Criticizes Smith, Sheeran’s spontaneity
Morrissey laments the dearth of spontaneous, uncontrolled musicians, citing Smith and Sheeran as examples:
There are no bands or singers who become successful without overwhelming marketing. There are no surprise success stories. Everything is stringently controlled, obvious and predictable and has exactly the same content. So, we are now in the era of marketed pop stars, which means that the labels fully control the charts, and consequently the public has lost interest. It’s very rare that a record label does something for the good of music. Thus we are force-fed such as Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, which at least means that things can’t possibly get any worse. It is sad, though. There’s no spontaneity now, and it all seems to be unsalvageable.
Time Out Hong Kong interview
Sheeran gives an interview to Time Out Hong Kong. He discusses talking to the media, the Brit Awards, and fame.
[talking to the media] is not too bad in places like Hong Kong, because people are very polite and not dinky [cheeky]. But in England, I’ve just learned to not trust journalists. I just found I was really pally with some of them, and we’d go out for drinks every now and then. And for the first four months there’d be no stories and then every now and then, something would pop up. I’ve just learned not to do it. Everything becomes a quote.
On Air interview
Sheeran is interviewed by Seacrest during the program. He talks about performing at the KIIS FM Jingle Ball:
It was a good event to play, but all I did was smile a couple of times and the papers made it out for me being some goofy teenager being there all happy. It was fun, but for me it was work because I was performing. I’m like five-foot-eight and most of those girls are like six-foot-one. I felt like a hobbit in the Elven Kingdom.
Thinking Out Loud performance
Sheeran performs an acoustic version of Thinking Out Loud during On Air With Ryan Seacrest from his album X.
Ed Sheeran interview
Seacrest interview Sheeran during On Air With Ryan Seacrest and questions him about why he dissed Miley Cyrus at the VMAs.
Well, I don’t know why people were expecting that [high-five]. I’ve never met her. There was a high-five between me and Scooter [Braun] because I know him, and that was the only high-five. I don’t know what people we’re expecting. I think she’s a fantastic artist. I think she’s got a great voice, writes great songs.
Ed Sheeran interview
Seacrest interviews Sheeran during On Air With Ryan Seacrest and questions him on what it was like to work with Hilary Duff.
The only time I was available was 1 a.m. and she was a trooper. She came in, she vocaled it, and yeah, I’m very, very happy with the results. And I hope she is too!
Ed Sheeran interview
Seacrest interviews Sheeran during On Air With Ryan Seacrest and questions him about the artist he most wants to work with.
I went in with Timbaland just to kind of play him music and talk about stuff, but he was doing the [Justin] Timberlake and Jay Z albums at that time, so we didn’t get to make music. So I’d like to go in with him in the future.
Ed Sheeran interview
Seacrest interviews Sheeran during On Air With Ryan Seacrest and questions him about his inspiration for the single Sing.
I feel like I was veering off in one direction with that song to kind of make it a very R&B song. I wanted to pull it back and make it English, which is why I put the rap in it. [Sing is about] Someone I met in Vegas. It was last summer. We went out for food afterwards sushi.
Ed Sheeran interview
Seacrest interviews Sheeran during On Air With Ryan Seacrest. During the interview, Seacrest asks him questions about his album, working with Elton John, and his American tour with Taylor Swift.
I was in America for 11-and-a-half months, which as an Englishman is quite a tough thing to do. I lived in Nashville for six months, I lived in L.A. for three months and New York for two.
