Former Smiths singer Morrissey has spoken out about the recent frenzy of speculation regarding his old band – saying the rumours of a Smiths reunion ‘exhausts’ him and labels the lack of attention on his solo work as ‘frustrating’.
Speaking to Billboard, Morrissey said:
The solo years have been more meaningful to the audiences than the Smiths years, but the press in England only write about me in relation to the Smiths era. This exhausts me. I wish the press were more willing to chronicle these recent tours and the most recent albums. But they won’t do it. Their needle stuck at ‘The Queen is Dead.’ I’ve sold out large venues throughout five continents this year alone – with incredible reactions everywhere. Yet the press will only blather on about Smiths reunion rumors. You can well imagine the frustration. Thank God I have a strong chin.
Morrissey’s ‘frustration’ is pretty understandable, after 24 years and 9 albums as a successful solo artist, who still sells out arenas all over the place, he is currently unable to get a ‘big’ record label interested in releasing a new album – something he obviously is a bit annoyed about:
…I now accept that the newer songs – which actually aren’t that new anymore – will only ever exist in the YouTube domain. Do I see myself receiving a grown-up recording offer from a label of stature and power? No. I have a better chance of being hit by lightning.
Morrissey’s latest solo album, Years Of Refusal, was released in 2009 and reached number 3 in the UK. Watch Mozzer’s video for ‘Suedehead’:
