What Morrissey and his Mexican fans tell us about music fandom | Gabriel Avalos | TEDxWhitneyHigh
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2017
- "Every once and a while there is a certain artist and their fan following that breaks these conventional rules. They actually end up reversing the roles and instead the fans end up defining the artist.” Gabriel Avalos is currently a junior at Whitney High School where he is constantly busy and trying to do it all. He has a passion for politics and is involved with the Association of Latin American Students, Mock Trial, Model United Nations, and Junior State of America. When not working with those clubs or doing something for school, he is always listening to music. Gabriel's favorite artists range from The Beatles to Arcade Fire, David Bowie to Kanye West, Radiohead to Neutral Milk Hotel, and even My Bloody Valentine to Carly Rae Jepsen. If you're interested in listening to some of the music by Morrissey and The Smiths, make sure to check out this Spotify playlist curated by Gabriel himself: open.spotify.com/user/gabriel...
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
Mexicans like singers that pour themselves in music. He's emotional, articulate, and poetic. He's phenomenal!
I'm Mexican born and Mexicans are really big into Post punk British music, more than the american mainstream rock. We just have good taste that's all.
Mario G facts I'm 24 Mexican American am I'm been barely into the smiths and depeche mode i use to be and still love metal (Metallica Anthrax GNR Scorpions Quiet Riot) for the most part but I'm musically diverse so I've been discovering what I missed out then but I know a lot of Mexican chicanos from the 80s and yeah punk and post punk tracks are they're thing New Order Depeche Mode Cure
You have incredibly good taste. :)
Are you from Whitney High School, Cerritos CA?
Yeah Mexican mtv got me hooked to a a bunch of post punk bands.
Big wow.. awesome! I didn't know about it at all
Very interesting. I'm British and always loved Mexicans I like their personalities and sense of humour reminds me a lot of British sense of humour. Maybe this is why?
GREAT SPEECH!
I'M MEXICAN AND I LOVE MORRISSEY AND THE SMITHS.
HE'S THE GREATEST ARTIST IN THE WHOLE WORLD! SONGS THAT SAVED MY LIFE
Morrissey Forever!! ~ The Songs That Saved Our Lives
Im here because of Antman.
Sounds more like you need a life my man.
The Reason I like Morrissey is because first the Style, Sound, and his Voice. Back in High School Richard Blade would be playing Morrissey on Kroq, Saturday night house partys would play Morrissey, an alternative to Rock and of course all the beautiful Girls loved him as well. I grew up in East LA and i would be playing his cassettes all day long. From 1988 as a 13 Year old to Present Day a Fan of Morrissey. During the Beeper era before phones, Everyone was in a Party crew in East LA with DJs Playing Morrissey, the Doors, Depeche Mode, Material Issue, OMD, Joy Division, House Music, We invented the Rave scene too!!! It was amazing!!!
Great to hear how big Mozzer is in Mexico. The is speech is good but I miss a description of how he feels when listening to Moz. When I personally first listened to "November spawned a monster" I nearly fell off the chair. I was gobbed smack. I felt I was in heaven. That is really why we love Moz`s work, because he makes us feel something very authentic deepdown.
November spawned a Monster is a sinister song, yet compassionate. My first song was Girlfriend in a Coma way back when.
I am Mexican American and I’m my 40s now and yeah when I was in jr
high and highschool the smiths were cool!
I’ve a Smiths fan since the 80s and Im still a Morrisey fan today
We Visited Salfords Lads last month and man oh man what a religious experience that was !
Growing up in the 80s, I never listened to The Smiths or Morrisey back then.
I started listening just a few years back thanks to my son, when he was still a teenager.
How funny is that?!
Great music!
Hello Blanca just listen to this song " my dearest love" by Morrissey...this is a beautiful whole hearted tune, wich I feel.. anyways bye.
I've listen to Morrissey since junior high 8th grade and high school. Everyday Is Like Sunday, and Suedehead were the first two songs I've listen to the Smiths in 10th grade. How Soon Is Now, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, What Difference Does It Make, There's A Light That Never Goes Out. Etc. We can all relate to those songs. As an outsider myself trying to find myself.
Back in the late 90's i was living in san diego, been a smiths fan since 1986 when i was learning tattooing at a very prominent shop and my buddy Sid was also working. I beleive he was from Tijuana and he was truly one of a kind. Got a ride home one night and he had Morrissey playing. I was like huh??? Your into this? And he looked at me and said Lancey, mexicans LOVE Morrissey... i was blown away... now remeber this is around 1999 ... rip Sid
I started listening to Morrissey in probably 1990. I was in my first year of high school. I got the tape from some guy who didn't want it anymore. I was not a cool kid. I listened to pop music all the time, but I was not particularly popular. when I listened to Viva Hate in 1990, I had no clue that it was also widely appreciated by others. I thought it was just a small base of fans. And then I listened to The Smiths in high school (along with my pop music) and I had no idea they had a lot of fans overseas and in Mexico. It was just me and my cassette tapes. One thing I liked about Morrissey is his honesty in his songs. Pop bands would always be cheesy and have real catchy hooks, but lyrically they stunk. But Morrissey's lyrics always seemed so honest and real to me. So I have been a lifelong fan. And then it wasn't until years later that I found he has a strong Mexican base of fans. I think I know why. Morrissey is The Man. Morrissey IS machismo. He has that swagger. He is an individual. He's one of a kind. Mexican fans can relate to his style. Some people may disagree with his politics, but it's hard to disagree with his music. He is quality. His albums are quality, his band behind him are always top notch, and his live shows never disappoint.
This is real man...as a bay area dude I visited my family in SouthGate in the late 80's and was quickly introduced to The Smiths by my cousins. The Smiths were literally getting bumped at house parties, out of cars,...it was just the sountrack for that generation. So cool and so glad I had a chance to experience that.
I'm Mexican American and I love Morrissey 🇺🇲🇲🇽
I grew up watching him on vhs and listening to him since the 90s he brings back so many good childhood memories ❤
for me, its the powerful lyrics of the songs....just amazing!
I'm English and from Morrissey-land, great video.
When I was a kid my dad used to play The Smiths and 'that' guitar riff from How Soon Is Now always stuck with me.
Depressing Northern music? Good choice, people
I swear dude it’s so true. i don’t know his music just sounds awesome
great speech.. Morrissey is truly a legend
I feel like I will never meet someone with my same musical tastes to the extent of how much I love the artists.
Great presentation!
Morrissey is basicaly like first gen Mexicans American's Vicente Fernandez.
i find him more like Juan Gabriel jajajaja
@@protopaes Absolutely. If you're going to compare Morissey to Fernandez or Gabriel - it's a no brainer. Vicenete is great but I wouldn't exactly call him flamboyant. Juan Gabriel on the other hand. I was lucky enough to see him a few times, and my favorite part of Juanga's shows were seeing the machistas start the show stiff, and by the middle, when they were nice and buzzing, they wouldn't care who was watching them sing and dance. Juan Gabriel was something else. Vicente is great too, but Juanga wrote and performed all his own music, including writing one for Vicenete, if I'm not mistaken. All this to say, Morrisey is the man and is definitely Chicanos Juan Gabriel
Ive noticed south americans love their music, particularly brit bands like oasis. Makes me proud. I wanna go to south america man!
Mexico is in North America dude
And I thought I liked The Smiths and Morrissey because I have great taste in music.
This is so interesting!!! Loveee The Smiths/Morrissey as well
Juna Snik I have a horse, want to go on a date. I'll pick you up. wears pants tho.cus if you wear a dress, you gonna have to sit sideways.
Morrissey loves Texas as well..don't forget his Mexican fan base also stems from Texas.....need I say..EL PASO!!
Yes it’s true brother, but L.A. has a “Morrissey Day” November 10th of every year
you also have East LA. and this is just Morrissey , you also have the STROKES(to an extent VOIDZ)now are like Gods in Mexico and sell out in EAST LA ...texas mexicans still don't know much about the strokes, so assume the same thing happened with Morrissey.
@@robroux6074 Strokes are okay but they are nowhere near Morrissey!
@@franzantu7816 Agreed. Honestly. The Smiths / Morrissey is iconic. The Strokes are not unique. They're completely derivative.
@@denisepaulsenful Yes 100% also they don't have that poetic persona that lies in the unique genius of Morrissey; he is in a class of his own.
The music of The Smiths to me is the music of my youth. I remember going to house parties filled with rockers, preppies, jocks, and new wavers. And The Smiths were a happy medium to please all crowds without fighting over the boom box. I slowdanced with someone to "I know it's over" back in the day. And I don't even dance! But remember after The Smiths broke up he moved to L.A. and embraced that community. Always remember if you are faithful to the Latino community they will give you their undying support back. There are plenty of 80's artists who still make the rounds in Texas where I'm from. Long after musical trends are forgotten in our country.
I've been a fan for nearly 3 decades now, but not for the reasons this kid talks about, it's not some connection to immigrants or any plight, I just love the music, grew up on KROQ and bands like Depeche Mode, the Cure, OMD, etc etc. We love New Wave and Spanish Rock because it's good music. Polka is very similar to Mexican music and you don't hear many Mexicans listening to polka.
Every member of the Smiths were 1st generation "Brits" - their parents being Catholic Irish emigrated and settled in the Salford neighborhood of Manchester England...Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr mentioned in his book how there were times where kids with a working class Irish Catholic background were looked down upon and at times treated poorly...So in a way many of these Irish-Brits have a common ground with Mexican-Americans.
Thank you for sharing this! x
Ted reupload this, shocking audio video quality.
Morrissey's lyrics speak of the same plight that Mexican-American men feel in the United States, it's that simple. Weird how an Irish-English man from Manchester can connect with us, but he did. It must be because his family was Irish Catholic immigrants living in England, where there was a lot of xenophobic anti-Irish sentiment.
Chuy83 I love "The Smiths" and their music speaks to me but the music in no way talks about the immigrant experience.
Mexican-American men aren't immigrants, they're born citizens. I was referring to the plight of isolation, lost love, depression, not feeling like you fit into society for being from a different culture, which Morrissey was as well. But Morrissey's lyrics are definitely influenced by his experience of being a first generation Irish-English man, so immigration did play a role in his music.
it's cuz of Jose' Maldonado!
Lol, that movie sucked.
See that doesnt work either because the xenophobia in manchester is smaller because there is a large irish population there in comparison to mexicans or american-mexicans in america.
I like this. Great delivery.
Moz is timeless
I didn't know Mexicans were so cool.
Robert now you know (:
They're not!
I listen to all kinds of music new age, heavy metal/hard rock, alternative, rockabilly, pop, r&b, and country music too.
Great explanation!
Viva El Moz!
Funny that I picked up at on this in high school back in the late 90's. I kinda felt like I was the only white boy who loves the Smiths and Morrissey as much as they do.
That reminds me of me in high school, except it was the opposite. I thought I was the only Mexican that liked metal music. I got into The Smiths in the early 90s. Great music.
I will always be loyal to Moz.
Most people who talk about Moz don’t understand him.
But you are truly a member of the Moz Army.
-Dan
“All of these rumors keeping me grounded, I never said..”
Hey bro, you’re from Cerritos? One of my favorite cities!
Smiths, New order, Joy Division for the win!
This seems like a talk you would give in 9th grade.
morrissey's music is just something we can relate as a working class. we have the same taste as mexicans here in east asia. but i have to criticize his latest albums was not so compelling.
It’s not just with Moz. A Depeche Mode Rose Bowl Show 1988 vs DM 12 years later, Ultra tour. I was one of a handful of whites in a 98% Latino attended show. Moz in early 90’s Vs Moz pre getting a deal again. Both the earlier DM and Moz shows were more than predominantly white. To be clear this is LA I’m talking about, all shows. Now, It’s Moz 2000ish. I was 25. Still hung with some friends from back in the day, they hadn’t jumped on the rave nor grunge thing in the 90s. They moved on to Brit Pop at their College days, many in post grad. They weren’t at this Moz show however. Many Mexicans, friendly and amused commented to my GF and I, that we were the only whites they had seen. You would think this was a Mexico City show. I still don’t get fully get it. And beyond business fueled reasons I find the Moz embracing the Mexican fans and indeed the culture of LA based Mexican culture as TRULLY bizarre. He laments gang culture on First of The Gang To Die and the take of Hector and turf. So much of what miffed Moz in the Smiths and after, thuggery, hooliganism, violence, machismo as an interchangeable with masculinity, boorishness, uneducated peoples, and many times alluding to non English peoples from Indian and middle eastern origins inhabiting London, changing Britishness, to which he claimed to have a fondness for the customs of nearly all things daily British, even going on to speak of a malodorous phenom he abhorred, (this was the Smiths and just post smiths era, long before his headlines of this nature of controversy really started fairly recently), and so on, he is the last person I’d think to be not offended with also not very vegan LA Nexican culture, especially combined with the brand of masculinity he railed against in the smiths he saw prevelant in rock and it disgusted him and was a refrain and reason for the smiths to be. It’s a bit like an uptight about everything of a puritanical bent American politician finding an attraction to Amsterdam with the hash, Red Light District, other prevalent drug use not vilified in Holland and not decried as the moral degeneracy that politician is vehemently opposed to on every level. Nancy Reagan and Ronnie as Dutch Enthusiasts makes as much sense as Moz’s portrayal of himself as possessing a fondness for Mexican , LA Mexican culture. As a resident of the city and a self assessed avid watcher of local news, which often highlight these and demonize these tenets of the culture, on the nightly news, and the theme of First of The Gang, he is surely aware.
Is it just me, or is this video waaay outta sync with the audio?
Morrissey's lyric to "Mexico"
"In Mexico
I went for a walk to inhale
the tranquil, cool, lover's air
but I could taste a trace
of American chemical waste
And the small voice said
"What can we do?"
In Mexico
I went for a walk to inhale
the tranquil, cool, lover's air
but I could sense the hate
from the Lone Star state
And a small voice said
"What can we do?"
It seems if you're rich and you're white
you'll be alright
I just don't see why
this should be so
If you're rich and you're white
you'll be alright
I just don't see why
this should be so
In Mexico
I lay on the grass
and I cried my heart out
for want of my love
Oh, for want of my love"
finally a ted talk tryin to answer the real questions
Ever give VNV Nation a listen?
Yeah, what about Diorama!
The title is Why Morrissey popular in Mexican.
0:12
I appreciate your passion, but it’s not that complicated. Growing up in Los Angeles 80s,and 90s, I can tell you that we Latinos (NOT JUST MEXICANS) like Morrissey because he was underground. Second reason was because Latinos at that time loved new wave sound , and The Smith’s and Morrissey had that sound. We also love the cure , and Depeche Mode. Why? because they weren’t too main stream. Latinos In L.A have always wanted to have their own culture or make it one way or another. I’m sure the love of Morrissey started by some older cool Latino guy telling his little brother, cousin, or homie hey listen to this music. It was underground and it’s cool, so it was simply accepted as that , and that was repeated over and over the years . Morrissey was not played on your regular pop radio music station, so that maintained his cool value. Over exposure plays things out and make them not cool. This is why LATINOS love Morrissey . You like Morrissey because your dad, and your uncles and your aunts loved him. So at one point you gave it a chance because everyone you thought was cool was listening to the smiths or Morrissey . It was our little cool cultural underground secret It’s that simple.
That makes sense. When I first activley started listening to The Smiths and Morrissey, it wasn't because Morrissey's family immigrated to the UK. I had no idea about his background, I just like their music. It just so happens that Latinos like good music, haha.
I have friends who were into R&B and I would play The Smiths and they liked the sound. It's a catchy beat.
I wish I would've known more about the Mexican's' love of Moz, because when I was there in March (Playa del Carmen, 6th Avenue), there were mariachis everywhere, and I would've paid handsomely to hear some. It's cool though, like Moz, I've fallen in love with the Mexicans, and latinos in general, more than before.
Regular Guy reviews nah man Morrissey was not underground lol when bona drag came out and then vaxhual and I they had major commercial success on KROQ. Simply Morrissey Is like a euro paisa . His lyrics are like Mexican lyrics and we relate to that . He even dresses like that uncle that was a rebel but still thinks he’s in 95.
@@rexdinarocky I agree, Morrissey wasn't that underground, it was all over KROQ, but he wasn't paisa and neither are his lyrics, that is a stretch to make some kinda connection, I wouldn't have even listened to them if it was Paisa because that wasn't my thing.
VIVA MEXICO : )
Viva Morrissey!!!!
It’s he on lip sync?
why is this a TED talk?
"This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community."
John James Ant-Man wanted to know
¿Neta, Morrissey de sangre Chiva? ¿Más que Man U? El Morrissey pa´que se oiga más Chicano. o no ?
Well, I know who Morrissey is.
Any east la bar? Ha
I remember you on either Russianvids, Jeff C or Dave Johnson comment sections .
@@chickenalaking1319 way cool. Yup....how right have those guys turned out to be? Jeff died, poor fellow. He always gave me shill vibes, but he did speak a lot of truth. Thanks for saying hi!!
I couldn't take him serious since 0:12 lol sorry guy
Sophomoric, at best.
I think it was terrible.
I like how this is over analyzed. Let me simplify it for you. It's just a Mexican culture fad in the Socal Mexican 2nd Generation community. Let me list some of them for you. 1. Sports=RAIDERS , Dodgers, Mexican National Soccer team. 2. PETS= PITBULLS, Chihuahua. 3. CAR= CAMERO, Nissan Sentra. 4. MUSIC .. Social Distortion, Morrissey. They are followers of their culture like every other culture.They like him because their friends do. But not in any way TRUE fans. They know and care nothing about Manchester , Oscar Wilde, England or anything Morrissey sings about. Another thing is they were never once into the Smiths. It was only when Morrissey first came out solo with his Rockabilly band image that they adopted him. 2nd Gen mexicans love rockabilly and 50,60's white american image stuff. Classic cars ect...
You couldn't be more wrong! Latinos, Mexicans we're all over the place as far as pop culture, music, literature etc. Those are very broad generalizations. We aren't homogenous, monolithic. As far as Morrissey/The Smiths he is smart in going where the money is. He's actually really big in Israel.
you sound like a bitter know it all my dude....
This is creepy