Morrissey mourns Poly Styrene, whines about ‘Very Best Of,’ reports new album finished

With his small media blitz — two radio interviews tied to the new Very Best Of — out of the way, Morrissey’s back to his preferred method of communication, releasing a written statement that manages to decry the “royal dreading,” mourn the death of Poly Styrene, complain about his chart position and reveal the completion of his follow-up to 2009’s Years of Refusal.

In a statement posted today on fan site True To You — Moz’s usual outlet for his written missives — the singer apologizes for being in a “foul mood” over the royal wedding when he was interviewed by “Detergent O Leary” (BBC Radio 2’s Dermot O’Leary, shown above with Morrissey), and further states he was the victim of “Iranian censorship (that) confiscated all of my views” during his recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s “Front Row.”

Morrissey also blasts the British media for having “all but ignored” the death this past week of X-Ray Spex leader Poly Styrene — whom, he writes, “made an enormous contribution to British art and sound” — and focusing instead on “blubbering praise onto Kate Middleton.” He adds, “The message is clear: What you achieve in life means nothing compared to what you are born into. Is this Syria??”

On the topic of his own music, Moz — not for the first time — complains about EMI’s handling of his releases, going into detail about the difficulty in getting his Very Best Of compilation and the new “Glamorous Glue” single stocked at HMV. He adds: “With Very Best Of, I face my first ever non-chart placing — which I shall bear with dignity, although I could never be unkind enough to express my views on EMI’s failings.” [Ed. note: ‘Very Best of Morrissey’ entered the U.K. chart at No. 80 this week.]

Finally, Morrissey notes that his run of U.K. shows has sold out, and that he plans to add four more in Sweden and Denmark this summer. He also reveals that he’s finished a new album: “The follow-up to Years of Refusal is ready and fluttering wildly against the bars. There is still no record label and the years shuffle like cards. My talents do not lie in DIY.”

Read Morrissey’s full statement after the jump…

April 30 statement from Morrissey

I’m sorry I made the Detergent O Leary radio interview so difficult but I was in a foul mood, having spent a full week surrounded by the royal dreading. England may very well be a Windsor dictatorship, but — PR Weddings aside, it is usually quite bearable.

If my Front Row (Radio 4) interview sounded chopped and cropped, that’s because it was. I had spoken fluently about the royal dreading, but an Iranian censorship confiscated all of my views. It is distressing, but in all manner of British media in 2011 we are only allowed to hear the same old thoughts and feelings expressed over and over and over again.

During the week of the royal dreading, Poly Styrene died. Having made an enormous contribution to British art and sound — at a desperate time when so many of us needed her, Poly Styrene’s death was all but ignored by the British television news media, who instead rained hours and hours of blubbering praise onto Kate Middleton — a woman about whom nothing is known on a personal level. The message is clear: What you achieve in life means nothing compared to what you are born into. Is this Syria??

To top off all the pageantry, ‘Very best of Morrissey’ (EMI/Major Minor) has yet to tunnel its way into what we older types refer to as Record Shops – six days after intended release. The gallant HMV has yet to stock it, and did not manage to stock the ‘Glamorous glue’ single until four days after its scheduled release. In fact, the CD of ‘Glamorous glue’ did not EVER make it to HMV. With ‘Very best of’ I face my first ever non-chart placing — which I shall bear with dignity, although I could never be unkind enough to express my views on EMI’s failings. It was John Lennon who coined the phrase ‘Every Mistake Imaginable’. I shall not repeat it here.

I am delighted that the June dates sold out so quickly. Beware, we are looking at four more: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Helsingborg and Stockholm.

The follow-up to ‘Years of refusal’ is ready and fluttering wildly against the bars. There is still no record label and the years shuffle like cards. My talents do not lie in DIY.

I shall be in Perth — older, but no wiser.

With thanks to True To You,

Morrissey.

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:

• Audio: Morrissey on The Smiths, his upcoming memoir and David Cameron
• Morrissey sets 9-date U.K. tour, will headline festival with Lou Reed, Iggy Pop
• Morrissey releasing new ‘Very Best Of,’ will issue 2 ‘Viva Hate’ outtakes as B-sides
• Vintage Video: The Smiths’ third-ever concert, 28 years ago today at The Hacienda
• Hear The Smiths’ reggae version of ‘Girlfriend In A Coma,’ other rare outtakes
• Morrissey wears a cat on his head, says ‘the Chinese are a subspecies’