One day after new 12-inch and 7-inch singles of The Smiths’ “The Queen is Dead” went on sale at U.K. retailers, Morrissey is accusing the HMV chain of “an attempt to freeze sales” by limiting purchases of the new vinyl editions to one copy per person — and he’s urging fans to don silly costumes and buy as many copies “as you desire.”
In a post to his official Facebook page, Morrissey for some reason likens the one-copy-per-customer stickers to cigarette warning labels, and notes they were not requested by members of The Smiths, and are not found on other titles at the retailer. Commenters on the post, however, immediately pointed out that other titles at HMV stores did, in fact, bear such stickers, and that not all HMV stores applied such stickers to the new Smiths titles. It should also be noted that record stores generally like to sell records.
Morrissey goes on to complain the song, while in the Top 10 sales charts, is not being played on radio, either: “Over 30 years since their death, and the Smiths are still thought too radical for the slow reader!”
The singles, rumored for months, were released Friday — the 30th anniversary of the release of The Queen is Dead album — in the U.K. with little warning. The 12-inch features as B-sides the Smiths’ three instrumental tracks: “Oscillate Wildly,” “Money Changes Everything” and “The Draize Train.” The picture-disc 7-inch is backed by “I Keep Mine Hidden,” which originally appeared as the B-side to “Girlfriend in a Coma” and holds the distinction of being the last song The Smiths ever recorded.
Former Smiths drummer marked the 30th anniversary in a decidedly more cheery way than his ex-singer (and now lifelong nemesis) Morrissey, sharing video of a street performer he encountered — and tipped, incognito — performing “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.”
Read Morrissey’s full statement and see Joyce’s video below.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Smiths’ ‘The Queen is Dead’ getting new 7- and 12-inch vinyl releases next week?
- Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of The Smiths: Vote for your favorite songs by Morrissey & Marr
- Listen: The Smiths’ Record Store Day 7-inch with 2 previously unreleased demos
- ‘Trump will kill America’ etched into vinyl of The Smiths’ Record Store Day single
- Watch: Morrissey walks off during ‘Everyday is Like Sunday,’ ends concert after 6 songs
- ‘Breakfast with The Smiths’ radio show finds new home on The Independent FM
- The Smiths to issue unreleased versions of 2 songs on Record Store Day 7-inch
Steven, in the unlikely event you’re reading this…
Would you rather some Mike Joyce type (Ah! Knew that would prick up your ears.) buy all the copies and resell them at an insanely inflated price on the secondary market which a lot of people did with the RSD release? Not a penny going to you?
If all you look for are enemies, then all you will FIND are enemies.
Funny how nowadays I think Mike’s the one who’s alright and Moz is a bit shiite.
DS23,
I think they’re both infantile twits. Actually, the whole band is so far up their respective arses it’s sickening.
They were having a vinyl sale hence the mislabel of some of the stickers. They were limiting the number per customer to eliminate eBay sellers snatching them all. Moz is so out of touch it’s hilarious. He releases some rehash single for cash then goes on his consumer culture rant.
When are these going on sale in the US?
The obsession with him is fascinating … I would never hold someone in popular culture in such high esteem. I think he is ‘a worry’ !
So precious and self involved … hating the ‘omni’ world and thinking of himself as a self proclamed music messiah. Its pop music for christ sake!
I think he needs to chill and pull his head in .. He is making good money for singing !
He should get a real job :)
Well, he wouldn’t be Morrissey if he wasn’t outraged about something.