En helt spesiell kjærlighet

Morrissey og ensomhet

Abstract

The British artist Morrissey started his career in the early 1980s as the singer in the band The Smiths, and has since become a cult icon with a still growin fan base. This article looks at the icon from a fan point of view. My vantage point for studying fandom is the assumption that fandom arises when someone recognises their own views and opinions in something or someone else. Hence, each fandom must be studied on its own terms, be it sports fans, music fans, or fans of different teams and musicians. I claim that Morrissey fandom is, among other things, based on an identification with being different and with loneliness. In the article I look at how this is expressed by different fans. I analyse their use of Morrissey's lyrics to make sense of their lives and emotions, and I also look at how Morrissey's language and use of italics and capital letters in the album sleeves communicate different meanings to the fans.