Morrissey accuses Capitol Records of “fascism” for not releasing ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’

nme.com:

Morrissey has accused Capitol Records of “fascism” after the label shelved his latest album ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’.The controversy around the album stems back to 2022, when the singer-songwriter and former Smiths frontman revealed that he had “voluntarily withdrawn from any association with Capitol Records” — despite announcing that he would be releasing the LP with them just two months earlier.He also revealed that Miley Cyrus — who recorded backing vocals for ‘Bonfire’ track ‘I Am Veronica’ in 2020 — had asked to have her vocals removed from the song.Both severed partnerships came in relation to the musician’s political stance and his support for controversial far-right anti-Islam political party For Britain, which he previously wore a badge for during a 2019 television appearance.Upon announcing his departure from Capitol, the label seemingly shelved ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ in February, and the album remains unreleased.

Now, in a new statement released on his website, Morrissey has accused the brand of “fascism” and having a “creeping culture of censorship”.“It’s a clear display of how censorian the music industry has become.

It is a new part of the music industry that does not work and that nobody likes,” he wrote. “Music should be the primary democracy … There is no point banning ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ because somebody somewhere might be offended if they heard it.