Please Close The Door Behind Me - Morrissey statement at TTY

It's a long one!

PLEASE CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND ME - true-to-you.net
20 August 2014

Morrissey statement

In response to 77 million questions I can only say this much on the subject of the Harvest drama. It is quite true that Harvest initially appeared like a saintly beacon of light, and they instantly packed us off to France where we recorded World peace is none of your business. The universe was back in balance, and we all considered this to be the very best Morrissey recording ever, and even the boo-hoo-suck-it-off elements of the press appeared to want to agree. At last I am born.

It all seemed too good to be true. It was. I believed that the rich soil of the album had several strong hit singles. Frayed tempers began when Harvest arranged the 'spoken word' films, none of which gave any clue as to what World peace is none of your business intended to be, or is. The films were OK, but they went nowhere and stayed there.

With every nerve alert, we pushed the label for a proper video for Istanbul to precede the album, not least of all because a single ahead of the album release might inch the album to a higher chart position. The label backed off, even though Istanbul received 55 radio plays in just seven days on a major US station. Instead, the label requested a fifth spoken-word film, which naturally had me fumbling around for an axe: no independent thought required. The UK label, meanwhile, created a quite fantastic television advertisement to transmit during the week ahead of the album release. I could taste excitement once again. The TV ad never appeared and my hackles bristled as my bristles heckled. The label responded with frosty aloofness, and I suddenly realized that we were not, after all, of the same species. I ploughed into them insisting upon "proper band videos, where the band play and I sing" - an evidently confusing concept that required seven weeks of explanation, detailed graphs and several drawn up maps.

The label suggested I come to Los Angeles and read passages from Autobiography in front of selected audiences. As frightening as that idea was, I hung on, desperate to believe that Harvest were not as cheap as they now looked. I hope to finish this statement whilst I'm still clean-shaven, so I will jump to the final curtain: during the weeks of the album release, the label were minus one single structural idea, and it appeared evident that each member of the team was acting in separate rooms without doors or windows. Mutual mistrust exploded between Harvest and I, and with fashionable pessimism, the label boss yawned and ordered the surface smartness of dropping World peace is none of your business three weeks after its release. There, now! This would not have happened to the Teletubbies.

Sorrily botched the project may now be, but it's worth it to get Morrissey out of our Inbox. Yes, I can be intensely persistent, and I certainly have an over-active fantasy-life, but the Harvest experience tells us that despite the blinding flash of teeth and smiles, it doesn't take much for the coin to flip and suddenly we're all compromised and shattered. All you need to do is disagree with the vanity of the label boss and your beheading will be slotted in between bottles of the most average champagne on the market. Just one weak-chinned drone can assert the fist of injustice and all of our efforts are flushed away. And thus ... they were.

I might be wrong, but I think World peace is none of your business will instantly disappear from iTunes and record stores and every download-upload-offload outlet on the planet, because Harvest technically have no right to sell it.

Most of the Harvest team are very nice, and I sincerely thank them for trying and caring so much - even if their promotional duties were fully undertaken by the Morrissey audience themselves, whose You Tube videos for World peace is none of your business fully provide the art that the label could not muster. The listeners instantly understood how entertainment could also be art. Staggeringly, I still believe that there's a label out there with my name on it, and one that will issue World peace is none of your business, and afford it the respect it deserves.

Thanks for reading this (rashly assuming that you have), and thanks once again to the Harvesters who tried.

We are boot-camp ready for Lisbon in October, so with the will of many gods, hopefully at least 38 of you will turn up.

MORRISSEY
20 August 2014

---

Related media:

• Morrissey Writes Note Detailing Relationship With Harvest Records, Album Removed From Amazon/iTunes/Spotify - Pitchfork. Link posted by an anonymous person.
• Morrissey's 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business' removed from iTunes and Spotify - NME. Link posted by Uncleskinny.
• Morrissey’s ‘World Peace Is None Of Your Business’ pulled from U.S. digital music services - Slicing Up Eyeballs. Link posted by MozRecording.
• Punk writer/singer John Robb praises Morrissey- Louder Than War - Aug. 22, 2014

 

[21punksalute]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Best record? Have you ever heard Bona Drag??

 

[SuedeMoz]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

And as we can see, these have been very successful--huh? Take off your Moz blinders and see things with some reality.

Morrissey has nothing left to prove. Do I think WPINOYB is his best album to date? No, but he's releasing the music he wants to release. Take it or leave it.

 

[Agharta]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Morrissey has nothing left to prove. Do I think WPINOYB is his best album to date? No, but he's releasing the music he wants to release. Take it or leave it.

Unfortunately, in order to leave it, I had to first take it.

 

[1 Sing Your Life 1]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

And as we can see, these have been very successful--huh? Take off your Moz blinders and see things with some reality.

From a fans perspective it shouldn't matter if the songs are successful or not. Morrissey has written songs according to where he is in his life. You can follow along HIS journey or not. But to expect him to write songs exactly the same as the ones YOU like is childish.

There's a difference between a fan and a casual listener. There are many artist or bands that I like one or two songs. Therefore, I'm not going to follow their career day to day. If you are waiting for Morrissey to write songs like he did in the early 90s, then it's time for you to move on because Morrissey has.

I love his new album. I don't compare it to anything, I just enjoy it. I'm glad that many people don't like it because if everyone liked it then I would have to question my taste.

Remember when Viva Hate came out, it wasn't received well, however during that time I was blasting that cassette.

 

[bob-first]

I'm going to listen to WPINOYB on shuffle right now just to annoy the trolls.

 

[1 Sing Your Life 1]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Morrissey has nothing left to prove. Do I think WPINOYB is his best album to date? No, but he's releasing the music he wants to release. Take it or leave it.

Well said. No one is forcing us to listen.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Unfortunately, in order to leave it, I had to first take it.

Well, good, lesson learned. Don't make the same mistake again.

 

[mozzalini999]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

*yawn* What a prick. We get it, you aren't a fan. Why don't you sod off.

This is more drivel blaming the record company for everything; perhaps they (like many) believed the final product (WPINOYB) is NOT GOOD.

Here is another thing--the great writer has a pronoun usage error. Mutual mistrust exploded between Harvest and I, and with fashionable pessimism, the label boss yawned and ordered the surface smartness of dropping World peace is none of your business three weeks after its release.

The correct pronoun is "me."

Secondly, how dare Morrissey use the word "behead" after the horrible event that this ISIS nutcases just did to an innocent journalist. All you need to do is disagree with the vanity of the label boss and your beheading will be slotted in between bottles of the most average champagne on the market. Just one weak-chinned drone can assert the fist of injustice and all of our efforts are flushed away.

More of the same "woe is me." This is a despicable act.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

So where are the "morrissey is making no attempt to promote the album" brigade? Even with this statement, I'll refrain from jumping to conclusions, tyvm.

 

[Eric Hartman]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

This morning I gave "World Peace" another listen, and here it is: my final verdict.

1. "World Peace" is an abomination. Both the music & lyrics are dreadfull. This could very well be his worst song ever. What on earth was he thinking? This song showcases how uneducated Moz really is. He should have kept his political ignorance hidden.

2. "Neil" I sort of like this one. It's a bit out there, but in a good way. The gay love affair theme is kinda cool.

3. "Not a Man" is nothing more than a moist fart. The lyrics are a moist fart and musically it sounds, well, like a moist fart.

4. "Istanbul". Well done, well done!

5. "Loneliest Planet". Did he write the lyrics himself or were they made by the Random Morrissey Lyrics Generator on the internet? Musically extremely unimpressive.

6. "Staircase" simply doesn't work. Musically it's an eighties mash-up gone horribly wrong and the lyrics are laughable (not in a good way) and artificial. If you don't get 3 A's? Sister, he's no longer a poet...

7. "Bullfighter" could be the reason Harvest dumped him. Come on, my 8 year old nephew can write better lyrics than this. In fact, everyone can!

8. "Kiss me" is the song everybody hails as the great come back single. Really? I mean, really? It's painting by numbers. Boring and bland.

9. "Smiler"? Unfinished demo. The kind of demo you shamefully erase when you wake up (sober) the next day.

10. "Bride" has a brilliant last verse. The rest is just Moz being nasty and mean. What happened to him?

11. "Mountjoy" is very good. I really like this one. Well done.

12. "Concerto" Oh dear, another unfinished demo. This could have been a nice little song, if Moz had just put a little more thought and effort into it.

So, three good songs out of twelve. All the promotion in the world couldn't change that.

Once again, Morrissey is in search of a new label.

 

[eugenius]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Eugenius' Top 12 Take-Aways From Morrissey's Latest Open Letter to His Fans and Foes

1. Everyone here is confusing thoughtfulness and well-spoken prose for catty passive-aggression because that's how this reads whenever Harvest management is mentioned.

2. Everyone involved in the making of "World Peace" thought that "World Peace" was his best LP ever? Ever? And there were reviews that backed that sentiment? Show me one legitimate review that hints to this.

3. Was there a gun pointed at Morrissey's head during the filming of the three spoken word promo spots? He writes about the ordeal as if he had no say in the matter. The same person who has carved out quite a reputation for himself from canceling all types of professional obligations with a cluck of the tongue.

4. He speaks of the push for a fifth spoken word promo. Which one was the fourth? Weren't there only three? Did I just get bored and miss number four?

5. If he wanted a video for "Istanbul" so bad, and he hated the spoken word promos, he should have negotiated for all that high-production spoken word video money to go towards one video. No matter how low the sum of those spoken word clips cost, it still would have paid for something better than the video for "All You Need is Me" or "Ganglord"--both which looked like they were filmed for less than $2,500 and a bottle of scotch, each.

6. A TV advert would do no better in terms of sales. With DVRs and short-attention spans, commercials on cable (because let's face it, Harvest doesn't have the budget for primetime network placement) are virtually useless in the States.

7. You gotta admit, you'd pay top dollar to hear and see Morrissey read from "Autobiography" in a relatively small setting. It was an inspired suggestion--no one's ever promoted an LP by reading from their autobiography before. And it would be incredibly inexpensive to pull off (no band, no permits, no gear)--the value would be beneficial for everyone. And no performance from the old man, just stand there behind a podium and talk.

8. No mention of the rabbits Harvest tried to pull from its top hat. No mention of the Facebook/Twitter campaign. No mention of the webpages dedicated to fan art and messages. No mention of the Banksy street art (was that really Banksy?). Why? Because it doesn't fit into this letter's narrative.

9. If "World Peace" falls from the face of iTunes and other sites like Amazon, it's on the orders of Morrissey and his lawyers. If it sells any digital copies, Harvest still takes a cut and last time I checked, Harvest is still in the business of making money--especially since they're still trying to recoup the money they fronted for the recording. Tickets to Paris aren't cheap--even if the entire band (sans El Hefe and Major Domo) are flying coach.

10. I think it was nice that fans made homemade promo videos for a few of the songs, but let's be honest, their quality was for shit. If that's the level of quality Morrissey wants to hang his bowler hat on, maybe he needs to look for another Jo Slee in his life. The "World Peace" cover art he chose (and chose for every single from the looks of things) makes me question his level of taste.

11. No record label with major-label affiliation will re-release "World Peace." Same for another recording contract. At this point, Morrissey's best bet is a distribution deal, but we all know he only values the cache and sadomasochism of a major.

12. This entire letter makes me realize one of the big reasons why the Smiths succeeded. Sure, it was the great music, but as much as Morrissey bitched and moaned about Rough Trade and Geoff Travis, it must have been Johnny Marr who had to push when Morrissey wanted to balk. Marr had 50 percent vested in the Smiths. If it was Morrissey's band, and Marr had no say, they wouldn't have gone past their debut.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Eugenius' Top 12 Take-Aways From Morrissey's Latest Open Letter to His Fans and Foes

1. Everyone here is confusing thoughtfulness and well-spoken prose for catty passive-aggression because that's how this reads whenever Harvest management is mentioned.

2. Everyone involved in the making of "World Peace" thought that "World Peace" was his best LP ever? Ever? And there were reviews that backed that sentiment? Show me one legitimate review that hints to this.

3. Was there a gun pointed at Morrissey's head during the filming of the three spoken word promo spots? He writes about the ordeal as if he had no say in the matter. The same person who has carved out quite a reputation for himself from canceling all types of professional obligations with a cluck of the tongue.

4. He speaks of the push for a fifth spoken word promo. Which one was the fourth? Weren't there only three? Did I just get bored and miss number four?

5. If he wanted a video for "Istanbul" so bad, and he hated the spoken word promos, he should have negotiated for all that high-production spoken word video money to go towards one video. No matter how low the sum of those spoken word clips cost, it still would have paid for something better than the video for "All You Need is Me" or "Ganglord"--both which looked like they were filmed for less than $2,500 and a bottle of scotch, each.

6. A TV advert would do no better in terms of sales. With DVRs and short-attention spans, commercials on cable (because let's face it, Harvest doesn't have the budget for primetime network placement) are virtually useless in the States.

7. You gotta admit, you'd pay top dollar to hear and see Morrissey read from "Autobiography" in a relatively small setting. It was an inspired suggestion--no one's ever done it before. And it would be incredibly inexpensive to pull off (no band, no permits, no gear)--the value would be beneficial for everyone. And no performance from the old man, just stand there behind a podium and talk.

8. No mention of the rabbits Harvest tried to pull from its top hat. No mention of the Facebook/Twitter campaign. No mention of the webpages dedicated to fan art and messages. No mention of the Banksy street art (was that really Banksy?). Why? Because it doesn't fit into this letter's narrative.

9. If "World Peace" falls from the face of iTunes and other sites like Amazon, it's on the orders of Morrissey and his lawyers. If it sells any digital copies, Harvest still takes a cut and last time I checked, Harvest is still in the business of making money--especially since they're still trying to recoup the money they fronted for the recording. Tickets to Paris aren't cheap--even if the entire band (sans El Hefe and Major Domo) are flying coach.

10. I think it was nice that fans made homemade promo videos for a few of the songs, but let's be honest, their quality was for shit. If that's the level of quality Morrissey wants to hang his bowler hat on, maybe he needs to look for another Jo Slee in his life. The "World Peace" cover art he chose (and chose for every single from the looks of things) makes me question his level of taste.

11. No record label with major-label affiliation will re-release "World Peace." Same for another recording contract. At this point, Morrissey's best bet is a distribution deal, but we all know he only values the cache and sadomasochism of a major.

12. This entire letter makes me realize one of the big reasons why the Smiths succeeded. Sure, it was the great music, but as much as Morrissey bitched and moaned about Rough Trade and Geoff Travis, it must have been Johnny Marr who had to push when Morrissey wanted to balk. Marr had 50 percent vested in the Smiths. If it was Morrissey's band, and Marr had no say, they wouldn't have gone past their debut.

Can't disagree with any of that. Top post.

P.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

I'm so happy Morrissey doesn't listen to anyone about what he 'should' be doing or how he 'should' be behaving. Where do you lot get off? Who do you think you are?

The new album is one of the most fantastic things he has ever done. His voice is unfaultable. It's so nuanced with every phrase. Such mastery and to such effect. I'm not even mentioning the lyrics and themes of his song.

Please carry on Morrissey - You deserve so much better... It's not not a just world

 

[Alain Delonissey]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Eugenius' Top 12 Take-Aways From Morrissey's Latest Open Letter to His Fans and Foes

1. Everyone here is confusing thoughtfulness and well-spoken prose for catty passive-aggression because that's how this reads whenever Harvest management is mentioned.

2. Everyone involved in the making of "World Peace" thought that "World Peace" was his best LP ever? Ever? And there were reviews that backed that sentiment? Show me one legitimate review that hints to this.

3. Was there a gun pointed at Morrissey's head during the filming of the three spoken word promo spots? He writes about the ordeal as if he had no say in the matter. The same person who has carved out quite a reputation for himself from canceling all types of professional obligations with a cluck of the tongue.

4. He speaks of the push for a fifth spoken word promo. Which one was the fourth? Weren't there only three? Did I just get bored and miss number four?

5. If he wanted a video for "Istanbul" so bad, and he hated the spoken word promos, he should have negotiated for all that high-production spoken word video money to go towards one video. No matter how low the sum of those spoken word clips cost, it still would have paid for something better than the video for "All You Need is Me" or "Ganglord"--both which looked like they were filmed for less than $2,500 and a bottle of scotch, each.

6. A TV advert would do no better in terms of sales. With DVRs and short-attention spans, commercials on cable (because let's face it, Harvest doesn't have the budget for primetime network placement) are virtually useless in the States.

7. You gotta admit, you'd pay top dollar to hear and see Morrissey read from "Autobiography" in a relatively small setting. It was an inspired suggestion--no one's ever promoted an LP by reading from their autobiography before. And it would be incredibly inexpensive to pull off (no band, no permits, no gear)--the value would be beneficial for everyone. And no performance from the old man, just stand there behind a podium and talk.

8. No mention of the rabbits Harvest tried to pull from its top hat. No mention of the Facebook/Twitter campaign. No mention of the webpages dedicated to fan art and messages. No mention of the Banksy street art (was that really Banksy?). Why? Because it doesn't fit into this letter's narrative.

9. If "World Peace" falls from the face of iTunes and other sites like Amazon, it's on the orders of Morrissey and his lawyers. If it sells any digital copies, Harvest still takes a cut and last time I checked, Harvest is still in the business of making money--especially since they're still trying to recoup the money they fronted for the recording. Tickets to Paris aren't cheap--even if the entire band (sans El Hefe and Major Domo) are flying coach.

10. I think it was nice that fans made homemade promo videos for a few of the songs, but let's be honest, their quality was for shit. If that's the level of quality Morrissey wants to hang his bowler hat on, maybe he needs to look for another Jo Slee in his life. The "World Peace" cover art he chose (and chose for every single from the looks of things) makes me question his level of taste.

11. No record label with major-label affiliation will re-release "World Peace." Same for another recording contract. At this point, Morrissey's best bet is a distribution deal, but we all know he only values the cache and sadomasochism of a major.

12. This entire letter makes me realize one of the big reasons why the Smiths succeeded. Sure, it was the great music, but as much as Morrissey bitched and moaned about Rough Trade and Geoff Travis, it must have been Johnny Marr who had to push when Morrissey wanted to balk. Marr had 50 percent vested in the Smiths. If it was Morrissey's band, and Marr had no say, they wouldn't have gone past their debut.

Assuming everything you say is true, I completely agree.

A little off topic: the videos for AYNIM and Ganglord are horrendous. The latter reminds me of those hazy, dreamlike "indie" videos from the early nineties and the former is pure teen power pop from the early oughts.

 

[Miss Mozzarella]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Maybe if we all just start ignoring these nasty for the sake of being nasty comments, they'll get discouraged and leave.

Or you could put a hit out on me, Moz style.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

It's obvious what happened. Harvest judged (probably quite rightly) that the only people who would buy the album are die-hard fans and that its wider appeal was limited - based on the fact that the album is mostly so-so and also the fact that Morrissey has been engaged in a one-man bad PR campaign for the past year. Come on, Moz, so the record lable are shit - then go out and do a few TV and radio interviews. Are you some ingénu who needs the record label to hold your hand?

 

[Multi]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

1. Everyone here is confusing thoughtfulness and well-spoken prose for catty passive-aggression because that's how this reads whenever Harvest management is mentioned.

Shocking, he's upset and disappointed.

2. Everyone involved in the making of "World Peace" thought that "World Peace" was his best LP ever? Ever? And there were reviews that backed that sentiment? Show me one legitimate review that hints to this.

Best Morrissey RECORDING ever, which it is. The best Morrissey album still remains Your Arsenal, in my opinion.

3. Was there a gun pointed at Morrissey's head during the filming of the three spoken word promo spots? He writes about the ordeal as if he had no say in the matter. The same person who has carved out quite a reputation for himself from canceling all types of professional obligations with a cluck of the tongue.

"Morrissey did NOTHING to promote the new album, whine whine, whine!" "Morrissey did SOMETHING to promote the new album, whine, whine, whine!"

4. He speaks of the push for a fifth spoken word promo. Which one was the fourth? Weren't there only three? Did I just get bored and miss number four?

Maybe they made one and it wasn't released, maybe he made an error, who cares at this point?

5. If he wanted a video for "Istanbul" so bad, and he hated the spoken word promos, he should have negotiated for all that high-production spoken word video money to go towards one video. No matter how low the sum of those spoken word clips cost, it still would have paid for something better than the video for "All You Need is Me" or "Ganglord"--both which looked like they were filmed for less than $2,500 and a bottle of scotch, each.

Fair.

6. A TV advert would do no better in terms of sales. With DVRs and short-attention spans, commercials on cable (because let's face it, Harvest doesn't have the budget for primetime network placement) are virtually useless in the States.

Except for all those people that aren't watching something on a DVR or bouncing around while being pumped full of adderall.

7. You gotta admit, you'd pay top dollar to hear and see Morrissey read from "Autobiography" in a relatively small setting. It was an inspired suggestion--no one's ever promoted an LP by reading from their autobiography before. And it would be incredibly inexpensive to pull off (no band, no permits, no gear)--the value would be beneficial for everyone. And no performance from the old man, just stand there behind a podium and talk.

I would pay to see that, but if a label suggested that to me after I delivered an 18 song recording, I'd tell them to go f*** themselves too.

8. No mention of the rabbits Harvest tried to pull from its top hat. No mention of the Facebook/Twitter campaign. No mention of the webpages dedicated to fan art and messages. No mention of the Banksy street art (was that really Banksy?). Why? Because it doesn't fit into this letter's narrative.

Why? Because all of those ideas of "promotion" are worthless and haphazard.

9. If "World Peace" falls from the face of iTunes and other sites like Amazon, it's on the orders of Morrissey and his lawyers. If it sells any digital copies, Harvest still takes a cut and last time I checked, Harvest is still in the business of making money--especially since they're still trying to recoup the money they fronted for the recording. Tickets to Paris aren't cheap--even if the entire band (sans El Hefe and Major Domo) are flying coach.

Yup, he owns it and he has the right to decide who can profit from it.

10. I think it was nice that fans made homemade promo videos for a few of the songs, but let's be honest, their quality was for shit. If that's the level of quality Morrissey wants to hang his bowler hat on, maybe he needs to look for another Jo Slee in his life. The "World Peace" cover art he chose (and chose for every single from the looks of things) makes me question his level of taste.

"That's just like, your opinion, man."

11. No record label with major-label affiliation will re-release "World Peace." Same for another recording contract. At this point, Morrissey's best bet is a distribution deal, but we all know he only values the cache and sadomasochism of a major.

Southpaw AND Maladjusted both got reissued on major-label affiliated labels, so we'll see (though I predict it'll only happen if they get a new album along with it).

12. This entire letter makes me realize one of the big reasons why the Smiths succeeded. Sure, it was the great music, but as much as Morrissey bitched and moaned about Rough Trade and Geoff Travis, it must have been Johnny Marr who had to push when Morrissey wanted to balk. Marr had 50 percent vested in the Smiths. If it was Morrissey's band, and Marr had no say, they wouldn't have gone past their debut.

Speculation.

Can't disagree with any of that. Top post.

P.

That's because you're a dogshit c***.

 

[A none E mouse]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

Loved reading this and he does seem refreshed and ready to go again, quite upbeat considering. It's strange to hear moz talking about music vids tho, he once said they are not needed & are ruining the industry, times have changed I know but it's another example of him not staying true to his beliefs, "re-issue re-repackage" being another example, is there an artist with so many reissues & variations. Anyway good to hear from the man, he's one of a kind and future looks kinda bright, this could be a blessing.

 

[Agharta]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

This morning I gave "World Peace" another listen, and here it is: my final verdict.

1. "World Peace" is an abomination. Both the music & lyrics are dreadfull. This could very well be his worst song ever. What on earth was he thinking? This song showcases how uneducated Moz really is. He should have kept his political ignorance hidden.

2. "Neil" I sort of like this one. It's a bit out there, but in a good way. The gay love affair theme is kinda cool.

3. "Not a Man" is nothing more than a moist fart. The lyrics are a moist fart and musically it sounds, well, like a moist fart.

4. "Istanbul". Well done, well done!

5. "Loneliest Planet". Did he write the lyrics himself or were they made by the Random Morrissey Lyrics Generator on the internet? Musically extremely unimpressive.

6. "Staircase" simply doesn't work. Musically it's an eighties mash-up gone horribly wrong and the lyrics are laughable (not in a good way) and artificial. If you don't get 3 A's? Sister, he's no longer a poet...

7. "Bullfighter" could be the reason Harvest dumped him. Come on, my 8 year old nephew can write better lyrics than this. In fact, everyone can!

8. "Kiss me" is the song everybody hails as the great come back single. Really? I mean, really? It's painting by numbers. Boring and bland.

9. "Smiler"? Unfinished demo. The kind of demo you shamefully erase when you wake up (sober) the next day.

10. "Bride" has a brilliant last verse. The rest is just Moz being nasty and mean. What happened to him?

11. "Mountjoy" is very good. I really like this one. Well done.

12. "Concerto" Oh dear, another unfinished demo. This could have been a nice little song, if Moz had just put a little more thought and effort into it.

So, three good songs out of twelve. All the promotion in the world couldn't change that.

Once again, Morrissey is in search of a new label.

A better review than 95% of the people here have posted, or the worldwide professional music critics have managed.

Congrats on having functioning ears.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

Re: TTY Statement : Please Close The Door Behind Me

How nice to read a measured, sensible Morrissey statement. You could say it was sober, where other recent TTY communications have seemed quite the opposite.

As some of us have pointed out Harvest heard it and didn't fancy it. It works as a concept less concept album, but the idea it contains several hit singles is delusional.