21 December 2011

Statement 21 December

Thank you for a fantastic US-Mexico tour. I am anchored, delighted, and pale with gratitude. The reception in Mexico was beyond words. No attempt to describe could do justice.

Most stirring of all:

1 CHICAGO, US
2 MEXICO CITY, Mexico (second night)
3 MEXICO CITY, Mexico (first night)
4 PUEBLA, Mexico
5 GUADALAJARA, Mexico (first night)
6 MONTERREY, Mexico
7 SANTA FE, US
8 LAS VEGAS, US
9 GUADALAJARA, Mexico (second night)
10 PHOENIX, US

BELLY FLOP: the Shrine, Los Angeles. When it goes wrong, it certainly goes wrong, and this venue is an open slum. Degradingly, the front of the hall is an orchestra pit so lowered that I found myself singing to a mass of hair. The people at the front - who possibly paid the most - were quite literally down a hole. It was embarrassing for me, and surely humiliating for them.

I stopped the show at the Royal Oak Theater in Michigan in consideration of the audience - who were being unashamedly assaulted by the in-house security. It is difficult to watch this happen, especially when our friends (such as Douglas) are being forcibly choked to death simply for being there. If such attacks happened at the opera or in a night-club, the victims would rightfully sue. Strangely, in-house security sense that they have freedom to manhandle patrons of 'rock' shows. I wonder why? You all know how to contact the Royal Oak Theater. The Head of Security at the Royal Oak was the one inflicting the most damage. He obviously thought he was still down at the abattoir - or wished he were.

We had been over-cautioned so continuously about dangers in Mexico, yet we met nothing at all but great support and warmth. The audiences were the most loving (and loud) that I have ever experienced. Everywhere we went people were very gracious, and eager to help. It was a dream tour, and we all felt that we were resolutely home, burdened only by the practicalities of wondering how soon we could return.

We all enjoyed the Conan O'Brien Show, especially after the sinking loss of the Jimmy Kimmel Show being dropped. We only had one other free night to do the show, so Jimmy asked his booked guests 'Lady A' if they would switch their slot so that we could fit in; but they refused. Oh.

I now no longer expect to live long enough to experience an offer to record for a grownup label. This topic would not sound quite so banal had I not mentioned it 47 times already. I promise I will not mention it again. The world, I expect, will somehow endure, even as the follow-up to 'Years of refusal' grows less and less likely. End of subject. I promise.

I am very grateful to our new agency, William Morris Endeavor, for their astounding efforts to make this recent tour so enjoyable and triumphant. No management, no label, no promotion … all that we have are fantastic ticket sales. Which means you. And there is no greater thing worth having.

I have the most magnificent live crew on the planet. If I said my thanks forever it would not be long enough.

Thank you also to Kristeen Young for dragging her make-up case up and down life's highways once again. The growing dedication of so many people who travel from city to city to follow the tour proves to me that now is better and stronger than the past. My admiration for those who refuse to miss a single concert is almost too emotive to voice. Words fail me.

Well. As the year dies, I return to England to prepare for the High Court circus of the NME case. Instead of simply saying "sorry" (for re-writing the answers to my last NME interview in 2007 in order to make me sound racist), the imperious NME would rather spend hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds in a High Court duel to the death. The fact that they have chosen a court drama over simply apologizing reinforces the notion that their original intent all along was to invent a sensation. So, here it is. And it is difficult to imagine anything more tragic from a magazine with such a gold-plated history. Of course, the court hearing itself will barely touch upon the actual 2007 interview, and will instead attempt to link my name to almost any unpleasant historical incident from the Irish potato famine to the murder of Medgar Evers. With the help of their giddy fan base at The Guardian newspaper, now is the NME's big chance to scorch me off the human map for good. And what a triumph that would be for them. What a proud and eternal boast.

Oh England, oh England - is this all you have to offer?

Just very softly

MORRISSEY
London, December 2011

30 November 2011

Morrissey is one of the 20 Famous Vegetarians featured in a U.S. postage stamp series produced by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA states: "The collector's sheet honors some of the world's most dynamic people throughout history who went vegetarian out of concern for animals, their health, or the environment ... Morrissey even called The Smiths' 1985 album Meat Is Murder — and he's still playing the title track live on his current U.S. tour."

Morrissey says: "I am delighted beyond words to be a PETA postage stamp. The rise and rise of PETA is the rise of common sense in modern society. Join the aims of PETA and join a better world."

For more information, and to order the postage stamps, please see http://www.peta.org/features/famous-vegetarian-postage-stamp-series.aspx

6 November 2011

Statement

At last week's court hearing Judge Tugendhat ruled in favour of Morrissey and against the NME in the NME's effort to prevent Morrissey taking them to court. The NME also wanted the Court to order Morrissey to pay over one hundred thousand pounds for their legal fees thus far, which was also unsuccessful. At the Application hearing, the NME were represented by a large number of lawyers, together with ex-editor Conor McNicholas. The NME's current editor, Krissi Murison, and Guardian music "writer", Tim Jonze, also provided written statements in support of the NME against Morrissey.

Strangely, and supported by the evidence of McNicholas, Murison and Jonze, the NME's lawyers argued that it would be unreasonable to expect them to remember the events of 2007, yet they went on to stress that if the case went to trial, they would wish to cross-examine Morrissey on events leading back not 3, but 19, years, to 1992, when the NME aggressively ran a "is Morrissey racist?" campaign.

In late 2007, Morrissey was interviewed by Tim Jonze for the NME with the promise from editor Conor McNicholas that the interview issue would include a free 7-inch single of Morrissey's version of David Bowie's "Drive-in Saturday". Both Morrissey and Tim Jonze were very pleased with the interview, which was very civil and courteous. Jonze immediately wrote to Morrissey's manager at the time (Merck Mercuriadis) saying that he found Morrissey to be "absolutely charming". In the midst of the exchange, McNicholas asked Morrissey to attend an NME Awards ceremony to collect a God-Like Genius Award. Morrissey politely declined.

Tim Jonze subsequently contacted Merck Mercuriadis in a rage, explaining that the NME editorial staff had taken his finished piece from him and had re-written it. Jonze explained that the re-write was unrecognizable from his original article, and that Jonze wished to entirely disassociate himself from the finished piece, and from the NME, leaving everyone with the clearest impression that he felt Morrissey had been treated very badly by the NME. When the interview appeared in print, Morrissey's replies and Jonze's questions had been altered, and the interviews heavily edited, in order to bring the issue of racism to the fore and to make Morrissey appear racist and hypocritical. In spite of Jonze's original outrage, he has now come out on the NME's side following legal proceedings being issued by Morrissey's lawyers.

Morrissey regrets the outcome of the interview with Tim Jonze, which only Conor McNicholas had the power to re-write. Morrissey believes that the NME's position is unsupportable, not least because the interview tapes exist and the printed interview transcripts exist and, on the examination of both, the conduct of the NME is there for all to see.

Furthermore, Morrissey's camp were subsequently told that following the printed interview, Conor McNicholas wrote to Love Music Hate Racism (on whom the NME had recently devoted an entire issue), and warned them that if they supported Morrissey in this dispute then they could forget about any further support from the NME.

Following the dismissal of the NME's Application, the Judge set a timetable for the case, which will now go to trial at the London High Court in 2012. Morrissey is represented by John Reid at Russells, and by David Sherborne.

14 September 2011

Tuesday September 13

Morrissey would like to stress that he has absolutely no affiliation with the site called Morrisseysworld, and that the views expressed on Morrisseysworld blog and Twitter page are not Morrissey's views, and do not come from Morrissey. Morrissey has no connection with this site. Please beware.

Morrissey would also like to stress that he has no association with the Warner release called 'The Smiths Complete'. This project has taken place without any consultation to Morrissey, and without any approach to Morrissey from either Warner, Rhino, or Johnny Marr. Therefore, Morrissey has no knowledge of the remixes, and has had no input in the project.

Morrissey would like to thank all of the people who have - so quickly - bought tickets for his November and December US tour, which he looks forward to very much.