Morrissey Reveals Artwork Amid Troubled Tour: Single Drops Tomorrow
Iconic British vocalist Morrissey taunts a dog in the artwork for World Peace Is None Of Your Business, the lead single from his upcoming album of the same name. The image, released today via the True to You blog, shows Morrissey looking suitably unimpressed after scrawling the phrase across a wall.
The album, due in July, is Morrissey’s first since 2009’s Years Of Refusal. The singer, who released his autobiography last year, recorded the album in France with producer Joe Chiccarelli. The effort has Morrissey’s touring band returning to the studio, with guitarists Boz Boorer and Jesse Tobias, bassist Solomon Walker, drummer Matthew Walker and keyboardist Gustavo Manzur joining him.
The singer is said to be “thrilled” with the twelve tracks, which constitute the first of a two record deal that Morrissey signed with Capitol Music in January. Capitol CEO Steve Barnett announced the deal, describing Morrissey as a “rare soul who has stayed consistently true to his artistic vision and ethical principles,” and saying, “We are so happy that he has chosen Capitol Music Group as his home and that his forthcoming album on Harvest will bring new Morrissey music to the world.”
The announcement comes amid a whirlwind month for Morrissey that has seen a U.S. tour embroiled in drama. The former Smiths frontman was assaulted onstage by overzealous fans on opening night(May 7th) in San Jose, forcing him to cut his set short. The following evening’s show in Santa Ana found Morrissey embroiled in conflict with two other bands on the bill, who claimed his management attempted to have their slots cancelled.
One of the acts, PAWS, took to Facebook to express their displeasure with Morrissey, whom they called an egomaniac with “complete disregard for others and a baffling lack of support/respect for young, hard working musicians.” We Are Scientists, the other offended group, lashed out at Morrissey via Twitter:
Spent the first 20 minutes of @itsmorrissey set wondering how they got a luau pig into a TopShop blazer. Then I realized IT WAS MORRISSEY!
— We Are Scientists (@wearescientists) May 9, 2014
Turns out the reason @itsmorrissey doesn’t want competing noise is that it might clue people into what singing in tune sounds like.
— We Are Scientists (@wearescientists) May 9, 2014
A representative for the singer refuted the claims, saying “Morrissey had nothing to do with this. As long as there was no sound bleed, Morrissey was completely fine with another show going on inside the same complex.”
Those fans who simply can’t wait until tomorrow to hear the single can check out Morrissey performing it in the clip below.
Morrissey’s tour continues Tuesday night at The Plaza Theater in El Paso, Tx.
Images via Bing, Digital Spy and FACT
