Silence of the Mozzer - Moz strangely silent around release of new album

[Shea]

Depression makes sense-it could have been the reason the tour ended. Looking at that photo of him with the fan in Miami makes me believe a depression relapse may be the reason for the cancellation and hiding. I've been there too many times and it's awful. Even family and friends didn't help me until I was on medication. I hope he's ok.

However, this may scare Harvest off, and they may have an escape clause for themselves. Only time will tell.

 

[Anonymous]

I know I've said it before, but I'll state it again here. A lot of great things, be it movies, tv shows, music...whatever, are not always appreciated for what they are until much later. I truly believe WPINOYB will be one of those cases. In the meantime, all we can do as fans is prepare our "I told you so's" I guess.

Also, clinical depression is no joke. If that's the case, I truly feel our boy.

yeah, maybe itll pull an andy bell and be a #1 record years later. i think this album just to good to die.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, 'word' was also that Morrissey left the Bowie tour in 1994 because of 'depression'. Some things never change.

If physical diseases were treated like mental illness.

 

[Mr Reynolds]

Depression makes sense-it could have been the reason the tour ended. Looking at that photo of him with the fan in Miami makes me believe a depression relapse may be the reason for the cancellation and hiding. I've been there too many times and it's awful. Even family and friends didn't help me until I was on medication. I hope he's ok.

However, this may scare Harvest off, and they may have an escape clause for themselves. Only time will tell.

I don't understand this negativity surrounding the album and Harvest - it is a success as far as they are concerned. People are talking as if it was a massive commercial flop or something. Bizarre.

 

[Thewlis]

I don't understand this negativity surrounding the album and Harvest - it is a success as far as they are concerned. People are talking as if it was a massive commercial flop or something. Bizarre.

Have Harvest told you? No, a number 2 record is not a commercial flop, but this record was deliberately set for a mid July release to pretty much guarantee it a number 1.
In industry terms not getiing to number 1 then (and not even being competitive) is certainly a failure, and I'm sure Harvest, and Morrissey, will feel it as such.

 

[2-J]

I don't understand this negativity surrounding the album and Harvest - it is a success as far as they are concerned. People are talking as if it was a massive commercial flop or something. Bizarre.

If they really think that they are fools, considering the promotion was non-existent (unless the conventional wisdom of everyone else in the record industry is wrong and promotion does not matter) so, logically, it could have sold quite a bit more with more promotion.

 

[Chickpea]

I don't understand this negativity surrounding the album and Harvest - it is a success as far as they are concerned. People are talking as if it was a massive commercial flop or something. Bizarre.

Judging by the other artists on Harvest's roster, I would venture to guess that Morrissey is now their biggest-selling artist. I don't understand why they'd see WPINOYB as a commercial failure!

 

[Anonymous]

Have Harvest told you? No, a number 2 record is not a commercial flop, but this record was deliberately set for a mid July release to pretty much guarantee it a number 1.
In industry terms not getiing to number 1 then (and not even being competitive) is certainly a failure, and I'm sure Harvest, and Morrissey, will feel it as such.

not really on a side but if your saying he cant make a definitive statement about harvests intentions how can you then do the same and say it was set mid summer for a guaranteed number 1# and then failed to do so. did they tell you that. just seem illogical

 

[fredkocherpepsi]

Truth be told, I'd never even heard of Harvest until Moz signed.

 

[sorrow of stamford bridge]

Its only been a couple of weeks but it feels like so much longer. It's an excellent album and such a shame the momentum is gone. I wouldn't have criticised Harvest up to now, but they need now to do something, anything to buy some time if that is what Mozzer needs.....a physical single of Staircase or Kiss Me A Lot...some new t-shirts...a statement about Morrissey's intention to record in Winter 2015. Please, anything but a statement on TTY that Morrissey has parted company with Harvest by mutual agreement. Hoping to see a him in not so far off places soon.

 

[modrevolve]

I used to have all the Pink Floyd records on vinyl and the Harvest logo has always stuck with me

Truth be told, I'd never even heard of Harvest until Moz signed.

 

[A none E mouse]

I used to have all the Pink Floyd records on vinyl and the Harvest logo has always stuck with me

Can't be. I thought moz made harvest.

 

[Chickpea]

I used to have all the Pink Floyd records on vinyl and the Harvest logo has always stuck with me

Yeah, Harvest have a good history for sure (I know them from my Wire records), but their current roster is very light on big names. I don't say that as a criticism, but I had hoped that Morrissey signing with a smaller branch of a big company (meaning Capitol) would mean that he'd have an enormous amount of promotion behind him as their premiere artist.

I was so encouraged by the wheatpaste campaign and the billboards, etc., but then what? They screwed up the Twitter thing (they should NEVER have pretended to actually be him—huge mistake). They haven't even updated the Facebook page since the 17th. The microsites they set up for submitting letters and art haven't been attended to, either, and there's no information about Morrissey on their website. There's so much more they could be doing with little to no budget, and without Morrissey. I'm not of the mind that promotion ends on release day, but apparently they are. It's a shame.

(Sorry, modrevolve, I didn't mean to direct this all at you!)

 

[Uncleskinny]

Yeah, Harvest have a good history for sure (I know them from my Wire records), but their current roster is very light on big names. I don't say that as a criticism, but I had hoped that Morrissey signing with a smaller branch of a big company (meaning Capitol) would mean that he'd have an enormous amount of promotion behind him as their premiere artist.

I was so encouraged by the wheatpaste campaign and the billboards, etc., but then what? They screwed up the Twitter thing (they should NEVER have pretended to actually be him—huge mistake). They haven't even updated the Facebook page since the 17th. The microsites they set up for submitting letters and art haven't been attended to, either, and there's no information about Morrissey on their website. There's so much more they could be doing with little to no budget, and without Morrissey. I'm not of the mind that promotion ends on release day, but apparently they are. It's a shame.

(Sorry, modrevolve, I didn't mean to direct this all at you!)

Aww come on - they did everything they could have. Moz could have done more, but he's not in a good frame of mind. What do you want them to update the sites with? What is there? There isn't anything. Be fair.

P.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

I wouldn't have criticised Harvest up to now, but they need now to do something, anything to buy some time if that is what Mozzer needs.....a physical single of Staircase or Kiss Me A Lot...some new t-shirts...

Is it possible Morrissey himself doesn't want an extra promotional push because it would need to be recouped, potentially costing him money?

This entire album and the four pseudo singles have been promoted with a single photoshopped image, a few posters, and the standard edition CD sleeve couldn't appear more cheaply made it it tried. The sleeve card is not much thicker than the vacuumed plastic it comes in.

When you add to that the complaints about the quality of the ultimate edition t-shirts it does seem it has all been done on a pretty tight budget.

 

[Anonymous]

same here fred, id never heard of them before now. he needs a song or interviews and if a song then i think it needs to be a a physical single to garner attention maybe a collectible of some sort. i think it was a mistake to put all the b-sides on the deluxe if thats what they did indeed do as now even if they did put out a song it wouldnt attract as many people which would promote the album more or at least make them some more money. t.v spots would be weird and probably hard to do now but even a taped interview/statement released to certain people websites like even this one could be cool and would be reported on/make a few headlines. not the best but maybe the best they could do with the circumstances but to stay totally quiet is not gonna be good. a single and interviews is the best option and that could happen.

 

[manicboy]

There's not really many platforms for music appearances on mainstream TV in the UK for music apart from Jools Holland, Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton. I could only see Morrissey doing one of those shows nowadays and I don't think its on at the moment.

But why does everyone focus on the UK? Moz's last TV appearance was on the Tonight Show doing To Give, if I recall. And I recall a recent TV interview with the Daily Show though it was a bit redundant. Are there no outlets outside of the UK for Moz to perform and be interviewed? But my entire point flew over your heads. Something is seriously askew with Moz and he seems physically/mentally/spiritually incapable of doing anything further at the moment to "promote" the album.

 

[Anonymous]

t.v at least here in states is old fashioned. i havent had cable t.v in at least four years and just stream everything (why would i want less control of my content). if i want musical news/performances i go online to various sources like everyone else under thirty and most over. i mean i was in a spontaneous meeting with a friend on the street and i was like hey moz has a new album let me see if i can play you something on my phone real quick but it wasnt available so he parted not hearing a note of the new stuff. things like that are mistakes i think when moz is in the position hes in being well know but uncertain to the common maybe fan. he wasnt in his own generation then and hes for sure not as part of the document generation and now i think the tide has turned enough to seriously hurt his musics exposure.

 

[modrevolve]

Beady Eye is the only one of their current roster that kind of works with Morrissey..A much better choice then Lost Highway records for Years of Refusal imho whose big act was Ryan Adams. I will say every record store I've gone to (a lot recently actually) and they all have the vinyl or cd fixed prominently on display. I'm amazed how many people I know who are talking about the new Weird Al release. Maybe if I was 12 but not now.

Yeah, Harvest have a good history for sure (I know them from my Wire records), but their current roster is very light on big names. I don't say that as a criticism, but I had hoped that Morrissey signing with a smaller branch of a big company (meaning Capitol) would mean that he'd have an enormous amount of promotion behind him as their premiere artist.

I was so encouraged by the wheatpaste campaign and the billboards, etc., but then what? They screwed up the Twitter thing (they should NEVER have pretended to actually be him—huge mistake). They haven't even updated the Facebook page since the 17th. The microsites they set up for submitting letters and art haven't been attended to, either, and there's no information about Morrissey on their website. There's so much more they could be doing with little to no budget, and without Morrissey. I'm not of the mind that promotion ends on release day, but apparently they are. It's a shame.

(Sorry, modrevolve, I didn't mean to direct this all at you!)

 

[Chickpea]

Aww come on - they did everything they could have. Moz could have done more, but he's not in a good frame of mind. What do you want them to update the sites with? What is there? There isn't anything. Be fair.

I could easily make a list of at least a half dozen things they could do right now to generate interest that would not involve much money or Morrissey's involvement. I am being fair.

- Add a comprehensive biography and downloadable promo photos to the Harvest website
- Create other downloadable assets for fans—desktop/phone wallpapers, printable mini posters, etc.
- Start an official Twitter account that makes clear it's label-run, similar to the Facebook account (and then keep it updated!)
- Respond to fan queries on social media
- Turn the art microsite into an actual promotion, i.e. have an actual screening process, voting, and some sort of prize (Ultimate Bundle?)
- Sponsor album giveaways with independent blogs that have large audiences

This is how you get people to share with friends, retweet/repost, and increase awareness about the fact that there's even a new album in the first place—don't underestimate the most simple things. None of these very basic things are happening, and that's a real shame. I appreciate what they have done and of course I wish Morrissey were capable of giving the album the kind of promotion it really needs himself, but I'm very surprised that Harvest isn't at least trying to push it a bit further. It's not all about the first week of sales.