The Telegraph / James Hall: "Morrissey: ‘My whole life has relied on free speech – naturally, I’m gagged’" (September 9, 2024)

Morrissey: ‘My whole life has relied on free speech – naturally, I’m gagged’

The forthright singer’s ‘masterpiece’ Bonfire of Teenagers was finished in 2021. He reveals the ‘idiot culture’ blocking its release

https://archive.is/J2hBl - no paywall.

Morrissey: ‘My whole life has relied on free speech – naturally, I’m gagged’

The forthright singer’s ‘masterpiece’ Bonfire of Teenagers was finished in 2021. He reveals the ‘idiot culture’ blocking its release

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Related items:

• Morrissey-solo.com: "What has happened to Bonfire of Teenagers? - media request" - September 2, 2024
• The Times / Will Hodgkinson: "Morrissey says he is being censored. He isn’t" (September 10, 2024)

 

[Thewlis]

 

[Ashley_TakeABow]

So sweet with their cups of tea.
My day has been made.

 

[Leg up]

is this the same taylor swift who is being run into the ground,bet she doesnt even know what country she is in sometimes,what are these people going to do with their billion dollars.
M will continue to live in 5 star luxury whether bonfire gets released or not.

LOL
is that what being a great artist is about? The trouble is the more money Moz got the worse his music got. He still had some good songs no way as good as when he was "Hopelessly poor " (when we loved him more )
It's true Moz will be ok for money, but that is hardly the point.I think with Moz most of us do not feel let down by his "racist comments" as most of us can see what he meant. Lots of us agree with his immigration and love of UK culture but it's the fakeness and Trump-like childishness, lies and his desperation. He has always had these trials but they are worse now and its like hardly any of the good traits are left
It's true about having to block out reality to believe in Moz these days, you have to pretend what he says is true.
Not sure why FWD said that about being easy on the killer, but I presume he was kinda of joking. The song is kind of like " don't blame the sweet and tender hooligan ", basically they are trying to make the killer seem like a victim and care more about racism than the dead bodies of kids.

I dont believe a word of his talk that the record company only pulled the record, due to the title track. Not true, they knew about the song and title when they signed him and the title stayed until the end. The only reason it wasn't released is M refused to re-record one song and that tried to have a go at the record company staff. M thinks he is way more important than he is, the record company (like a load before ) basically gave him the sack
when you watch any alternative media and you see the kind of nasty, soulless people that support Moz, it makes you less inclined to be a part of it, who the hell want to be anywhere near Pail J Watson? At this point. Moz has drained nearly all Smits, early solo career goodwill and the moz of today blackens what went before

Its ob

 

[BookishBoy]

Laura Snapes has now picked up the story for the Guardian, in a surprisingly straightforward (by which I mean not as savage as it could have been) piece.

 

[CHMozheart]

There are some rumors around that maybe SETR will be released as close end 2024 and into 2025…and many more things are on the way post-america tour. 2025 will be the Moz year we guess. Just rumors from musicland.

 

[Bluebirds]

The Guardian are now reporting Stephen's latest outburst.

Morrissey claims release of new album ‘gagged’ over song about 2017 Manchester bombing

Singer says that every major label in London has refused to release Bonfire of Teenagers as a result of ‘Idiot Culture’

www.theguardian.com

On the associated bookface comments someone has made the rather salient point that maybe he should have listened to his own advice when he released "Get Off The Stage".

 

[Doctor Tinkle]

I'm glad he still has a taste for writing, recording and performing. Once he goes, the world will be a much more uninteresting place. (Thanks for sharing the article, by the way. )

 

[Juan Dulces]

It seems he prefers being the censored bad boy of pop music than he does releasing actual records.

That would be quite unfortunate, seeing as there's lots of us (even just those on this site) who would buy his new music. If he wants us to hear his new recordings, he should self-release --- then it'll all be on his timetable, his rules, his promotion (which can't be that hard when you've still got the overall fanbase that he does).

 

[Redacted]

I do not mean to downplay the Manchester bombing at all, but Morrissey is wrong when he said it was like 9/11. He always has to be so competitive and also likes remind us it happened in his city on his birthday. I do not think he gives one shit about those kids or he would not desecrate their memories with his absolute bullshit over this album.
3,ooo people died during the 9/11 attacks, yes attacks, planes being flown into buildings. NYC looked like it had a mushroom cloud over it, I know because I saw it from a road traveling back home and I had to drive because obvs there were no planes flying and you could not get a bus or car. It took me 2 days to rent a car.
He makes me sick.

 

[Thewlis]

 

[Ashley_TakeABow]

They won't smile
Until my "ugly" mouth
Is shut good and proper
..Forever

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Some cringeworthy statements - “Controversial means intelligent, doesn’t it?" - no, very often not the case. And “Every major label in London has refused Bonfire of Teenagers whilst also admitting that it is a masterpiece” - have they really?
But I agree with the sentiment behind the "#BeKind crew” – a social media movement promoting empathy – “who will smash your face in if you disagree with them.”
Thank goodness for the Five goes to Smugglers Top comment - he still has his humour. Also I wish he had explained the reason behind why he won't self-release.

Agree. And yes, controversial doesn’t always equate with intelligence. But I believe he was speaking within the context of thinking for yourself and expressing thoughts that go against idiot culture and to do so can be controversial for some.

‘…he says he’s being “gagged” and that what he calls “Idiot Culture” is preventing his album’s release. Would he consider simply removing the controversial track and releasing a 10-song album under a different name? No, he says.

“Controversial means intelligent, doesn’t it? We are still in the grip of Idiot Culture, it’s everywhere you look.’

 

[JerryCan]

So sweet with their cups of tea.
My day has been made.

Tea is the key, the bond.

 

[Fact Checker]

Self-Release Your Future Albums!!!! For you, in 2024 - that IS the best way, Morrissey!!!!

We already know the answer to this, which essentially is: If I self-release, I still have to pay some people to take care of the admin. And... that's unacceptable, apparently.

Worth remembering: 40 years ago, in the Earsay interview, he said that he had come to see that the group could function without getting chart hits.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

From watching/reading previous interviews and getting an understanding of his train of thought, I think by saying "Controversial means intelligent, doesn't it?" he means that in today's social climate, anyone who goes against stupidity (which he goes on to refer to as “Idiot Culture”) is deemed controversial when what they are saying is common sense. I think he means that people have become so stupid that anyone with an ounce of intelligence is seen as controversial because they are seemingly now the minority. That's what I think he means in the context of what he's saying. I don't think he means that applies to everything anyone says.

He has mentioned previously why he doesn't intend to self-release (I think it may have been in one of those interviews released on his website with questions asked by his nephew). Basically, he's old-fashioned; he prefers having a big company behind the release. Having to self-release and/or release songs online is too modern and not in keeping with the romance of the old ways of doing things.

You beat me to it. Yes, just like the subspecies comment, people again are pulling what M says out of context of the subject being discussed in the interview and now want to roast him alive for it.

And of course on solo, it’s controversial to give any opinions that god forbid may look favorably on Morrissey. They resort to the usual name calling, pile on, etc.

Surely the line 'Go easy on the killer' is an ironic criticism of liberal-type people and media? The types who (supposedly) give priority to perpetrators' welfare before ever considering the victims' plights? Morrissey, in his jaded and arguably incendiary way, is framing such calls as being repeated until these become received wisdom for the allegedly undiscerning thinkers amongst the population.

Yep. That’s the way I’ve always read that lyric.

He could have as well as sang.. ‘go easy on terrorism’.

 

[Anonymous]

What's sad is we all know how this will play out - even if by some miracle Morrissey does manage to get a record label to release 'Bonfire', when it fails to sell millions and hit #1 in the charts, he'll just blame the mainstream media for 'gagging' him by not having it played on daytime radio 24/7 and giving it 5 star reviews. Then he'll probably fall out with the label and sulk again. And so the story continues, on and on, with no end in sight...

 

[All the things you love]

I don't care about the reasons, I just want some new Morrissey music soon. He should have been able to foresee an industry wide backlash to his proposals. It would have been obvious to anybody else the moment the song was written. I don't want to criticize the song, but this has played out exactly as expected. Can we not at least have Without Music The World Dies? A title that becomes increasingly ironic by the day.

 

[Grim Reaper]

There's a whole network of right wing"libertarian" billionaires and industries that he can go to if he doesn't want to put his hand in his own pocket

Saddos banging on about the guardian when hardly anyone reads it compared to conservative owned press and media. He should pull his finger out and stop whining.

 

[Anonymous]

Damn, they were good-looking lads. Even the backs of their heads were good-looking!

 

[Thewlis]