Rumor Scott Rodger (Maverick/Quest): Bonfire of Teenagers scheduled for Feb. 23, delayed by featured artist

Scott Rodger of Maverick/Quest management took to Twitter responding to claims about BOT’s cancellation. According to Rodger what’s going on behind the scenes is legal trouble with a featured artist (must be Miley?) who was supposed to go uncredited for legal reasons. Morrissey announced their feature on his blog, which led to a delay as they have to scrub the vocals from the album and replace them.

Rodger gives a release date of February 23rd 2023 and no indication that that is off.

“Morrissey’s album was due for release in Feb 23. It will come out but Morrissey himself put out a statement in his blog that the album “featured” another artist who didn’t want to be credited and thus the artist’s label blocked the release. Nothing to do with Capitol.”

“The artist who did backing vocals will be taken off and replaced. That takes time especially as you hit Christmas. When you say fight, sadly it doesn’t work that way. The other label, Columbia, legally blocked it. They’re within their rights to do so.”

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting. Does Scott know he's been sacked?

 

[Sarcasmos]

It probably is Miley and that is likely the reason Rebels was chosen as the first single instead of Veronica too

 

[spiritual atom bomb]

It probably is Miley and that is likely the reason Rebels was chosen as the first single instead of Veronica too

I know-- it all came together at once for me too

 

[Anonymous]

There are clearly female backing vocals on Rebels as well though (for instance, at around the 56 second mark), although they are not credited. I presumed this was also Miley?

 

[Redacted]

I don't think Miley ever talked about being on it like the other artists did.
I think Alain sounds a million times better than she does singing the backing vocals, I was truly disappointed she was on a Morrissey album.
Isn't she basically attaching herself like a barnacle to any 80s artist who will have her now?
Remember that poster here who said he has inside info (no, not Dirk) and he said a new single would come out first, which seemed to hint it was not Veronica? Because why not just say Veronica, like Morrissey did? I asked and he didn't reply.
Anyway, this does not seem to line up with the announcement from Central, did I miss a post saying it was an artist issue?

 

[SuedeMoz]

He is no doubt referring to this post.

 

[spiritual atom bomb]

Anyway, this does not seem to line up with the announcement from Central, did I miss a post saying it was an artist issue?

I misread Scott's words at first, too. For clarity:

"Morrissey himself put out a statement in his blog that the album “featured” another artist..." Yes, he did. The initial announcement of BOT's release on Central where he names Iggy Pop and Miley Cyrus as featuring.

"...who didn’t want to be credited and thus the artist’s label blocked the release. Nothing to do with Capitol.” This is Scott explaining what happened because Morrissey named the featured artist (Miley).

 

[Anonymous]

Presumably Columbia are terrified of the bad publicity and Twitter cancellation storm that would result if Miley's fans knew she worked with an artist as toxic as Morrissey. I'm guessing a lot of her fanbase is pretty woke.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

So, one of the guest artists didn’t want to
be credited (for reasons we don’t know) and thus the artist’s label ( Columbia)blocked the release of BoT or at least that song on BoT. Seems to be an obvious reason for its delay.

But there’s got to be more to the story for M to state that he’s voluntarily left both Capitol and Quest. I hope he’s all right, and that his latest Central statement is a positive one, in the long run.

 

[spiritual atom bomb]

So, one of the guest artists didn’t want to
be credited (for reasons we don’t know) and thus the artist’s label ( Columbia)blocked the release of BoT or at least that song on BoT.

But there’s got to be more to the story for M to state that he’s voluntarily left both Capitol and Quest.

You've got it right. I think Morrissey is angry at the lack of promotion, and he should be, because it's atrocious. I wonder if Capitol was always going to do him like that, or if the initial Central announcement rubbed everything the wrong way with the Miley problem.

We all have to wonder what the contract with Capitol is like-- if we see a BOT re-recording (a la Taylor Swift) with Alain and produced by JC, I'm not complaining. The tour sounded great.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

You've got it right. I think Morrissey is angry at the lack of promotion, and he should be, because it's atrocious. I wonder if Capitol was always going to do him like that, or if the initial Central announcement rubbed everything the wrong way with the Miley problem.

We all have to wonder what the contract with Capitol is like-- if we see a BOT re-recording (a la Taylor Swift) with Alain and produced by JC, I'm not complaining. The tour sounded great.

Hmmm, yes. I wouldn’t be surprised if the latest Central post is just a threat to Capitol and Quest, that he’s left them, but in actuality he’s still with them (?) Just another speculation. Anyway thanks for the info, it does answer the reason for it’s delay, I think.

 

[Redacted]

I misread Scott's words at first, too. For clarity:

"Morrissey himself put out a statement in his blog that the album “featured” another artist..." Yes, he did. The initial announcement of BOT's release on Central where he names Iggy Pop and Miley Cyrus as featuring.

"...who didn’t want to be credited and thus the artist’s label blocked the release. Nothing to do with Capitol.” This is Scott explaining what happened because Morrissey named the featured artist (Miley).

Ah, ok, I see it now. Thank you!
Strange since he played her vocals during live shows and talked about her.
Also, it seems this should have been worked out contractually first.

 

[Redacted]

It probably is Miley and that is likely the reason Rebels was chosen as the first single instead of Veronica too

Yes, according to Wikipedia, she put out a live album earlier this year and the label is Columbia

 

[spiritual atom bomb]

Ah, ok, I see it now. Thank you!
Strange since he played her vocals during live shows and talked about her.
Also, it seems this should have been worked out contractually first.

Did he talk about her? Someone already noted she hasn't said anything about BOT herself. I think the rules regarding live performance are different than releasing an album, but I'm no expert either.

Legally I'm not sure you could prove it's Miley's vocals he used at Cruel World fest, it might just sound a lot like her. (Which is why it would be okay to do?)

Not a music industry expert by any means, can't pretend to know the logic of the contracts!

 

[Redacted]

You've got it right. I think Morrissey is angry at the lack of promotion, and he should be, because it's atrocious. I wonder if Capitol was always going to do him like that, or if the initial Central announcement rubbed everything the wrong way with the Miley problem.

We all have to wonder what the contract with Capitol is like-- if we see a BOT re-recording (a la Taylor Swift) with Alain and produced by JC, I'm not complaining. The tour sounded great.

The label may not have been able to promote much if it's tied up in some sort of litigation over the album. Also, I am wondering if Miley sang back up on other songs too.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I think Columbia were going to allow her (assuming it is Miley) appearance as an unidentified artist, but when Morrissey announced her name, that botched that agreement (???)

 

[brody]

Did he talk about her?

If I remember correctly, at one of the vegas shows he said something along the lines of “the backing vocals were done by none other than Miley Cirus, to whom I am forever enslaved” etc etc. Further into the fog we fall, we were just following him…

 

[Redacted]

Did he talk about her? Someone already noted she hasn't said anything about BOT herself. I think the rules regarding live performance are different than releasing an album, but I'm no expert either.

Legally I'm not sure you could prove it's Miley's vocals he used at Cruel World fest, it might just sound a lot like her. (Which is why it would be okay to do?)

Not a music industry expert by any means, can't pretend to know the logic of the contracts!

He did talk about her during at least one show and he said he loved her and would mow her lawn, walk her dog and whatever she wanted him to do or something like that. I know we talked about it the night he did in one of the gig threads, I am sorry I can't remember which one now.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

If I remember correctly, at one of the vegas shows he said something along the lines of “the backing vocals were done by none other than Miley Cirus, to whom I am forever enslaved” etc etc. Further into the fog we fall, we were just following him…

Well, on Central he did, also the photo of them together. So that may have broken the agreement.