Fiona Dodwell: "Morrissey: Capitol, Censorship And The Silencing Of Art" (June 15, 2023)

Morrissey: Capitol, Censorship And The Silencing Of Art.

Excerpt:
"With the situation being as it currently stands, it appears to many that Capitol Records signed Morrissey’s album to sink it, leaving many wondering why such an act would be of benefit to anyone. It hasn’t escaped Morrissey’s notice – nor his legion of fans worldwide who have been watching the unfolding drama with keen interest – that Capitol subsidiary Harvest Records were also the ones responsible for pulling Morrissey’s 2014 album, World Peace Is None Of Your Business from circulation, essentially abandoning the project and cutting it short."

Morrissey: Capitol, Censorship And The Silencing Of Art

Opinion by Fiona Dodwell On the singer’s website, Central, Morrissey recently posted a brief statement regarding his album, Bonfire Of Teenagers and the way that Capitol Records have left the album…

gabfest.co.uk

Didn't want to say it, but sure enough - there's of course a new FiDo article

 

[gordyboy9]

Gordy, you always defend Fi because you think she's sexy

red adair you know i will defend any woman with a beating heart and a large chest,if fee has a beating heart and a large chest then shes defended.have an unbelievably fantstic friday.

 

[Redacted]

red adair you know i will defend any woman with a beating heart and a large chest,if fee has a beating heart and a large chest then shes defended.have an unbelievably fantstic friday.

you have a great friday too!

 

[Eldritch]

For f***'s sake. Even the title is terrible writing: censorship and the silencing of art are exactly the same thing!

 

[William Fisher]

It’s a pity Morrissey doesn’t have someone championing him with the same enthusiasm but wot can write better than Fiona.

 

[marred]

Morrissey is on record as describing himself as a fourth gender & close to transsexual. There is support out there if he can get away from the leeches.

Show me receipts on Morrissey claiming he's a transexual. Also who are these leeches you speak of?

 

[Malarkey]

Show me receipts on Morrissey claiming he's a transexual. Also who are these leeches you speak of?

I have to say, and this sounds rehearsed, I've always felt closer to transsexuality than anything else.
(Morrissey, Blitz, April 1988)

The people who seem to think he's Jim Davison. Or a Mumford.

 

[Lionsy]

Gordy, you always defend Fi because you think she's sexy

I find this a bit weird, like when people say Sam is good looking

FiFi and Scrappy Doo are alright but it's well weird saying they're sexy

 

[Redacted]

I find this a bit weird, like when people say Sam is good looking

FiFi and Scrappy Doo are alright but it's well weird saying they're sexy

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I was just having a laugh with Gordy, he's always a good sport

 

[marred]

I have to say, and this sounds rehearsed, I've always felt closer to transsexuality than anything else.
(Morrissey, Blitz, April 1988)

The people who seem to think he's Jim Davison. Or a Mumford.

Okay 1988. I'd say he's grown up a bit since then.

 

[Thewlis]

Is that why Rebels Without Applause was released? Because it came out before he voluntarily left the label, and he was technically still with them when it was released digitally?

It was very poorly promoted, according to camp M.

But it definitely is a factor too, yes, for the current stalemate.

 

[Anonymous]

Presumably when Capitol licensed the album, they handed Morrissey a stack of money - they are not just going to give the recording back to him for free. Is there any evidence Morrissey has attempted to return his advance and actually buy back the recording?

 

[Malarkey]

Okay 1988. I'd say he's grown up a bit since then.

Not really.

All men existed within a female body before we functioned in a male body, so it seems obvious to me that there are less secrets to being male or female than we are trained to accept. Because there is so much profit in the division of the sexes ... heterosexual divorce is a huge business, and so on ...
(Morrissey, Vegan Logic, 28 November 2014)

And he agreed that he was gender fluid in 2017.

 

[Famous when dead]

Presumably when Capitol licensed the album, they handed Morrissey a stack of money - they are not just going to give the recording back to him for free. Is there any evidence Morrissey has attempted to return his advance and actually buy back the recording?

The licencing for the reissues was the real cash cow / incentive in this.
There's actually no evidence of how money worked in this 'deal'.
No information regarding any advance.
No information as to how they (assumedly) own the entire rights to an album if it was not paid for upfront by them - or clarity about how licensing = overall ownership.
Nothing from the Morrissey side to say how the album/studio time/guest artists/production & post-production was initially funded. No evidence of how Capitol via UMG would distribute things (other than the odd 'not in the UK' statement, despite clear ways to distribute there).
No information on UMG's overall role as all label roads lead to them.
And so on....
There is very little information other than Central posts and some vague media assertions. The 'well it must be...', 'a deal definitely means...' thinkers are joining up dots that have nothing to substantiate them and I suspect no real information will be the case for a very long time.
Regards,
FWD.

 

[gordyboy9]

I find this a bit weird, like when people say Sam is good looking

FiFi and Scrappy Doo are alright but it's well weird saying they're sexy

View attachment 92004
View attachment 92005

it was a joke more than anything with red adair.fee looks like a decent person.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

View attachment 91986

Morrissey: Capitol, Censorship And The Silencing Of Art.

Excerpt:
"With the situation being as it currently stands, it appears to many that Capitol Records signed Morrissey’s album to sink it, leaving many wondering why such an act would be of benefit to anyone. It hasn’t escaped Morrissey’s notice – nor his legion of fans worldwide who have been watching the unfolding drama with keen interest – that Capitol subsidiary Harvest Records were also the ones responsible for pulling Morrissey’s 2014 album, World Peace Is None Of Your Business from circulation, essentially abandoning the project and cutting it short."

Morrissey: Capitol, Censorship And The Silencing Of Art

Opinion by Fiona Dodwell On the singer’s website, Central, Morrissey recently posted a brief statement regarding his album, Bonfire Of Teenagers and the way that Capitol Records have left the album…

gabfest.co.uk

Didn't want to say it, but sure enough - there's of course a new FiDo article

Any chance we can censor this crazy biotch?

 

[Moz Fan]

Morrissey trying to reverse Bonfire, away from Capitol Records.

Moz isn't trying to reverse anything. He knows better.

He is just cracking the whip. He enjoys it!

 

[Billy A]

Morrissey could have released those unreleased tracks that Sam posted on Youtube a year or two back as singles, primarily for fans in some kind of one-off exclusives. That would have generated some income and been a good test for self-releasing an album. Unfortunately, the light has some what dimmed on Morrissey within the mainstream, however the fanbase is still there and strong (the tours selling out being an example).

Morrissey will need some big support from an established record to really get him back out there, on the radio and on the television to reach a wider audience. Unless he starts doing press again, it's going to be a slow journey that may never happen. He doesn't necessary have to do mainstream press, there are a lot of online channels that produce quality interviews, and perhaps an appearance on some podcasts would help too. Perhaps his ego and stubbornness is getting in the way, but I do strongly hope that WMTWD gets a release because the songs heard from that so far sound much richer than those heard from BOT. We shall continue to wait and hope.

 

[Anonymous]

Who's he going to blame for censoring 'Without Music the World Dies'? The record was completed 4 months ago, and there's been zero indication of any label interest.

 

[Moz Fan]

Who's he going to blame for censoring 'Without Music the World Dies'? The record was completed 4 months ago, and there's been zero indication of any label interest.

There's been zero indication of you saying anything positive about Morrissey. Ever.

 

[Billy A]

Didn't Morrissey say that he's been approached about a documentary on his life? If I were him I would agree to one - one that is made by someone who has a career making documentaries and someone who is a quality filmmaker. Have that released and then released an album a short months later. The Importance of Morrissey (Channel 4) surely had some benefit attracting a new audience and reviving love and interest in an audience that otherwise began to wane (sound familiar?).

What we don't need is something put out by neph-achoo Sam or Fiona Dudwell.

If not now, when?