Morrissey says he’s been “gagged” over the release of his album ‘Bonfire Of The Teenagers’, which he recorded between 2020 and 2021 and remains unreleased.
In a new interview with The Telegraph, the former frontman of The Smiths said he’s being “gagged” and that what he calls “Idiot Culture” is preventing his album’s release.
The album features the titular track ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ – a song he says is about “England’s 9/11”, the Manchester Arena bombing.
On May 22, 2017, 22 people died and hundreds were injured when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the foyer at the venue at the end of an Ariana Grande concert. In the wake of the tragedy, Oasis‘ single ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ became an anthem of love and solidarity for many in the city.
The song features the lyric: “And the morons sing and sway: ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, I can assure you I will look back in anger ’till the day I die”.
In the interview, Morrissey said: “The Manchester Arena bombing was our 9/11. But, in this sad country of ours, to understand the full meaning of the attack is to be guilty, and this is why the ‘don’t look back in anger’ command always struck me as derisive and not at all words of social harmony.”
He continued to say: “Once you edit yourself or self-censor then the idiots have won. There is no arts media anymore in England, therefore there’s no one to whom I can sit and talk about this. The fact is, genuine artists in England are now being held hostage by people who object to any manner of alternative opinion.
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“The biggest monsters are the #BeKind crew – a social media movement promoting empathy – “who will smash your face in if you disagree with them.”
Earlier this year Morrissey said he bought back the rights to two of his albums, after a long-running dispute with his label Capitol Records.
“Morrissey has paid the exit fee to Capitol Records in order to return both WORLD PEACE IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS and BONFIRE OF TEENAGERS albums back to him,” the post reads.
“It’s been a long, hard, bloody war. Few would make it out alive, and … I’m no exception. Morrissey remains unsigned.”
Speaking last year about the album’s turbulent road to release, he said: “It’s been quite traumatic and quite sad because when you record something, you want it to be available immediately and it was very much of the time. For me, it was a very personal thing and the fact that it hasn’t been released has been torture.”
In a post on his website Morrissey Central, titled ‘A Rush And A Push And The Music Is Ours’, in reference to a 1987 Smiths song, he has said that he has bought the rights to release that album.
Miley Cyrus asked to be taken off the unreleased album in 2022. She was one of a number of big names set to be a part of the album, including Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Chad Smith and Flea, and Iggy Pop.
The decision from Cyrus came after Morrissey decided to part ways with label Capitol Records. The singer was meant to feature her backing vocals on a song titled ‘I Am Veronica’.
In a statement online, Morrissey said Cyrus decided against appearing on the album due to a private conflict unrelated to him.
“In truth, Miley has backed off for reasons unconnected to me, having had a major clash with a key figure in ‘the circle’,” he wrote, adding he would not divulge details about the “private fight”.
“Miley knew everything about me when she arrived to sing ‘I Am Veronica’ almost two years ago; she walked into the studio already singing the song,” the statement said.
“She volunteered. I did not ask her to get involved. Her professionalism was astounding, her vocals a joy to behold. Every minute that I spent with Miley was loving and funny.”