Morrissey recently wrapped up a run of dates in the Far East and in the western U.S. and, as he’s known to do, today released a lengthy statement on those shows in which he ranks his Top 10 tour stops (Jakarta claims the top slot) and once again bemoans his lack of a record label, indicating his finished album is no closer to being released.
Moz previously has announced the completion of a new album, and has been playing some of the material on tour. However, he says he won’t self-release it, and notes in today’s statement — posted, as always, at quasi-official fan site True To You — that, “We are no closer to port where record label interest is concerned. I promised I would never mention this again. But I just have.”
The singer also uses today’s missive to announce the departure of touring drummer Matt Walker, declare his love for Jakarta, Singapore and Japan (even through “promotion throughout Japan was painfully zero. Oh, could it really be anything else but!) and, as has become customary with these end-of-tour warp-ups, takes shots at the monarchy.
Read it all right here:
Morrissey statement 2 June 2012.
I express my very sincere thanks to all of you who attended our shows of April and May – all of which were fantastic, and often beyond belief. My gratitude, I realize, could never be enough.
Nights of bolts of lightning:
1. JAKARTA, Indonesia: Tennis Indoor (10 May)
2. SINGAPORE, Singapore City: Fort Canning Park (8 May)
3. SAN DIEGO, USA: Valley View Center (22 May)
4. TOKYO, Japan: Garden Hall (3 May)
5. SEOUL, Korea: Ax Hall (6 May)
6. KAWASAKI, Japan : Citta (21 April)
7. NAGOYA, Japan: Zepp (2 May)
8. FUKUOKA, Japan: Zepp (26 April)
9. STOCKTON, USA: Bob Hope Theater (26 May)
10. TUCSON, USA: Music Hall (23 May)Even the most difficult night (Hiroshima, Japan) was terrific, although promotion throughout Japan was painfully zero. Oh, could it really be anything else but!
The most breathless delights were Jakarta and Singapore. Why have we been kept apart for so long? In Jakarta and in Manila we seemed to fill the whole city with belief, and we were met with enthusiastic admiration everywhere. In such places, it was encouraging to read reviews that were not written by people who were determined not to understand. (That sentence is garbled, but it makes sense to me.)
I have never in my life experienced a crowd such as that of Jakarta, who sang each song so loudly that their voices caught all of the onstage microphones and warped the sound into a mad bellow of love. Later, backstage, we were numbed by the joy that Jakarta had given us.I fell in love anew with Japan. It hit me like a lightning thrust, and I woke each day eager for the love of it all; a civility unlike anywhere else on earth. America could never catch up, and England could never be in the race in the first place. By comparison, England is a country of condemnations, whereas America is a country of exclusions, with the obvious inequality of all. Japan has the most finely perceptive culture I have ever known, and I am thrilled to witness the emergence of broad and wide vegetarian options on all restaurant menus, as the dumb misery of eating death recedes. Record shops also continue to exist in Japan – most notably Tower Records, where we are allowed to remember the joy of ‘accidental discovery’.
I apologize for having so many birthdays, but the impassioned crowd at San Diego justified the agony of another year gone. This crowd were noticeably bolder, loudly assured, and full of confidence. There was a vicious sensuality to the audience that I had never previously known. Yes, even after all these years.
Our little covered wagon has lost drummer Matt Walker, who was eager to bring his term to an end. No bargainings could persuade him to stay, and his interest drew its last breath at Stockton. Behind the kit, Matt was a greyhound unleashed, and his great work on Years of refusal will always and forever speak up in his favor. His exit is sad, but he had no wish to continue, and a branch falls away.
We are no closer to port where record label interest is concerned. I promised I would never mention this again. But I just have.
The soul is tried all over again as the jackboot of dictatorship strangles England. This week, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee presents a new lesson in the force of tyranny, and is an expression of loathing and abhorrence of the British poor – and all done, quite naturally, at the public’s expense! It is degrading to anyone of intelligence. While dictatorships throughout the Middle East are gently condemned by the British government, there is no examination of the extremism enforced by the British ‘royals’, who remain the most overpaid and most utterly useless people on the planet. Having done nothing to earn our respect, they demand everything by return. It is a cunning and extravagant form of benefit fraud. I should mention that I am frequently asked to appear on BBC television’s Question Time to air my views. But is it possible to engage with the British media and not be carved-up? I doubt it.
Meanwhile, somewhere else, far away from tabloid Britain, the moon retains its friendly silence, and the world is all before you.
In reverent spirit, keenly alive
MORRISSEY.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Milestones: Morrissey is 53 today; watch 12 full Smiths, Moz concerts from 1983-2012
- Morrissey adds Manchester date to summer tour — billed as ‘only UK concert of 2012’
- Morrissey adds concerts in California, Arizona — plus first European summer dates
- Morrissey announces San Diego concert, calls South American trip ‘best tour of my life’
- Morrissey announces spring tour of Japan — plus first-ever concert in South Korea
- ‘The Smiths — Complete’ box set: 8 albums on vinyl, CD; plus 25 7-inch singles, DVD
Matt Walker’s departure is a serious loss for Moz’s backing band. The man is amazing behind a kit. I can only hope that he’s leaving because he’s about to start a kick-ass project of his own.
Years ago, he was one half of the criminally underrated and unheard of Impossible Recording Machine, who released two really great albums in the early turn of the century (“Axioms” is like the follow-up to “Oranges and Lemons” that XTC never recorded).
http://www.impossiblerecordingmachine.com/
So… Yeah, I’m a fan of this guy.
Jakarta was awesome indeed. Here’s a link to Moz in Jakarta bootleg http://tinyurl.com/7f92o3z.
Just get over yourself and release on iTunes already.
He’s always had one of those faces you just want to slap, but jesus, that picture just takes the piss.
Thank god for Mozzer….the only voice of sanity from the music world during this farcical jubillee celebration in the UK. Long may he reighn over us!
Well now, just how “bad” was the recent Bakersfield, CA. gig? Morrisey played there between San Diego and Stockton and; there’s no mention on his ratings list. Not a word.
Well done Bakersfield! Not since you welcomed the Deftones then beat-up the band and stole their gear, has there been such a rousing review.
Once again the question must be asked: Just what ancient cemetary IS that city built upon? This is why Paul McCartney won’t play Bakersfield because there’s only two Beatles left.
I saw him in Stockton after the Bakersfield show and he complained about not being able to find vegetarian food after the show there…
Said he was offered ‘chicken’, ‘death’, ‘pork’, ‘death’ and so on.
I saw Moz in Bakersfield back in…2007? what a difference the crowd was from the Stockton show I just went to last week. a LOT more aggressive and a lot more hooligans climbing over us trying to get to the stage. the crowd in Stockton was wonderful, I thought!
Mozz, I love you but am getting tired of your whinig about your new/next CD and the state of business in general.
Maybe you should spend less time reviewing crowds and get around the idea that if no label is willing to pay you to record something, there are other options around (be it the PIL way of auto-financing or the McCulloch way of asking fans to invest beforehand). I for one will be more than happy to fork in the couple of bucks I saved by NOT purchasing your 10th release of Viva Hate…
He does seem strangely out of touch with the modern music business. I’m sure he could sell enough copies off his website to make a run of a few thousand worth while to him. Make it ltd. ed. and charge a premium.
I’m glad I was there to witness Matt Walker’s last performance! he was a really good drummer…too bad he’s gone. I wonder who will replace him? and perhaps now he can explain his “eye injury” that prompted Moz to cancel Oakland 4 hours before showtime! #stillbitter
I have a friend who grew up in Bakersfield, she thinks its the worst place on earth!
I think Stockton might be worse….we were actually able to go to a cool dive bar post-Moz, and get a great breakfast the next day in Bakersfield. so not the case in Stockton. Moz even made a comment on stage about the sad situation in Stockton!