To everyone on Solo.

Assuming this post is genuinely from Joyce he should be ashamed of himself as it is dishonest and clearly meant to inflame you against Morrissey.

As most of you will know Morrissey and I have parted company so I am not speaking on his behalf nor is he aware that I am posting this. My only agenda is to let you know the truth about Joyce's claim regarding Smiths' royalties. I should also qualify this by saying that I have nothing personal against Mike Joyce but I am in the business of protecting artists and it is offensive to me, not to mention, immoral that Mike Joyce should be getting paid for Morrissey's share of Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead et al. It is the equivalent of the easel getting paid for Van Gogh's paintings ie it is ridiculous and no one with a conscience could accept the cheques regardless of what a court may say. Not if you really loved and respected the music.

The fact is Mike Joyce applies to the court every 6 months and on the basis of his historic judgement - which arguably he has now been paid many times over! - he asks the court to award him Morrissey's Smiths' royalties. As a result of the judgement the court orders Warner UK to pay 100% of Morrissey's Smiths' royalties to Joyce. For Joyce to say that he has not received Morrissey's Smiths' record royalties from the UK - and everywhere in the world for that matter - is as far from the truth as you can possibly get but I am sure he will hide behind his carefully chosen ambiguous words.

Mike Joyce takes great pleasure in being a thorn in Morrissey's side - it is perhaps his only purpose - and one of the downsides of my not working with Morrissey, in the future, will be not having the pleasure of being the person who eventually takes him out. It will happen and if you are a genuine Smiths or Moz fan and you want a target for the irritation you sometimes feel there is no one worthier.

Best wishes,
Merck

From the CMU Newsletter today (June 20 08):

"IS MERCK BACK WITH MORRISSEY?

Gossipers say that Morrissey has already asked his long time manager Merck Mercuriadis to start working for him again, just weeks after the two parted company ahead of Mozza's new management agreement with ie:music's US outpost."

Originally posted in the forums:

There is an advertisement in The Guardian today for an upcoming series of booklets to be given away (starting this Saturday in The Guardian and The Observer). The booklets feature the work (and comments on) of great lyricists of our time. There will be 8 in total, and according to the advertisement, three of the subjects will be Bob Dylan, Morrissey and Chuck D.