This article features a short interview with Van Morrison, where he challenges his widely perceived image as a perpetually serious and grumpy individual. He asserts that this image is "totally absurd," pointing out the humor present in his work and live performances. He playfully describes himself as a "glass half-full" kind of person, contrasting with his established public persona. The article concludes with a surprising moment: Van Morrison removes his glasses, smiles, and expresses his enjoyment of the interview, eliciting astonishment from those present. The article also promotes his 37th studio album, "Roll with the Punches," set for release on September 22nd.
But no matter how many cheery pictures of him appear, Morrison suspects he will never lose his reputation for being a colossal grouch. “I think there’s been so much written about me being dead serious and never smiling and all the rest of it that the label’s never going to go away. Which is totally absurd because there’s a lot of humour in my work – at least I think there is – and as people who come to my gigs know, there’s a lot of humour there too.”
So are you saying that you’re actually more of a glass half-full sort of fellow, rather than a glass half-empty one?
“I would – yeah!”
Our time is up and as I pack up my recorder, something else unexpected happens. Van Morrison takes off his dark glasses and looks faintly puzzled for a moment before breaking into a grin.
“Do you know, I enjoyed that,” he announces.
No one reacts, not at first. And then a wave of astonishment – and relief – seems to sweep through the room.
Roll with the Punches, Van Morrison’s 37th studio album, is out on Sept 22; pre-order at vanmorrison.com
If you often open multiple tabs and struggle to keep track of them, Tabs Reminder is the solution you need. Tabs Reminder lets you set reminders for tabs so you can close them and get notified about them later. Never lose track of important tabs again with Tabs Reminder!
Try our Chrome extension today!
Share this article with your
friends and colleagues.
Earn points from views and
referrals who sign up.
Learn more