It's taken Morrissey a long time to get to Moscow, but the former frontman from The Smiths finally makes his debut in the city on Wednesday at B1 Maximum.

Rumors have long talked of him playing in Russia. One story says a group of rich Russian businessmen, who for some reason did not like chanson, tried to get him to play, but he refused to come to wild Russia.

However, as his rider for this tour reportedly asks that there be no meat cooked in the club during the concert or the smell of it, no smoking or no photos taken at the concert, perhaps it just took a decade or so to persuade a Moscow club to commit to those dramatic vegetarian, nonsmoking demands.

Morrissey's arrival is not the dogged tour of an ageing, fading star but of a resurgent singer. Out of the limelight for much of the 90s, Morrissey's last three solo albums, "You Are The Quarry," "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" and "Years Of Refusal," have been greeted with much acclaim, and not just by his ever-loyal hard-core fans.

There will still be room for songs such as "How Soon Is Now," "Girlfriend in a Coma" and "This Charming Man" judging by previous concerts on this tour for those wanting to dive back into their tortured teenage years.

Russia is not huge for Morrissey fans, admitted Sergei Kiselyov, 31, a licensing agent who runs the Russian fan web site Morrissey.ru.

"You have to know English very well," he said. "People are trying to understand every word like everywhere else."

Which seems a shame, as Morrissey's lyrics, both in The Smiths and in his solo career -- such as the provincial boredom of "Every Day Is Like Sunday" or revolt at god-awful musical taste in "Panic" -- would seem to be perfect for Russia.

Morrissey has always been an artist that divides people between intense love or intense hate.

Kiselyov's site is definitely in the former camp. Also called the Morrissey Embassy, it is full of bated excitement at his first appearance in the capital.

The site opens with an old Irish song called "Morrissey and the Russian Sailor," which tells the daring tale of how young Morrissey is challenged to a boxing match by said sailor to which he responds, "I can lick you Yankee boys, or your surly Russian bear / To the honor of old Paddy's land, these laurels I still will wear."

It's not quite up to the lyrics of the later Morrissey, but he does go on to beat the Russian to a pulp by the 28th round.

The song, of course, has nothing to do with the singer except for the fact that he has Irish roots and is in Russia right now. Is that perhaps enough for an encore of the song?

"I don't think so," said Kiselyov, giggling at the idea.

The site also includes advice on where to stand to catch Morrissey at the sound check as well as where to download classic films such as the 1950s British northern classic "A Taste of Honey" that have inspired the singer.

Any other Morrissey links to Russia?

He did play in St. Petersburg on Monday. Ne Spat magazine cheekily said The Smiths were a derivative spinoff of Kino, the Soviet-era cult rock group that is still the favorite of every disenchanted Russian teen.

Anything else?

When asked about the Russian faux lesbian pop group t.A.T.u., who did a cover version of The Smiths' classic "How Soon Is Now?", Kiselyov recounted, Morrissey said he hadn't heard them.

"They're Russian lesbians," said his interlocutor as if to explain.

"Aren't we all," said Morrissey.

Morrissey plays B1 Maximum on July 1 at 9 p.m. 11 Ulitsa Ordzhonikidze. Metro Leninsky Prospekt. Tel. 648-6777.