Smell of Meat Forces Morrissey Off Stage at Coachella
Morrissey at the Coachella Festival.
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Vegan* singer Morrissey left the stage at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on Friday, April 17, when he smelled meat being cooked nearby. The former Smiths frontman told the audience that he could "smell burning flesh . . . And I hope to God it's human," before leaving the stage. Morrissey did return to the stage later and finished his set.
I first heard of the Smiths when their 1985 album "Meat is Murder" came out, just months after I became vegetarian. For those who can't understand how the smell of meat might be so offensive, the lyrics to the title track offer Morrissey's view: "Kitchen aromas aren't very homely / It's not comforting, cheery or kind / It's sizzling blood and the unholy stench of murder."
Morrissey elaborates in a PETA interview:
Please don’t kill anything. These are pathetically basic words but get through your life without killing things and killing animals and dragging animals down, making them pay for your pleasures—they’re mostly trivial pleasures as well—it’s not anything that anybody really needs. We were all raised with that concept that animals are there to be used, but they’re not. It’s just the dreadful industries that do it.
The PETA site also has a nice image of Morrissey's handwritten lyrics to "Meat is Murder."
Morrissey's current album is titled "Years of Refusal" (Buy Direct), and his "Greatest Hits" album (Buy Direct) came out last year.
*Update: There seems to be contradictory informtion on the internet as to whether Morrissey is vegan or vegetarian. If anyone has information from a reliable source, please post a comment. Thank you!
Comments
this particular topic is extremely sensitive to both, the people who do not eat mean , and to those who do.
As a professinal, I am afraid that I have got to balance. Humans are, in fact, omnivores. Eating both meat and vegatation. I am in a situation that requires me to cook for a number of people, in a boardng home facility, that are not vegans, and happen to like to like meat.
I am not a famous, or on stage, with the ability to just walk away from my job because meat is being cooked. I do not eat meat simply because, I cannot remember a time when I really ‘liked’ the taste of it. Along with knowing about where it comes from and methods used to bring it to people’s tables.
I am strongly opposed to animal abuse and torture in any shape or form. Unfortunantly, the rest of the world ignores exactly how the meat they are eating was raised, and the method for which it becomes available.
Short truth. Most people do not care. Especially the religious ones that claim that their god gave humans “dominion” over other animals and the belief that is what they are here for.
These people will never consider the idea of having a meal without meat. The do not want to know how, where, and through what manner that meat is brought to their local grocery stores. And if you inform them, while they may pretend to listion and be ‘grossed out’, their next plate of food will contain meat on it.
Sad fact is that there is an overall feeling of that “i don’t care” attitude and I am certain that these people have never beared witness to just how awful and disgusting of a life the meat they are eating endured for their unecessary purposes.
Human are not a species that handles change, of any kind very well. Because of this, it is my opinion that the slaughters will continue through out time.
I am not an “In your face” type person, who preaches concerning my ideas onto others. When I am asked why I do not eat meat, I tell the truth, in a civil manner, and let them absorb that information.
As I said, my current position does not allow for me to really ‘go off’ and get vocal about the whole thing. I have found that doing this only puts people on the defense and does not in any way educate them.
People, in general, care only about what they want, without regard to the idea of what they are wanting, and how it gets to them. Humans are selfish, and uncaring where animals are concerned, in general. They are “just animals”. “That is why “god” put them here, for us to do as we wish with.” And when it comes to people and their bibles, you cannot convence them of anything otherwise.
“Dominion”, in my opinion does not mean, ‘at the mercy of’, or to drive to extinction. It means to care, nurture, and protect. Most humans have no idea what an impact it makes on so many other species, including humans, when one species is driven to extinction. They have no clue as to just how much EVERY species relys heavily on another. I am afraid we are living in a world where the idea of killing animals is just an average, ordinary and even natural thing to do.
It is very sad, and it upsets me more often than anyone could know, but I cannot change the world, nor can I save it. I can do what I do, and that is all.
The danger in extremist animal rights groups is, that they are viewed as being just that. Extremist, and not many people care to listen to their dictative, and sometimes aggressive ways of how they express themselves. Therefore, they are realy not recognized as being approachable or worthy of being listened to.
There has got to be some sort of middle ground involved that allows both parties to “discuss” issues instead of a launch of full force attempts, demanding that every one should change to fit what they (we) think is right. Being diplomatic and approaching things in such a way, I believe goes much further than extreme actions that simply turn people away from listening to what is being presented and then labels those with an interest concerning the rights of animals as complete ‘idiots’?
I applaud Morrissey for leaving the stage. It was his right to do that because he was sickened by the smell of burning flesh. Believe me, I know the feeling. Lately, I can’t even watch meat commercials on television.
Now, does that make us extremists? I don’t believe it does. I do not eat dead animals and I do not abuse living ones. Animals have the right to an existence free of fear, pain and slavery. So do people!! I feel that the people in many countries – especially women and children – are treated as something less than human, less than the autonomous beings that they are.
I believe that if you are an animal rights or animal welfare activist you are also a human rights activist. There is no way to separate one from the other. Animals do not exist for our use. People do not exist for the use of stronger, violent people either. I have stood up for down-trodden people and I stand up for abused and slaughtered animals.
I am more active for animals, but I do not reject or look down upon the poor, the sick, the weary people out there. We need to address homelessness, starvation, diseases that people in wealthier countries would vomit upon hearing about. It’s all out there.
There is work enough for all of us to do! Those of us who work for animals look forward to the day when that will not be necessary. We can then turn all of our energy towards people, the environment, making the earth healthy again. We can all become activists for life itself.
But that day is far off. Some work for animals, some for people, but both need to be aware of the other and to support them.
I would not be a good animal rights/welfare activist if I did not care about people. And yes, I combine rights and welfare. Abuse is abuse and it is wrong wherever it strikes.
I challenge those who want to give up or who say the fight is too difficult to get some rest and then stand up for the right thing, the side of life that is good and moral.
Everything we do has a consequence. Every petition you click on has meaning. It has been proved effective that this form of activism has value. Do whatever you can in your area of interest. You will find that it will expand and eventually cover everything. Morality does that. Learning does that. Caring does that.
Stand up! Speak up! Speak and work for the greater good of animals and people. It will come back to you again and again.
Love him, what a great guy. He’s new album is fantastic as well. Thanks for posting this item Doris.
The smell of meat cooking doesn’t bother me so much, but the smell of raw fish makes me gag. He’s an artist – needs to breathe! Didn’t Britney just walk out of a concert because of all the pot smoke recently? I can imagine how annoying it would be as a performer. Not to compare Morrissey to Britney, of course….
meat is not murder dont know what he is talking about
Meat is murder to some, but not me. I understand where he’s coming from though as I was once a vegan myself – times have changed that – but I still see myself as active in animal right.
Have you heard of the supreme court case about the sporting dog videos of pigs and animals being killed by dogs AND how they are fighting it saying it a violation of free speech – sickening.
I wrote about it in an animal rights blog I just started (but not as good as yours!!!) – dogandpetrescueblog.blogspot.com
Also FYI – Dogpile.com and Dogreatgood are donating a portion of every search to the Humane Society & Petfinders – as well as $200,000 to the ASPCA this year alone.
Now we can help by searching there instead of the BIGGER guys!!!
Continue to spread the word – it’s great!!!!
I am living proof that one can actually be envolved in issues such as animal welfare, without regard to welfare concerning that of humans. There is a huge difference between a lifestlyle of eating no meat and harming no animals, and those who create these outragous campaigns, shouting and screaming about animal cruelty, animal rights, and as for animal welfare, I believe it is in a different catagory from animal rights.
Making such an “extreme” statement as some of the larger animal rights groups predictably do, at every chance available, really does turn people off. No one is going to pay attention to such obnoxious voices and visuals, and therefore, no one will be educated. Sticking to the professional route of teaching and educating instead of screamning and flashing graphic posters, will certainly attract a larger audiance. The minute someone gets in my face, I turn off. I know longer take in any information and I am, if anything, even more opposed to their views.
So, yes, I could care less for humans. We could all be wiped out in the next five minutes and from wherever I may be in death, I would feel much better about a future for this planet without humans in it.
There is nothing pure about humans. Once they are born, they are shaped according to their environment and consequences to behavior and actions. In the human world, the focus is on that is which considered in the english language to be “negitive” or “repulsive.” Naturally, people, being what they are, ‘monkey see, monkey do’. If it is happening on the TV or the Big screen, or large groups of people are getting attention for it, it must be good, right?
This is the way people think. How many news channels have you watch 24hrs of non stop “Good News”? Uplifting, heart warming, heroic, and all things mushy, stories, with no mention of how many were killed, how bad our environment is suffering, the economy, the war, and all of the many other topics that people seem to want to thrive on.
I hate people, and yes, I hate being a person. I am ashamed of what species I happened to be born into. The species that ironiclly claims highest intelligence on the planet and yet continues to destroy it. Please, someone explain where intelligence could possibly exist in that equation? I do not socialize with other people, other than when forced to, and I avoid any close contact even in that situation. Humans are the most dangerous animal ever to have existed and yet they insist that the very reason they are dangerous is due to their “knowledge” and ongoing technology that breeds nothing but more destucition at every level.
Yes dear, I can be for animals, excluding those of the human type.
I do not care who gets killed in a car wreck, or falls from a bridge, or rather my favorite, killed by a wild animal because they wanted to get a “better” picture of that animal and got too close. I absolutely celebrate hunting accidents and encourage everyone to just kill every other person they get the chance to kill. I think it is great, because it is rewarding to see that my idea of humans is correct and validates my reasoning for dispising them in the first place. People are just stupid. plain and simple. They should do the earth a favor and launch an all out nuclear war, erradicating every single human life on the planet. yes, it would also kill off other animals as well, but 100,000 years from now, evolution will have taken place, once again, and hopefully will not produce any bi-pedal, upright standing, opposing thumbed creatures who insist on be incontent with what they have, always wanting to find something bigger, better, faster, more exciting , more convienent, less challeging, and all other reasons to remain lazy, both physically and mentally. Perhaps a species that is just happy and content to simply live and find contentment in doing so. Instead of what humans are and always have been, selfish, greedy, fearful, jealous, angry and having no compassion for anything other than their own personal desires, invading the territory of other animals, and then making it “ok” to kill those animals for wandering on to what has always been familiar to them before. Making idiotic excuses for killing animals because their natural predaters no longer exists, while it was because of hunting those predators that eliminated them in the first place. And the ever so popular idea that animals need to be culled out for their own protection. They know how to self regulate. It is the “intelligent” humans that continue to breed and breed, with no regard for where housing for their offspring is going to have to be built and how it will further disrupt wildlife populations.
Kiss em good-bye folks. Wild life is all but completely Dead Life. It will not be much longer until only animals that humans deem worthy of existing will be around. And that is a far stretch for humans to declare any being other than themselves, even other humans, worthy of existing among each other.
I cannot see why others can not see this in your face fact. I guess it harms the ego of even the most active of activist to think they are considered to be so awful. But honestly, humans are awful, wake up and smell the beer they drink.
This is ridiculous. Meat is delicious, not murder. And to say that he hopes the burning flesh is human, and not an animal just shows that he’s a nut job, not that he’s caring and peaceful. Why don’t you go protest on the Savanna where lions prey on antelope, ripping them limb from limb while they are still alive? Or to the ocean where Sharks devour fish, again, while they are alive. How about crocodiles? Or polar bears? Why not round up all the cats and lock ‘em away for preying on poor defenseless rodents and birds. Have you ever watched a rodent? I have one as a pet. They are ALWAYS afraid. Go tell these animals that they don’t need to be afraid. In the largest case, humans aren’t the ones eating them. But if humans did eat them, they would at least be killed in the most humane way possible after having been raised in an environment where they never had to worry about finding food or being ripped apart while they screamed a warning to their friends an families because they lived in the wild where a painful, drawn-out death haunts them constantly.
And stop calling meat “flesh” as though that somehow makes it unpalatable. It doesn’t. My mouth is watering right now.
I will eat meat until the day I die for a number of reasons. 1. It tastes great! 2. Since my father-in-law raises pigs on a pig farm and my stepfather has raised animals for food, I know for a fact that not all animals are treated poorly. In fact, animals that are treated well and are content produce the best meat and make the farmer the most money. 3. Animals were given as food, by God, after the flood. (A great deal of you folks probably don’t even believe in God or the flood. This of course leads to the question of who gave these animals the rights you insist they have? If it was us, then we can take them away (but in fact, since nearly every grocery store has a meat section, it would suggest that not even we have given them these rights.)
The whole “be vegan because it’s right” movement in intellectually bankrupt and dishonest. If you’re vegan because you want to be, that’s one thing, but don’t act like it’s the morally high ground because it’s not. Animals die, and usually they die horribly. If not from us, then from other animals. Or maybe we should just segregate them and lock them all away so that they can be protected from each other.
I agree animals should not be abused. But their meat is good for food, and until it isn’t I and my house will eat it.
Yesterday I walked through the meat section of my local market – something I rarely do because it’s conveniently off to one side and I can shop without ever going near it. But the crowds forced me to walk this space to get from one side of the store to another.
The experience was surreal. It was an absolute 180 degree turnaround. I had never viewed these packs of red dripping meat as flesh, pieces of animal carcass so vividly as I did yesterday. It was almost painful to see them and to see people handling them.
Once your eyes are opened, the inhumanity humans display in the supermarket is overwhelming. I’m glad that I can see it for what it is – animals dying and being cut up into chunks so that they can be piled on styrofoam trays and wrapped in plastic for people who only want to see them as food and couldn’t stand one minute in a slaughterhouse without vomiting on their feet.
I was there in Coachella.. Morrissey it’s an Hipocrit, He was wearing Leather Shoes and a Leather Belt… What he is telling us.. it’s not ok to kill animals for food, but it’s ok to killed them for fashion. F***ing Hipocrit
Hi, Francisco,
Thanks for your comment.
Are you sure the belt and shoes were leather? I’m constantly being accused of having leather shoes or a leather purse when I’m using my fake leather stuff.
since when was moz a vegan, he’s a vegearian!
Thanks for your comment, Joed.
I just posted an update, since there seems to be contradictory information on the internet.