Tony Visconti on Morrissey's current recording situation

Well actually, his reticence to sign is not really because he's so "old school" because major record labels have been like that for decades. I think it's more likely that he's just not getting offers from the majors and he thinks he's above D.I.Y. or indie label distribution. But if he were really old school in the way that Visconti is making it seem, he would eschew the majors just on principle; offers or not, and do it himself or with the minors.

I get what Visconti is saying but it's a red herring; it really has nothing to do with why Morrissey isn't recording. The idea that suddenly he is revolted by the ethos of big corporate record labels is gay.

Hey did you hear that, MozRecording? I said it's gay. As in slang for ridiculous, lame, phony, etc. I just wanted to clear up the context before you go running to David again.

 

[MozRecording]

Apparently you need one of these. Have fun.

Hey did you hear that, MozRecording? I said it's gay. As in slang for ridiculous, lame, phony, etc. I just wanted to clear up the context before you go running to David again.

 

[Skylarker]

Apparently you need one of these. Have fun.

View attachment 14746

I guess I just figured that the user with the naked guy's ass as his avatar was the one who got all butt-hurt over a potentially homophobic comment. But yeah I guess it wasn't you who bitched about it to David; it was someone else. But that's OK. You get butt-hurt and bitch enough as it is all the same*...so technically I'm still right.




*unless you need something

 

[CrystalGeezer]

I guess I just figured that the user with the naked guy's ass as his avatar was the one who got all butt-hurt over a potentially homophobic comment. But yeah I guess it wasn't you who bitched about it to David; it was someone else. But that's OK. You get butt-hurt and bitch enough as it is all the same*...so technically I'm still right.




*unless you need something

So I take it the wiki-editing bonding love is over?

 

[mr.m]

David Bowie's 'The Next' Day' Album: A Track-by-Track Preview - Rolling Stone
Longtime producer Tony Visconti says Bowie may do a single concert to celebrate new LP

Excerpt:

Do you think that you and Morrissey will ever work together again?
Hopefully we will. I'm going to see him Friday night in Brooklyn. We email a lot. We talk a lot. He's very reluctant to have a deal with anybody. 'Cause nowadays, the problem is, when a label signs you – right now, he has no label – so if I sign a new label deal, he has to sign a 360 deal. They want a piece of everything. If you write a book, if you write a song, if you're in a movie, they want part of your fee for all these things. So that's the deal that the big labels are offering now and that's because sales are so low and they have to make up their money some way. He's totally against that. He's old-school. I actually I don't blame him.

 

[Skylarker]

So I take it the wiki-editing bonding love is over?

Congratulations...you've again stepped into a thread for no other reason than to defecate.

 

[Anonymous]

Well actually, his reticence to sign is not really because he's so "old school" because major record labels have been like that for decades. I think it's more likely that he's just not getting offers from the majors and he thinks he's above D.I.Y. or indie label distribution. But if he were really old school in the way that Visconti is making it seem, he would eschew the majors just on principle; offers or not, and do it himself or with the minors.

I get what Visconti is saying but it's a red herring; it really has nothing to do with why Morrissey isn't recording. The idea that suddenly he is revolted by the ethos of big corporate record labels is gay.

Hey did you hear that, MozRecording? I said it's gay. As in slang for ridiculous, lame, phony, etc. I just wanted to clear up the context before you go running to David again.

Going dangerously off-topic I know, but people shouldn't trivialise the use of the phrase "gay" = "rubbish" etc. I remember hearing this all the time at school and it certainly didn't help when it came to trying to accept my sexuality. I'm not saying using the term in that way means you're homophobic, but there are consequences to using "gay" in that way, and so I personally I hope the use of the word in that way dies out over time.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Congratulations...you've again stepped into a thread for no other reason than to defecate.

I am blessed with the gift of shitty observation.

 

[joe frady]

Do you think that you and Morrissey will ever work together again?
Hopefully we will. I'm going to see him Friday night in Brooklyn. We email a lot. We talk a lot. He's very reluctant to have a deal with anybody. 'Cause nowadays, the problem is, when a label signs you – right now, he has no label – so if I sign a new label deal, he has to sign a 360 deal. They want a piece of everything. If you write a book, if you write a song, if you're in a movie, they want part of your fee for all these things. So that's the deal that the big labels are offering now and that's because sales are so low and they have to make up their money some way. He's totally against that. He's old-school. I actually I don't blame him.


http://m.rollingstone.com/?redirurl...0130115?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.

Cannot wait to hear Bowie doing a rock-out "medieval English history song." Hey nonny-nonny!

Wonder if Moz is miffed that KY kept mum?

 

[Skylarker]

Going dangerously off-topic I know, but people shouldn't trivialise the use of the phrase "gay" = "rubbish" etc. I remember hearing this all the time at school and it certainly didn't help when it came to trying to accept my sexuality. I'm not saying using the term in that way means you're homophobic, but there are consequences to using "gay" in that way, and so I personally I hope the use of the word in that way dies out over time.

Hold your breath.

 

[mcrickson]

I'm glad the interviewer thought to include the inquiry in this piece, and I'm also glad that Visconti is so positively supportive of Morrissey - after all, Moz needs everyone he can get on his side nowadays. Visconti seems like a really nice dude, I feel like he's someone I'd actually like to meet.

 

[123xyz]

I like hearing about the nuts-and-bolts of potential record deals for Morrissey. If accurate , Visconti's account makes it seem even less likely that Moz will release anything official i.e. if he's had a bee in his bonnet for years now about leechers , Joyce , etc. , he's hardly going to be thrilled when record companies act in an increasingly similar fashion ...

 

[Anonymous]

What do you expect record companies to do these days? They are not going to make much off one new record. And with piracy taking a big chunk there's not much spoil to share. Moz needs to get over himself just a bit for a new record, or maybe he doesn't intend on releasing a new album at all?

 

[Anonymous]

just the facts...

360 deals are not decades old. Morrissey may (or may not) be one of many artist who have been paid poorly on record sales for various reasons having to do with record company accounting practices. Many of these artists survived and some because hugely successful through ticket sales and merchandise licensing. The Grateful Dead would be the most extreme example. They were often the top grossing act of the year while going for long periods without a new release.

Visconti males a very interesting point. If Morrissey signed a deal like this he could potentially be paying more than he recovers simply for the privilege of having a label release his work.

 

[Anonymous]

What do you expect record companies to do these days? They are not going to make much off one new record. And with piracy taking a big chunk there's not much spoil to share. Moz needs to get over himself just a bit for a new record, or maybe he doesn't intend on releasing a new album at all?

It's unethical to force someone to give you a percentage of a revenue stream you play no part in creating.

In the case of a brand new band, they might benefit, because they get the record company promotion. but they might not. They might not have any choice if they want to be on a major.

But Morrissey can tour as long as he is healthy and still sell merchandise without a new record. The percentage that a record company would want from him would be more unfair because he has already proven he can sell the merchandise. For it to be fair the record company would license his image etc, and then print the shirts themselves and take the risk if they sell or not.

Most fans here seem to think he should release the records himself. The sales would probably be nearly the same and he would get a lot more of the money. He would miss out on having the CD at Target and other stores like that, but I'm not sure how many records he sold there anyway. He's almost to the point where you have to seek him out anyway. He should release a single digitally and see how it goes.

The other thing, and it's just my taste, but I love Morrissey's music and I still "don't hear a single" that sounds like a hit. Morrissey is a troll. You have to keep that in mind. Scandanavia sounds like an attempt to get someone else to call him a xenophobe. Some people like it a lot but I can't take it seriously. It sounds like a parody of a bad Morrissey song. Maybe it's more than that and I just don't realize it. Anyway, before he would think of signing over a percentage of his merchandise sales he has to be sure they are going to work his song and make it a hit single. It doesn't just happen. Every song on the radio represents some deal having been made. There is no independent radio except online, and you know that doesn't count to Morrissey. He made that comment about selling records out of his car, and that's what he thinks is independent release in 2013. Maybe he just hasn't thought about it.

But what Visconti said makes sense. What if he only made one record and then had to fight to extricate himself from this deal. He would be out the time and money he spent , and he would now owe this record company a percentage of the t-shirt sales from his concerts. He could wind up going broke and you know how he feels about lawyers. courts, and judges. He's smart to play it safe if that is the only deal they offer.

 

[Anonymous]

I find the notion of this 'deal' such a crock.
Any of today's urban 'yooof' can release products to sell from their bedrooms and make money.
Pressing cds costs little, downloads even less.
He could easily self-promote an album by selling it online and selling physical copies at tour venues (captive audience).
I think it goes more to his attitude towards the record industry that we get this excuse trotted out all the time.
Tours used to support albums - now we get action is my middle name on a loop (which is fine but wears thin after a bit).
Art Hounds is dropped and we are 'lucky' to see him record the newer songs in a studio setting but still no damn album/ep et al - which is so simple to do that its painful waiting and having to hear 'I've got no deal' cause it really is a woeful excuse.
Boz manages to release low-key albums - doubt he's chained to the record company director?
Bletch!

 

[123xyz]

It's unethical to force someone to give you a percentage of a revenue stream you play no part in creating.

In the case of a brand new band, they might benefit, because they get the record company promotion. but they might not. They might not have any choice if they want to be on a major.

But Morrissey can tour as long as he is healthy and still sell merchandise without a new record. The percentage that a record company would want from him would be more unfair because he has already proven he can sell the merchandise. For it to be fair the record company would license his image etc, and then print the shirts themselves and take the risk if they sell or not.

Most fans here seem to think he should release the records himself. The sales would probably be nearly the same and he would get a lot more of the money. He would miss out on having the CD at Target and other stores like that, but I'm not sure how many records he sold there anyway. He's almost to the point where you have to seek him out anyway. He should release a single digitally and see how it goes.

The other thing, and it's just my taste, but I love Morrissey's music and I still "don't hear a single" that sounds like a hit. Morrissey is a troll. You have to keep that in mind. Scandanavia sounds like an attempt to get someone else to call him a xenophobe. Some people like it a lot but I can't take it seriously. It sounds like a parody of a bad Morrissey song. Maybe it's more than that and I just don't realize it. Anyway, before he would think of signing over a percentage of his merchandise sales he has to be sure they are going to work his song and make it a hit single. It doesn't just happen. Every song on the radio represents some deal having been made. There is no independent radio except online, and you know that doesn't count to Morrissey. He made that comment about selling records out of his car, and that's what he thinks is independent release in 2013. Maybe he just hasn't thought about it.

But what Visconti said makes sense. What if he only made one record and then had to fight to extricate himself from this deal. He would be out the time and money he spent , and he would now owe this record company a percentage of the t-shirt sales from his concerts. He could wind up going broke and you know how he feels about lawyers. courts, and judges. He's smart to play it safe if that is the only deal they offer.

Interesting post. As you say , it needn't be the false dichotomy of selling home-made discs out of a car-boot vs. thoroughly orthodox ( and probably unfair) label deal. Would love to see him release a single on-line ( True-To-You is just sitting there doing nothing most of the time, isn't it ) ...

I wonder to what extent Morrissey's aversion to independent release is one of aesthetics . Remember when Moz was all evasive about whether or not he owned a computer whereas nowadays he quite casually mentions e-mailing , etc. ? Maybe independent release not only seems ( in his eyes ) too desperate but also too self-conciously hip ... ?

 

[Anonymous]

Well actually, his reticence to sign is not really because he's so "old school" because major record labels have been like that for decades. I think it's more likely that he's just not getting offers from the majors and he thinks he's above D.I.Y. or indie label distribution. But if he were really old school in the way that Visconti is making it seem, he would eschew the majors just on principle; offers or not, and do it himself or with the minors.

No, majors have NOT been like that for decades, why would you say that? The 360 deal is a relatively new concept and Visconti is right when he says they're doing it to make up for the fact that the records sales has gone down. They would want a piece of his book, his touring, his merch and so forth...

 

[Anonymous]

Well actually, his reticence to sign is not really because he's so "old school" because major record labels have been like that for decades. I think it's more likely that he's just not getting offers from the majors and he thinks he's above D.I.Y. or indie label distribution. But if he were really old school in the way that Visconti is making it seem, he would eschew the majors just on principle; offers or not, and do it himself or with the minors.

I get what Visconti is saying but it's a red herring; it really has nothing to do with why Morrissey isn't recording. The idea that suddenly he is revolted by the ethos of big corporate record labels is gay.

Hey did you hear that, MozRecording? I said it's gay. As in slang for ridiculous, lame, phony, etc. I just wanted to clear up the context before you go running to David again.

Yeah, because Skylarker knows more about the recording industry than Tony Visconti. HILARIOUS.

 

[Anonymous]

Haha loving the way all the bedroom critics on this site are such experts about Music Industry ethics and etiquette. "Tony Visconti? He knows nothing. We know best, as always".