Opinion by Fiona Dodwell

On the singer’s website, Central, Morrissey recently posted a brief statement regarding his album, Bonfire Of Teenagers and the way that Capitol Records have left the album to gather dust – essentially signing the album and then blocking it from release. In the post, the legendary artist stated:

“Artist-friendly Capitol Records have no plans to release Bonfire Of Teenagers two and a half years after the album was recorded. It’s a clear display of how censorian the music industry has become. Although Capitol claims to be a label of ‘diversity’ it is very difficult to see their humanity. If you are only prepared to release music that draws people away from thinking then you are unfit for any contact with creative people.”

With the situation being as it currently stands, it appears to many that Capitol Records signed Morrissey’s album to sink it, leaving many wondering why such an act would be of benefit to anyone. It hasn’t escaped Morrissey’s notice – nor his legion of fans worldwide who have been watching the unfolding drama with keen interest – that Capitol subsidiary Harvest Records were also the ones responsible for pulling Morrissey’s 2014 album, World Peace Is None Of Your Business from circulation, essentially abandoning the project and cutting it short.

Capitol Records have shown us repeatedly that the label have form for stunting art, censoring artists and burying projects – the very things which such a corporation should hold fast against. With the treatment Morrissey has received from Capitol/Harvest, it would not take much of a mental leap to question if there is deliberate sabotage when it comes to Morrissey releasing his music.

Why would this be? It is 2023: we are living in a time in which we like to pat ourselves on the back, fooling ourselves into thinking we are more tolerant, accepting and diverse than we have ever been before – but the reality is different. For when examined under close scrutiny, it is but a carefully orchestrated illusion. How authentic is this “diversity” if we are still having our artists, writers and public figures censored by the very people paid to give them a platform? How much diversity are we actually seeing in the art world if, at any given time, an artist can be blocked and silenced if they do not align with the fashionable slogans of the day?

It seems as if our “freedom of choice” is not a choice made by us at all: we are only allowed to see, hear and view what is deemed acceptable by the pen-pushers in the high-rise offices, who have never been so much out of touch with artists and art as they seem to be today. They scurry about in their hushed meetings, deciding what will be allowed and what must be destroyed. This is not limited to the music world; increasingly we are seeing calls for certain writers and books to be banned, as if somehow we, the audience, are incapable of deciding for ourselves what we wish to expose ourselves to. We are being fed from crumbs, and somehow think we have access to the whole menu. This is not a way to enlighten society – it is essentially a dumbing down; we are stripping away the choice to be exposed to art, independent though, diversity and authentic exploration. Things that can have a true impact. Somehow it seems too dangerous though – perhaps a thinking society isn’t something they are too keen on. I wonder why?

Whatever reason Capitol Records cling to for their stubborn refusal to release Morrissey’s album, Bonfire Of Teenagers, their choice seems nonsensical. Morrissey is a legend, an artist who is still going strong after 40 years in the music world. The songs are still great. He has been selling-out venues worldwide and continues to grow his audience despite lack of support from the mainstream press. Why wouldn’t it make sense to give the fans the album they so desperately want to hear? It is recorded, ready and sitting there, waiting to go. To not release it is a huge loss, not just for Morrissey, but the fans, and the record label themselves who only have something to gain from releasing the project.

It is hardly surprising the Capitol’s behaviour over Bonfire Of Teenagers – much like their handiwork in 2014 with World Peace Is None Of Your Business – screams censorship and sabotage to many of us onlookers. If we are wrong in our opinions, we would gladly be corrected. Make it make sense, please.

The situation feels now almost like a David versus Goliath scenario. Here we have one of the most respected and loved artists of all time being blocked and silenced by an industry which is supposed to give such artists their platform; far from helping, they are hindering. Whether you are a Morrissey fan or not, this issue speaks to something much larger. This could happen to other singers, writers, performers. It feels like a good time to remind ourselves that this isn’t just a fight for the singer himself, it is a fight for authentic, meaningful art. The kind that gets us thinking, feeling and questioning.

Perhaps, when looked at this way, it is not surprising why certain labels and agencies shy away from such things. They want to keep us soft around the edges, because anything that sharpens our mind may threaten them. We must stand against this. Today, Bonfire Of Teenagers serves as a stark reminder that we are not quite free at all…yet we remain thankful, as always, of artists like Morrissey (of which there are very few) who are fighting against this. We owe you everything, we love you, we need you.