Morrissey Central "‘BONFIRE OF TEENAGERS’ IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS" (June 14, 2023)

'BONFIRE OF TEENAGERS’ IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS'

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Artist-friendly Capitol Records (Los Angeles) have no plans to release ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ two and a half years after the album was recorded.

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Morrissey’s new comment on the situation:

“It’s a clear display of how censorian the music industry has become. It is a new part of the music industry that does not work and that nobody likes. Music should be the primary democracy, as all art should be, and any effort to keep people away from it simply invites deeper discussion. There is no point banning ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ because somebody somewhere might be offended if they heard it. Why waste time on other people’s mental incapacities? And where is Capitol’s support for the kids who were murdered in that Manchester bonfire on 22 May 2017? Although Capitol claims to be a label of ‘diversity’ it is very difficult to see their humanity. If you are only prepared to release music that draws people’s minds away from thinking then you are unfit for any contact with creative people. Songs are literary compositions, and writing music should be an unrestricted open form. It seems to me that Capitol Records cannot observe the possibility that their artists or their potential customers have ever thought. But silencing certain artists achieves nothing, and simply makes the bonfire burn taller and louder. The moral perspective at Capitol Records who is sitting like a hen on an egg on ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ is Michelle Jubelirer, who played no small part in removing ‘World Peace is None Of Your Business’ from the shelves in 2014 - determined that it could not sell or be heard. The same creeping culture of censorship at Capitol Records has taken place with ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’, and the civic structure of Capitol now appears fascist. I still have hope in the music industry, but there are evidently several powerful faces within it that have no honest interest in music … and you follow them into the shadows at your peril.”
MORRISSEY.

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(Middle image = Michelle Jubelirer).
FWD.



Media items:
 
That's just silly. I Live In Oblivion made me tear up when I saw him last year. Obviously taste is subjective but just because YOU dont like it, doesn't mean it should be cast aside. He could just re-record the album and release it ala Taylor Swift.
I’ve cast nothing aside. It’s Capitol that have done this.
 
Whatever the reasons, its a massive shame this album doesn't look like it will see the light of day.
Hopefully one day it might but for now it looks like it will take on Princes 'Black Album' status and only be heard on dodgy bootlegs.
And im probably alone in thinking 'Rebels without applause' was a great taster, weird production aside.
Never mind.
I'm not a huge Prince fan so I have to ask, what was his "Black Album"?
 
Capitol Records (and any other record label) in no way are proper judges of moral-anything. This should be 100% about the art, just like Morrissey is saying. Spousal abusers, people involved with murders or other nastiness, people whose friends find them passed out w/needles in their arms, molesters of the underage, rapists....they all are allowed to release records. Morrissey largely represents cleaner and more intelligent living than that, while also being a higher quality musical artist than most --- yet feels 'the pinch' here over his 'lyrical content'? I mean, his lyrics are one of the two main reasons people have bought his music.

There's so much falseness in 'statements' anymore. Maybe there always was.

I think Morrissey is accurate with what he is saying here, though we'll probably never see BOT released. Perhaps when he does find his new label they could negotiate releasing Bonfire through them instead (as mentioned above by William Fisher).
 
what’s the point Central? Whining into the void.

If you want the songs heard, do it live and release that.
 
I understand he is frustrated, I mean I would be, but this just seems wasted energy and discussions he should be having with Capitol only, perhaps even reaching a deal to have the album back.

Why he went back to Capitol after the WPINOYB fiasco is somewhat baffling.
 
Surely he has already said all this to the people in question. Now it looks like he didn't get the answers he wanted and is trying to start a pile-on. Pointless.
 
what’s the point Central? Whining into the void.

If you want the songs heard, do it live and release that.
Labels typically only own the release in that form, those specific performances. He could just re-record the album and release it. It's not super convienient but it could be done.
 
These people wouldn't know art if it came up and bit them on the arse.

Btw - the petition to release BOT is now up to almost 700 signatures.

Nearly 700 on a petition that’s been running since February. I think that would answer why the album hasn’t, and won’t be released.

Captiol must be terrified when they’ve got loony Brad giving birdie signs to the Capitol building. Not to mention that whining ferret on Twitter with his open letter to Capitol. Oooh Er.!!!!
Lads. You won’t be on the guest list anytime soon, just in the same way your buddy Trina won’t either.
 
I'm not a huge Prince fan so I have to ask, what was his "Black Album"?
The Black Album was a fully recorded album that was due out at the end of 1987, 4 or 5 days before Prince decided he didnt want it out due to it being a very dark, negative album.
Copies had been printed with the sleeve and everything, so these are now worth very large amounts of cash, and of course straight after, all these dodgy sounding bootlegs started appearing.
It was released eventually in 1994 but of course by then, the moment was gone.
Great album tho.
 
Labels typically only own the release in that form, those specific performances. He could just re-record the album and release it. It's not super convienient but it could be done.

Easier if he just banged them out live at different shows, and put it out as a live album.


But, I don’t think this is really about the songs being heard or not.
 
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A live album would be great considering how much better rebels without applause sounded than the single.
One of my favourite all time records is Beethoven was deaf, he and his band always sound their best when unspliced/ not compressed or auto tuned.
 
I understand he is frustrated, I mean I would be, but this just seems wasted energy and discussions he should be having with Capitol only, perhaps even reaching a deal to have the album back.

Why he went back to Capitol after the WPINOYB fiasco is somewhat baffling.

exactly. And why did Capitol bother signing him again? Was it just to not release the record? Would Jubelirer and others at the label really go through the trouble of signing him just to dick him over and not release BoT?
 
I have heard the album and you are missing nothing
You are the 4th fan ( if I count correctly ) who has heard this album . An exclusive group :rock:
 
You are the 4th fan ( if I count correctly ) who has heard this album . An exclusive group :rock:

have they? just makes me suspicious. I mean, if some people already have it, I’m surprised it hasn’t been leaked yet.

 
LOL at him pretending Capitol even cares what's on the album. They shelved it because they're tired of dealing with his shenanigans. If it's spicy and full of controversial opinions that makes it even more appealing for them to release. But they haven't because they're just done with his shit.
 
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