 Few solo recording artists are able to match the successes of their legendary beginnings - even fewer surpass them. Typically, Steven Patrick Morrissey is the exception to the rule. Through each successive solo release and tour since disbanding The Smiths in 1987, Morrissey has self-consciously unburdened himself of that group's legacy, even as he has established himself as a viable artist in his own right - each of his solo albums selling gold or better. With Maladjusted, rock's most "aggressive loner" displays the maturity, ease and confidence of an artist with nothing left to prove. Morrissey embarked on his solo career with the "Suedehead" single and the Viva Hate LP, instant critical favorites on both sides of the Atlantic despite his oft-times contentious relationship with the British press. Once alone in the spotlight, Morrissey actively cultivated his self-made, anti-hero persona - the consummate Englishness, studied vulnerability, the awkward balance between exhibitionist and introvert, the self-proclaimed celibacy, and the quick and charming wit all combined to increase his notoriety and secure a more rabid fan base than ever before. Whether on record or on stage, Morrissey has reveled in his role as rock's most provocative and idiosyncratic prophet, particularly in America where his near-canonization amuses critics, perplexes his detractors and pleases his cult of fans immenselySelling-out American arenas and setting venue box-office records became the norm, though his 22-minute sell-out of the Hollywood Bowl - eclipsing the Beatles' record - was nothing short of spectacular. While the skinhead-themed stage imagery was pretty much overlooked in the U.S., it was widely misconstrued in his homeland and created a furor that has haunted him to this day. Not even the English press vilification of Morrissey and the tour, however, could taint the success of Your Arsenal, his first LP to earn a Grammy nomination (Best Alternative Album). Morrissey was greeted with hugs, kisses and gifts by thousands of fans in London, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago during a brief personal appearance tour at record shops in support of the disc. The outpouring of emotion turned each appearance into a messianic event for the faithful, who slept out for days in anticipation, and kept the uninitiated wondering - a by-now familiar scenario. Like a great fighter in his prime, Morrissey is staying sharp by staying busy. Having released two new studio albums of original material in as many years - along with the ongoing re-release of The Smiths catalogue - he is one of the few artists whose new work is as anticipated as his past work is revered. With the release of Maladjusted, Morrissey has been a solo artist far longer than he was a Smith. No longer burdened by his own history, Morrissey's own evolving creative standard is the only one by which he can now be truly measured.
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