Morrissey Central "BONFIRE OF TEENAGERS, RIP" (February 13, 2023) - Morrissey vs Capitol Records

BONFIRE OF TEENAGERS, RIP - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - BONFIRE OF TEENAGERS, RIP

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

Capitol Records (Los Angeles) proudly promotes Sam Smith’s ‘satanism’; yet they consider the honest truth of Morrissey’s factual ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ to be their biggest threat and they will not release it despite their contractual obligation and promise to do so.

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Media coverage:

• Morrissey Whines That Capitol Promotes Sam Smith’s “Satanism” But Not His New Album - Consequence of Sound. Link posted by Never Welcome.
• Morrissey says Capitol will promote Sam Smith’s “satanism” but considers his unreleased album “their biggest threat” - NME. Link posted by Famous when dead.
• Morrissey Complains Capitol Is Promoting “Sam Smith’s ‘Satanism'” But Not His New Album - Stereogum. Link posted by Famous when dead.
• Morrissey says Capitol Records is prioritising Sam Smith’s ‘satanism’ over his new album - The Independent. Link posted by Famous when dead.

 

[BrokenFrame]

If they are contractually obligated to release it what sort of time frame are we talking? released within the next 5-10 years?

 

[Lucifer Sam]

If Capitol are in breach of contract, then the solution would be simple: they can be sued and made to release the record. Presumably a wealthy musician has an attorney on retainer. That’s what a normal person would do. But “there is no such thing in life as normal,” and whining dramatically on one’s blog is the Norma Desmond way. Excelsior!

 

[bored]

I would like some evidence that Capitol is withholding the record due to its content.

 

[gashonthenail]

The (melo)drama lingers on...

 

[BrokenFrame]

I just sent Capitol a message asking for an update, for all the good it will do.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, yes. Let's continue antagonizing younger artists and further alienate ourselves from the contemporary music scene -if there is any.

What does Sam Smith has to do with this? I don't care an ounce for him but what is the point of bringing him up and comparing himself to a more succesfull and younger musician now? It just highlights its irrelevancy and it is a sad affair as there are many -like me- that would kill to hear this album.

 

[caramel sea salt]

I didn't think they (Morrissey Central) would go there, but they went there!

 

[A Man Escaped]

He really needs to stop the megaphone communication with Capitol. What does he think he will achieve? Does he hope that fans will descend on the Capitol building in Los Angeles with burning torches, like the villagers in Frankenstein?

 

[BrokenFrame]

I don't see how they would consider the album a "threat" though, it's a bit tin foil hat time. "You cant handle my truth, man!".

 

[gashonthenail]

I would like some evidence that Capitol is withholding the record due to its content.

The statement is not explicit that the content of the album is the reason why Capitol are not releasing it - although it does seem worded in such a way to invite that speculation. Not sure if the comparison with Mr Smith is helpful. It has always been my guess, for what it's worth, that the subject matter of the title track is a problem. 'Honest truth' - maybe. But is any song 'factual'?

 

[BrokenFrame]

He really needs to stop the megaphone communication with Capitol. What does he think he will achieve? Does he hope that fans will descend on the Capitol building in Los Angeles with burning torches, like the villagers in Frankenstein?

A petition would be nice. I'm not naïve enough to think it would work, but it would be nice to let them know fans care.

 

[gashonthenail]

A petition would be nice. I'm not naïve enough to think it would work, but it would be nice to let them know fans care.

There is one. Anonymous posted it on the previous thread about Bonfire doused.

 

[gashonthenail]

I don't see how they would consider the album a "threat" though, it's a bit tin foil hat time. "You cant handle my truth, man!".

Welcome to 2023. Most book publishers these days employ 'sensitivity readers' whose job it is to read manuscripts submitted for publication and check for material that might make a marginalised reader feel 'unsafe' I have little doubt that major record labels are starting to do something similar. For any 'sensitivity listener' the title track of BOT would flag up a red flag so big you could see it from space.

How sensitivity readers corrupt literature

They sullied my memoir to suit their agenda

unherd.com

 

[Anonymous]

In October, Morrissey Central announced: "Capitol Records (Los Angeles) will release Morrissey’s ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ in February 2023. The album will be released worldwide except for the United Kingdom, where there is no label deal."

Instead of all this pointless yelling at Capitol (who are clearly ignoring him), why not just take the money they paid him to license the album and self-release it in the UK. What's stopping him?

 

[BookishBoy]

It does start to feel like we're watching a slow-motion car crash here, the end result of which is that no label on earth will ever want to work with Morrissey again.

Which is a shame - but, there are other routes to market...

 

[gashonthenail]

It’s not. But really, should we be surprised that M is taking the ‘Moz vs lock-jawed pop stars’ (or whatever Smith is) stance?

Quite. But is it Moz - or SER?
Sam Smith is just doing the usual sexualised vaudeville that many pop stars do to hide the fact that the material they're flogging isn't any good. Flogging with whips and patent leather boots, of course. 'Satanism' - nah.

 

[ACTON]

I thought there was a rip of Bonfire, not Bonfire R.I.P.

There Is A Fire That Never Goes Out. Nobody can extinguish the spark of Moz - a flaming beacon in the dark void of modern music.

 

[BookishBoy]

What's worrying is that the "Sam Smith Satanism" thing is basically coming from what right wing Christian evangelicals like Ted Cruz said about Smith's Grammy's performance the other day. Sounds to me like someone needs to "stop watching the news..."

 

[Gregor Samsa]

More drama, more woe is me, more conspiracy theories, more alienating oneself from the world of music and its record labels, more making oneself look like a f***ing fool. There is no end in sight for the self-destruction of Morrissey.