Coming To Israel!

Better Late Than Never
published on ynetnews.com, 4.14.2008

Morrissey is coming to Israel, for real this time. After numerous last-minute cancellations, The Smiths' former lead singer to try new songs on Israeli audience

This 20-year ritual feels like a long déjà vu; every summer, an announcement goes out that Morrissey, former lead singer of The Smiths and key new wave musician, is coming to Israel, and every year the Israeli audience is once again disappointed by the last-minute cancellation.

Perhaps this ritual will end this year. After long negotiations between the musician's managers and producer Shuki Weiss, a single performance has been booked for July 29 in Tel-Aviv. The venue has yet to be determined, but the producers swear: This time it's for real.

In an exclusive interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, Morrissey said he had never been to Israel and was very excited. He has been trying to make it here for so many years now, he noted, but his last two albums have been so successful, his tours in the US and Europe left him no time to come to Israel. As soon as he found an opening in his schedule, he jumped at the opportunity.

His concert in Israel is part of "The Morrissey Greatest Hits Tour" he has been touring with throughout Europe. His concert will open with warming acts by Israeli musicians, and as a special promotion stunt, he even got an Israeli tattoo on his arm.

Morrissey said he is going to play songs from his entire musical repertoire, but asks Israeli audiences to be patient as he tries his new songs on them.

Steven Patrick Morrissey, known as Morrissey, is nearing 50. His mythological group, the Smiths, was a success in Britain, Ireland and Australia during the eighties, and later on in the US. They eventually split following a dispute between Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr.

Morrissey has also been very successful as a solo artist, and his albums have sold millions of copies around the world.