in 2003? Funny how things change.

The single sounds fantastic anyway. That's all I've heard so far - 90 seconds of the single, one day early.

broken

I'm quite interested to know who leaked the songs in the first place. It would have to be someone in the industry wouldn't it?

It is no surprise whatsoever that Morrissey's lawyers would be attack the site for this - what's more, they have every right to. I have always supported this site but in this case I think it has been a huge mistake to even mention that the songs have been leaked, as this will no doubt lead to more people knowing about it, and thus more copying of these tracks.

If so, this may be the first time in musical history a pop single has referenced the producer of the song!

broken

why should you have to spend your time hunting for links to material that isn't even on your webserver? it should be up to the sites that are hosting it to do something because that's their job.

however, since they are much bigger than you, it's much easier to bother you about it. i don't know what "yousendit" is, but i assume they are probably behaving like Ebay because that potentially sets a bad precedent for them if they got into the habit of sweeping for illegal downloads all the time. they're going to behave like they aren't doing anything wrong until they're dragged to court.

they should also try finding the person who ran off with the music to begin with. they should be able to trace it, i would imagine because it's not like it's several people providing the original material.

It's not like "Far Off Places" was any good, anyway.

I have that feeling when you're waiting outside the headmasters office, or when you see a police car pull up outside your house, it's not nice, i'm outta here.

to a "leaked" song because, while 2 leaked songs plus a short clip of the single is probably only going to increase interest in the album, it would be quite sad were 6 or 7 songs to leak. We could end up in the strange situation of some people having heard half of the album long before the release date, and it could have an impact on magazine reviews too.

It really boils down to an issue of right and wrong - and illegal downloads do technically constitute a form of theft.

The release of album is meant to be an event, and I think that's even more the case with an artist as committed as Morrissey. Let's avoid wrecking the event.

The drama is all well and good but as Morrissey's people have indicated they are unhappy with the situation, I think it's only right that we respect their rights and avoid downloading any future songs on this site.

I think it's in everyone's interests not to let any more songs be illegally downloaded from links on this website. It's legally wrong, it threatens to turn the release of the album into a farce, and it could even threaten the future of this website!

Please see to it Mr Tseng!

broken

PS Please add a "hear hear" if you agree!

PPS Isn't it great that freeyourself will never again be able to post on this site?

The songs are out, the internet multiplies and multiplies files. Human nature cannot resist sharing and listening. To name morrissey-solo as the guilty party from Morrisseys lawyers is negligent to say the least (If not libelous). I would be interested to understand what they mean about "The Code"

In the main the songs were of a poor quality, so perhaps this leak may save some previous fans of Morrisseys work some money.

One thing is for sure, it will certainly have a financial impact on Morrissey as the leak is so early, (HenceMorrisseys legal instigation) and the songs won't automatically be purchased by some fans due to their derivative, cliched and downright dull nature.

Quentin.

There have been loads of blog sites that posted these link that got cease and desist letters. It's standard practice for record companies to protect themselves. Try checking http://www.stereogum.com/ if you don't believe me. They've taken their link down once they received a letter.

Sounds to me like you got special treatment and they gave you a chance to get rid of the links first. There's no need to start a fight over it.

Well.............who else could have done?

How could Sanctuary let such an anticipated album by their number one selling artist leak when the company is in such dire straits? I thought the release of IWSYIFOP was probably a PR stunt to help sales of the Dublin, ALLY PALLY and USA concerts, but now this obviously isn't the case.

For me, this is the end of Sanctuary Music Group as how can any potential investors look at putting money into a company that cannot protect the work of its major client and thus devalue their work in terms of finance? It's a shame, just makes Mozs career that more interesting doesn't it as i can't see him being contracted to Sanctuary beyond this album. Any information about album numbers Moz has to complete to honour his contract or what happens to contracts in terms of bankruptcy would be interesting to know.

its fair enough trying to cut down the illegal sharing, i am sure that most labels do what they can - especially when trying to maximise leverage with commerical stations/networks who obviously buy into exclusivity, first plays etc. people shouldnt get too precious about it and read too much into it.

that said, its naughty i know, but i couldnt resist downloading the minute and a half or so of 'you have killed me'that is floating around and i have to say its absolutely wonderful and rich sounding. i am sure 90% of the people who read this site will buy the single as completists, and for the no doubt excellent b-sides.

wouldnt it be nice if everyone could try and get along and just enjoy the music?

come monday the world will listen for the official first time anyway, from then, as with any other band that people are passionate the files will spread like some kind of musical bird flu. its just the way it is in the naughty noughties.

I'm not surprised about this.
I don't understand why news of the leaked songs made it as news stories on the main page. I don't think this was the case in 2004 when the new songs were also leaked a few weeks before the actual release. But they were leaked on the general discussions board, and that place is visited by a lot fewer people than the main page.

any chance of seeing the email?

Morrissey is daft to be releasing this record so late anyway. He's made huge comments and announcements since last year, it seems the publicity machine is already rolling and yet stupidly he waits until Spring to make a splash - what does he expect?

In anycase, Morrissey has so disappointed me. He used to be loving the fans, but now all he cares about is his pocketbook. Doesn't he know it's his diciples that are doing the downloading, and because they absolutely adore him and can't wait to hear his work? He'll get his dosh soon enough, why can't he keep his greedy mouth shut and stop harrassing and threatening those who love him the most and would do anything for him?

We love him so much, especially the ones with hair on our chests. I laugh at the morons and confused closet gays that are in so much denial, they can barely breathe, but the fact that you can't accept Morrissey's homosexuality tells me that you are homosexual yourself, though you may not know it yet. But I wonder why you don't when you falsetto "Hairdresser On Fire" in the shower with a finger in your ass...

My name is FREEYOURSELF and I would suck Morrissey's cock until the next millennium as so would each and everyone of you liars!!!!

As someone else said, this is likely the standard practice, but there's no reason why you should just accept whatever bullying is sent your way.

Besides, doesn't anyone else find it dubious that the songs are leaking in order? It wouldn't be the first time a record company leaked an album and pretended like they didn't. Like when an early version of Radiohead's KID A was all over the place, and it became largely believed (though, not sure if ever proven or admitted) that the band did it to mess with people's expectations.

Morrissey sure has unleashed his lawyer quite a bit lately, hasn't he?

I have downloaded three songs from ROTT this weekend. The two stated here and the magnificent opener "I Will See you in Far Off Places". I will buy the album in all its formats so why come after me with high court judges.

Ever heard of pissing on your chips.

"While I do not intend to monitor every post on this site, as a general rule, please do not post links to any illegal files."

David's going to have to watch the site like a hawk for the next 2 months if this is the case; to try to monitor illegal downloading is impossible, especially because the songs weren't leaked here exclusively and when they were, they were hidden half way down a thread on the discussion board. I would imagine they got onto here via Kazaa or some other large file sharing site.
And the whole thing does sound a bit fishy ... especially because there's only half of the new single available. But conspiracy theories about record company activity abound; they will give with one hand and take with the other. Probably, the same people that allowed a leak are now wheeling out the lawyer. Remember when U2's supposedly watertight album was accidentally on purpose lost?
David mentions Morrissey's lawyer, but it wouldn't surprise me if this were actually Sanctuary's lawyer acting on Morrissey's behalf. I've no doubt the man's not very happy that his music's been heard outside the proper channels; any artist would be peeved that someone in a position of trust (e.g. a record co or radio station employee) had betrayed them and, in effect, plagarised their work. However, I think Moz has wearily resigned himself to the fact that you can't trust anyone 100%. I'm sure he knows that every major album that's been recorded in the last few years has been leaked in some form before it's release. Therefore, in one sense, he should feel proud that he's considered worthy of all the fuss. I agree that it would be disappointing if the whole thing showed up before April, but if it doesn't show here, Sanctuary better get watching those file sharing sites. Just out of interest, do the codes on CD's (because pre-releases should be encoded) show up when you copy it to a site? If they do, they should be able to trace the culprit.
Anyways, don't worry your pretty head Morrissey, we will still buy the singles and the album.

The irony of it....

Stop genuine fans listening to his much anticpated new LP.
Poor Moz can't stop the passage of the internet.... however hard he and his lawyers try.
And I ain't downloaded You Have Killed Me neither. SOmethings are sancrosanct.

And if you're after a target try people who are making money off your name... No not Joyce, the fucking e-bay tout scum.

ANyway I've got dramas off my own... I've put my specs down somewhere in my house and now I can't find them.

Now I'm walking through home
And I've lost my specs
I explode like powderkegs

As I live and breathe, you have sued me!

Despite what Visconti feels, music nowadays really is just electronic files that spread like viruses through the www. Try nailing water to a wall.

We oughtn't get too peeved that there's lawyers involved... because that's what lawyers are for. We're just bad kids excited about a guy who used to sing about Leeds and London, but who now sings about Piazzas and Passolinis - as if we could connect with that (...o.k. so maybe you will).

This'll all be over in a few months because we'll all be bankrupted anyway going to all these shows and buying the deluxe dvd versions and parts 1 & 2 singles. But we're not morally bankrupt for wanting to download new songs. Because you do crazy things when you're in love.

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life" - Federico Fellini

Why the fuss? As I remember, YATQ was released to a teaser campaign of free downloads, most of which I picked up off this site, some of the YATQ site - why the fuss then with ROTT, unless of course, Sanctuary now wants us to pay for any downloads from now on.
I can't see why moz-solo has been singled out - surely the problem lies with whoever is leaking this stuff from Sanctuary. This really is a case of shooting the messenger.
It also seems to me, to be biting the hand that feeds. This site has proven, time and again, to be the real fans choice for Morrissey and is consistently excellent. In the dark days when the Maestro was not everyone's flavour of the month, this site was the only place to get tour dates and decent info regards his movements.
Current moz sites are shite - ROTT, morrisseymusic and the old YATQ are either redundant or worse than useless and True To You is no great shakes - is that the height of Morrissey appreciation, a photo of someone having his haircut and a telephoto lens pic of somebody else standing outside the Salford Lads Club?

I'm sure I`m going to be panned for stating the obvious in what I`m going to say, but here goes...

Morrissey/Sanctuary own the copyright in the songs, so they are absolutely right to be angry (although NOT angry at DavidT - it's not his fault). Just like Billy Joel - he didn't start the fire!.

Sanctuary are in a difficult financial position, and if this all goes badly wrong then there's always the possibility that the album might not come out for months - there might be lots of legal wranglings if they go into receivership or something. Where would we be then ?!.

I`m not saying that downloading one or two illegal posts is going to cause this, but let's face facts:

For every one or two of us that may download the songs pre-release for "the love of Morrissey/his music", there are another 10 who will do it to burn it to a CD and sell it on to make a buck. And ditto for concert tickets. For every one of us that buys a ticket, there's a tout that will buy a dozen, selling on to line his/her own pocket. However you look at this, surely it can't be helping the Sanctuary situation?.

On the flipside though, the record companies don't help themselves. We all know they play the system too in order to maximise their money > "accidental" leaks, extra track and a tacky badge...

That's business I guess.

So, how does Moz spot the money makers from the music lovers ?. Well - he can't. So, he and Sanctuary have to clobber all takers. Whether you like it or do not...

The Moz fans don't see the downloading as theft because, odds are, they *will* buy the album (and in *all* its variations too). So, does this make it theft or not ?. Yes, of course it does!. But for Moz fans it's a crime of passion!. Those fans are simply "borrowing" ahead of the album coming out. It's the money makers, not the music lovers that are causing this whole thing to come apart at the seams.

Whether we (the music lovers) like it or not, we live in a corporate world where the stock markets dictate the winners and the losers. The rumour mill can work against as well as for these companies.

To be successful you've got to convince everyone that you are successful (whether you are or not).
At the moment Sanctuary don't seem to be doing a very convincing job. Once everyone in the city thinks the writing is on the wall, it will be - whether in reality it is or not.

I feel sorry for David that this has happened, but it was pretty much impossible to stop given the open nature of the internet. In some ways it didn't help that he posted the news story, but I don't think in the scheme of things it would have made that much difference. In fact it once again served to highlight the issue of copyright control in music and on the internet.

On another note, I imagine Sanctuary would find it hard to move the launch date of the album now. If they did I am sure there would be some knock-on effect to the tour schedule, merchandising, etc. All this must takes months of planning due to the fact so many albums are being released and promoted.

Let's just hope that Sanctuary can hold out and we call pop down to Woolies to get our CD on the big day!.

For me personally, I don't want to spoil the surprise. One song leaked is enough, and maybe even that is too much...

Prince once sued a fan who had posted, on his fan site, links to tracks Prince recorded but not released. These tracks were hosted by another site/server. (I don't remember hearing what the outcome of this case was.)

The defendant of a lawsuit may have an airtight case, but it costs a lot of money to hire an attorney to fight the lawsuit.

Anyone?

This wouldn't happen if they weren't sending out samplers all over the place and having listening parties. Serves 'em right for being fools.

...in cyberlaw. There's no way in hell David could be liable for posts...no..links, to other websites. His rebuttal to Morrissey's lawyers was perfect. Then, there's the issue of people complaining about the fact that there was a leak...it's news isn't it? Unless we're using Google China edition, we should be able to see this news? Sanctuary might want to bring in a systems auditor to see exactly who leaked the songs. Because there's no way it wasn't someone either directly involved with Sanctuary (or related to or in collusion with). My guess is someone took the Pro Tools tracks directly off the Mac (or console) and copied them to MP3 format. It's quite easy if you have the access. I just hope this little Moz tantrum didn't cost David too much in lawyer fees.

I only wish Sanctuary's lawyers were similarly zealous about contacting e-bay regarding touts illegally selling tour tickets for £200 +.

Moz should be gratefull to this site... it (we, the readers) stuck by him when he was without a record deal and it is THE site where every Moz fan logs onto for news etc about upcoming gigs...Which is why he sells out so quickly...I am happy I heard a few song so that I can sing along at the amsterdam gig. So why be so angry about a few songs circulating on the internet... It is just good publicity. As is stated elsewhere, we are still buying the album wheather it sucks or is brilliant. Hell, if he farts in a bottle we would buy it. GIVE YOUR FANBASE A BREAK MOZZER AND BE HAPPY FOR THEM!!! The fact that we want to have the songs so badly is just a big compliment for your work. But oh well as you once stated yourself: MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Download and install eMule Plus on your computer and connect to the Razorback2 server. You can find both of the songs on there no problem.

Morrissey cannot stop file sharing. Even with every lawyer on the planet. Look what happened when Metallica shut down Napster. It went from downloading one or two songs on Napster to downloading entire Discographies with eMule.

You're kidding?

How working class of him.

morrissey shouldn't get too annoyed. he's vastly wealthy. it's funny that a lot of people would be overjoyed if the songs they created were being downloaded en-masse from the internet. but when people get wealthy all of a sudden it becomes a problem. look at how many people, on a site like myspace for instance, offer the songs they worked hard on for no money at all. they dont expect financial rewards, they just want to share their music with the world. they'll be waking up at 8am to go to their regular jobs today, whereas morrissey will lie in until noon then when he gets up he'll probably wake and bake.

in short, this wont stop morrissey making shitloads of money. so he should grow up and stop complaining that the eagerness of the fanbase has been rewarded with a handful of leaked tracks.

To simply put it: His Royal Highness does not deserve any consideration nowadays.

I'm proud to say I'll download his album, because I still like some of his music. I encourage anybody who truly loves this man to do the same. This could help him to move his huge ass towards a new way, a way along which he could deal with the paranoia he's falling through. Who knows if he's in time of saving himself from becoming a dead dinosaur...

Shame on you, Morrissey!!! You who wrote so marvellous a song as "Why don't you dind out for yourself"...

And that includes Davidt. What do you expect Morrissey and Sanctuary to do? Just ignore it? Of course they have got to try and stop the leaks. Apparently they have been onto the yousendit site to who are fully co-operating by deleting all the links. Maybe Davidt should take a leaf out of their book and not get so hysterical just because someone points out to him that he might be doing something illegal. I think it's a shame Davidt seems to think he's got to fight Morrissey over a simple request. It just shows how much of a fan he is that he can't just give Morrissey a hand rather than get his lawyers on the case.

The best advertising for your money is always a news story...

This is pretty obvious...

There are so few people who would have access to a recording like this, that it would be easy to find out who it was and let 'em have it!

Now, the NME, Q, Time Out, and every other publication is going to run an article this week about Morrissey's lawyers ramping up to protect the artist on the eve of his new release...

This isn't rocket science, and someone said it before: all those who would even be remotely interested in downloading the songs will still buy the album, buy the singles, buy the dvd's, go to the concerts, and buy merchandise at those concerts.

The word-of-mouth game for a record label who is near bankruptcy is the best game, and most cost-effective game, when promoting something new...

Morrissey still finds just as much humor in "illegal" downloads in 2006 as he did in 2003... (although he'll say it's unfair to the artists who are trying to make it, it's really not...)

This probably explains DavidT's wry comment at the end of the news post...DavidT is probably full aware of the strategy, himself!

arguably the most disconcerting thing about all this is the substandard quality of the tracks themselves...i'm not talking mp3 bitrate, i'm talking about the fact that the songs really aren't very good. the opening song is straight off an oasis album, one of the other songs sounds extremely like a southpaw grammar castoff and the epic minimalist one simply doesn't have a good enough vocal melody to carry it. it's frustrating, as with the last album, when you expect so much and he doesn't deliver. judging on these three songs i should stop expecting.

I suspect most of the "people" posting crap about Morrissey are no more than a bunch of 2 or 3 people with a whole load of different IDs.

From the person imitating freeyourself imitating me and posting the link to the illegal download (the real freeyourself has been barred for life from this site), to all the comments making nasty personal comments about Morrissey - I honestly think it's a handful of people, maybe even one person.

The posts are all written in the same childlike, bitter style and are written in order to poke fun at morrissey and his solo career.

It's sad - it truly is. Morrissey, like all of us, is human and that means he has his flaws; but unlike most of us, Morrissey has created some of the most beautiful songs of all time. I will never understand how people can make such gratuitiously vicious comments about the man who wrote "Everyday is like Sunday" "I Know It's Over" and "Hand in Glove." He's bared his soul, and he's touched us, made us giggle, touched us a bit more, and made us frown. Not many artists can do that. Of course, nobody is perfect and morrissey is not beyond criticism, either in terms of his behaviour or his music, but let's show him a little respect. Some of this trash is a long way below what is acceptable.

broken

Three new songs. Typical Morrissey crap. Just filler. Nothing more, nothing less.

Especially "Dear God, Please Help Me". Boring. I mean BORING!!! And the new single? Bland and unimaginative. It sounds like a reject from Maladjusted. And don't even get me started on the whole Arab thing. "And if the USA doesn't bomb you..." My God, he sounds like a fucking retard! He has the political awareness of a 3-year-old.

The Bubble has burst. We are in for another crap Morrissey album. Thanks for nothing, Mr. Visconti. Go back to florida. Your shuffle board pals are waiting, you talentless old fart.

Hey Morrissey, still thinking about coming to Amsterdam? Well, DON'T!!!!!

Sanctuary Records is complaining about the leak, yet the solution is Very Simple for Sanctuary Records.

1. Don't have freaking listening parties.

2. Stop talking about the three months before the release date.

3. Don’t release a song at an interview two months before the album release date (tonight at the interview).

4. Keep all aspects of the album quiet until you’re ready to release the album. One month before the release date should give the media plenty of time to write their reviews.

So far in the run-up to this album's release, Morrissey has answered fans questions and been accused of everything from irresponsibility to promoting violence and terrorism. There have been massive leaks that threaten the integrity of the album, and may even hurt his label at a critical time. In addition Morrissey has this fansite, where many seem to hate everything they have heard, and cannot wait to hate the album in the entirety.

Ringleader of the Tormentors, indeed...

By George W, he's done it again!

...dear god please help me is terrific. that's why it leaked. you can't not share that song with somebody else.

Don't make me laugh Morrissey, honey pie, I've got chapped lips!

Nooooooooo really stop it, ha ha ha, you're killing me! And a few other people!

Oh boy, that was worth a steak.

Are you frustrated because you got no mo' Msolo pages to print? Or is it purely sexual, as usual?

Anyhow: you're abdominally fabulous. Don't change. You really are one of a kind!

Ha ha!

As Anaesthesine has posted above, what's all this criticism about?
Fair enough if you don't like the new songs, but if that's the case, state your opinion in a reasoned manner. How can you criticise Morrissey's actions when it comes to dealing with illegal downloads of HIS music? Imagine you've just written a novel, in your opinion the best piece of work you've ever done, and someone steals your manuscript and publishes it before you've had a chance to publicise it. How would you feel?
Of course it's not David's fault that the songs have ended up here either. I can't be the only fan who's tired of all this schoolyard, 'oooh Morrissey said this about David's site, so David said this about Morrissey'. David's a fan for God's sake, otherwise why would he run this site. If they're having sly digs at one another now and again, that's their problem.
Furthermore, where did this ridiculous notion arise that Morrissey's rolling in money? Fair enough, he's wealthy, but by the standards of a pop star, he's simply well off ... go and trawl all the rich lists you want, you won't find him there. Granted, like all of us Northerners he's careful with his cash, but he's hardly an avaricious old miser ... consider the fact that his own money is tied up in a company that's been on the rocks for some time. The man must be more than a little stressed, but what does he do? Tell the fans to bugger off, just buy the album then leave him be? No, he stumps up some of his own cash to go on tour. A tour for which many of us (if not all) will have tickets.
It simply staggers me how ungrateful some people can be. But, as the real 'broken' posted above, the trolls are probably just one or two people with different usernames. I expect we'll hear these hypocrites in the crowd shouting obscene things at quiet moments ... there's always one, as the teacher used to say.
And before I get hacked down by some brilliant wit with a barrage of swearwords, I don't think Morrissey or his music is above criticism; however, when the only constructive efforts are 'urgh, that's shit' or 'stupid gay boy', I begin to see why I overlook the NME's failings to read about an artist I love.

we buy everything, every single, every version of every song, dont we? then, why not? two words, ok, a compound word limewire... can't wait for the cd... long live file sharing