Van Morrison: Any Positive Stories?

The Belfast Cowboy comes in for a lot of stick, both here and elsewhere - much of it justified, perhaps.

'Not a nice guy' even by his own estimation, George Ivan seems to have spent most of his career in a state of fuming resentment over slights both real and perceived, rip-offs and broken business/romantic entanglements.

His attitude toward his back catalogue - and, by extension, to his fans - has been the subject of a recent thread on these board.

But - has anyone got anything positive to say about him? I get the impression that the curmudgeonliness has stepped up several gears in the last two decades - he never used to be as inaccessible as he is now and I can recall interviews where he came across as intelligent and informative (though never effusive).

He once described himself as 'an introvert in an extroverted business'. I can sympathise with that!

Also - my one experience of Van in concert was a good one: he played a decent-length greatest hits type set, seemed to be very happy with his band and sent all the punters (including me) home happy.

Anyone got a 'good' Van story/experience to relate?

 

I found this story-

As the late Farrah Fawcett, a big Van Morrison fan, was battling the cancer that would eventually take her life, Morrison heard that she would be unable to attend his concerts in Los Angeles because of her condition. So he had the shows filmed and sent her copies for at-home viewing. It was a mutual love affair – Farrah had been a fan of Van's music since the '70s, and Van himself was a fan of her film work, especially in 'The Apostle.'

 

Well, I saw him eating scrambled eggs once in the 90s. Finished the plate, thanked the waitress, didn't make any outlandish requests and left without having caused a fuss.

Is this a record?

 

This could be one of the shortest threads ever

 

Morrison apparently said of himself; "Hello darlin' I never said I was a nice guy''.

 

I listened to a record of his once and I like it.

Does that count?

 

In pictures: Van Morrison gets freedom of Belfast...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24965229

 

I love a lot of his music and that's enough. If we were to be flatmates or similar I'd have other demands.

 

When he played North Sea Jazz last year the sound went down during most of "Enlightenment". My dad and I feared that he would stop the show, since it took the engineers several minutes to fix it and some of the audience started booing. But he kept on playing and apologized to the audience when the song was over.

 

He's given me a great deal more than I have given him. Keep on keeping on Van!

Tim

 

He created the Moondance album, including all of the outtakes on the remarkable new 5 disc set that I can't get out of my player because it's so great. Plus, he records with Georgie Fame, who must like him. And he wrote Have I Told You Lately That I Love You, which Rod Stewart recorded, temporarily preventing him from covering Sometimes When We Touch for one of those crap songbook albums.

 

He gave the world a never-ending laugh with his outfit in The Last Waltz. How can you not love a guy who'd wear that?

 

It would be nice if he was a bit more well liked but honestly I only care about his music.

There are a lot of music artists who are not the nicest people..

 

Put on the last song on the Wavelength album, "Take It Where You Find It" and even the God above will forgive him all his faults.

 

Plus the high kicks towards the end of the song.

 

That was a great performance too!

 

Van at his very best behaviour here. But who wouldn't be in her company...
http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/991047

 

I saw him at Irving Plaza in 2004 when 'What's Wrong With This Picture?' came out. A great show.

He did insist that the bar remained closed while he performed though!

A local radio DJ got the guts up to approach him at an after party once- Van was sitting in a chair and the DJ went up to him "Excuse me Mr Morrision, I just want to say how much I enjoy your music" his response?

"#%^* off"

Same DJ said a friend of his was at a dinner party with Van and didn't know who he was "So what do you do?"
Van "Im a singer"
Lady; "oh. Have you got a record out?"
Van; "yeah, a few"

 

Let that boy high kick. It's in him, and it's gotta come out him.

Right on. He's not the only butthole to have made many fantastic records. When he croaks, he'll finally get Miles Davis to play behind him.

 

Classic!

 

On the other hand, I heard that Van had Farrah's iconic poster and did naughty things to himself while ogling it.

Wait, was that Van -- or me?

 

In Van's defense he never told fans he was going to definitely release material or oop albums and then not come through like another artist who's initials are N and Y.

 

He's given us that great smile!