Steven Patrick Morrissey

I’ve only been to Ireland once, and I felt I would wake up with voices in my head, almost like music, and that if I were a songwriter, I would be very inspired.

I didn’t really see the British punk movement, if that’s what it was, as wildly original, because I had been listening so intently to all the New York music since 1973, really.

I think there are unseen powers who don’t want pop music to be anything other than glorified Madonnas.

I find that it isn’t wise to attempt to judge people on their public persona, and even on the music they make. Because I’ve met so many people whose music I cannot stand, and they’re very nice. At the same time, I’ve met people whose music I’ve loved, and they’re not the person you’ve invested all this emotion in.

I’ve never intended to be controversial, but it’s very easy to be controversial in pop music because nobody ever is.

Pop music has progressed.