Did Morrissey actually design this? It seems so unhim to put out a sleeve of this horrid nature. Anyhow why not put a couple of gangsters on the sleeve, it would seem more appropriate.

This song, this single, had so much potential, potent imagery that could've been mined for cover art and the video.

I sent Merck Mercuriadis an excellent (if I do say so myself) treatment for a FOTGTD music video, but it was all "we'll let you know..." Now I've heard that the M.E.N. perf of the song *is* the video??

Morrissey pictures on album covers is good (though Quarry needed a nice shot of the band inside), but evocative photos on single covers. Por favor!

What a terrible, terrible cover. They're just getting worse. Mozzer even dared to blame The Strokes' artwork as a reason he no longer liked them or their music.
Can't he have tuned into a Brighton Rock aesthetic or just have done with that awful filter. It looks like he's waiting to come through my Mum and Dad's old dining room doors. Even they had the sense to get rid of the distorted glass.
At least the font is an improvement, but really! For his best single in years this is a revolting package - hardly does what it says on the tin, eh?

cover 1 [morrissey-solo.com]

cover 2 [morrissey-solo.com]

cover 3 [morrissey-solo.com]

cover 4 [morrissey-solo.com]

This looks like 'my first photoshop project', like the album cover and the previous single. Fan art comes to mind. Please Morrissey, hire somebody who has a little taste to do your covers. And thow away the computer please!

looks like hes waiting outside the bathroom door.. or looking through it

The font is better than before - picture's a bit shit but better than the dreadful YATQ front cover. As someone has already said, this song had the potential for 'cover stars' and evocative artwork. Come on Moz, you can do so much better! He is in a creative rut in every sense at the moment.

I can't imagine there being a second book akin to "Peepolism".....
the artwork since "Southpaw Grammar" has, except for a few notable exceptions, been nothing short of amatuerish.
  From sleeves to merchandise the imagery has severly disappointed.....does Morrissey not take an interest in the visuals anymore?
  Anticipating a Smiths or Morrissey release was almost as much for the sleeve as the sounds within, the aesthetic and musical as one, pored over and admired.
  Now it's merely packaging, unflattering and ugly.
  Bring back Jo Slee!!

....but he looks as if he could be years younger- if you didn't know any different. Not a line or a crow's foot in sight.

I just can't fathom this at all. Morrissey not so many moons ago was responsible for some of the most evocative, individual cover art in pop history. The Smiths covers in particular are just sublime. And yet here we are, in 2004, and the covers are almost embarrassing (and in the case of YATQ, actually so). I don't believe I have seen a worse album cover than that of Quarry for a long, long time, at least not when it comes to an artist of his standing. The Cure's new album has a good cover; John Cale's latest ditto; there are many tasteful/evocative covers I can think of that grace last year's/this year's releases - Pernice Brothers, Robert Wyatt, Franz Ferdinand, etc, etc, etc. All have better covers than Quarry yet Moz used to be a sleeve designer of superb taste. What has happened? I'm not saying all of those mentioned have FANTASTIC cover art, but all of them appear to have thought more carefully about it than Moz. It really IS so strange.

and visual artists' negativity aside, its nice to see what's been chosen for the poppiest track on the new record. hard to believe that no one finds the distorted almost faded pic somewhat fitting in this instance. its morrissey's very fine face. is anything more really necessary ....

Nothing is as fragile as good taste.

Sure, I would have liked morrissey's sleeves to remain consistent with those of the past, but obviously morrissey no longer wants that, so why is everyone surprised? It should have been obvious since 1)he asked jerry finn to produce the album. 2) the YATQ cover 3) The IBEH cover 4)the increased album promotion 4)burying the hatchet with the NME 5)Lollapalooza 6)his choice of t.v appearances (e.g. cnn, pepsi smash (even though it was canceled 7) change of fonts and ommission of "".

To be honest, i actually like the cover of TFOTGTD. We've seen worse ones. Also, The cover of YATQ was good if you have the version that I have where a close up of morrissey is only visible. From what I understand, the U.K. version was the whole picture, tommy gun and all. If that was the case, i understand your guys' dissapointment. The picture of YATQ is great, but not great enough for the cover.

p.s. great covers nonesoever. morrissey could not have done better.

I hope this isn't really the cover because it's shit and more importantly we'll have to hear Smiths fans whining on about how this means Moz will never, ever be good again, ever.
I liked the cover for YATQ.

The single for IBEH was merely passable but this is downright disappointing. Is he taking a shower with his clothes on? You can't touch The Smiths sleeves and Moz Solo had some great ones too but this? What the hell is going on?

That this cover and the IBEH one reference/pay homage to some obscure (or not so obscure) reggae sleeves from the original Attack label?? The fonts and colours of the IBEH in particular made me think this.

for that vinyl bootleg that was being sold on eBay during the 2002 tour (when FOTGTD was debuted)? I searched the net but couldn't find it.

I'm not saying it was amazing, but it had the duotone colouring from The Smiths' sleeves and a decent central image of a Hispanic man.

Can anybody dig it up?

It's cheaper than a facelift.

Now being fair, the FOTGTD cover isn’t abhorrent like the truly revolting “maladjusted” cover…but nevertheless, I simply am puzzled and concerned with the recent lack of quality in cover artwork etc.
The artwork we have been given with the new releases is subpar at best…most of it looking badly amateurish. This new cover in particular looks to just be a moz photo filtered with a simple (dare I say cheesy) effect found on anyone’s PC. The colors being incorporated into all of the new artwork also doesn’t seem most appealing.
Is there a paid professional responsible for all this? Certainly most of us have adored the artwork and aesthetic of smiths and early moz solo releases. Most have been pieces that any of us would and many do have hanging on our walls…but does anyone really appreciate the recent sleeves? It sort of throws me into “let me kiss you”…moving me to “close my eyes” and think of artwork I “physically admire”, cuz what we are being given just isn’t it.
I realize Moz has stated he wished to bury all links to the past…but please Moz, I plead with you, deliver to us again the kind of imagery we have become accustomed to.
Of course, I have no idea how much say or input Moz is making with any of this…I assume he certainly has the final “say” as it were. I just don’t understand.
The IBEH video just leaves me speechless every time I watch it. It lacks imagination, proper editing and generally looks unenthused. I realize he’s not given a mega-star budget to work with for this stuff..but nevertheless, something better should be easily produced even on a smaller cashflow.
A song like FOTGTD deserves a first class sleeve AND a first class video..and it looks like neither will be done. Why is he settling for less at this point?

done one for TFOTGTD's single cover.

or have they already? It sure looks amateurish.

At first, when I saw the small sized image of the cover I thought that it might be rain/water pouring on a window, casting shadow on Morrissey's face, which could have been deemed creative, but this is just shite.

I encourage everyone to post their own covers, here are two from the discussion board:
Cover 1 by Alf Button [morrissey-solo.com]

Cover 2 by Tetsuo [morrissey-solo.com]

this fiasco proves how important she was to those smiths sleeves. can't remember if she had a hand in the early solo stuff though.

...that maybe this "distorted" version was released in advance to create anticipation for the finalized, clear artwork on the actual day of the release?

let's HOPE SO! if not, this is hands down, the worst cover in Moz's history. i would honestly be ashamed to show anyone a single with the above design.

u must be all quite stupid. i like it

Does there have to be complaining about everything?
Are you not going to buy the single because you don't like the artwork?

I think that way too many people have way too much time on their hands.

the cover should be a picture of a building on a deserted street with a sign over the entrance that reads. . ."Home For the Blind". and of course the sun rising behind the building. in a smithian/morrissey look to it of course. but not the dreary Manchester look.

Ilove it

The distortion is a basic one. One or two clicks. Must not be paying the art department too much....

Here [blackstarsblog.com]

I`m liking YATQ more every time I hear it, its gone from slight disapointment on first listen to real love. The whole rise of Morrissey this time round, aside from the odd tacky moment, has been hugely heartwarming for me. I can kind of understand all the negative opinions showered on this site in the album's direction, but I really really really don`t agree with them. Moz is making good records and this new single really is one of his best ever. This is a great time.

BUT...

I'm not keen on the new art work at all. Not on the album, not on the singles. Not at all. Its not that he looks bad; he still looks great. Its the lighting, the focus, the background, the colouring, the pose.....everything.

Its like someone said above; you used to look forward to the sleeves almost as much as the records.

Mozza's artistic vision suits the monochrome and he should stick to it. The previous images of himself have nearly all been beautiful, the Smiths sleeves were marvellous. These ones just don`t cut it. They look like they've been done in a bingo hall, but not in a good way. A bingo hall TRYING to look like something else. Even the Southpaw Grammar and YES the Maladjusted sleeves were better.

Change tack on this issue only!!

Hi, he could have a cover with a 'gang member' in an army uniform, with the name Hecter on the helmet (like Meat is murder).
Lots not associated with the song (but anti American/war) could be read by this, and may lead to a better discussion.

and that includes spice girls singles.

-comic book guy(the simpsons)

I would have definitely preferred something more expressive, or less stale anyway...something like these:

WILD ONE 1 [imdb.com]
WILD ONE 2 [imdb.com]
WILD ONE 3 [imdb.com]

Look what happpened with Southpaw.
His picture wasn't on the cover so it busted.

It is an omen...Morrissey's face has to be on Morrissey solo projects.

Here's my entry. What do I win?

My Sleeve [morrissey-solo.com]

I think it's quite wittey.
I like the light blue Morrissey.
And the way to set letters are good!
It's like paintings.

I love the idea!
Brand new Morrissey!

If everyone wants me to add all the alternate covers to my photo/blog (photos.mozfan.com), please email them to me (suedehed@mozfan.com) and I will add them all for easier viewing.

It's like using the built-in sounds in a keyboard you buy. That Photoshop effect.

It's the same with the Simpson-book.

Hey, look, I can use photoshop! Not very well, mind, I can only manage to click my mouse up to the 'filter' button. I may even be able to convince the less computor savvy people its in fact a photo shot through glass! Except, wait, I'll forget to filter his hair.

(heres me hoping its a 'preview' cover and not the actual thing.)

Morrissey bathes with rubber souled duckies...

Just one question, Why is Morrissey wearing a suit in the shower?

I honestly don't understand why people don't like this cover. It's a great cover, a great image. Very striking.

this is what their CEO wrote to me:

"Thanks for your e-mail and your efforts but we are delighted with the real artwork."

But I don't really care to be honest. Morrissey's solo album covers have generally been excellent, but the singles artwork is usually horrible. Remember "hold onto your friends?"

I know Morrissey seems to care deeply about his artwork, but as far as I'm concerned, it's even less important than the videos for the songs. I do think good album sleeves are essential though - why doesn't he continue putting his own image on the albums and just start using other photos on the singles? It's really not that interesting to see mediocre pictures of Morrissey on his singles sleeves, and probably puts quite a few people off buying the single. FOTGTD could have been massive with the right video, sleeve and promotion, but with the video it's got and this sleeve, that's already knocked a few thousand sales off its potential.

A cool, modern-looking video would have been perfect for the song.

broken

Anyone in Britain who has seen the children's TV show "pob" will know what I mean. I knew that shot reminded me of someone!

broken

PS Moz, great album, fantastic single, but please sort out your sound at live shows.

I think Morrissey's artwork is taking a terrible nosedive at the moment.

His Smiths work is sublime (although 'Girlfriend in a Coma' is not brilliant) and the early solo singles are fantastic, then around 'Hold on to Your Friends' the rot crept in.

'Hold on..' is a terrible picture with questionable colouring.

'Dagenham Dave' is playful but hardly evocative of Morrissey.

'The Boy Racer' Photo is out of focus and awful.

And the current covers have been terrible and cheap looking.

A return to iconic imagery, and classy fonts please!

looks like moz is just coming in to a private eyes office to put a cap in his ass!
  i like it

when i laid eyes on it, without thinking, Oscar Wilde's "The picture of dorian gray" quickly came to mind. Am I alone?

Is it just possible that Santuary have put this cover on the site with the e-card stuff as an example of what people could do, and it's not the official cover at all?

We can only hope.

god... lighten up! it looks fine.

The worst thing about the photo is that it makes him look to have psoriasis at the very least - or perhaps it's his tribute to Dennis Potter and The Singing Detective!! Would you kiss him on the mouth or anywhere? Certainly not on his forehead, I wouldn't!