Manager Pete Galli speaks after parting of ways with Morrissey (September 24, 2024)

Pete Galli, who as you know was Morrissey’s manager until a recent parting of ways, tells the Morrissey Mercury exclusively: “It was an honor to work with Morrissey. He is truly a genius and an inspiration.

“As one of the greatest living lyricists, poets, songwriters, performers and personalities, Morrissey also needs to be recognized as one of the greatest animal rights activists in history as well as a beacon for free speech and his unwillingness to compromise on his beliefs and artistic integrity.

“He is the living definition of a true artist and deserves to be respected and honored as a national and international treasure.”

Follow the Morrissey Mercury fanzine and the Morrissey and Wine podcast here: https://linktr.ee/morrisseymercury.
Cheers everyone.

 

[ACTON]

Nice words there. Maybe they parted amicably, or at least Pete seemed to. Moz needs stability on his team, and someone not afraid to say what's in Moz's best interests. Sounds like Pete may have been the closest he'll get to that.

 

[Odbmke]

Why not? I have zero doubt Pete means this.

 

[SuedeMoz]

I think he’s just being professional. No one’s going to hire a manger who badmouths/talks shit about their former clients.

Exactly. I don't even think it necessarily means he was the one sacked.

 

[DaveJCarr]

"..and his unwillingness to compromise on his beliefs and artistic integrity. "

I keep returning this part of the statement. And as I get older, experience more life, and witness others living their lives, I am more and more convinced that in unwillingness to compromise on beliefs and integrity can, in fact, be an obstacle.

There's a difference between a principled stand and intransigence that is completely divorced from reality or nuance. And regularly I find as I think I know what my core values are, and what things I ought are beyond the realm of compromise, it's only because I have friends and people around me who are willing to (affectionately) call me out when I've conflated stubbornness with a principled stand, that I've learned the value in humility, and the idea that I might not always know what is the best course of action at every single moment of my life.

 

[The Alchemist]

Don't talk to me now
about people who are "nice"

 

[Les Tameside]

“his unwillingness to compromise”

I think that’s code for “he’s completely unmanageable”, in showbiz circles.

 

[SteveWS]

'Madman Moz kidnaps ex-manager & forces him to publish pre-written script'

 

[TheHoff]

Maybe. But it could also be that he's chasing after a level success that will vindicate him and silence the world. He has decided, therefore, to part ways with a management company that he is not confident will deliver this for him.

There's, obviously, the risk that what he's turning down is as good as it gets. But maybe Morrissey would rather that than surrender to the idea of luke-warm success being good enough.

Just speculatin'.

He's 65. His last few albums tanked. What 65 year old has a #1 album? #1 single? He also throws every executive at every label under the bus. Let's pretend that there wasn't any cultural issues because of his past comments or beef with the Guardian, Moz has gone after every label executive. Why would someone put their job on the line and sign him with that sort of history? He's too much of a liability to sign and the numbers don't add up. While his physical sales may be decent, his music is not going to stream billions like major labels want. It's a no win situation for a label to sign him. For Galli and Red Light to even get offers was a miracle. I can't believe that Red Light didn't talk to every single label and look at every situation. I think it's a huge risk that he's turning down the best situation.

 

[Redacted]

A nice, professional statement which just proves why Morrissey can't work with professionals, he is incapable of being this gracious. He could have issued a somewhat civilized statement when he announced he severed all ties, but he's a dickhead.

 

[Cornflakes]

He's 65. His last few albums tanked. What 65 year old has a #1 album? #1 single? He also throws every executive at every label under the bus. Let's pretend that there wasn't any cultural issues because of his past comments or beef with the Guardian, Moz has gone after every label executive. Why would someone put their job on the line and sign him with that sort of history? He's too much of a liability to sign and the numbers don't add up. While his physical sales may be decent, his music is not going to stream billions like major labels want. It's a no win situation for a label to sign him. For Galli and Red Light to even get offers was a miracle. I can't believe that Red Light didn't talk to every single label and look at every situation. I think it's a huge risk that he's turning down the best situation.

I'm not saying it's rational or that it will pay off. But I think Morrissey cares about the narrative of his career. Perhaps he really, really does not want to accept being an artist in decline, particularly if it would be an ignominious ending in the retelling.

 

[Anonymous]

A nice, professional statement which just proves why Morrissey can't work with professionals, he is incapable of being this gracious. He could have issued a somewhat civilized statement when he announced he severed all ties, but he's a dickhead.

Pete’s very gracious message shows up how classless and cruel Morrissey is.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Pete Galli, who as you know was Morrissey’s manager until a recent parting of ways, tells the Morrissey Mercury exclusively: “It was an honor to work with Morrissey. He is truly a genius and an inspiration.

“As one of the greatest living lyricists, poets, songwriters, performers and personalities, Morrissey also needs to be recognized as one of the greatest animal rights activists in history as well as a beacon for free speech and his unwillingness to compromise on his beliefs and artistic integrity.

“He is the living definition of a true artist and deserves to be respected and honored as a national and international treasure.”

Follow the Morrissey Mercury fanzine and the Morrissey and Wine podcast here: https://linktr.ee/morrisseymercury.
Cheers everyone.

What a fecking pro. Just because people stop working together, doesn't
mean they have to hate each other. I do get the impression its Pete who walked. Maybe it was his idea to try and get M out of the media storm? It worked because I read a couple of 'Morrissey sacks manager due to Johnny Marr offer " kind of things. I hope our M is ok. I wish he would give some kind of update, written or spoken.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Nobody who is fired or otherwise dismissed says something like this voluntarily.

And that makes it somewhat interesting.

Yes, its the kind of words that are fecking said by the dumper, not the fecking dumped
Almost patronising. Is M really more of a "real artist " than J Marr, Brett Anderson, Damon Albarn ,Jarvis, Nick Cave or Paul Weller ?

 

[Eldritch]

If only PG had said all of this whilst he was Morrissey’s manager, then he would still
Have a job.

There's no reason to suspect that he didn't say nice things to Morrissey all day long when they were working together. And he would have probably said this to any outsider if he had been asked.

 

[Amy]

I do get the impression its Pete who walked. Maybe it was his idea to try and get M out of the media storm? It worked because I read a couple of 'Morrissey sacks manager due to Johnny Marr offer " kind of things.

I don't think we can know either way, but it did feel to me like Morrissey timed / 'positioned' his Red Light statement in a way that he knew would cause the media to think he fired them as a result of the Johnny situation. So even if it wasn't true, he wanted them to take the heat, and I can't really see a professional manager agreeing to cook that up. Wouldn't be the first time that he has been deliberately misleading.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think we can know either way, but it did feel to me like Morrissey timed / 'positioned' his Red Light statement in a way that he knew would cause the media to think he fired them as a result of the Johnny situation. So even if it wasn't true, he wanted them to take the heat, and I can't really see a professional manager agreeing to cook that up. Wouldn't be the first time that he has been deliberately misleading.

Manipulative Mozzer, just like he set up Johnny to get heat, he set up Galli to take the fall. Stone cold.

 

[The Wild Turkey]

Peter's got class.
Managin' Moz probably weren't the
easiest of assignments.
Moz even said it himself that he's not
easy to manage and wouldn't want to
be easy to manage.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Lol, why didn't he talk like this when he served Emperor Ming..err I mean Moz.

 

[Amy]

Manipulative Mozzer, just like he set up Johnny to get heat, he set up Galli to take the fall. Stone cold.

this is why the telephone never rings.

 

[JerryCan]

i forgot all about pip schofield,anybody who calls themselves pip should be cancelled.

Actually Gord I think you'll find he's just about to uncancel himself - from a desert island. Apparently he's been marooned with nothing but his phone for three weeks or something. The show will be geared to rehabilitate himself with the masses. Not sure it will be enough for a reunion with Holly though as she may still be recovering from other recent horrors, but that must be the money-people's dream.