Morrissey is looking for a “record label or private investor” to release his new album Without Music The World Dies after cutting ties with former label Capitol Records.
The former Smiths singer, 66, voluntarily left Capitol Records and its management company in December after signing a deal the previous year, accusing them of refusing to release his fifteenth solo LP, Bonfire Of Teenagers.
The album, which has collaborated with punk legend Iggy Pop and rock band Red Hot Chilli Peppers, aims to explore contemporary social and political issues, with the title track being a response to the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
23 people were killed and 1,017 injured, including many children, when Islamic suicide bomber Salman Ramadan Abedi detonated a bomb at the venue during an Ariana Grande concert.
Morrissey has now announced another album he hopes to release, revealing the full track listing on his blog.
Getting in touch: Morrissey is looking for a “record label or private investor” to release his new album Without Music The World Dies after cutting ties with former label Capitol Records
New venture: Morrissey has now announced another album he hopes to release, revealing the full tracklist on his blog
The post ended, “Capitol Records Los Angeles recently canceled their contract with Morrissey. So if a record label or private investor is interested in releasing this project please contact Donnie Knutson at [email protected].”
The record is being produced by his longtime producer Joe Chiccarelli.
Morrissey previously condemned former record label Capitol for promoting the increasingly controversial Sam Smith while abandoning plans to release his latest LP.
The singer was planning to release Bonfire Of Teenagers in February, but Capitol shelved the project after deciding to voluntarily leave the label two months earlier.
Conversely, Smith’s four albums to date – including the recently released Gloria – have all been endorsed by the label.
The Mancunian star also cited Smith’s controversial performance at the 65th annual Grammy Awards, where he performed hit single Unholy with transgender collaborator Kim Petras, as an example of the label’s perceived double standard.
Smith and Petras sparked dozens of complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over their “anti-Christian” stance during a sexually charged performance accompanied by dozens of dancers in devil costumes.
Cover Art: The post also includes what appears to be accompanying album art
Not happy: Morrissey has slammed former record label Capitol for promoting the increasingly controversial Sam Smith while abandoning plans to release his latest album
In a statement on his official website, Morrissey wrote: “Capitol Records (Los Angeles) proudly promotes Sam Smith’s ‘Satanism’; yet they regard the honest truth of Morrissey’s factual ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ as their greatest threat and they will not release it despite their contractual obligation and promise to do so.’
Smith, who identifies as non-binary and uses she/them pronouns, took to the stage at the annual awards show in red wearing a horned top hat as she performed her chart-topping song to the likes of Beyoncé and Dr. Dre performed .
In one of the FCC complaints, a viewer said they were canceling their television service because of the performance.
“For this reason, I will be canceling my television service,” reads a complaint from the outlet.
Other viewers described the depiction as “anti-Christian” and said it had the potential to “intensify violence against Christians.”
Speaking of which, Morrissey has accused his former label of hypocrisy for championing Smith, whose four albums to date have all been released by Capitol
The Devilish: The Mancunian star also cited Smith’s divisive performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards as an example of the label’s perceived double standards
Morrissey “voluntarily” left Capital and its management company in December 2022, a year after signing a deal with them.
An earlier statement on his website read: “Morrissey is ‘too diverse’ for Universal Music Group. Capitol Records (Los Angeles) will eventually not release Morrissey’s 2021 album Bonfire Of Teenagers.
“At the same time, Capitol Records (Los Angeles) is sticking with the album.
“Although Morrissey is officially signed to Capitol Records Los Angeles, Morrissey has not been credited on Capitol’s website or artist list.
“Morrissey has said that while he doesn’t believe Capitol Records in Los Angeles signed Bonfire of Teenagers to sabotage it, he’s quick to believe so.”
Controversy: Smith and collaborator Kim Petras sparked dozens of complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over their “anti-Christian” stance at the event
His testimony: Morrissey “voluntarily” left Capitol and its management company in December 2022, a year after he signed a contract with them
The post linked to an article on Medium written by Fiona Dodwell, which argued that Morrissey’s current status as a non-signer “proves a lack of true diversity in music”.
She wrote: “He was constantly criticized and crucified in the press for being outspoken and outspoken.
“In that sense, ‘diverse’ these days really seems to be about adapting – or being rejected.
“You can be diverse, but only like that, not like that,” the fine print seems to say.”
The singer previously sparked controversy after reaffirming his support for far-right For Britain party while claiming “everyone prefers their own race”.
He also said he believed Nigel Farage would “make a good Prime Minister”, prompting criticism of the former The Smiths frontman on social media.
Morrissey has repeatedly denied accusations of racism but removed advertising posters for the 2019 album California Son from Merseyrail services after a single customer complained about his religious views.
He also caused further controversy that year when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in the US while wearing a badge supporting For Britain, which called for an “end to the Islamization of Britain”.
On hold: The singer had planned to release Bonfire Of Teenagers this month but announced in November that it had been postponed with no new release date offered
Morrissey was previously dropped by BMG in 2020, just months after releasing his latest album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain.
He teased the album, saying “The worst year of my life ends with the best album of my life.”
Upon hearing he’d been fired from BMG, Morrissey said it was “perfectly consistent with the unrelenting galvanic horror of 2020.”
He wrote at the time: “This fits perfectly with the unrelenting galvanic horror of 2020. We would be completely insane to expect anything positive.
“My three albums with BMG were the best of my career and I will stand by them to the death. Recording them was a pivotal time in my life and I thank the previous BMG team and everyone involved for that.
“It’s still important to me to make music my way, and I don’t want to be on a label that dictates exactly how their artists should behave – especially when the word ‘talent’ is not particularly mentioned .”
Problems: Morrissey was previously dropped by BMG in 2020, just months after releasing his latest album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain