Morrissey names new album

Morrissey has reportedly called his new album 'World Peace Is None of Your Business'.

True-To-You reports that the album will be released in "late June/early July" via Harvest Records through Capitol. The fansite reports that Morrissey is "beyond ecstatic" with the album and that all 12 tracks were produced by Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes, The Killers) in France.

The singer, who released his autobiography in October 2013, has signed a new, worldwide record deal with Universal Music's US-based Harvest Records for the release of his 10th studio album.

As reported on last month (February 13), Morrissey has announced two major US arena shows with very unusual support acts: veteran performers Sir Tom Jones and Sir Cliff Richard. In a statement, Morrissey said he was "honoured and thrilled" to have Jones and Richard on the bills.

Morrissey will play:

Los Angeles Sports Arena (May 10)
Brooklyn Barclays Center (June 21)

1 WORLD PEACE IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS (4:21)
2 NEAL CASSADY DROPS DEAD (4:02)
3 ISTANBUL (4:40)
4 I'M NOT A MAN (7:50)
5 EARTH IS THE LONELIEST PLANET (3:38)
6 STAIRCASE AT THE UNIVERSITY (5:30)
7 THE BULLFIGHTER DIES (2:05)
8 KISS ME A LOT (4:03)
9 SMILER WITH KNIFE (5:13)
10 KICK THE BRIDE DOWN THE AISLE (5:18)
11 MOUNTJOY (5:08)
12 OBOE CONCERTO (4:07)

Morrissey reportedly dropped by record label

Morrissey has reportedly been dropped by his label, Harvest Records.

According to a post on Morrissey fansite True To You, the singer and his label have parted ways. The post reads: "Three weeks after the release of Morrissey's World Peace Is None Of Your Business (#2 UK, #14 US), Capitol Records/Harvest have ended their relationship with Morrissey, as directed by label boss Steve Barnett. Morrissey is once again in search of a record label."

The news comes after Morrissey appeared to criticise his label, with the singer hinting at "public deception" in the music industry in an update posted on True To You earlier this week.

The post saw the former Smiths frontman praising three fans who made their own videos for songs from his latest album, 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business'. "These videos fully understand the intent of the song, and I am relieved that these films exist," he stated.

However, he went on to say: "A similar document ought to have been harvested by the record label, but please understand that the pop or rock industry can be as dedicated to perpetuating public deception as the world of politics itself."

Morrissey Wasn't Dropped By His Record Label

Despite a rumor that picked up steam as it crisscrossed the world, Morrissey still has a record label.

The incorrect assertion was first put forth by Morrissey fan site True to You. The bard himself has written for the site previously, giving its assertions around Morrissey's business dealings more ballast than the average website and fueling the fast spread -- which Billboard reported -- of the false reports.

In spite of that, Billboard has confirmed that Morrissey is still under contract with Harvest, the label behind his most recent album, World Peace Is None of Your Business.

A source close to the situation tells Billboard that Moz has not been dropped by Harvest/Capitol, and that his contract with the company calls for two releases, the first of which was World Peace.

Morrissey raised some hackles last week in a rambling letter -- the rhetorical style most favored by the rock icon -- posted to the aforementioned fan site, in which he took Harvest and Capitol Music Group chairman Steve Barnett to task for not producing music videos for World Peace. (Moz also criticizes several others for various ethical or existential infractions in the post.)

Morrissey is set to play the first show behind World Peace in Lisbon, Portugal, on Oct. 6.

Morrissey maintains that he has been dropped by his record label

Morrissey has claimed that he has proof that he has been dropped by his label, Capitol-Harvest Records.

The label recently denied claims made by Morrissey himself that their relationship had ended following the release of new album 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business' earlier this year. However, in a new post issued to fansite True To You, the former Smiths frontman maintains that is no longer signed to the label and also denies suggestions he owes the label a second album.

Morrissey's statement on True To You reads: "Both Morrissey and Morrissey's lawyer are in possession of email correspondence from Steve Barnett (head of Capitol-Harvest Records), and also from Steve Barnett's personal assistant, both of whom confirm that Capitol-Harvest have ended their relationship with Morrissey. No recording Agreement with Capitol-Harvest was ever signed by Morrissey, and Morrissey retains full ownership of 'World Peace is None Of Your Business'."

"Contrary to the assured Billboard report, Capitol-Harvest have very clearly stated that they would have no interest in licensing a second album by Morrissey. Russells (London), who represent Morrissey, are presently concluding Morrissey's relationship with Harvest Records. Once again, Morrissey is in search of a new label."

PLEASE CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND ME

In response to 77 million questions I can only say this much on the subject of the Harvest drama. It is quite true that Harvest initially appeared like a saintly beacon of light, and they instantly packed us off to France where we recorded World peace is none of your business. The universe was back in balance, and we all considered this to be the very best Morrissey recording ever, and even the boo-hoo-suck-it-off elements of the press appeared to want to agree. At last I am born.

It all seemed too good to be true. It was. I believed that the rich soil of the album had several strong hit singles. Frayed tempers began when Harvest arranged the 'spoken word' films, none of which gave any clue as to what World peace is none of your business intended to be, or is. The films were OK, but they went nowhere and stayed there.

With every nerve alert, we pushed the label for a proper video for Istanbul to precede the album, not least of all because a single ahead of the album release might inch the album to a higher chart position. The label backed off, even though Istanbul received 55 radio plays in just seven days on a major US station. Instead, the label requested a fifth spoken-word film, which naturally had me fumbling around for an axe: no independent thought required. The UK label, meanwhile, created a quite fantastic television advertisement to transmit during the week ahead of the album release. I could taste excitement once again. The TV ad never appeared and my hackles bristled as my bristles heckled. The label responded with frosty aloofness, and I suddenly realized that we were not, after all, of the same species. I ploughed into them insisting upon "proper band videos, where the band play and I sing" - an evidently confusing concept that required seven weeks of explanation, detailed graphs and several drawn up maps.

The label suggested I come to Los Angeles and read passages from Autobiography in front of selected audiences. As frightening as that idea was, I hung on, desperate to believe that Harvest were not as cheap as they now looked. I hope to finish this statement whilst I'm still clean-shaven, so I will jump to the final curtain: during the weeks of the album release, the label were minus one single structural idea, and it appeared evident that each member of the team was acting in separate rooms without doors or windows. Mutual mistrust exploded between Harvest and I, and with fashionable pessimism, the label boss yawned and ordered the surface smartness of dropping World peace is none of your business three weeks after its release. There, now! This would not have happened to the Teletubbies.

Sorrily botched the project may now be, but it's worth it to get Morrissey out of our Inbox. Yes, I can be intensely persistent, and I certainly have an over-active fantasy-life, but the Harvest experience tells us that despite the blinding flash of teeth and smiles, it doesn't take much for the coin to flip and suddenly we're all compromised and shattered. All you need to do is disagree with the vanity of the label boss and your beheading will be slotted in between bottles of the most average champagne on the market. Just one weak-chinned drone can assert the fist of injustice and all of our efforts are flushed away. And thus ... they were.

I might be wrong, but I think World peace is none of your business will instantly disappear from iTunes and record stores and every download-upload-offload outlet on the planet, because Harvest technically have no right to sell it.

Most of the Harvest team are very nice, and I sincerely thank them for trying and caring so much - even if their promotional duties were fully undertaken by the Morrissey audience themselves, whose You Tube videos for World peace is none of your business fully provide the art that the label could not muster. The listeners instantly understood how entertainment could also be art.

Staggeringly, I still believe that there's a label out there with my name on it, and one that will issue World peace is none of your business, and afford it the respect it deserves.

Thanks for reading this (rashly assuming that you have), and thanks once again to the Harvesters who tried.

We are boot-camp ready for Lisbon in October, so with the will of many gods, hopefully at least 38 of you will turn up.

MORRISSEY
20 August 2014