Morrissey, restless as ever

Morrissey can't seem to catch a break. After a long string of clashes with record labels and the recent spat with his former Smiths bandmate Johnny Marr, the British singer-songwriter vented on stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

Morrissey accused the record industry of refusing to release his music any longer because free speech has been “criminalised” in the UK. “As you know, nobody will release my music anymore – he told his fans – You know why: because I'm one of the leading voices for free speech, which, at least in England, is now criminalised. You can't speak freely in England. If you don't believe me, go there. If you voice an opinion, you'll be sent to prison. It's very, very difficult.

The bone of contention is his long-awaited “lost album,” revealed three years ago, when he announced a new record produced by Andrew Watt, titled “Bonfire Of Teenagers,” which he called “the best album of my life.” But that album has never come out. And Morrissey has no doubts about who's to blame.

The story goes back to 2023, when Capitol refused to release, as stipulated in the contract, “Bonfire Of Teenagers,” completed two years earlier, with release originally slated for February of last year. Morrissey had claimed that Capitol would relinquish the album's release rights, later going so far as to say that the decision to sign it in the first place had been part of a sophisticated strategy to sabotage him.

Last year Moz lashed out at Capitol Music Group chair and CEO Michelle Jubelirer, whom he accused of trying to destroy his career. And a few months ago, Morrissey claimed the label wouldn't release the album because of the title track, which alludes to the 2017 terrorist attack at Ariana Grande's Manchester concert.

However, after the lengthy dispute with Capitol Records, Morrissey has managed to reclaim the rights to two of his latest albums. “Morrissey has paid Capitol Records the exit penalty, regaining the rights to both 'Worldpeace Is None Of Your Business' (released by Capitol in 2014, ed.) and 'Bonfire of Teenagers' (still unreleased, ed.),” a statement reads, closing by noting that the former Smiths singer is currently not tied by contract to any record label.

“Bonfire Of Teenagers” is also expected to feature guests such as Chad Smith and Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as Iggy Pop. Speaking last year about the album's troubled gestation, Morrissey said: “It's been quite traumatic and sad, because when you record something you want it to be available right away, and this felt very timely. To me it was something very personal, and the fact that it hasn't been released has been torture.”

Earlier this week, the former Smiths frontman announced details of the reissue of his 1993 live album “Beethoven Was Deaf,” due out on 26 July. The record was recorded at the Zenith in Paris, and the new edition will be available on CD and on black or orange vinyl.

But this is just the latest chapter in a string of controversies surrounding the former Smiths leader. Besides record labels, long a target of his j'accuse, guitarist Johnny Marr, his old Smiths partner, has also come under fire.

Morrissey had accused Johnny Marr of blocking a possible Smiths reunion, preventing the release of new records, and seizing control of the rights to the band's name, even setting the stage to tour as “The Smiths” with a new singer. “Johnny Marr has successfully obtained 100% of the trademark rights and intellectual property of the name The Smiths – Morrissey wrote – This action was taken without any consultation with me. Among other things, this means Marr can now tour as The Smiths using a singer of his choosing and stop me from using the name, also denying me a significant source of income. Morrissey alone created the musical unit The Smiths in May 1982.”

The row began after Marr, responding sarcastically to a fan who, in the wake of the Oasis reunion, hoped for a Smiths reunion, posted a photo of former UKIP leader Nigel Farage. In other words: no room for anyone who backs Brexit and the far right.

Through his management, Johnny Marr then clarified his position, confirming he had turned down the reunion offer in 2025, stressing that he hadn't ignored it, simply rejected it. He also explained that he had declined a Warner proposal to release a new “greatest hits,” feeling there were already enough of those on the market.

On the matter of the rights to the name “The Smiths,” Marr said that back in 2018 he had tried to contact Morrissey to work together on protecting the trademark, after discovering that none of the band members held the rights to it. Getting no response, Marr felt forced to register the trademark on his own. However, he noted that in January 2024 he signed an agreement granting Morrissey joint ownership of the trademark, but Morrissey has yet to sign the document.

“To stop third parties from profiting off the band's name, it fell to me to protect the legacy – Marr explained in a statement – That's what I did, on behalf of both myself and my former bandmates. As for the tour offer, I didn't ignore it – I said no. Also, speculation about a Johnny Marr tour with another singer as The Smiths isn't true. There are no such plans.”

So, the battle rages on. But on the battlefield, Morrissey seems to be the only one left fighting.

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16/01/2026