...but I would want to know more about where this information came from before I get depressed about there never being another release of some sort. Not that I don't believe "anonymous" but I still think despite this info., someday, there will be another release of some kind.

I don't know...I think I'd be content if Morrissey never released anything again but after hearing the new songs and Malajusted (which has some killer tracks), we could be missing out on something great as well.

And what if he doesn't release a new album? Morrissey already has a wonderful large catalog of material. I would be more interested in a release of rare tracks than anything new.
And I never thought I was alone in my assumption, that Morrissey appears to be quite a greedy person - from books, from other people's comments - even from his own mouth! I wouldn't trust him with five dollars for the weekend. There's no question that the only reason he doesn't have a new album out is because of money. Why he should care... I cannot imagine and neither can anyone else here. So why even speculate.
Be happy with the music we have. If he releases more... he releases more. He's not sitting in his home thinking to himself, "But I want all my fans to hear all my new songs!! If only I had a record label!" No... it's not like that. And I don't blame him either.
Everyone should forget about this silly record label business - he'll sign if someone offers him enough. In the meantime, there's a hundred some odd songs that I'm content to listen to. They just don't seem to get old... but this droning on and on about whether he's going to release a new album IS (and who's going to produce it and what the track line up is, etc etc etc).
Suzanne are you still out there?

EA

I'm still holding onto my postponed concert ticket from last Aug. - stil hasn't cancelled here yet. finger crossed I will see him again.
...reissue, repackage... Oh how he liked to blame the record label for such things but he still condoned them to squeezing our devoted last 2 cents from us for him.
I'd still love a new album because if he's still churning new songs I sure LOVE to hear them on one album.

I can go on living if I can see Moz a few more times live.

I've not a single problem with Morrissey tripping off and into the twilight. He's done more for me than all of my other favourite artists put together. However, I do hate chasing his words, Boz's words, Solo's words, etc. If he is indeed going to release an album, then fine. But if he knows at his hearts core that he's retired, I think he owe's us - the fans - at least that much of a peak into his life.

Morrissey: A very dark and mysterious creature?

Perhaps, but even they become tired old cliches.

Will he release a new disc?

I dunno, though I think he does.

I don't think another Morrissey album will ever come out. Its been six years since his last. He could have released one years ago if he wanted to. Alas, it doesn't seem to be about the music anymore, its all about the money. The new songs get old fast and I don't feel like I'm missing anything anyhow. Maladjusted was a pretty good album, much better than Southpaw and I'm fine with it being his last. He's got a lot of fabulous material out there and it corresponds to certain times in my life. I don't see myself forming bonds with anything new, it just wouldn't say anything about my life.

What if the greed is only for proper promotion and exposure for one of the tiny tiny tiny amount of people who are both

A] Worth listening to
B] Willing to go on top of the pops

?

i agree but what is your problem with Bruce Duff

I think someday he will release new material. If he's really waiting for the money, I believe some day it will come. Anyway, if he doesn't release anything, when he dies, we will surely see a lot of unreleased material. Moz is greedy, and so are Record Companies.

something new will get released eventually. the question is, who will care in five more years? i agree that this would be a prime moment to release a new morrissey album. this might actually be his last chance at real critical and popular acclaim. if it's all over, it was one of the greatest careers ever.

thanks for the tour last year, mozz.

...then wouldn't he just re-unite the Smiths and find a big promoter to go on tour? Why wouldn't cash out his name with books and guest appearances or behave in a manner that makes record executives happy? Wouldn't he just take $$ for himself, and not worry about whether his band was included in the contract.

I would say that it's pretty childish and naive to speculate it's because Morrissey's "already wealthy man". Firstly, I think he probably has more money than you or I, but not more than, say, a well-paid CEO, let alone a Madonna or a Shug Knight or countless others that have a even a few major hits. Morrissey never had that kind of mega-star success. A few years ago his wealth was estimated at 8 Million pounds; very nice, but not inexhaustable in today's economy -- or within a rock star lifestyle. (If you think it is, you're naive. Taxes on that level of income are nearly 40 percent! Add in lawyers and bands and roadies and agents...) So I would say that he's probably not greedy--perhaps he's a bit "miserly" when it comes to paying others and paying debts, etc. But that's different than greed.

I think his reluctance comes from the fact that he can only compete against himself these days...his albums would be released to shrugs and yet more comparisons against the Smiths. It's a matter of dying young and staying pretty. Going out on top, or at least stopping the decline.

A lot of the comments here make sense, but while we're talking about greed, let's not underestimate that of the record industry, which has been consolidating for a while now and harming many an artist/band and the fans. Perhaps it goes both ways. Hopefully the new songs he's been playing will be recorded and released properly.

Although it's been quite some time since he's released anything new, I still have hope that something new will be released. I may be a dreamer, but I also believe he's thought about the fans and how much we want a new album. I think there's much more to this story than GREED,
I won't accept that as an answer.

I imagine it's creative control he wants. I'm sure this guy, while a legend in his own time, isn't getting the freedom to produce his next album as he wants. Understandable from the label's POV, since he's not had a hit in years. But I figure he's too old to let managers and labels rip him off again.

Maybe it's just artistic integrity. He knows he's got a great album and wants to release it, but also realizes that if he put it on a small label he wouldn't get anywhere near the exposure that he's looking for and which he rightly deserves. I know a lot of bands have to go through this, but Moz is used to being treated like royalty and now that he's no longer a 'massive' artist, he finds the record companies ambivalence towards him rather hard to swallow.

that's stopping Morrissey accepting the money he's been offered.

whatever he was offered for Maladjusted and Southpaw, he'll only be offered a fraction now (maybe 25%) because of his recent sales trajectory. strange thing is, he knows a heck of a lot about record sales and must realise a record company's predicament which is made only worse by his reputation for being impossible to contact for month after month at key record-promotion times.

he needs to look at other cult artists from the 80s e.g. Bragg, McCulloch, Weller, Pet Shop Boys, even the Healers and realise how little they've had to accept.

he's also under the considerable misconception that an internet-based company, or setting up his own record company would mean that the songs won't be widely available or played on the radio. as I've said before it will take someone who is close to Moz, who has a pragmatic approach to business, and who understands the record industry to point all this out to him.

I believe Mr Martin Boorer may be the only person to whom all this applies and can ensure those 24 songs get released in the relatively near future.

Please Boz, we're counting on you!

John Steed, England

Stop being so impatient !!!

"Stay as you ARE !"

x

There are demos for the new album you heard 18 months ago?????!

SHARE!
SHARE!
SHARE!

Once a writer, always a writer- but this doesn't mean that any of Morrissey's new material will be seen or heard.

I hope that he does release it all at some point, but that doesn't mean that he will. It is his decision to continue fighting the good fight in the music industry or not.

But if we're talking about greed- then maybe we should focus on some of the comments made here.

"I want to see him tour again."

"I want some new material."

"I want to hear what he's got stored away."

"I want to see what he's written."

And what about dear Morrissey's wants?

Waiting with hope-

a few days ago, when someone posted a joke about moz being signed to a new label, i realized something. the reality of him being signed these days is the equivalent of spotting bigfoot or getting an acceptance letter to the Hogwart's school of wizardry.

its not because he's a has-been. i don't know if its money or silly label demands or whatever we probably like to think. whatever his own excuses are, i think that probably deep down, he probably just enjoys comfortably living with the celebrity he has for himself. and when you think about how things have been for the past couple of years with the interviews and television appearances and tours, the actual recording and release of an album is growing to be almost a miniscule part of the picture of what his career actually is these days.

does the world actually need a new album? does he need to record one? he's living comfortably off of his legacy, and in my mind (regardless if this is fact or fantasy) i think that driving to the studio to lay down a couple of vocals for a new release is just an itty bitty thing. bands and performers of less means do it everyday and survive. and maybe its so inconsequential to him and his current career that he can't be bothered with thinking about the money that he is worth for doing it. maybe its not worth the headache of label people, and promotions, and the low payout and the trade-offs they would expect of him. maybe for all its worth to him, maybe he'd just rather have the new songs recorded live by bootleggers and then passed around from one person to the next.

otherwise, he doesn't really seem like a man of passion about it. he had a really great tour last year and now he's back to hanging out around the house again. if the tour had gone badly, this could logically be seen as him feeling sorry for himself, but he shouldn't feel like that one bit. so i think that maybe he's due for a career change, and he either can't admit it to himself or just doesn't really know exactly what he could do next.

maybe he's reached a new point where he'd rather be writing his biography, and sticking his name on compilations, and telling music journalists to fuck off if he doesn't want to talk to them, and singing "suedehead" with his die-hards in los angeles when he feels like he's ready to do it and not when someone else tells him that he needs to go promote his album.

i don't want any complaints about him being lazy or hard to work with because that's not really what my point is. i think that in the end, there are other reasons than the ones he is saying and he probably just doesn't want to have to explain himself. and especially now that after his last record deal went sour and he's been on his own for so long that i think that he probably just can't bring himself into giving in to what is necessary for getting a new album off the ground.

No offense but this is bollocks. No mention of what your mysterious sources are eh? Moz will release an album again. It will happen. It's also about more than money. Morrissey has the highest standards and would not sign his life away to a deal that did not include heavy promoting. He has always released class A material but due to some of his past deals some of his albums didn't quite sell as much as expected. This man has an undying hardcore fanbase but the larger masses do matter in the record sales game. I hate hanger ons but they buy albums ad tickets.
So stretch out and wait...the man will return. Perhaps very soon.

ps - ...and never forget that WE THE FANS started all of the signing rumors. If it wasn't a fan it was a tiny label looking for press. Mozzer's camp has never leaked any information regarding a new release and in fact has come out and officially denied a few (through Boz).

It could be worse than a wait. I waited forever for Depeche Mode's Exciter and could have jumped off a bridge when I finally bought and heard it. One thing you can always count on is Morrissey's style, class and integrity as an artist.

It's one thing for comments to turn into virtual chatrooms inside of the new topics that arrive on this website...however, do the new topics have to become virtual chatrooms? I hope not...please keep the headers to news, and the opinions to the comments sections...

What if green hair grows on my chest?

The ideal situation would of course be if Moz put out one last record, including the best of the new songs heard and even better ones kept hidden. There would be two cracking music videos, and a swan song tour. This would all tie in with his autobiography (called "Irish Blood, English Heart", natch)...a book that would answer all those questions we've been pondering for years.

I can dream, can' t I?

xox
kl

mr duff's not a bad - what did he and his humble 'zine ever do to offend you?

the world should be told

A friend of mine was talking to someone from The Smiths' circle and they say that an American label won't touch Morrissey as they think his appeal is too narrow and no UK label will sign him as he is after far too much money. Another problem is the Mike Joyce saga, Morrissey is not going to pay up but if he signs a deal there will be more pressure on him to pay up. Morrissey will not allow any rareities to be released and believe me there are plenty.
So don't think poor old Morrissey it's his own fault.

I think there is a major overlap in the people visiting this site and those who visit, for example, Mrs Shankly's. The same people are members of Loafing Oafs. We've all visited Akiraware and numerous other sources of free music. If Moz is such a money-grabbing tight-wad why does he allow this to go on. Do we really believe that he is oblivious to this?

Moz made life liveable for me and thousands of others during the dark, dreadful days of Thatcher and all that travelled with her. He expressed for me those things I didn't have words for.

I can honestly say that I owe him a great deal and if he's had a couple of hundred quid of me over the last twenty years, it was cheap at twice the price.

It would be great to have a new album and I'm sure he could pay for it himself but if I were Moz and I constantly heard this type of moaning day-in-day-out I think my attitude would be "fuck the lot of you, you ungrateful bastards"

Instead of this speculation about something that there is no definitive answer to - nobody can say for sure that there will *never* be another Morrissey album - I think it would be much more interesting if this 'Anonymous' storyteller who claims to have heard 'Irish Blood' a year before the rest of us, shared some of his or her actual knowledge - what other songs has been demoed apart form the ones we have heard? Some lyrics perhaps? What else do you know?

That's the sort of thing this site could use, not more doomsday predictions or phony rumours.

yes, I confess, I am really just a Morrissey co-dependant. From the formative teenage years untill now into the middle life, I have listened to shared most charished moments, and had life that has been enveloped by Morrissey. Each album showed a maturity or abondonment of maturity, and understanding that I feel as I grew right along with him. He is gotten me through a quarter of life, like letting go of a parent it will be rough. It is has to be done, well I am trying to prepare myself. But I will miss him tremendously, they where more than songs but cherish conversations and contimplations that helped me grow in my life.

Dear Morrissey:
MUSIC, PLEASE!

I don't know if anyone's been paying attention, but the whole music industry has turned topsy-turvy in the years since Malajusted. You have to be shiny, sparkly, young and pretty to get a contract right now. You also have to be devoid of any emotional depth and be cool with idea of letting a pack of highly-paid session musicians & producers make your records for you. Oh, and the industry has taken a huge blow with the internet, blah blah blah.

This is hopefully a trend. Last time this happened in the 70s, punk came along and kicked everyone's ass back into shape. Hopefully a similar change will take music back where it needs to be. But if it isn't a trend and Rock and Roll is gone and done, then we have probably seen our last Morrissey record.

I think Morrissey has simply been waiting for conditions to change in popular culture. The Strokes, Vines, White Stripes, et al. was a good start last summer, but it needs to be sustained without corportae leeches like April Lavigne stealing the show. There needs to be an audience for him.

And as for money, he's not a greedy man, or else he would have taken any ol' contract already. He just knows that when a label comes to him, offers a competitve contract with a real marketing campaign (always a concern with Morrissey) then the time will be right.

This is a great question and I agree with many of the comments. I don't think Moz is greedy per se, but money is probably an issue. Especially money going towards advertising to reach a larger audience.

This is why it's no surprise that smaller labels may be making offers, but getting no commitment because they can't pay the advertisement price.

But the larger companies are just down right stupid! Here's why:

Maladjusted, while an impressively adult album, did not do as well as his previous albums. But here's the hitch -- it still went gold and his supporting tour sold out every venue!

So why don't they make him a better offer and put in a little effort with the radio stations? Because that means giving Mozzer the artistic control he deserves. And since all major record executives are clueless, un-artistic idiots, Moz gets nothing!

It is actually very simple: the new Morrissey is called Eels now. Eels CDs move me as much as the Smiths LPs used to do.

It just seems to me that Morrissey is waiting for money that is never gonna come. I can't see any reason why he couldn't release an album through his own label, after all Boz has his NV Records label so it isn't like there's no expertise. On the subject of Boz, one look at his website shows what a busy man he is so assuming the other band members have similarly busy schedules would they be willing to find the time without some decent payoff? I don't think you can blame the record companies for this one. Maybe the fans could club together and sign him?!

I was thinking about this today actually, after seeing him twice last year and hoping for an album shortly afterwards. I don't think the delay is about money. I think it's about him wanting the right deal, and not settling for second best. But the more time that passes, the more I wonder when it will be right, if ever. He's not getting any younger, either, which is a phrase he has laughed at in the past, but personally, I want as much young Morrissey as I can get.

as much as i hate to say it but i think it will never happen at this point. there have been so many stories posted here that he's signed but then they turn out to be false. its just made me lose all hope. i love Moz, so hopefully he reads these comments(hmmm..)and maybe he'll do something about it(who am i kidding).

Yeah, the greed thing is hard to overlook sometimes, but as one magazine pointed out a few years ago, Morrissey can make more money with real estate than with his music. On the positive side, sometimes it's not good for artists to be overprolific. I think Moz will make an album when he feels like it, but he obviously feels no rush. I think he's more into touring than writing/recording and that's his prerogative. He just loves being on stage and being admired. He doesn't get tired of it. That's Moz.
Personally, I'm glad there aren't many products I need to buy these days.

As much as it hurts to say, I think it may be for the best if he just fades off gracefully. The new songs are so-so at best and his heart just does not seem to be in it anyomre. Re-issue, Re-package is right. We do not need another greatest hits tour. Moz will always be my fave but he will NEVER be what he once was and I think he know this as well. Somehow, the mystique is gone.

I'm currently on a Southpaw trip these days...it seems that I'll never get tired of the music, the voice & the lyrics of Moz and the Smiths. But, at a certain point, we have to face the fact that he might just want to turn his back on the music business.....a business which has turned its back on Him. A business of creating artists and of force-feeding consumers the flavour of the day. I am truly sad for what the 21st century has brought us artistically.....and if I have to hold on to my records as if none will ever be made again, then that's what I'll do. Because, lets face it folks, after 20 years of Moz, we can honestly say we were spoiled......

By all accounts from reliable sources such as Boz and co he hasn't had any offers since the end of the last tour. Boz made that statement here if i remember rightly, who are we supposed to believe? It's a brave and well justified statement DavidT has made and i'm glad he has, Morrissey is NOT beyond criticism and his actions should be questioned. We all know Morrissey will only sign a deal he wants, not some deal by a half-wit of a goofy record exec who thought The Smiths lived next door to him. But sad to say such people stand in the way now,
they don't take risks anymore on people such as Moz who they see as 'troublesome', due to him not taking any of their bullsh*t and having an opinion. Hence as we all know he's a very sharp and opinionated man, much to his own cost but it's also very admirable, well i believe so.....he doesn't change to suit the current music climate. We are all fed up and so bored now with the situation, i'm sure alot of people have given up hoping which is fair enough. In the time it's taken from Maladjusted to now 'The Smiths' had been and gone, that is the rather sad aspect of this, we've been denied the mans talent for far too long now. Frustration is an emotion Morrissey fans are well versed in, but i can't give up on him now, i just can't.....sad but true! So David, maybe it is a money thing, damn that stuff is evil but i'm sure that is just a small part of it, i really believe he hasn't had a realistic offers made. In these times of walking musical abortions clutching deals left right and centre, morrissey is still as ever the odd one out, just as it has always been, would we/he have it any other way?

Answers on a postcard please!

take care,
Kes X (taking cover from the impending insults)
tis just an opinion after all.

I think there are several reasons why Morrissey hasn't released new material. He's a complex man and his path has certainly been among the more peculiar of those who've made a memorable mark on popular music.

If you want to see a true union of musical legacy and profit motive, look at David Bowie in 2003. When you compare that model to the countless things Morrissey has done to stifle the goals of increased record sales and public exposure, the greed argument simply falls apart. (I've listed some of Morrissey's efforts at self-sabbotage in prior postings, so I won't repeat them here.)

By all reports, Morrissey feels better about himself and his life than he ever has before. After making records fueled by so many years of anguish (SOME of which MAY have been self-generated, but depression hurts no matter the source), it's quite likely he wants to ease up a bit. Contrary to popular belief, making music and being comfortable with self are by no means mutually exclusive; in fact, a bit of Morrissey's work challenges the old equation of misery with art, e.g., A Swallow On My Neck. Also, he must get *some* satisfation from writing songs and touring, otherwise, why the hell bother when (a). it takes work, and (b). you aren't making a whole lot of dosh for the trouble? One conclusion to draw from this is Morrissey still likes his work, but no longer has the us-vs.-world level of ambition. (Graham Coxon recently spoke of having a "gun to [his] head" during his years in Blur.)

The question asked was whether there'll be another album. Based on the surprises Morrissey has pulled in the past (entering the UK charts at #1 only to disappear for ages; pulling himself back from the edge of artistic disaster after Kill Uncle, etc.) I think all bets are now off.

i just don't think morrissey will sign a new deal. he's obviously asking for too much. alot of record labels are intrested but they won't come to terms with demands. i enjoy morrissey just as much as the next person but let's face it he's a greedy person. why do you think he didn't want to give the two other smiths their 25%? because he put friendship aside and set his eyes on the lump sum. i'm not trying to bash morrissey but let's face the facts people!

reasons why Moz should give us an new album:

1. his voice is so bloody strong now. more powerful than ever.
2. the last batch of songs from last years tour were great. much, much better than anything from malajusted.

chances of seeing a new album.....
probably sweet fa! come on moz, give the public what they want, you stooge

Too true, too true. I've had this hunch since the last tour. The timing was perfect for a new release - but the only hitch was somewhere in Morrissey's head. He doesn't want to release a CD unless corporate goons kiss his... ring. That won't happen - hence, no deal.

Maybe the best we can push for is a legit release of "Thank Your Lucky Stars" for all the fans who sadly have no copy. Or even get "I Know Very Well How I Got My Note Wrong" on a B-side import. Who knows.

It's too bad really. I've had a lot of fun posting on this web site, but the small number of responses as of late is understandable. There is no news beyond trivia. Will we soon see a RIP for this web site?

Hope not!

While I agree with you`re comments re greed. I don`t agree with you`re comments re Bruce Duff. He happens to be a friend of mine and I think it`s OUT OF ORDER that you`re using this web site to have a personal attack on him! I also see that you cowardly posted it as anonymous. I`ve done the same only cause I can`t be bothered setting up an account. But if you want to make something of it My names Joe McEwan, and I stay in Streatham. Mr Tseng you have a wonderful site but I wish you would desist from letting people make personal attacks on you`re site. Surely this site should be about information re Morrissey and Smiths related stuff nothing else?

If only everyone could just relax a little more. The Music Industry is a strange world - surely you have all witnessed 'that' over the past months.

Morrissey is a superstar and also a true professional. He will return... to knock us out of our beds yet again.

(I'm off to snack on some Mr Kipling's apple pies..........)

Morrissey has always been unpredictable and I think he likes it that way, whether he releases another album or not. Its his way of creating leverage. I am sure he is happy to have such a solid following but I don't think that pleasing them all is his main goal.
      Its interesting to hear all these comments about Morrissey because I remember a time not so long ago when news about Morrissey was through friends on street and fanzines at the local record shop. I think even Morrissey fans have become greedy with the info surrounding Morrissey. Finding out what the next show might be or just downloading new songs soon after they are played somewhere in Mexico,etc. are just a few examples of how spoiled we have become with information. So its been six years since his last album. Good for him. He has done plenty and only needs to answer to himself. I don't mean to say those who don't agree with me are wrong. I just want to point out that there was a time when being Morrissey fan was all about the big guess of when he was coming around and when the new album or single was released. No ridiculous pre-internet sales that cut people out of the loop but long waits on lines to buy a ticket or get an autograph and meeting other fans who appreciated the moment.
    If a new album comes, then great. If not, oh well. Disappointment is part of being a Morrissey fan and I mean that in a positive way. You learn to deal with it.

im so bored!!
a new album?? NO