Mexico Spawned a Morrissey

If you weren't at Rothko's on Friday night, you missed it, meng.

I caught my first (and rare, for a NYer) glimpse of what would have been the result if Stephen Patrick Morrissey had been born in Tijuana instead of Manchester. This well-coifed man is Jose Maldonado, on loan from LA's Sweet and Tender Hooligans. He's got the hair, he's got the specs, he's got the cuffed jeans, he's got the cardigan, the paisley paisley shirt (i think it was paisley), the malnourished yet amorphic physique - but more than anything else, he's got the voice and the on-stage disposition and relationship with the audience that truly captures his idol's mystery. much unlike the fag (oh btw the douche - NO ONE LIKES YOU) that used to head up the Salford Lads (btw, guitarist John "Johnny" Capp if you're reading this - how's RVC, pally?), Jose possesses class. ash and i walked out on a Lads gig 4+ years ago at Don Hill's because the fagsinger was such a (coining G) nightmare.

back to the gig - kicking it off with the Queen is Dead, a few forgotten lyrics are quickly forgotten as he belts out the outro "life is very long when your lonely", the set consisted of standard Moz and Smiths tunes including Shoplifters (sent out to Winona Ryder), Last of the Famous..., Girlfriend in a Coma, November Spawned a Monster and This Charming Man. The Lads even assembled a great rendition of First of the Gang to Die off the new one.

All in all, SummerMan, my recently legalized S.O. and her teacher friend were all thoroughly impressed by the performance.

did i mention the four go's right in front of brandt and me that led us to make a pact to never smith smiths/moz tunes to each other? i'll let him tell you about those guys.

i'll leave you with a post i left on the Sweet and Tender Hooligans yahoo group in true fan appreciation...

hey all -

brand new to the group and i joined just to say thanks to Jose for
making the trip out here - your performance was jaw-on-the-floor
amazing. the last time i caught the Lads i WALKED OUT because the old lead singer was so terrible - in talent and personality - but that's neither here nor there.

i'm sorry i didn't get a chance to catch up with you, but i expressed
my appreciation to both ez and brian, the promoter. you kids in LA are damn lucky to
have this guy as i'm sure you are aware!

hope to see you out east again sometime soon.
cheers.
matt.

JOSE MALDONADO REPLIES: Thanks for that, Matt. Sweet and Tender Hooligans
played at The Knitting Factory New York last October and hope to return very
soon. I was real happy to come back and visit The Big Apple again and I'll more
than likely be back to run the marathon. Hmm.. maybe I can work a gig around
that..?



PS - someone had to respond to me...

From: "Jeremy Alisauskas"
Date: Mon May 31, 2004 4:43 am
Subject: Re: [Sweet and Tender Hooligans] NYC gig...

How very cruel of you sir!

Terrible in talent and personality? well if you walked out than you certainly
didn't speak with him, so how may I ask do you know anything about his personality?

Thats just a nasty thing to say, and being nasty doesn't make you look cool, it
makes you look insecure.

Goodnight Sir!



AND I SAY THIS TO YOU MR. JEREMY ALISAUSKAS...being a dick-sucking homo doesn't make you look cool, it makes you look GAY!
\ / Sir!