Morrissey Central "FRIDAY 26 JULY" (April 13, 2024)

On Friday 26 July, Warner Records will re-issue Morrissey's 1993 live in Paris album, Beethoven Was Deaf. The release is global, and the album will be available on CD, black vinyl, and orange vinyl.
The album originally reached #13 in England, but was not released in the U.S. The venue is the Zenith in Paris.

Two special event concerts are planned to launch the July release. Please watch this site for details. New sleeve above.

Beethoven Was Deaf to be reissued: https://www.morrisseycentral.com/messagesfrommorrissey/friday-26-july

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Media item:

• NME: Morrissey announces live album reissue and teases “two special event concerts" - April 17, 2024

 

[Phranc & Open]

I will not buy the RSD Interlude rerelease and the rereleased Bethoven. And I am a die hard collector. But enough is enough. I am very angry about Moz.

#Me2.

 

[ninetimesfined]

It’s like someone googled ‘Morrissey Zenith’ and then didn’t realise the picture is from like 16 years after the concert recorded for this album.

 

[Like_Elvis_In_The_Movies]

I will not buy the RSD Interlude rerelease and the rereleased Bethoven. And I am a die hard collector. But enough is enough. I am very angry about Moz.

I’m not sure Morrissey will have much say / power over the record company which owns the rights , reissuing those works.

 

[Phranc & Open]

Why showing an ill-advised back cover of a planned CD reissue with wrong informations (Paris), no tracklist and a photo from 2006? Does he think we don't care or is he really out of his mind? This is cheap, rushed and senseless in any way. No matter who started the idea, he supports it.

 

[JoeSellMozza]

I’m not sure Morrissey will have much say / power over the record company which owns the rights , reissuing those works.

But he could have released BoT or WOMTWD long a ago on a small label. But he doesn‘t care about his remaining fans anymore.

 

[TonyWhiteJr]

"Live in Paris", not exactly. Several songs were actually recorded in London a few days before.

There's always someone somewhere with a big nose who knows.

 

[Phranc & Open]

Warner: Hey Mozzer, we can put out Beethoven again. Be supportive, play special concerts, choose your new artwork for the reissue and if we're going to sell...let's say 25.000 copies...we might release your new stuff.
Poor old Moz, he had no choice.

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Warner: Hey Mozzer, we can put out Beethoven again. Be supportive, play special concerts, choose your new artwork for the reissue and if we're going to sell...let's say 25.000 copies...we might release your new stuff.
Poor old Moz, he had no choice.

25,000 copies?!

 

[Phranc & Open]

25,000 copies?!
View attachment 103348

Sorry 2.500.

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Sorry 2.500.

 

[Orange Crush]

It’s like someone googled ‘Morrissey Zenith’ and then didn’t realise the picture is from like 16 years after the concert recorded for this album.

They should have put Rick Astley on the cover.

 

[CJM]

This looks, yet again, like an own goal for team Morrissey. Beethoven Was Deaf is a great live album with artwork that really does not need to be tampered with. (Much like Bona Drag, Southpaw Grammar, Maladjusted…) While I welcome a reissue, it could have been done so, so much better! Just imagine the possibilities...

• Disc 1: The complete Astoria performance from 20 Dec 1992 (half of which is already on the album, and a good soundboard recording exists).
• Disc 2: The complete soundboard recording from La Zenith, 22 Dec 1992.
• Release these as a Beethoven Was Deaf: Deluxe Edition or such; surely this would pique interest?
• And then… just imagine! Advance orders receive a live, limited release EP of 3 or 4 live “new” songs, from his "forthcoming" albums. (Which have already been heavily bootlegged anyway).

Surely this would secure promising sales and near guarantee a brief top spot in the Live Vinyl Album Chart. (If such a thing exists)? Oh well, he’ll never learn…

 

[Thewlis]

Just listened to it again for the first time in years, but what a glorious live album BWD is! All killer and no filler.

 

[gashonthenail]

Have never been a fan of the live album genre. Especially when the live album is basically just live versions of songs on studio albums or singles. I did buy BWD back in 1993 when it was released, but it was never an album that I loved. I will occasionally listen to a live album that contains songs never recorded in the studio by the artist, or, versions of songs that are significantly different from the studio version - a good example of such a live album is the 1969: Velvet Underground Live double album. But BWD I could always take or leave to be honest. As I say, same goes for live albums in general. 'Spoken word' live albums I do have time for. For example, the recording of Frankie Howerd at the Establishment Club from 1963 is a live album worth having. Absolute classic. With a very drunk Peter Cook laughing hysterically in the background.

 

[Roman Holiday]

Have never been a fan of the live album genre. Especially when the live album is basically just live versions of songs on studio albums or singles. I did buy BWD back in 1993 when it was released, but it was never an album that I loved.

What about Rank? I think the live versions of I Know It's Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again, and in fact most of the songs from The Queen Is Dead are infinitely better than the studio versions, significantly for replacing the acoustic guitars with electric. For this reason TQID is probably the Smiths album I've listened to the least.

Beethoven Was Deaf shows what a great influence Mick Ronson was on Morrissey's band. On the Kill Uncle tour, they had a tinny, rockabilly twang. After Your Arsenal, they had that gorgeous glam-fuzz stomp. And the live versions of Such a Little Thing and Jack the Ripper on Beethoven have it all over the studio versions. Morrissey even made the latter the definitive release of the song.

I agree with you about live albums with a lot of drunken/spoken word. Take No Prisoners is one of my favorite Lou Reed live albums (forgiving its awful cover).

 

[Luxo]

Fantastic news, but what a shocking sleeve mockup.

 

[gashonthenail]

What about Rank? I think the live versions of I Know It's Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again, and in fact most of the songs from The Queen Is Dead are infinitely better than the studio versions, significantly for replacing the acoustic guitars with electric. For this reason TQID is probably the Smiths album I've listened to the least.

Beethoven Was Deaf shows what a great influence Mick Ronson was on Morrissey's band. On the Kill Uncle tour, they had a tinny, rockabilly twang. After Your Arsenal, they had that gorgeous glam-fuzz stomp. And the live versions of Such a Little Thing and Jack the Ripper on Beethoven have it all over the studio versions. Morrissey even made the latter the definitive release of the song.

I agree with you about live albums with a lot of drunken/spoken word. Take No Prisoners is one of my favorite Lou Reed live albums (forgiving its awful cover).

Yes, I always liked Rank for Morrissey doing a bit of Elvis. Worth buying for that alone.

 

[MoneyChangesEverything]

Bloody awful cover. It's not even from the same f***ing DECADE.

 

[Southport Grandma]

Parlophone (AKA Warners) have been used to release bits prior.
I saw a comment elsewhere regarding mending any relationship with Warners - not convinced myself. They've had the ability to release things (and have), plus sometimes these messages look like Central getting in first. They'll be happy if it 'charts', but as per previous times, won't give clear information and may not even be involved at all (just not going as far as to say 'don't buy' as with other releases).
Just a hunch.
FWD.

Shame he can’t leverage a deal for the new solo stuff against agreeing to more Smiths releases like the Queen is Dead box set.

 

[sander]

This looks, yet again, like an own goal for team Morrissey. Beethoven Was Deaf is a great live album with artwork that really does not need to be tampered with. (Much like Bona Drag, Southpaw Grammar, Maladjusted…) While I welcome a reissue, it could have been done so, so much better! Just imagine the possibilities...

• Disc 1: The complete Astoria performance from 20 Dec 1992 (half of which is already on the album, and a good soundboard recording exists).
• Disc 2: The complete soundboard recording from La Zenith, 22 Dec 1992.
• Release these as a Beethoven Was Deaf: Deluxe Edition or such; surely this would pique interest?
• And then… just imagine! Advance orders receive a live, limited release EP of 3 or 4 live “new” songs, from his "forthcoming" albums. (Which have already been heavily bootlegged anyway).

Surely this would secure promising sales and near guarantee a brief top spot in the Live Vinyl Album Chart. (If such a thing exists)? Oh well, he’ll never learn…

That´s what I would prefer re: a Deluxe edition with both shows, but could live without the extra EP .