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.

 

[That's Enough For Me]

Overcompensation much?

 

[Odbmke]

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.

Like I said in another thread, there was one deal left in the pond, and Galli found it. Moz holds grudges for decades, yet is surprised no labels are voluntarily signing up to be thrown under the bus in 4 months. Another thing people don’t realize, and this is not new, but that he just disappears for weeks at a time when he doesn’t feel like dealing with things. This doesn’t help.

 

[Mimi Ramone]

I don't know, did Pete Galli really say this? It sounds so over-the-top ruminating what Moz likes to hear and makes Fiona write about him. Sounds somewhat fishy to me. Why the heck should/did he talk to a fanzine (no offence)?

I totally agree on the part, that Moz deliberately timed the "Management" post and made it deliberately vague, so people jump to the conclusion on their own, that the management must be at fault. It's a pretty nasty trick, he tried different times already and the believers always fall for that. Where is his brave martyrdom truth teller ego, when he is proofed wrong and under fire? He always vanishes and throws other people under the bus. And the few really devoted fans he has left search for hidden messages in his non-communication everywhere to justify a nice and great person, who either was never there or has long left the building.

 

[FillUpThePage]

I don't know, did Pete Galli really say this? It sounds so over-the-top ruminating what Moz likes to hear and makes Fiona write about him. Sounds somewhat fishy to me. Why the heck should/did he talk to a fanzine (no offence)?

I totally agree on the part, that Moz deliberately timed the "Management" post and made it deliberately vague, so people jump to the conclusion on their own, that the management must be at fault. It's a pretty nasty trick, he tried different times already and the believers always fall for that. Where is his brave martyrdom truth teller ego, when he is proofed wrong and under fire? He always vanishes and throws other people under the bus. And the few really devoted fans he has left search for hidden messages in his non-communication everywhere to justify a nice and great person, who either was never there or has long left the building.

Hi Mimi Ramone. That's a fair concern to have but I can assure you that the quote is 100% genuine. I run the fanzine and as a professional journalist (in my day job) I would never make something up or push fake news via the fanzine.

 

[Cornflakes]

I can assure you that the quote is 100% genuine.

I believe it was PG that said it, but 100% genuine is a high bar.

 

[FillUpThePage]

I believe it was PG that said it, but 100% genuine is a high bar.

Haha. Good point. But hopefully you know what I mean.

 

[Phranc & Open]

Is this the whole "interview"?

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Is this the whole "interview"?

I don’t think there was an ‘interview’, just this statement.

 

[FillUpThePage]

Is this the whole "interview"?

Unfortunately Mr Galli declined to be interviewed but he provided the statement and gave permission to be quoted.

 

[Phranc & Open]

Unfortunately Mr Galli declined to be interviewed but he provided the statement and gave permission to be quoted.

Thanks for clearing this up and thanks for reaching out to him.

 

[goinghome]

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

In the past, I learned that while buddhist enlightenment is a lot about gaining self-mastery, refining the mind for awareness, and being able to understand and demonstrate concepts, those who make it to this guru stage are still in danger of stagnating and relapsing if they pull the ladder up behind them to become gods who isolate themselves. The perfection of wisdom is to recognise our shared natures and stay present with compassion as bodhisattvas - meaning putting with people you don't want to put up with, which was (maybe even is) a big disappointment to me

But as Morrissey says,
"Get up, get active, get involved." And "there is strength in unity."

he just disappears for weeks at a time ...This doesn’t help.

First, it hardly helps either for you to be running down people's character you're supposed to be working with.

And second, while this is a nice statement by Pete Galli, where did he disappear to for the past six months until now? From the point of view of fans, he was doing nothing, although I believe he was properly dealing with issues and as some have said, overseeing communication behind the scenes. But Morrissey would have other business to attend to sometimes too.

I still feel sad this is over. There was really a sense of breakthroughs, and of new approaches being tried to take account of challenges and USPs, and of talented people gelling with a shared mission. Maybe the miracle is just wobbling a little

 

[TheHoff]

In the past, I learned that while buddhist enlightenment is a lot about gaining self-mastery, refining the mind for awareness, and being able to understand and demonstrate concepts, those who make it to this guru stage are still in danger of stagnating and relapsing if they pull the ladder up behind them to become gods who isolate themselves. The perfection of wisdom is to recognise our shared natures and stay present with compassion as bodhisattvas - meaning putting with people you don't want to put up with, which was (maybe even is) a big disappointment to me

But as Morrissey says,
"Get up, get active, get involved." And "there is strength in unity."




First, it hardly helps either for you to be running down people's character you're supposed to be working with.

And second, while this is a nice statement by Pete Galli, where did he disappear to for the past six months until now? From the point of view of fans, he was doing nothing, although I believe he was properly dealing with issues and as some have said, overseeing communication behind the scenes. But Morrissey would have other business to attend to sometimes too.

I still feel sad this is over. There was really a sense of breakthroughs, and of new approaches being tried to take account of challenges and USPs, and of talented people gelling with a shared mission. Maybe the miracle is just wobbling a little

Didn't Galli negotiate and get Moz to say yes to the Smith's tour? It seems like Galli had a deal to get the BMG albums back as well as a few indie label offers on the table. Moz showed up to all 4 shows in Vegas and tickets seem to be selling for the upcoming tour. It also seems like there was a big master plan for the next few years Galli put together. I'm not sure Galli was the one the disappeared.

 

[Mozzypaws]

In the past, I learned that while buddhist enlightenment is a lot about gaining self-mastery, refining the mind for awareness, and being able to understand and demonstrate concepts, those who make it to this guru stage are still in danger of stagnating and relapsing if they pull the ladder up behind them to become gods who isolate themselves. The perfection of wisdom is to recognise our shared natures and stay present with compassion as bodhisattvas - meaning putting with people you don't want to put up with, which was (maybe even is) a big disappointment to me

But as Morrissey says,
"Get up, get active, get involved." And "there is strength in unity."




First, it hardly helps either for you to be running down people's character you're supposed to be working with.

And second, while this is a nice statement by Pete Galli, where did he disappear to for the past six months until now? From the point of view of fans, he was doing nothing, although I believe he was properly dealing with issues and as some have said, overseeing communication behind the scenes. But Morrissey would have other business to attend to sometimes too.

I still feel sad this is over. There was really a sense of breakthroughs, and of new approaches being tried to take account of challenges and USPs, and of talented people gelling with a shared mission. Maybe the miracle is just wobbling a little

A lot of Galli's work is behind the scenes. Without him, I doubt Moz would have been able to buy back BOT or World Peace

 

[Pokey]

What I find amazing about the whole reunion thing and revealing about how Morrissey deals with people is this:

An offer was made to reform The Smiths and Morrissey just said yes and waited for Marr to as well. He just ... said yes? I find it amazing that when this offer came through he didn't think "ok so this means I'd be sharing a stage with Johnny, travelling with him, talking with him ... maybe I should actually talk with him and see where things are before I even say yes". Like, that just seems like the normal thing to do. The fact Morrissey left it up to management to sort out shows how disconnected he is with people and "the norm". This isn't a knock on him, it's probably just another in a long, long line of things which points to him being neurodivergent, and strongly so. Whatever we think of Morrissey, I think we have to remember that what we think is strange and weird and off-putting might just seem incredibly normal and appropriate for him. Its why I think he gets himself into hot water. He says things and assumes people will understand and doesn't feel the need to explain himself further or add context. Like, he can get hyper-focused on the fact one political party might support animal rights and then that's all he needs. That's his thing. The party might have some other horrible views, but he gets focused on his one thing. People then attack him for it and he just doesn't feel the need to defend himself, to him its "normal" and other people should just understand it.

It explains the string of bad relationships with people. This one with the manager suddenly ending. You'd think a good manager like this would be able to identify that he has social issues and hence why we get some pretty favourable words from Galli. I assume Galli had this flagged well ahead of time, he is probably used to dealing with personalities from all walks of life. Morrissey might not even see just letting someone go like this or past band-mates as harsh and abrupt. Those who don't understand him might be incredibly hurt by that. Those who understand he is neurodivergent, like Galli might, put out statements like this as he probably recognises the parting isn't malice from Morrissey's POV.

A lot of neurodivergent people learn to adapt. It can be incredibly taxing to do so, but they are forced to live in a world that is designed for neurotypical people and so you often see over time that people find ways to cope or function better in a neurotypical society. The problem with someone like Morrissey is that he isn't functioning in a "normal" society. He has been famous and rich since he was in early-adulthood. He has been protected from that and able to function in his own little bubble his own way. I doubt he has really learned the way people "at the coal-face" might. Add on to that he has this warped life-experience that not many people have where he receives huge amounts of love and praise and fandom and that must be in a lot of ways incredibly reassuring that how he acts is just fine.

 

[Rufusindigo]

What I find amazing about the whole reunion thing and revealing about how Morrissey deals with people is this:

An offer was made to reform The Smiths and Morrissey just said yes and waited for Marr to as well. He just ... said yes? I find it amazing that when this offer came through he didn't think "ok so this means I'd be sharing a stage with Johnny, travelling with him, talking with him ... maybe I should actually talk with him and see where things are before I even say yes". Like, that just seems like the normal thing to do. The fact Morrissey left it up to management to sort out shows how disconnected he is with people and "the norm". This isn't a knock on him, it's probably just another in a long, long line of things which points to him being neurodivergent, and strongly so. Whatever we think of Morrissey, I think we have to remember that what we think is strange and weird and off-putting might just seem incredibly normal and appropriate for him. Its why I think he gets himself into hot water. He says things and assumes people will understand and doesn't feel the need to explain himself further or add context. Like, he can get hyper-focused on the fact one political party might support animal rights and then that's all he needs. That's his thing. The party might have some other horrible views, but he gets focused on his one thing. People then attack him for it and he just doesn't feel the need to defend himself, to him its "normal" and other people should just understand it.

It explains the string of bad relationships with people. This one with the manager suddenly ending. You'd think a good manager like this would be able to identify that he has social issues and hence why we get some pretty favourable words from Galli. I assume Galli had this flagged well ahead of time, he is probably used to dealing with personalities from all walks of life. Morrissey might not even see just letting someone go like this or past band-mates as harsh and abrupt. Those who don't understand him might be incredibly hurt by that. Those who understand he is neurodivergent, like Galli might, put out statements like this as he probably recognises the parting isn't malice from Morrissey's POV.

A lot of neurodivergent people learn to adapt. It can be incredibly taxing to do so, but they are forced to live in a world that is designed for neurotypical people and so you often see over time that people find ways to cope or function better in a neurotypical society. The problem with someone like Morrissey is that he isn't functioning in a "normal" society. He has been famous and rich since he was in early-adulthood. He has been protected from that and able to function in his own little bubble his own way. I doubt he has really learned the way people "at the coal-face" might. Add on to that he has this warped life-experience that not many people have where he receives huge amounts of love and praise and fandom and that must be in a lot of ways incredibly reassuring that how he acts is just fine.

Absolutely. While I don't deny for a second that M seems uber tricky to deal with, it saddens me that if he is neurodivergent, no accomodations seem to be made for this. We as a society know so much more these days about neurodiversity and yet he still seems to attract loads of abuse for not behaving "normally". The disappearances may simply be overwhelm.

 

[Cornflakes]

Absolutely. While I don't deny for a second that M seems uber tricky to deal with, it saddens me that if he is neurodivergent, no accomodations seem to be made for this. We as a society know so much more these days about neurodiversity and yet he still seems to attract loads of abuse for not behaving "normally". The disappearances may simply be overwhelm.

I think the problem may be that Morrissey often appears to lack any semblance of grace, and that is something that can be very hard to accommodate.

 

[Gray Fruit]

What I find amazing about the whole reunion thing and revealing about how Morrissey deals with people is this:

An offer was made to reform The Smiths and Morrissey just said yes and waited for Marr to as well. He just ... said yes? I find it amazing that when this offer came through he didn't think "ok so this means I'd be sharing a stage with Johnny, travelling with him, talking with him ... maybe I should actually talk with him and see where things are before I even say yes". Like, that just seems like the normal thing to do. The fact Morrissey left it up to management to sort out shows how disconnected he is with people and "the norm". This isn't a knock on him, it's probably just another in a long, long line of things which points to him being neurodivergent, and strongly so. Whatever we think of Morrissey, I think we have to remember that what we think is strange and weird and off-putting might just seem incredibly normal and appropriate for him. Its why I think he gets himself into hot water. He says things and assumes people will understand and doesn't feel the need to explain himself further or add context. Like, he can get hyper-focused on the fact one political party might support animal rights and then that's all he needs. That's his thing. The party might have some other horrible views, but he gets focused on his one thing. People then attack him for it and he just doesn't feel the need to defend himself, to him its "normal" and other people should just understand it.

It explains the string of bad relationships with people. This one with the manager suddenly ending. You'd think a good manager like this would be able to identify that he has social issues and hence why we get some pretty favourable words from Galli. I assume Galli had this flagged well ahead of time, he is probably used to dealing with personalities from all walks of life. Morrissey might not even see just letting someone go like this or past band-mates as harsh and abrupt. Those who don't understand him might be incredibly hurt by that. Those who understand he is neurodivergent, like Galli might, put out statements like this as he probably recognises the parting isn't malice from Morrissey's POV.

A lot of neurodivergent people learn to adapt. It can be incredibly taxing to do so, but they are forced to live in a world that is designed for neurotypical people and so you often see over time that people find ways to cope or function better in a neurotypical society. The problem with someone like Morrissey is that he isn't functioning in a "normal" society. He has been famous and rich since he was in early-adulthood. He has been protected from that and able to function in his own little bubble his own way. I doubt he has really learned the way people "at the coal-face" might. Add on to that he has this warped life-experience that not many people have where he receives huge amounts of love and praise and fandom and that must be in a lot of ways incredibly reassuring that how he acts is just fine.

As someone who is neurodivergent myself, if he could get tested and have it confirmed, it would be a way back for him. Then people would understand him better. But you know how he is, he hates being labeled and pinned down.

 

[SteveWS]

As someone who is neurodivergent myself, if he could get tested and have it confirmed, it would be a way back for him. Then people would understand him better. But you know how he is, he hates being labeled and pinned down.

I'm autistic and the condition is still mystifying to me even now, ages after diagnosis. And, prior to that, I was as 'ignorant' as anyone unaffected by or unaware of ASD - as with apparently many people, for me 'autistic' = 'Rain Man'.

And so if Morrissey happened to be neurodivergent/autistic, and that information was made publicly available (hopefully by him or people of his choosing, of course), then there'd be an unfortunate risk that allistic folks would then perceive him and his symptoms/behaviour as completely representative...when the truth actually is that neurodivergent people can differ greatly from one another in these respects.

 

[Rufusindigo]

I think the problem may be that Morrissey often appears to lack any semblance of grace, and that is something that can be very hard to accommodate.

Sure, but it might be easier for M and for those he has interactions with if there were an explanation for it - not necessarily for public consumption, but in the interests of understanding on both sides.

 

[Was I ever any good]

Unfortunately there is no way back for Morrissey, regardless of what he might be
Diagnosed with nor not be diagnosed with.

He has burned every single bridge that he has ever crossed.
He has treat some people shockingly….
His own fans included.

No wonder his fan base has shrunk so drastically since the release of world peace.

If BOT ever does get released, it will be his biggest flop ever.

People will only take so much shit from another person before they give up and move on from that person.

I pity the peeps who have bought tickets for
The next tour.
I just hope they are well stocked up on
Propranolol to see them through.