'He's on really good form': BMG's Korda Marshall on Morrissey's comeback - Music Week

'He's on really good form': BMG's Korda Marshall on Morrissey's comeback - Music Week
by Andre Paine
September 1st 2017 at 6:17AM

"In all my years working in music, it’s the strongest collection of songs that I’ve ever been involved with – I wouldn’t say that lightly." - Korda Marshall

Excerpt:
What can we expect from the album?

It’s a beautiful collection of songs. He’s on really good form. I went over to the studio in Rome, they were in Ennio Morricone’s studio [Forum Music Village] where they were recording it. The band are absolutely on fire. It’s tremendously exciting. We are just coordinating all the plans for this autumn. There are going to be some more American tour dates announced. It’s an amazing album.

Are there any particular themes for this Morrissey record?

He certainly has a view on what’s going on in the world, and that’s reflected in the songs. There’s quite a strong personal side to the record as well. In many ways it’s classic Morrissey. There’s a perspective on all the sort of things that are happening in the world. It’s lovely to be involved in an album that has an opinion. In all my years working in music, it’s the strongest collection of songs that I’ve ever been involved with – I wouldn’t say that lightly. He’s spent a lot of energy and emotion making the record. He’s very excited about it. He’s really looking forward to going out and playing the songs.

Morrissey has spoken of health problems in recent years…

He’s fit, he’s healthy, and he’s really enjoyed making the record.

The album is being released on the newly-created Etienne imprint, what will that be used for?

Etienne is Steven in French. We wanted to give him a vehicle where he could do other things, to give him a platform of his own. We felt that was important and he wanted to do that. We had conversations about it and we think it’s a really good approach that he’s got his own label identity, so he can do other things if he wants to.

Is he planning on releasing other acts via Etienne?

That’s not really part of the discussion. We’re just really happy that he’s happy. We’ve got a collection of labels at BMG, we had a discussion about what label he wanted to be on and he wanted to do his own label. It’s a vehicle for whatever he wants to do. It’s part of the process of giving him the creative freedom he deserves and needs.

What else does his partnership with BMG cover?

We have also signed the publishing going forward as well [worldwide for future releases]. It’s a long-term relationship...

---

'more American tour dates'!
Refreshing to see such an interview and it sounds promising despite him giving little away.
Regards,
FWD.

(Thanks to BMG UK for the link) .

 

[Quando quando quando]

It may be brilliant, it may be shite. But what record company executive with a record to sell is going to say anything other than it's brilliant? The meta-criticism once it drops will be of more value.

I noticed you reserve the option it may be brilliant.
So, if you are somehow, somewhere open for that to happen, at least you are not biased and slagging of everything he does before it is done.

 

[Quando quando quando]

'Morrissey's comeback'? Is this a comeback now?

^^This^^
I wondered about that too.
As if he has been undercover, hiding, hibernating for years in a little hobbithouse in some little hobbittown in Yerope as Aztec would say.
While at the meantime he was zigzagging all over the world and had his part-time duties as the secret mayor of Malibu, roasting marshmallows at the beach.

 

[Quando quando quando]

[video]

Smooth talker.
As was to be expected.
But, his passion for music seems to be quite genuine.
So, if he is really into Moz and has the drive to make a success out of the cooperation, he does seem to have the qualifications needed.
It depends on their working relations and mutual trust.
Hopefully they get a long.
Lord knows it would be the first time.

 

[bhops]

I for one LOVED World Peace so I'm really stoked to hear what comes next. As an exec of course they are going to pump this up, but i dunno the words of priase do seem really genuine. I hope he's right and I'm also pleased Joe is back as producer, I thought he did a fantastic job last time out.

 

[URBANUS]

^^This^^
I wondered about that too.
As if he has been undercover, hiding, hibernating for years in a little hobbithouse in some little hobbittown in Yerope as Aztec would say.
While at the meantime he was zigzagging all over the world and had his part-time duties as the secret mayor of Malibu, roasting marshmallows at the beach.

West coast americans all had those silly looking hobbit fred flintstone entrance doors rounded at the top. Every time Brandon from 90210 opened the front door I laughed like hell.

How in the hell can you even make something as stupid as a door rounded at the top?

It is completely beyond me and they are there to this day and I bet the Malibu malignant melanoma dude opens one if you ring the bell at his house.

 

[Anonymous]

It may be brilliant, it may be shite. But what record company executive with a record to sell is going to say anything other than it's brilliant? The meta-criticism once it drops will be of more value.

"Drops"?

Cheers for that Nathan Barley

 

[Quando quando quando]

West coast americans all had those silly looking hobbit fred flintstone entrance doors rounded at the top. Every time Brandon from 90210 opened the front door I laughed like hell.

How in the hell can you even make something as stupid as a door rounded at the top?

It is completely beyond me and they are there to this day and I bet the Malibu malignant melanoma dude opens one if you ring the bell at his house.

" the Malibu malignant melanoma dude "
There's a lot of "M" s in there.
Although he never replies to anonymous posts, it's beyond his dignity as the Malibu dude, I reckon, blimey, bloodhell, crikey, he will be pleased.
Even reading and replying to members is now to low for him.
I reckon, blimey, bloodhell he has everybody on ignore so he sees only his own posts.

 

[Calamine Lotion]

"There’s a perspective on all the sort of things that are happening in the world. It’s lovely to be involved in an album that has an opinion."

Lovely. Because I LOVED the ham-handed political clunkery on World Peace and really wanted another batch of that. Maybe he can get the ol' publicity going by saying shocking and borderline offensive things to the press.

What a refreshing idea! That would be a real change of pace.

 

[Calamine Lotion]

You forgot the part which says

"There’s quite a strong personal side to the record as well."

That's the songs where he tells us he's still trying to make "huma" happen, probably. And maybe one about a rude and smelly policeman. "Mussolini, you'll always be"

 

[ACTON]

I hope there are 'proper' singles.A re-run of the lead up to Quarry would work for me.

Or just have a double album CD with the bsides/extra songs on it. Like he did for World Peace. I prefer that.

 

[Sidnettle]

He used to it try and get people to like Kristeen Young and Jobriath. Also released Let Me Kiss You sung by Nancy Sinatra on it, having goaded her into recording it by promising her a Top 5 hit with it. Not sure if any other stuff nobody else likes like James Maker or Eamon Dunphy was released on it.

Again, like Etienne, the resurrected Attack (an old Reggae label) was not a label in its own right. It was an imprint on Sanctuary.

 

[Sidnettle]

Or just have a double album CD with the bsides/extra songs on it. Like he did for World Peace. I prefer that.

Then like with WP I can make my own album out of the good/decent tracks and ditch the bad ones. I'm Not a Man, World Peace, Art Hounds, Scandinavia, Kick the Bride, Earthy the Loneliest Planet, Oboe Concerto, Bullfighter Dies didn't make the cut.

 

[celibate]

we'll hear and see, I still find WPINOYB a more than a good album, still love it,...if the new album is as solid and musicly varied and strong, it would be great. If the lyrics are stronger,better than on WPINOYB, it could be one of His best.

I x-my-fingers if his BMG deal and own label ,as the A&R manager spoke, Morrissey has some freedom for exposure, I'm more happy if the album get's good PR international.

I'm positive exited

 

[ACTON]

Then like with WP I can make my own album out of the good/decent tracks and ditch the bad ones. I'm Not a Man, World Peace, Art Hounds, Scandinavia, Kick the Bride, Earthy the Loneliest Planet, Oboe Concerto, Bullfighter Dies didn't make the cut.

I loved the first two minutes of I'm Not A Man. I'd love a whole album of nothing but faint clanging noises and voids of deafening silence

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I loved the first two minutes of I'm Not A Man. I'd love a whole album of nothing but faint clanging noises and voids of deafening silence

yep, Joe wanted to edit that, M stood his ground, for whatever reason it was important to him, or just more self sabotage, who knows.

 

[Sidnettle]

I loved the first two minutes of I'm Not A Man. I'd love a whole album of nothing but faint clanging noises and voids of deafening silence

You love the middle section of Black-eyed Susan I can only assume

 

[Anonymous]

that pretty much confirms that Low in High School sucks the BIG ONE> LOL

"long term" relationship. Someone must have read this forum and discovered that the bot is a bit slow on the upturn.

 

[Anonymous]

I thought that the open to I'm not a man framed the song well and added to the build of the song. It resets the listener for the slow start to the climax and creates some anticipation

 

[King Leer]

If Damon Albarn went the corporate route, lol.

[video]

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

.

I thought that the open to I'm not a man framed the song well and added to the build of the song. It resets the listener for the slow start to the climax and creates some anticipation

yes, I agree that one can see that that's the reason for it, though I feel it's just a little too early in the album to have done that.