Morrissey says war on “free speech” is stopping him releasing music: “You cannot speak freely in England, you’ll be sent to prison”
The comments seemingly allude to ‘Bonfire Of The Teenagers’, which he recorded in 2021 and remains unreleased
by Liberty Dunworth · NMEMorrissey has said that he is being prevented from releasing new music due to a war on “free speech”.
The soloist and former Smiths frontman made the comments in New Jersey, as he took to the stage for a solo performance at the Performing Arts Center last Wednesday (November 13).
During the set, the artist reportedly began addressing the audience and opened up about his struggle to share new music.
“As you know, nobody will release my music anymore,” he said, according to APP. “As you know because I’m a chief exponent of free speech. In England at least, it’s now criminalised.
“You cannot speak freely in England. If you don’t believe me, go there. Express an opinion, you’ll be sent to prison. It’s very, very difficult.”
While he did not explicitly say what the comments were about, chances are that Morrissey was referring to the currently unreleased album ‘Bonfire Of The Teenagers’. He recorded the album between 2020 and 2021, although it has remained shelved by Capitol Records.
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The controversy around the album stems back to 2022, when the singer-songwriter and former Smiths frontman revealed that he had “voluntarily withdrawn from any association with Capitol Records” – despite announcing that he would be releasing the LP with them just two months earlier.
He also revealed that Miley Cyrus – who recorded backing vocals for ‘Bonfire’ track ‘I Am Veronica’ in 2020 – had asked to have her vocals removed from the song.
Both severed partnerships came in relation to the musician’s political stance and his support for controversial far-right anti-Islam political party For Britain, which he previously wore a badge for during a 2019 television appearance.
Despite provoking controversy with his political views – something which former bandmate Johnny Marr said “cast a shadow over The Smiths” – the frontman has insisted that he is not far right.
Last summer, the vocalist shared a statement on his website around the status of ‘Bonfire’, accusing Capitol Records of “fascism” and having a “creeping culture of censorship”.
Before then, he released a statement on his website saying that he was “quickly coming around to” the belief that the brand only signed ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ “in order to sabotage it”.
Later, he alleged that the CEO of Capitol Records was trying to derail his career, before then taking to his website to say he was being “gagged” over the release of ‘Bonfire Of The Teenagers’
The album is one that Morrisey has previously described as being “the best album of my life”, and the title track on the LP is said by Morrissey to be about “England’s 9/11”, the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017.
The debacle continued into this year, and in April the singer bought back the rights to two of his albums, after a long-running dispute with Capitol Records. He told fans that the ordeal felt like “a long, hard, bloody war.”
Morrissey has also made comments similar to those on stage in New Jersey in the past too. For example, he previously said The Smiths’ popularity had not waned as it was all about “a refusal to surrender to enemy propaganda”, and also told fans that he felt that he had been “deleted” from the “essence” and history of the iconic ‘80s band.
In more recent news, Morrissey reportedly fired his management team following ex-bandmate, Johnny Marr‘s, statement refuting several claims regarding The Smiths.
It comes after August saw Morrissey claim that Marr had “ignored” a lucrative offer from AEG Entertainment Group to reunite the band. He then alleged that a Smiths ‘Greatest Hits’ album had been “blocked” by the guitarist.
Shortly after, Morrissey claimed that Marr now owns all of the “trademark rights and Intellectual Property” of The Smiths, and can tour as a band without him.
Marr and his management team, on September 17, put all of Morrissey’s claims to rest in a single statement. In the statement, Marr’s management said that Marr had reached out to Morrissey in 2018 via representatives after a third party had attempted to use the Smiths name. “A failure to respond” led to Marr registering the trademark himself, but there was a subsequent agreement with Morrissey’s lawyers that the trademark was “held for the mutual benefit” of both parties.
Marr also said in a statement that he had not “ignored” an offer to reunite The Smiths, he had rejected it. He also rejected the ‘Greatest Hits’ album “given the number already in existence”.
Back in 2019, Marr spoke to NME about whether or not he was worried about people viewing the music and legacy of The Smiths differently given the controversy surrounding Morrissey’s political beliefs and statements.
“I don’t think you can change history,” he said. “I’ve said that before. I’m not worried. It’s got nothing to do with my world or my life. The songs are out there for people to judge, relate to and hear. I think that’s all going to be forgotten in a few weeks, as these things inevitably are – for better or worse. It’s always been that way. I understand the issue, but I’m used to stuff coming and going.”
Later, in early 2022, Johnny Marr opened up further about his spat with Morrissey, saying that he felt he had to “defend [himself]”. It came after Morrissey asked Marr to stop mentioning him when giving interviews.
In other Morrissey news, the singer recently made headlines for donating £50,000 to help save Salford Lads Club – the location of the iconic The Smiths photo – and for having his show in Dallas cut short after a number of fans invaded the stage.