After much handwringing over the book last month, it’s official: Morrissey’s autobiography — cleverly titled “Autobiography” — will be published Oct. 17 in the U.K. and Europe by Penguin Classics, the publisher has confirmed, announcing that the 480-page paperback will cover the singer’s “life from his birth until the present day.”
Morrissey announced the publication date via his quasi-official fansite True To You, and the information can now be confirmed via Penguin Classics’ U.K. website.
Unfortunately, not much else is known about the book. Here’s the publisher’s full synopsis:
Autobiography covers Morrissey’s life from his birth until the present day.
Steven Patrick Morrissey was born in Manchester on May 22nd 1959. Singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Smiths (1982-1987), Morrissey has been a solo artist for twenty-six years, during which time he has had three number 1 albums in England in three different decades.
Achieving eleven Top 10 albums (plus nine with the Smiths), his songs have been recorded by David Bowie, Nancy Sinatra, Marianne Faithfull, Chrissie Hynde, Thelma Houston, My Chemical Romance and Christy Moore, amongst others.
An animal protectionist, in 2006 Morrissey was voted the second greatest living British icon by viewers of the BBC, losing out to Sir David Attenborough. In 2007 Morrissey was voted the greatest northern male, past or present, in a nationwide newspaper poll. In 2012, Morrissey was awarded the Keys to the City of Tel-Aviv. It has been said ‘Most pop stars have to be dead before they reach the iconic status that Morrissey has reached in his lifetime.’
It’s still not clear what prompted last month’s announcement that a “last-minute content disagreement” had “caused the venture to collapse.” Morrissey quickly took that back, announcing only that he had no American publisher for the book.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Update: Morrissey now says ‘Autobiography’ will be published in Europe, but not U.S.
- Morrissey cancels remainder of South American tour… and threatens retirement?
- Felled by penne pasta, Morrissey admits ‘humiliation and mortification’ over South American tour
- ‘Morrissey 25: Live’ concert DVD to receive ‘worldwide cinema release’ in August
- Morrissey announces South American tour with concerts in Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina
- Morrissey’s first solo concert: Watch rare video of full 1988 show with ex-Smiths members
And no one cares. Morrisey has become a twit and I can see why Johnny Marr can’t stand him. His music is epic his life not so much!
Your disdain is as hard to swallow as a plate of penne pasta.
I can see myself reading this, if for no other reason than to hear some more stories about ‘the times.’ I don’t really care about Morrissey’s life per se, but he probably has some interesting tidbits about the Smiths’ meteoric rise and fall and what was going on around them. They burned insanely bright in a remarkably short time, and those were interesting years for music generally.
And I think I just enjoy rock memoirs anyway. The look-backs by Dean Wareham and Juliana Hatfield were both really well written, and Andy Summers’ ‘One Train Later’ was outstanding – a real work of literature.
Even if Morrissey’s a bit of a wanker, I’m guessing he’s a very good writer too.
The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.
Finally!
I’ve thrown out my Bible to make room for this!
Will he do a book tour in the US?
Don’t bother! Its utter tripe. I’m a Smiths fan but and I warn you now, you’ll get absolutely no insight into the band at all. The first 120 pages are about his school days where it feels like he writes a entry for every day he attended over five years. You’ll only get enjoyment out of this if your a fan of Coronation Street.