Ask anyone on the street: Who do you associate with The Smiths? Many will probably then answer Morrissey. However, the singer believes that this is no longer the case and sees devilish forces at work that are endangering his artistic legacy.
In fact, Morrissey believes that there is now an “obvious shift in media perspective” to displace him as a central figure within the band’s structure. Moz wrote this as part of his “Messages From Morrissey,” a regularly populated section on his website.
You can also read there that the singer doesn’t want to accept this fact – which, to be honest, not even music critics should have noticed, let alone any fans. It was, Morrissey writes under the title “Cancel Culture Begins At Home” that he was the most important person in The Smiths.
The Smiths = Morrissey + the other musicians
Specifically, the entry on Morrissey’s website states that he does not want to accept being canceled “because I invented the group name, the song titles, the album titles, the artwork, the vocal melodies and all the feelings associated with the lyrics, came from my heart.” It was a bit like saying that Mick Jagger wasn’t an important part of the Rolling Stones, said the Brit.
Morrissey, looking at the Smiths’ founding story: “Several news sites claim that the first meeting was at Rough Trade Records with Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke, even though Andy wasn’t even a permanent band member at that point. The meeting was of course with Morrissey and Marr. Even Geoff Travis has now suddenly decided that he ‘can’t remember who was there with Johnny’, even though Geoff looked me straight in the eyes that day and said ‘We’d like to release Hand In Glove straight away’. “
The singer, apparently offended once again, concluded his statement with the martial words “The hunting dogs are closing in!” He is certainly referring to what he believes is becoming an increasingly threatening practice of punishing public figures if they do not submit to the prevailing opinion corridor. The only question would be when the now 64-year-old would ever have corresponded to any of the ideas of the zeitgeist.