Morrissey Central “BONFIRE DOUSED” (February 7, 2023)

BONFIRE DOUSED: - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - BONFIRE DOUSED:

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

Morrissey is ‘too diverse’ for Universal Music Group.
Capitol Records (Los Angeles) will not, after all, release Morrissey’s 2021 album ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’. At the same time, Capitol Records (Los Angeles) are holding on to the album.

Although Morrissey officially signed to Capitol Records Los Angeles, there has been no mention of Morrissey on Capitol’s website or on their Artists roster.

Morrissey has said that although he does not believe that Capitol Records in Los Angeles signed ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ in order to sabotage it, he is quickly coming around to that belief.

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Related items:

• Fiona Dodwell: "Why An Unsigned Morrissey Proves A Lack Of True Diversity In Music" (February 5, 2023)
• [Morrissey Central] "Bonfire Unlit" (November 14, 2022)

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Media item:

• NME: "Morrissey is “quickly coming around to that belief” that Capitol is “sabotaging” his new album" - February 7, 2023

 

[ThePoliticalRevolution]

Flipping record companies with their offices on Wardour Street and their fat managers blowing cigar smoke all over the place. Bastards.

I was only saying to Sullivan the other day, as he emerged from one of the listening booths at the local record shop (not sure why the delightfully twinky little counter boy needed to be in there with him) 'Sullivan' I said, 'these flipping record companies will ruin music what with their cheap vinyl and their scratchy paper inner-sleeves. Bastards'.

We then minced in a forthright yet stylish way RIGHT UP Portland Street and waited in the queue outside Piccadilly Records for six hours to purchase two tickets (£1.10d !) for a Hurricane Smith concert at the Lower Free Trade Hall. £1.10d to see a true artist yet one that hardly anyone has heard of! Record companies: bastards!

We then spent a happy two hours upstairs in the UCP cafe on Market Street reading Melody Maker and checking out chart positions in the throbbing 40. Hurricane Smith has failed to get to number one ! Let down by EMI - again. Record company bastards!

ANYWAY - we made our way home and listened to the chart show on Radio Luxembourg whilst arguing about how best to fit a new needle into the radiogram. Three and thruppance for a new needle - record company bastards!

Don't get us going about record companies. If only there were some way to offer music to an audience without them. If only . . . .

I love this record. Don't let it die. Thanks for reminding me to listen to it.

 

[Lucifer Sam]

You think Spanish guitars, castanets and latin vibes are what we all need right now? Do you?

They're a welcome touch. They aren't his tunes, but I think Manzur's presence in the band is where we get the Spanish strumming on When Last I Spoke to Carol, and the beautiful mariachi coda to Staircase at the University. I'm right with @Juan Dulces in wishing Morrissey would make a 70s California record: a pastoral setting for the voice rich in age. What Kind of People and Saint in a Stained Glass Window suggest it would be brilliant. The basic territory of Jackson Browne's For Everyman, but flecked with some Mexican tinges. Morrissey, Whyte, and Manzur in Laurel Canyon c. 1974. Get David Lindley in the studio.

 

[Seymour Glass]

I blame the Chili Peppers!!

 

[Phranc & Open]

They're a welcome touch. They aren't his tunes, but I think Manzur's presence in the band is where we get the Spanish strumming on When Last I Spoke to Carol, and the beautiful mariachi coda to Staircase at the University. I'm right with @Juan Dulces in wishing Morrissey would make a 70s California record: a pastoral setting for the voice rich in age. What Kind of People and Saint in a Stained Glass Window suggest it would be brilliant. The basic territory of Jackson Browne's For Everyman, but flecked with some Mexican tinges. Morrissey, Whyte, and Manzur in Laurel Canyon c. 1974. Get David Lindley in the studio.

Sounds interesting, with another artist.

 

[Anonymous]

Lots of unanswered questions here. Will Without Music be brought forward? I can’t see this one being released through a major label. Moreover, the very title of this record seems to allude to the Bonfire embargo, which is telling.

As a final point - it surely can’t be much fun contributing to a record that never gets released? To lose one to a record company looks like misfortune, but twice would be carelessness.

P.S I’d prefer the OG Bonfire than a re-recorded version. Capitol I’ll buy a copy of that for £100 download only - I’m that desperate!

 

[Lionsy]

If Capitol bought the album to make a "revenge " it´s a very serious thing.
M should leave them to court to take back the album.
Capitol Criminal.

I saw a bright light outside last night

Definitely a UFO - It was around the same height as the street lights, so it was quite low!

I think it MAY be related to Capitol's criminal activity, what do you think?

 

[j*e*t]

Enough with the paranoia, blame-games and accusations. Capitol is a business, making business decisions about supply and demand. They tested the market with Rebels and found insufficient demand at present. I know it's hard for the fans who have had their expectations of an album release raised over some considerable time, and I'm sure it's hard for Morrissey when the music is so personal to him, but we have to face facts. I've been looking at someone in a similar situation, Sky Ferreira, whose second album release by Capitol has been delayed for even longer. She's the same age as Miley and even supported her on tour. With better styling she could be as attractive as Miley, but she's had drug and other health issues, and the two singles released so far from the album (in 2019 and 2022) were not great and didn't achieve chart success, and so the saga continues. Capitol do not appear to have commented publicly about the release delay of Sky's album, and so I do not expect we will hear anything from them about Morrissey. Please can we all move on in a stoic and dignified manner?

 

[Juan Dulces]

They're a welcome touch. They aren't his tunes, but I think Manzur's presence in the band is where we get the Spanish strumming on When Last I Spoke to Carol, and the beautiful mariachi coda to Staircase at the University. I'm right with @Juan Dulces in wishing Morrissey would make a 70s California record: a pastoral setting for the voice rich in age. What Kind of People and Saint in a Stained Glass Window suggest it would be brilliant. The basic territory of Jackson Browne's For Everyman, but flecked with some Mexican tinges. Morrissey, Whyte, and Manzur in Laurel Canyon c. 1974. Get David Lindley in the studio.

Exactly. And Alain is a So-Cal guy now, and has been living there for years. So, regardless of him not playing with Morrissey for the last decade or whatever, he's been living in a Latin-music-infused area for a while. Plus, Alain shuffles and sways anyway (plays with a lot of confidence), so he's already pretty groovy and can hang with most styles/variations, can already play slide guitar, etc.

Regarding some of the more recent material, Jesse's playing as well has really contributed some flair. The e-bow guitar on Forgive Someone, the spacey Tex-Mex twang of Smiler With Knife --- both songs in this 70s vein I think.

It wouldn't be a bad direction to go in at all, and it seemed like we were pseudo heading there with pieces of Low/HS retaining this cool style, but then... the last few albums (including Cali Son) - we're again back to a mix-and-match of styles, so to speak. I'd rather the albums have a common theme/style(s) and genres throughout. Sounds that all flow together from start to finish.

 

[mabuk]

I thought Capitol didn't acquire publishing rights for the UK, couldn't it be released there by someone?

 

[From the left]

I saw a bright light outside last night

Definitely a UFO - It was around the same height as the street lights, so it was quite low!

I think it MAY be related to Capitol's criminal activity, what do you think?

yes the Aliens are also big fans of M, so they are so upset about what Capitol is doing,

 

[The Wild Turkey]

Capitol ain't gettin' no more of Wild T's money.
Not one plug nickel.
Not after they pulled a stunt like this.

 

[Tom]

Always the victim... boy this is getting nauseating.

Let's be honest, if this was a great album, any record company would want to release it. From the songs played thus far, it's far from great. If the album was packed with catchy songs and some kind of return to form, any record company would jump on it since Morrissey is a nostalgia act at this point (despite what he thinks).

The fact is, it's not very good and anyone who's listened to it likely knows it. Rebels Without Applause was released on streaming platforms and no one cared. It's not worth fighting for and it's certainly not worth putting up with Morrissey. Morrissey is a nightmare to deal with in business, and has not grown with the times. I'm willing to bet that the thing that killed this deal was Morrissey, not Capitol. Demanding too much, and valuing himself and his own material a bit too highly.

Morrissey's alleged controversial political/racial opinions are non existent in the United States, no one cares. The only people in a tizzy about them are far left loons in the UK, of which there are plenty. The record industry is based in the US and record companies will release albums from convicted murderers as long as they make money, so "controversy" is not the issue. Let's stop pretending it is.

Times have changed. Record companies were willing to put up with Morrissey's bullshit and all that comes along with it back when he could at least sell records for a week and a half. Now the projected profit margins are thinner and he's still likely asking for a boatload of money and an army of staff for promotion. He's also burned just about every bridge there is to burn in the industry and there's not as many labels as there once were.

It's time to self release or start your own label. His whole house needs rebuilding.

 

[A Man Escaped]

Always the victim... boy this is getting nauseating.

Let's be honest, if this was a great album, any record company would want to release it. From the songs played thus far, it's far from great. If the album was packed with catchy songs and some kind of return to form, any record company would jump on it since Morrissey is a nostalgia act at this point (despite what he thinks).

The fact is, it's not very good and anyone who's listened to it likely knows it. Rebels Without Applause was released on streaming platforms and no one cared. It's not worth fighting for and it's certainly not worth putting up with Morrissey. Morrissey is a nightmare to deal with in business, and has not grown with the times. I'm willing to bet that the thing that killed this deal was Morrissey, not Capitol. Demanding too much, and valuing himself and his own material a bit too highly.

Morrissey's alleged controversial political/racial opinions are non existent in the United States, no one cares. The only people in a tizzy about them are far left loons in the UK, of which there are plenty. The record industry is based in the US and record companies will release albums from convicted murderers as long as they make money, so "controversy" is not the issue. Let's stop pretending it is.

Times have changed. Record companies were willing to put up with Morrissey's bullshit and all that comes along with it back when he could at least sell records for a week and a half. Now the projected profit margins are thinner and he's still like asking for a boatload of money and an army of staff for promotion. He's also burned just about every bridge there is to burn in the industry and there's not as many labels as there once were.

It's time to self release or start your own label. His whole house needs rebuilding.

As others have said on previous threads, he will never self release. It would require too much effort/money on his part and I doubt if even he would abdicate responsibility for that to "the neph".

He's old school, obsessed by chart positions, so who does he blame if "Bonfire" sells in the same small numbers as the last couple of albums?.

Imagine the look on his face when he hands out the pitiful royalty payments to his song co writers.

 

[Eyebrows]

But I thought diversity was conformity?

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Why do these things keep happening to Morrissey? Why do these things ONLY ever happen to Morrissey?

It’s kind of cool to be a practicing troublemaker when you’re in your twenties and maybe a few years into your thirties (not really, though), but after that it’s just pathetic and if you still can’t keep your career in order after 40 years in the business, you just look foolish.

Agreed .
Nearly every public effort he has made in the last few years, apart from his live gigs which are FIRE, has only made him look fecking needy, out of touch and desperate , Getting FD to publish his own points about himself , as PR just makes him look even more lost . Fiona just so happens to write about diversity again before he makes his statement . Not planned at all.

It's a shame it's come to this. Especially when he could turn around , if he was even half as aware as he used to be .
Wish the fella well though , love him to bits .
He needs to self release from now on.
It's the only move that would make him seem in control and out in front beyond being signed for millions.
Sadly it's even getting too late for that .
If he would have set up shop and self released a couple of years ago he was have looked bad ass a big f*** you
Now it would just look like he has no choice . Like he has been kicked out of every pub in town and is stuck drinking booze in the park .

Still, that Such A Little Thing demo reminds me of how great he was . I tell you that really brightened up a Hastings winter

Why do these things keep happening to Morrissey? Why do these things ONLY ever happen to Morrissey?

It’s kind of cool to be a practicing troublemaker when you’re in your twenties and maybe a few years into your thirties (not really, though), but after that it’s just pathetic and if you still can’t keep your career in order after 40 years in the business, you just look foolish.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Always the victim... boy this is getting nauseating.

Let's be honest, if this was a great album, any record company would want to release it. From the songs played thus far, it's far from great. If the album was packed with catchy songs and some kind of return to form, any record company would jump on it since Morrissey is a nostalgia act at this point (despite what he thinks).

The fact is, it's not very good and anyone who's listened to it likely knows it. Rebels Without Applause was released on streaming platforms and no one cared. It's not worth fighting for and it's certainly not worth putting up with Morrissey. Morrissey is a nightmare to deal with in business, and has not grown with the times. I'm willing to bet that the thing that killed this deal was Morrissey, not Capitol. Demanding too much, and valuing himself and his own material a bit too highly.

Morrissey's alleged controversial political/racial opinions are non existent in the United States, no one cares. The only people in a tizzy about them are far left loons in the UK, of which there are plenty. The record industry is based in the US and record companies will release albums from convicted murderers as long as they make money, so "controversy" is not the issue. Let's stop pretending it is.

Times have changed. Record companies were willing to put up with Morrissey's bullshit and all that comes along with it back when he could at least sell records for a week and a half. Now the projected profit margins are thinner and he's still likely asking for a boatload of money and an army of staff for promotion. He's also burned just about every bridge there is to burn in the industry and there's not as many labels as there once were.

It's time to self release or start your own label. His whole house needs rebuilding.

Top post mate .
I thought I wrote it for a minute . Very true what you said

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Verbal attacks so lightly thrown in public on characters can cost.

Re, diversity, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges clearly explains how diversity tropes are often being abused - https://scheerpost.com/2023/02/05/chris-hedges-woke-imperialism/

For the album, if channels of communication were still open, might some 'frank and open' help?

This post read like a malfunctioning AI robot trying to write a M essay

 

[marred]

Who are these other artists who don’t play the game?

I know you're trying to be smart and you want names of famous artists. I was making a broader point. It's just a natural state of things when you're an artist. Fame shows you the tip of the iceberg as far as artists who have been published. There are very few who don't play the game because there are very few real artists.

 

[marred]

Really? Do we ever hear about it?

You are aware there are many artists you'll never hear about right? We aren't all famous.

 

[marred]

these people would love him to announce his retirement,M wouldnt give them the satisfaction,as for johnnie ray,guys a space cadet.

They make predictions with a very long shelf life.