Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at true-to-you.net

Announcement - true-to-you.net
4 March 2012

Music industry trade websites have recently listed Morrissey as being presently managed by either Irving Azoff or Ron Laffitte. This information is untrue. Morrissey does not have management, and does not have a recording deal. Any enquiries on both of these matters may be addressed to Donnie at [email protected]. No other source at this time represents Morrissey.

---

UPDATE Mar. 6, 7:50AM PT:

alabamy posted some additional info on "Donnie".

 

[wemissumoz]

There is a guy near me who, over the years, has opened and closed a dozen or more locations of his middle eastern restaurant. I was talking to him one day and asking what happened that he keeps closing in one location and opening in another. Every story had him talking to his landlord and ending with "And so I told him to go f*** himself." I think if one were to get the truth behind each of Morrissey's management changes, each story would end with the same quote. Sad really, but I guess that's the person that Moz has become.

 

[Joker]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

Manchester has now dis-owned this scatter-brained nit wit.
People laugh at the mention of his name.
But Johnny,Mike and Andy are still artists that the city are VERY proud of as well as all the other Sons and Daughters who contributed to the sound of Manchester back in the day.
Manchester is now a very different place to the Manchester Morrissey once new and people have changed and moved on with the times and it will always have a strong pulse.
Unlike its dis-owned Son who seems to have dried up of any decent creative output, burned up many many bridges, has no interest from any label or management, an over weight, grey haired, bitter and twissted horrible man who now tours around with a ten bob pot stall covering tin-pot versions of his old songs whilst talking absolute bollocks in-between songs to a young innocent audience.
GET OFF THE STAGE!!!!! or do something and MOVE WITH THE TIMES!!!!!!

If its "THE BOOK" next it better be good too and not full of in between song silly Morrissisms or its the old folks home for you, knitting and talking the coat stand to death

"But Johnny,Mike and Andy are still artists that the city are VERY proud"..... AH AH AH, good JOKE!

G F Y

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

Oh, here we go again...

It's not Morrissey's contribution to the recent material that is lackluster; lyrically they are as thoughtful, provocative and enigmatic as ever (Life is A Pigsty, Come Back To Camden, FOTGTD, You Were Good In Your Time, Black Cloud, One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell), as quintessentially Morrisseyesque as ever and wouldn't have been out of place on any album throughout the course of his solo career. The problem is that no-one can touch Alain and Boz when they're on fire (and let's not forget they've both produced some forgettable tunes too) and I'm not sure that Tony Visconti and the late Jerry Finn have been the best choices as producers - look at the difference between the original/demo Sweetie Pie and the "official" version. JF did a fine job on YATQ but the production on YOR was pretty generic. Instead of calling for Moz to retire (and those who arrogantly do would feel bereft were it to happen, we all know that), I'd just lament his inability to collaborate with Richard Hawley and perhaps question the choice of producers - though the Visconti gig simply had to happen for all its Bowie, Sparks associations, just as Mick Ronson had to happen. I would also say that the greatness of Vauxhall is also its millstone: there's no dud track on it, it has the CONSISTENCY that all the other solo albums lack, both pre- and post-Vauxhall. But the way some people write on here you'd think that Morrissey has never written any lyrics to compare with those on Vauxhall and that's just utter nonsense - Trouble Loves Me, Come Back To Camden, FOTGTD, Pigsty etc.

Added to which, we are all at very different stages in our lives now (Moz included) and I think people often allow nostalgia to cloud their critcial judgement.

 

[alabamy]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

attempting to "own" new media

I agree. It's quite disappointing to see all those official channels without any updates for months or even years, like this one or Myspace or the Facebook official account, which just woke up last month after a year of sleep. He doesn't need to turn himself up into a clown and have a Twitter account like the fake one, or to hire dozens of PR people to post pictures and trivia about gigs. But especially now that he is without management or record deal, new media is a good and cheap way to connect to people.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

Oh, here we go again...

It's not Morrissey's contribution to the recent material that is lackluster; lyrically they are as thoughtful, provocative and enigmatic as ever (Life is A Pigsty, Come Back To Camden, FOTGTD, You Were Good In Your Time, Black Cloud, One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell), as quintessentially Morrisseyesque as ever and wouldn't have been out of place on any album throughout the course of his solo career. The problem is that no-one can touch Alain and Boz when they're on fire (and let's not forget they've both produced some forgettable tunes too) and I'm not sure that Tony Visconti and the late Jerry Finn have been the best choices as producers - look at the difference between the original/demo Sweetie Pie and the "official" version. JF did a fine job on YATQ but the production on YOR was pretty generic. Instead of calling for Moz to retire (and those who arrogantly do would feel bereft were it to happen, we all know that), I'd just lament his inability to collaborate with Richard Hawley and perhaps question the choice of producers - though the Visconti gig simply had to happen for all its Bowie, Sparks associations, just as Mick Ronson had to happen. I would also say that the greatness of Vauxhall is also its millstone: there's no dud track on it, it has the CONSISTENCY that all the other solo albums lack, both pre- and post-Vauxhall. But the way some people write on here you'd think that Morrissey has never written any lyrics to compare with those on Vauxhall and that's just utter nonsense - Trouble Loves Me, Come Back To Camden, FOTGTD, Pigsty etc.

Added to which, we are all at very different stages in our lives now (Moz included) and I think people often allow nostalgia to cloud their critcial judgement.

i agree about the lyrics, but morrissey likes the music though, he could have picked better musicians, but he likes them so if he brings another album out the music will be a dreadful monotone again.

 

[Troy's Keen]

There's one person that can put Morrissey back where he needs to be musically. Rick Rubin. Rubin has a way of getting artists to re-focus on who they are and strip down their sound to just the essentials. He would (in my opinion) have a bigger positive influence on Moz than Mick Ronson did.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

I like both Richard Hawley and Rick Rubin as potential musical partners, although probably not at the same time...

Those lauding Refusal and Ringleaders should head over to the Extra Track & A Tacky Badge blog, where they have just put up the remastered Shoplifters as part of their Smiths singles project. That's the stuff he's capable of. That's the stuff he should be aiming to emulate.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

and do you like Morrissey???

No, I think he's a stupid big nincompoop!

 

[Anonymous]

He should move back home to Sweden and let the producers that create all the american music do something new with his voice. The queen in him could become the new male version of Britney Spears dressed as Lady Gaga. But I suspect he would have too many IKEA closets to hide in.

Urban the mad swede (Morrissey looks like Dracula these days but so does the majority of british men)

 

[billybu69]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

There's one person that can put Morrissey back where he needs to be musically. Rick Rubin. Rubin has a way of getting artists to re-focus on who they are and strip down their sound to just the essentials. He would (in my opinion) have a bigger positive influence on Moz than Mick Ronson did.

just googled this chap, that would be interesting.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

Take Ringleaders and Refusal and nick the best tracks from both and you would just about scrape together a decent listen. Only Morrissey himself and the terminally deluded think either are a career highlight.

You are on hard drugs - again.
YOR is masterpiece

 

[st wilfs]

morrissey the smiths are the theme tune to the city of mancester

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

It's nothing to do with his age, awkwardness, attitude to digital sales etc. Remember, Morrissey once pleaded with people at a festival to text a number to download his new single.
It's simply about his post-Quarry sales trajectory (400,000 - 200,000 - 88,000), and the fact that his new songs do not suggest any resurgence in his success. A major record company deal would require sales of at least 250,000. There's a risk that the next Morrissey album could struggle to sell 50,000. It really is as simple as that.

Yep. If he was smart he would (i) write some brilliant singles (easier said than done), (ii) figure out an online medium to release them on a regular basis to keep interest up, and (iii) continue to tour, mixing up setlists and breathing some new life into the live act, and (iv) see what happens. Going the singles route is actually not a new idea- the Smiths did it between LPs. And it would take the pressure of having to put together 11 songs and worry about moving an album and all of the costs associated with that.

It's all about $, and he's heading in the wrong direction as an economic proposition. Ultimately, if the songs are great he will be noticed- he has earned a certain measure of attention from the media (NME and the rest) and has a built-in fanbase so he isn't exactly starting from scratch, but if you have poor sales, no new songs to speak of, a stale live show...why would anyone "bet on " Moz right now and hand him a check and a portion of the limited available resources.

And I'm not understanding this whole big record company thing- Quarry was made under Attack records, which was a vanity label, and that album went gold. He knows the formula (have a kick-ass record and figure out a way to get it made and out) and EMI/Warner, etc. isn't it.

Anyways, I'm continually shocked by the mass of people who read this site and take time to post who hate Moz. The man can be maddening and is definitely at a crossroads and needs good advice (I'd love to have an afternoon with him to discuss his objectives and offer ideas/advice- some of it seems so plain that I have to wonder if those closest to him and doing him a disservice and don't want to upset their meal ticket with some cold reality). But he is a great artist and I believe still has a lot to give, he just needs to come up with a plan that allows him to meet his artistic, economic and personal needs that is also grounded in reality. I actually think the current tour is a great idea and may result in some new ideas and energy, but this "sit back and wait for the phone to ring and a check to be written" is not the best plan. If that happens, so be it, but in the meantime he could be doing so much more to challenge himself as an artist which would make business sense as well.

-trextacy

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

You are on hard drugs - again.
YOR is masterpiece

Meat Is Murder is a masterpiece. The Queen Is Dead is a masterpiece. Strangeways is a masterpiece. Viva Hate is a masterpiece. Vauxhall is a masterpiece. Quarry isn't far off either.

Refusal is very average.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

Meat Is Murder is a masterpiece. The Queen Is Dead is a masterpiece. Strangeways is a masterpiece. Viva Hate is a masterpiece. Vauxhall is a masterpiece. Quarry isn't far off either.

Refusal is very average.

You are pathetic knave. You talk about albums in same way as you babble about potatos. Every era brings values per se. In that regard, of course Years Of Refusal is grand and titanic.
Now, go back to your Westlife mp3 collection.
You knave.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

You are pathetic knave. You talk about albums in same way as you babble about potatos. Every era brings values per se. In that regard, of course Years Of Refusal is grand and titanic.
Now, go back to your Westlife mp3 collection.
You knave.

Because Johnny Barleycorn is cretin, now, he will make funny remark about 'titanic'

 

[Uncleskinny]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

You are pathetic knave. You talk about albums in same way as you babble about potatos. Every era brings values per se. In that regard, of course Years Of Refusal is grand and titanic.
Now, go back to your Westlife mp3 collection.
You knave.

 

[nozmuppet]

Morrisseys lack of Record deals has become tiresome since 1997.

 

[bored]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

It's nothing to do with his age, awkwardness, attitude to digital sales etc. Remember, Morrissey once pleaded with people at a festival to text a number to download his new single.
It's simply about his post-Quarry sales trajectory (400,000 - 200,000 - 88,000), and the fact that his new songs do not suggest any resurgence in his success. A major record company deal would require sales of at least 250,000. There's a risk that the next Morrissey album could struggle to sell 50,000. It really is as simple as that.

He did do the O2 Wireless thing and that seemed pretty awkward but when I talk about not embracing the digital age I mean more about not having multiple formats of physical media printed in the many thousands and having a record that doesn't focus much on artwork and things like that.

As far as sales numbers go, you are right about that. I wouldn't be surprised if Morrissey would counter that argument saying that if promoted properly those numbers would be much higher. I'm not saying that is true but I could see that being the argument.

I think your post is all valid and I think the reasons I wrote are also an important part in why record deals do not come easy for him.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Article: Morrissey currently without management or record deal - statement at tru

Have a moment of clarity.....Ask yourself....."Do I really want to listen to a new release filled with Jesse Tobias songs?"

The obvious answer is a resounding NO.

Until Moz gets new writing partners and particularly, a new lead guitarist, he'll wallow in this aimless rut for a very long time.