Morrissey's managers

[T. H. Auden]

It would be very fun if we could all get together and make a list of the managers that has worked with Morrissey over the years. I can start:
Peter Katsis 2017-2021(?)

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Too many to mention…

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

… or worth mentioning. Since most of them seemed to have failed him ( that’s not to say that M himself is blameless). And it’s a mystery to see what Quest is actually doing for him. I assume naturally they had some hand in getting him the Capitol deal, so I’ll give them that.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Maybe the thread title should be changed from ‘Morrissey's managers’ to ‘People that have attempted to manage Morrissey’ lol

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

I missed which is the very fun part

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I missed which is the very fun part

 

[T. H. Auden]

Merck Mercuriadis 2004-2009 (?)

 

[Famous when dead]

Sanctuary (Merck resigned 2006) then Merck ended in '08.

Irving Azoff - Morrissey-solo Wiki

www.morrissey-solo.com

inc. Andy Gould and Lil Gary / Front Line Management - ended in 2010.
Their role was announced TTY 2008.

"ie: music" - lasted 3 months (2008).
(Josie Cliff, Tim Clark and David Enthoven).

Donnie has been asserted at times as "manager" rather than "tour manager" and his email was used as a contact via TTY.

Haven't got time to trawl TTY posts fully, but the Azoff one was tumultuous.
FWD.

 

[Robert Neville]

You can't manage the Moz

 

[T. H. Auden]

This is fun! So far we have:
- Joe Moss
- Ken Friedman
- Murray Chalmers
2004-2008: Merck Mercuriadis (there was also a woman named Sarah (or Jennifer) I think? She was present during the Russel Brand radio show)
2008: Irving Azoff
2008: ie:music
2011: Ron Lafitte
2012: no manager, but tour-manager Donnie Knutson to be addressed regarding the manager issue or the recording deal issue as per TTY post of 4th March 2012)
- William Morris Agency
2017-2021: Peter Katsis
2021-: Quest Management

Does anybody know how much management costs per year?

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Jo Slee? for a moment? or just personal assistant.

 

[Cherry Vanilla]

Don't forget Johnny Marr.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Don't forget Johnny Marr.

Well, The Smiths manager. Not unless you’re saying Morrissey was The Smiths?

 

[davidt]

I recall Nancy Poertner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-poertner-9b97066/) in the late 90's I think. Jed Weitzman early 2000's.

Edit: Arnold Stiefel I believe before Nancy. I recall she was part of Stiefel Phillips management.

 

[Famous when dead]

Amongst some notable deaths at the time for Morrissey:
(From Autobiography):

"In the first few days of 1993 my manager Nigel Thomas sat up in bed and spoke a few pleasantries to his wife. At ease, his head lowered and he softly died a strange and gentle death."

Gail Colson is mentioned by Street via Mozipedia:

"Of greater concern to Street was the still unresolved financial arrangements over his Viva Hate production points (percentage of record royalties), made more complicated by Morrissey’s growing distrust of manager Gail Colson, who also managed Street. ‘I think I was offered one point,’ recalls Street. ‘I knew the work I’d done was worth a lot more than that. I thought it would be easy sorting it out because we were both managed by Gail. Then I learned he’d been telling people he didn’t think she was doing a good job and wanted to get a new manager, which made it very awkward.’"

 

[Famous when dead]

Jo Slee? for a moment? or just personal assistant.

Jo Slee is named as 'temporary manager' by Nevin via Mozipedia.
Regards,
FWD.

 

[Anonymous]

From what I've read, I suspect the real answer is Morrissey's mum: executive manager 1982-2020.

 

[Eldritch]

… or worth mentioning. Since most of them seemed to have failed him ( that’s not to say that M himself is blameless). And it’s a mystery to see what Quest is actually doing for him. I assume naturally they had some hand in getting him the Capitol deal, so I’ll give them that.

Hasn't Morrissey himself admitted that he is unmanageable? Among the most important jobs a manager has is to either coerce the artist to do things s/he doesn't want to do which might be good for the career or prevent her/him from doing other things that might damage the career. And we all know how Morrissey reacts to such advice. Plus when he doesn't get the things he craves -- like high chart positions -- he tends to blame the manager and fire him/her, even though he himself has made that impossible by doing stupid things or not doing promotion or whatever.

So while naturally there might have been unprofessional managers, saying that most of them have failed him is really beside the point. It's just an impossible equation for Morrissey to have a manager who has the power to influence the artist's decisions like an effective manager should.

 

[davidt]

I know there are some others who had brief stints that I am not recalling at the moment.

Anyone remember Vicki Wickham?

Former Morrissey Manager, Vicki Wickham, on the lack of female music producers

NPR: All Things ConsideredCopyright 2003 National Public Radio, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Tuesday, April 29, 2003Profile: Lack of female producers in the music industryMELISSA BLOCK, host: If you glance through your CD collection, chancesare you won't find the names of many women listed...

www.morrissey-solo.com

Tour manager Ruth Polksy:

Ruth Polsky - Morrissey-solo Wiki

www.morrissey-solo.com

Also Susan Blonde out of New York listed as publicist but I recall also did some management duties:

Susan Blond - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Susan Blond Group

Susan Blond Group a lifestyle and entertainment publicity agency.

www.susanblondgroupinc.com

 

[T. H. Auden]

Great! It's hard to get a complete chronology, but at least we've cast some light on the subject. It's been very fun to have this collaboration, I think. Thanks for all contributions!