Addressing his fans directly for the first time about his illness-plagued Tour of Refusal, Morrissey yesterday released a statement vowing to restart the European leg of his tour Friday in Luxembourg — and, throwing those fans a bone, announcing the October release of a new b-sides compilation.
Moz, in typically flowery fashion, claims to have “endured a titanic struggle against an intolerable virus,” but now has “been reconstructed by a Wiltshire hospital and I am as close to good health as I’m likely to get” (full text below).
He claims that “nothing has been canceled,” and notes his missed UK gigs have been rescheduled in July and October. Yet there’s no word on this week’s two scrapped French concerts, nor the six dates the singer bagged on the U.S. leg of his trek.
The good news, however, is Moz’s announcement of Swords, an 18-track compilation of b-sides from Years of Refusal, Ringleader of the Tormentors and You Are The Quarry, that’s due in October. The tracklist has not yet been revealed.
We Will Resume: A Note From Morrissey:
I am very pleased to confirm that we will resume at Luxembourg this coming Friday (5 June), absorbed and collected. I have been reconstructed by a Wiltshire hospital and I am as close to good health as I’m likely to get.
I apologize to everyone caught up in the to-ing and fro-ing, but the disappointment of postponement is less than the disappointment of hearing me sing on one engine.
I should stress that nothing has been canceled. The four London concerts are repositioned in July, and both Birmingham and the Royal Albert Hall are October fixtures. I’ve endured a titanic struggle against an intolerable virus lately, and although Hull, Hartlepool and Manchester were nights that comprised a whole life, the physical limits were reached. False notes crush the soul.
Besides Luxembourg and beyond, I am excited about the October release of Swords, which is an 18-track compilation of b-side of singles from the last three albums. This will be a Polydor release.
Thanks to everyone who bought Years of Refusal. We were the number one seller in the UK for the week of release, but, as with You Are The Quarry and Your Arsenal, we were booted off the number one spot on the last hour of the final day. We cried.
I would like to point out that some passable creature is using my name and sending sharply chiseled replies to people via Twitter, MySpace and Facebook. This person is not me. Not enough happens in my life that I would wish to share it with others. I do not scan these sites – or whatever they are – so I can only hope that whoever is posing as me is at least worth talking to. Beware of false imitations.
Thanks for reading these unvarnished facts, and thanks for giving us some greatly enjoyable nights on the Refusal tour.
Absolutely Yours,
Morrissey.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Health issues force Depeche Mode, Morrissey to cancel more concerts
- Morrissey reschedules canceled UK concerts… then cancels another concert
- Sick again, Morrissey cancels U.K. concerts, ‘Jools Holland’ appearance
- Nauseated Morrissey cancels post-Coachella date on trouble-plagued tour
- Morrissey’s ‘Years of Refusal’ tour marred by cancellations, immigration trouble
