Harvest ends contract with Morrissey - TTY

Disappointing but honestly I don't blame them. Fair enough they didn't put a lot of effort into the promotion but Morrissey contributed almost zero to it. Morrissey didn't even use illness as an excuse. He said he had no offers of promotion from anyone else. He blames the label and he blames media for not handing him promotions on a plate. f*** if I had his work ethic I'd have been sacked from every job I'd ever done. And that's basically what this is, sacking.
 
Re: Harvest Ends Contract with Morrissey - TTY

This.

I still can't let it go how much of a missed opportunity the twitter account was, that could have made all the difference

The spoken word videos were new and interesting and Istanbul received loads of AirPlay on XFM/6music with 'WPINOYB' being record of the week on bbc radio 2

As usual it all comes down to Moz - 1 interview (which was much better his most previous Q&A's) - but nothing in the lead up to release or tv apps yet he calls out the label/media as accountable

The only way he's going to regain the status he holds of himself commercially with a (#1 single #1 album) on a major is a collaboration with Johnny Marr as 'The Smiths'. Again this is something moz has always maintained, himself and marr who signed the contract as 'smiths' which would allow him to have the last laugh on the other 2 unfortunates.

It would be the biggest band reformation in history bringing along everything that moz still craves - or he could slope off back to Switzerland write his novel and not be heard from for 6 months again

The rhythm of life goes round.........
 
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This is so dissapointing. I couldn't help but give out a big sigh when reading the title of this thread. I adore this new album and It was so exciting, knowing there was another one on the horizon.

Perhaps the critical acclaim and chart success of WPINOYB will help this time around. But with the last 2 record label searches taking 7 and 5 years. I can't help but fear for another long torturous wait.

It's surly time all of us fans set up a label. I think by now we all know enough about morrissey, what he likes, what he expects from a record company. I'm sure we could keep him happy and signed up on a permanent basis for say a 10 album contract. ;)
 
Re: Harvest Ends Contract with Morrissey - TTY

Morrissey has burnt so many bridges now, that he only has two options left as a recording artist:
1) accept a relatively low paying deal from a minor record company, back to the indie days of Rough Trade.
2) Get back together with Marr and release a record as 'The Smiths'. That's the only way the majors will be interested in offering big bucks to Morrissey. As a solo artist he is a spent force. Not so much artisically - but commercially, which is all the majors care about.


This is not strictly true, had the label released either Staircase, Istanbul or Kiss Me A Lot in a physical format then there was every chance of a decent hit, a number 2 uk chart position in album chart and a few interviews or tv slots would've been as much as anyone could hope for from an alternative artist amidst the likes of Ed Sheeran etc. He's not Phil Collins ffs
 
If only someone could get through to Morrissey that signing with an indie / self-publishing could well lead to bigger sales than he's ever had. Such labels will be happy to put money into a 'prestige' artist and market him with precision. Instead, he'd rather sit back, get lost in the shuffle at a bigger outfit and then claim no-one on the planet is interested in releasing his music.

Look at Nick Cave & Tom Waits - decidedly less commercial artists who are selling more than they ever have. Waits has been with Anti since 1999 and Cave's last album went out on his own imprint with distribution deals struck with other companies. https://www.kobaltmusic.com/page-news-detail.php?id=WN862

It's not rocket science, it's not something you do entirely by yourself. I don't picture Nick spending his every waking hour under a mountain of paperwork and tax returns.
 
If only someone could get through to Morrissey that signing with an indie / self-publishing could well lead to bigger sales than he's ever had. Such labels will be happy to put money into a 'prestige' artist and market him with precision. Instead, he'd rather sit back, get lost in the shuffle at a bigger outfit and then claim no-one on the planet is interested in releasing his music.

Look at Nick Cave & Tom Waits - decidedly less commercial artists who are selling more than they ever have. Waits has been with Anti since 1999 and Cave's last album went out on his own imprint with distribution deals struck with other companies. https://www.kobaltmusic.com/page-news-detail.php?id=WN862

It's not rocket science, it's not something you do entirely by yourself. I don't picture Nick spending his every waking hour under a mountain of paperwork and tax returns.
Not only that Nick Cave's album was almost impossible to get in the states when it was reprinted. Morrissey is a niche and needs a label who can market him like one.
 
Re: Harvest Ends Contract with Morrissey - TTY

This is great news. I have found this record company to be nothing but annoying from a fan's point of view. Every step they take and at every turn has made no sense whatsoever. They don't seem to have a PR department at all. Good riddance Harvest :)

Yes and on top their Logo is shit !!

Cheers Moz
 
Moz: hello Geoff (Travis)

Geoff: Steven , how are you?

Moz: without a label

Geoff: shame my boy, what can I do?

Moz: call Johhny !

Geoff: you just haven't earned it yet, baby

(Geoff hangs up phone)
 
Re: Harvest Ends Contract with Morrissey - TTY

I dont know whose fault is that but....no physical singles released , only now (if still on at all) we might be getting a couple but it is too late, no TV appearances and no interviews. Something major must have happened in order to end the relationship....the only truth that matters is that Moz is ONCE AGAIN in search of a record label and God knows when that will happen.

Cheers Moz
 
I'm becoming more and more convinced that Morrissey doesn't want to go down the route of self-promotion as in, basically what Amanda Palmer suggested to him - do a kickstarter and set up an online shop type of deal simply because he wouldn't have anyone to blame then. He needs the safety net of a label to fall back on and blame when things don't work out exactly how he wants.
 
Reading the bad news about Harvest as I eat my breakfast. Sickened but not really that surprised. You don't slag off your label on your own website, but Moz probably knew it was over by then. Now we know why Rossy had to comfort him. Shit but this is bad news. Bad bloody news. There are only so many times he can walk into the wilderness and come back from it.
 
First of all, I felt this was because of the bad publicity. True or not (& the whole thing seems like a stupid misunderstanding), "Moz contracts to kill the head of his fanclub" juuust isn't a good look for a major label.
Second of all, the tour cancellation, & maybe more importantly (if one guy high up made the call), the way he did it, throwing Kristeen under the bus. Just mucho unprofessional, & frankly I really, really became less of a fan that night (something I never thought would happen).
Thirdly, the zero charting of the singles, which they did not deserve & the label holds some blame here, but that can't be promising from a business standpoint.

I have to think Moz is *somewhat* promising as an artist from a business standpoint. It's not like he debuted at #63 or #110, he hit #14, which is really, really good, all things considered. Is that profitable for the label? (especially the drop to #82?) Clearly not.

So I for one think this is a blessing---10 solo albums, well done Moz, you did it. Write your fictional novel whilst Johnny plies his 2nd solo (Healers doesn't count(?)), & then hit the Smiths train (only performing necessary). One big, medium length tour, starting with Coachella (next April). If sites accruing finances are correct, Moz has about 33 million & no musical career prospects---Marr has about 2 million & the music we all love (including you, Moz). Stop f*cking around, go out with a bang. Or are we jonesing for half-writ political theories & Tobias guitar screeches on another solo record. You can bring Manzur with you on the Smiths tour (along with Jonny's ace bassist & Matt Walker).
 
This is a shame

But really what has being with a major label done for this release:

their promotion amounted to
Some posters (apparently Banksy designed these did he?)
Some spoken word videos (which weren't promoted) - I did enjoy these
Digital only singles - not promoted - basically pointless

What was missing
Physical release of singles
Proper videos
TV adverts
A joined up advertising campaign - was the budget really that small?

What went wrong
The twitter account
The album cover

Morrissey's input
No Interviews
No TV appearances
Cancelled tour

The real shame is that its a really great album and a lost opportunity. I'm not sure their are any majors left. At least he can now show prospective labels a fantastic last album as proof.

I think he could have had better success with a smaller label. I wonder when/where all the problems started....I can't imagine the plan was always for digital only singles with no videos. I was always a bit puzzled by the deluxe and the standard album being released on the same day. It would appear the extra tracks were intended as b-sides.

Commercially A Smith reunion gets him a major deal but creatively it isn't a good move. His current band are producing better music than anything Marr could do.
 
When 'You Are the Quarry' came out, after The Wilderness Years Part 1 - everyone - public and media, were GAGGING for it. To be honest, I think the gap between 'Years of Refusal' and ''World Peace' wasn't long enough. The Wilderness Years Part 3 needs to be about 15-20 years of total silence. Then Morrissey could release a fart and everyone would go mad for it.
 
He had signed for two albums -- I guess it'll be even longer now until the second.

Morrissey & Marr, por favor. And Rourke.

Even if it were 3/4 of The Smiths it'd be huge. No label or venue in the world would refuse that.

Leaving Joyce out of the equation would be Morrissey's ultimate revenge.
We all know how close Moz is with his mum -- after the amount of distress Joyce and his collectors put her through I'd be absolutely shocked to see them share a stage again. Joyce would have to beg Morrissey mama for forgiveness and perhaps a share of his tour earnings as restitution.

Who should get the job of drummer, either from the modern age or a Smiths contemporary?

In the meantime, I'm greatly enjoying the new album!
 
Disappointed, but can't say I didn't see this coming. It was over in June or July.

Wonder what is going to happen to the European gigs later on this year.

:(
 
Does all this affect the value of my collection of Morrissey memorabilia?
 
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harvestrecords morrissey moz no album viva hate

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