Morrissey has accused his former label Capitol Records of deliberately “sabotaging” his new album, Bonfire of Teenagers.
The singer, 63, ‘voluntarily’ left the label, as well as his management company, in December 2022, a year after signing a deal with them.
Now Morrissey has lashed out at the company, claiming they refused to release or return his 14th solo LP Bonfire of Teenagers.
A statement on his website posted Tuesday read: “Morrissey is ‘too diverse’ for Universal Music Group.
Capitol Records (Los Angeles) will not release Morrissey’s 2021 album Bonfire Of Teenagers anyway.
Fury: Morrissey has accused his former label Capitol Records of deliberately ‘sabotaging’ his new album, Bonfire of Teenagers
At the same time, Capitol Records (Los Angeles) is holding on to the album.
Although Morrissey has officially signed with Capitol Records Los Angeles, there is no mention of Morrissey on Capitol’s website or on their artist list.
“Morrissey has said that while he doesn’t believe Capitol Records in Los Angeles signed Bonfire or Teenagers to sabotage it, he’s quickly coming to that belief.”
The post then linked to an article on Medium written by Fiona Dodwell, which claimed that Morrissey’s current unsigned status “proves a lack of real diversity in music.”
She wrote, “He has been constantly criticized and crucified in the press for being outspoken and outspoken.
Seen in this light, ‘diverse’ now seems to mean conforming – or facing rejection.
“You can be diverse, but only like this, not like that,” the fine print seems to say.
The hitmaker Big Mouth Strikes Again planned to release Bonfire Of Teenagers this month, but announced in November that it had been delayed, with no new release date offered.
‘Morrissey is ‘too diverse’ for Universal Music Group’: Morrissey has attacked the company, claiming they refused to release or return his 14th solo LP Bonfire of Teenagers
A brief statement at the time read: ‘Bonfire of Teenagers is no longer scheduled for a February release as stated by this site.
“His fate is in the exclusive hands of Capitol Records (Los Angeles).”
Morrissey was dropped by BMG in 2020 just months after releasing his latest album ‘I Am Not A Dog On A Chain’.
MailOnline has reached out to Capitol Records for comment.
His say: The singer, 63, ‘voluntarily’ left the label, as well as his management company, in December 2022, a year after signing a deal with them – he posted this statement on Tuesday
It comes after Morrissey punched former bandmate Johnny Marr last year, accusing him of “using my name for clickbait.”
In a lengthy open letter, the former lead singer of The Smiths asked the group’s ex-guitarist not to speak about him publicly, saying he “don’t know him.”
The pair were band mates for six years in the 1980s and released four albums with Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, but Morrissey noted that they have not spoken in 35 years.
On hold: The Big Mouth Strikes Again hitmaker planned to release Bonfire Of Teenagers this month, but announced in November that it had been delayed, with no new release date offered
In a blog post on his Morrissey Central website, the musician began, “This is not a diatribe or hysterical bombast. It’s a polite and calmly measured request: would you please stop using my name in your interviews?
“Instead, would you please discuss your own career, your own unstoppable solo performance, and your own music?” If you can, will you please leave me out of it?
Fact is, you don’t know me. You know nothing about my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings. Yet you talk as if you were my personal psychiatrist with consistent and uninterrupted access to my instincts.’
The iconic Manchester band broke up in 1987 over conflicts between the two members, but Morrissey revealed that he wants Johnny to stop claiming he’s ‘to blame for everything’.
Suspense: It comes after Morrissey slapped his former bandmate Johnny Marr last year, accusing him of “using my name for clickbait” (pictured in 1987)
He continued, “We haven’t known each other for 35 years — that’s many lifetimes ago. When we met, you and I were unsuccessful. We both helped each other to become what we are today. Can’t you just leave it at that?
Do you have to blame me year after year, decade after decade for everything… from the 2007 Solomon Islands tsunami to your grandmother’s drool on your chin?’
Morrissey continued his long rant, telling Johnny to “stop using my name as clickbait.”
Barbarism begins on Twitter: Johnny didn’t seem too preoccupied with the scathing letter, but took to Twitter to write a sarcastic response
However, Johnny didn’t seem too preoccupied with the letter and took to Twitter to write, “An ‘open letter’ hasn’t really been a thing since 1953, it’s all ‘social media’ now.” Even Donald J Trump had it. Also this fake news business… kinda 2021 yes? #makingindiegreatagain’.
Morrissey’s tirade came days after Johnny explained why he isn’t “close” with the singer, explaining that they are “so different” and that he has better relationships with other band members.
Speaking to Uncut magazine, he said, “One of the reasons I’ve been in so many bands was because I wanted to be loyal to them.
It should come as no surprise when I say that I’m very close to everyone I’ve worked with, except the most obvious. And that’s not such a big surprise, because we’re so different, me and Morrissey.
“But all those different musicians, I can call everyone and pick up where we left off.”
Bigmouth Strikes Again: (L-R) Andy Rourke, Morrissey, Johnny Marr and Mike Joyce went their separate ways in 1987 after conflicts between the two members
