I was already an animal lover but he strengthened my ethics. I don’t know if it has changed my life but it could have been much easier to go with the rest of the crowd. Some friends and family have had such a hard time with my love for animals and even me being a Moz fan, but they are not part of my life anymore and it actually feels more like a relief than a loss.
Do you have a story about when you met him?
Yes, I have but I haven’t told anybody before. I’m a bit embarrassed by my own reaction… it was during the tour he did on smaller venues in Scandinavia. I ran into him by accident, and I just turned and walked away… guess I felt I came to close or something.
Do you have a story about how you discovered him?
I was much into Suede as a teen. I think it was there it started. Also, Sweden had a cultural collective called Loesje and they made a book of the posters they usually put up outside in one city, some of the quotes they used were Smiths lyrics.
Have you got any tattoos that are inspired by him?
No, but I have two for my horses so I guess you can also say they are inspired by him.
Anything else you would like to add?
I want to add how much love I have for the friends I have via Morrissey. They have been there through a long and painful recovery from accidents/abuse. They helped me see the light when I didn’t myself.
If you would also like to submit a fan interview, you can do so at this link:
Just Who Exactly Is a Morrissey Fan?
Letters to Morrissey 