Morrissey Central “REBELS WITHOUT ASSISTANCE” (December 22, 2022)


"It's been quite sad. The absence of any promotion is noticeable. It's devastating how no one can ever get this right. But they can't, or they won't. Radio stations, as far as I can tell, will play just about anything they're asked to. But as I've always said, true artists must always look after themselves whereas non-artists are encouraged and advanced beyond reason. When you walk through a storm hold your head up high … as the song goes!"

Morrissey in conversation, Los Angeles, December 2022.
Provided by K, C and H.
 
Instead of moaning, how about getting off your backside and doing something yourself? Ditch this stupid refusal to talk to the media, get out there and flog the record to anyone who will listen. Print media and radio stations will be queuing up to talk to you after years of silence - say you'll speak to anyone on air as long as they play the new single. Drum up some publicity yourself instead of waiting for it to be handed to you on a silver platter - those days are long gone.

Exactly right. Even the biggest Morrissey sycophants must be sick of his victim mentality. Here's some further advice:

Fire whatever publicist you have now, they clearly don't understand your needs. Get a PR person who will hustle for you and make you a priority. Next, actually listen to your publicist and welcome interviews, etc. Also, you might have to spend a little bit out of pocket to get the kind of publicity you feel is lacking from the label end of things.

Acknowledge that the record industry has evolved in the past 30 years, even if you yourself have not. No one is rushing to court you, you might actually have to do some leg work or hire someone to do it for you. For the record label bridges you haven't burned, acknowledge that there might not be full pit crews to service your every whim when it comes to promotion and pushing album sales. This is a business and promotion on the level you're seeking costs money. Sure, that service still exists, but only for top tier artists who make labels lots of money. Let's face it, that's not you. You are a nostalgia act to them, embrace it.

Embrace social media to some degree, and get your own voice out there. Don't rely on others to get it out there, do it yourself. Recently, Robert Smith had a listening party for the 30th Anniversary of Wish on Twitter. He talked about the making of the album, gave insights into specific tracks, it was a Cure fan's dream. Imagine Morrissey doing something like this? No, we can't of course, he's too lazy and stubborn... but if he did, it would certainly grab people's attention. Stop complaining about how the press twisted your words 5 years ago, there are ways to get your thoughts out there without the need for press filtering. But keep it to things like what you're listening to, etc... everyone is fatigued of politics.

Lastly, and arguably most important... Fire your talentless nephew, or at least keep him away from doing any artwork or blog postings in your name. Let others handle your imagine, a professional who knows what they're doing, not an aimless relative with no discernable skill to handle an artist of your caliber.
 
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Exactly right. Even the biggest Morrissey sycophants must be sick of his victim mentality. Here's some further advice:

Fire whatever publicist you have now, they clearly don't understand your needs. Get a PR person who will hustle for you and make you a priority. Next, actually listen to your publicist and welcome interviews, etc. Also, you might have to spend a little bit out of pocket to get the kind of publicity you feel is lacking from the label end of things.

Acknowledge that the record industry has evolved in the past 30 years, even if you yourself have not. No one is rushing to court you, you might actually have to do some leg work or hire someone to do it for you. For the record label bridges you haven't burned, acknowledge that there might not be full pit crews to service your every whim when it comes to promotion and pushing album sales. This is a business and promotion on the level you're seeking costs money. Sure, that service still exists, but only for top tier artists who make labels lots of money. Let's face it, that's not you. You are a nostalgia act to them, embrace it.

Embrace social media to some degree, and get your own voice out there. Don't rely on others to get it out there, do it yourself. Recently, Robert Smith had a listening party for the 30th Anniversary of Wish on Twitter. He talked about the making of the album, gave insights into specific tracks, it was a Cure fan's dream. Imagine Morrissey doing something like this? No, we can't of course, he's too lazy and stubborn... but if he did, it would certainly grab people's attention. Stop complaining about how the press twisted your words 5 years ago, there are ways to get your thoughts out there without the need for press filtering. But keep it to things like what you're listening to, etc... everyone is fatigued of politics.

Lastly, and arguably most important... Fire your talentless nephew, or at least keep him away from doing any artwork or blog postings in your name. Let others handle your imagine, a professional who knows what they're doing, not an aimless relative with no discernable skill to handle an artist of your caliber.
Nice ideas that he will never listen to, rooting for moz is bad for your sanity. I wish there was a way I could come here without tearing my hair out.
 
If he’s unhappy with his record label (and let’s face it, it wouldn’t be the first time) then he really has to look at releasing his new material himself.

He can’t have it both ways. He cannot refuse to do interviews and then somehow expect the new single from a 63 year old recluse to magically work its way up the charts.

I love the bloke, always will. But he needs to get his finger out.

Most of what is wrong with his career right now is his fault and his fault alone. The sooner he comes to terms with this the better.
 

"It's been quite sad. The absence of any promotion is noticeable. It's devastating how no one can ever get this right. But they can't, or they won't. Radio stations, as far as I can tell, will play just about anything they're asked to. But as I've always said, true artists must always look after themselves whereas non-artists are encouraged and advanced beyond reason. When you walk through a storm hold your head up high … as the song goes!"

Morrissey in conversation, Los Angeles, December 2022.
Provided by K, C and H.
Do Your Best and Don't Worry...
 
Doing his best to be mister self destruct.
Like everyone else, you're allowing yourself to get whipped up into some negative frenzy.
Just chill out FFS. None of this is a life or death issue, or anything you can influence, is it?
 
Like everyone else, you're allowing yourself to get whipped up into some negative frenzy.
Just chill out FFS. None of this is a life or death issue, or anything you can influence, is it?
Thats very true. But I really want this album 😂.

And the next, and the one after that.

And so on. And so on 😍

Re a post above, I hope we get a new BOT track before Christmas too.
 
Does he honestly not see the connection between the lack of radio play and the (justified or not) entrenched opinion of him as racist / bigoted / problematic (delete as appropriate)?

No label on earth can fix that for him, only he can.
 
Like everyone else, you're allowing yourself to get whipped up into some negative frenzy.
Just chill out FFS. None of this is a life or death issue, or anything you can influence, is it?
It's the life and death of his career and ability to put out future albums. Maybe we are too invested but I don't blame people for venting.
 
It's the life and death of his career and ability to put out future albums. Maybe we are too invested but I don't blame people for venting.

And how do think their venting ( which I understand why they do) is going to help M’s career?
 
And how do you think he can fix that?
The only way to fix it would be to try to articulate, in a proper interview (or two), his concerns about multiculturalism, immigration, etc. (Although I think it's too late for that.)

Or, he accepts that his views are out of step with most of the people who work in the creative industries in the UK/US, and as a result his music will continue to be ignored to some extent. Which is fine, he's an outsider.

You can't go around saying things like DIVERSITY IS CONFORMITY and then complain about not getting played on the radio: the two things are inextricably linked!
 
Yes but posting on solo complaining as people do, doesn’t influence or change M or get anyone closer to a album? So it’s futile and a bit bizarre, don’t you think?
You take that back!

Morrissey is at this very moment reclining on a (faux) leopard skin chaise longue while Fiona pops grapes in his mouth as he motions a finger and Sam scrolls down the page of Morrissey-solo for him and he utters the words

I do wonder what Lionsy has to say about me today
 
Yes but posting on solo complaining as people do, doesn’t influence or change M or get anyone closer to a album? So it’s futile and a bit bizarre, don’t you think?
People vent to make themselves feel better, nobody is claiming it is going to help the situation. It's just a bonus if Morrissey discovers what his fans really think. The alternative is just a bunch of Moz bots with nothing to say.
 
Does he honestly not see the connection between the lack of radio play and the (justified or not) entrenched opinion of him as racist / bigoted / problematic (delete as appropriate)?

No label on earth can fix that for him, only he can.
So how do you suggest he gets out of that, so called, 'entrenched opinion'?
That would be a more interesting conversation/thread, wouldn't it?
 
The only way to fix it would be to try to articulate, in a proper interview (or two), his concerns about multiculturalism, immigration, etc. (Although I think it's too late for that.)

Or, he accepts that his views are out of step with most of the people who work in the creative industries in the UK/US, and as a result his music will continue to be ignored to some extent. Which is fine, he's an outsider.

You can't go around saying things like DIVERSITY IS CONFORMITY and then complain about not getting played on the radio: the two things are inextricably linked!

I understand, and that’s easier said than done. But you need to put yourself in his shoes, do you think M feels comfortable with doing an interview with a ‘proper’ journalist? Do you think he trusts any media
to not twist any articulate ‘apology’ that he could make? You and most here should know the answer to this by now.

Well in context of the interview, is his ‘DIVERSITY IS CONFORMITY’ comment
really that radical? Unfortunately for Morrissey he leaves it for folks to understand what he means.
 
So how do you suggest he gets out of that, so called, 'entrenched opinion'?
That would be a more interesting conversation/thread, wouldn't it?
Yes, it would!

I suspect the only possible route now (as a lot of people have made up their minds about him and on big parts of Twitter* his name is synonymous with racist/bigot) is simply to put out a run of 3 or 4 amazing albums which can't be ignored because they're too good.

*Yes, I know that Twitter is not the world, and there are plenty of fans left who simply don't care about the politics stuff.
 
I understand, and that’s easier said than done. But you need to put yourself in his shoes, do you think M feels comfortable with doing an interview with a ‘proper’ journalist? Do you think he trusts any media
to not twist any articulate ‘apology’ that he could make? You and most here should know the answer to this by now.

Well in context of the interview, is his ‘DIVERSITY IS CONFORMITY’ comment
really that radical? Unfortunately for Morrissey he leaves it for folks to understand what he means.
Oh, agree, he absolutely wouldn't trust any journalist at this point! And if he doesn't want to put himself through anything like that, it's his choice.
 
Can't believe he did not go for "Rebels without support" though, as it would fit the tune :)
 
The media is free to twist his words after he has an interview with Fiona. I don't think it's a situation he can entirely win and maybe he should go for broke and collaborate with other interviewers.
 

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