By Seamus Duff
Morrissey has paid tribute to Steve Wright - thanking the late DJ for never being afraid to play music.
The 64-year-old frontman of The Smiths has heralded the death of Steve at 69 as the end of an era. Taking to social media on Wednesday following the shock news of the BBC Radio 2 host’s passing, Morrissey shared his fondest memories of the radio presenter - saying that he always treated him with respect and kindness.
Morrissey appeared distraught over the recent deaths of other great radio hosts - including Annie Nightingale who died last month aged 83, Janice Long who died in December 2021 aged 66, and controversial late DJ John Peel who died in October 2004 aged 65. Morrissey has been releasing music with The Smiths since the early 1980s - but some of their music proved to be controversial with their 1987 song Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before being banned by the BBC.
Writing on his website, Morrissey shared a picture of a T-shirt bearing Steve's face alongside The Smiths lyrics and thanked Steve for playing his music. He wrote via Threads: "Steve Wright, Annie Nightingale, Janice Long, John Peel … a generation gone.
“I once bumped into Steve outside Woolworths in Henley-on-Thames. He said 'what the hell are YOU doing here?' and I replied 'precisely.' During an interview he edited out diarist when I mis-pronounced it as diary-ist … he resisted the perfect opportunity to make fun of me.
“He played 'I Have Forgiven Jesus' and 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore' when no other radio DJ would. Great minds play the music, small minds block the music. But it's too late for compliments now. Appreciating the living is still a ludicrous concept for most people, alas."
The Smiths even wrote a song about Steve - which was titled Panic. Morrissey and bandmate Johnny Marr, 60, were frustrated when the radio host played the Wham! song I’m Your Man after news of the Chernobyl Disaster broke. Johnny recalled previously: "I remember actually saying, 'What the f**k has this got to do with people's lives?' We hear about Chernobyl, then, seconds later, we're expected to jump around to I'm Your Man?” The song includes the lyrics “Hang the blessed DJ” and The Smiths subsequently released a t-shirt with a portrait of Steve Wright and the phrase "Hang the DJ!"
Steve’s shock passing was announced on Tuesday via a statement from his family. They wrote: "It is with deep sorrow and profound regret that we announce the passing of our beloved Steve Wright. In addition to his son, Tom, and daughter, Lucy, Steve leaves behind his brother, Laurence and his father Richard.
"Also, much-loved close friends and colleagues, and millions of devoted radio listeners who had the good fortune and great pleasure of allowing Steve into their daily lives as one of the UK's most enduring and popular radio personalities. As we all grieve, the family requests privacy at this immensely difficult time."
On Wednesday, it was revealed that his body had been found on Monday after the alarm was raised. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson told MailOnline: “We were called at 10.07am on Monday 12 February to reports of an incident. We sent a number of resources to the scene. Very sadly, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.”
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