Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billboard

An anonymous person posts the link:

Morrissey Probably Won't Be Taking His Option for a Second Record with Harvest
- Billboard

Excerpt:

According to a source familiar with the situation, "Morrissey has not been dropped by [Harvest Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Music Group, itself a subsidiary of Universal Music Group] but out of deference to his request they have reluctantly removed his album from all services."

It's believed that Morrissey signed a licensing deal with Harvest for one album (World Peace Is None of Your Business), with an option for a second. But, according to press reports, Morrissey grew unhappy with the label when it didn't make a music video for album track "Istanbul." Morrissey, who seems to have made a habit of going to war with whatever label he is signed to, started publicly fighting with the Harvest 2-3 weeks after the album was released in the U.S. on July 15.

Since its release the album has sold 25,000 units -- 15,000 CDs, 3,000 LPs and 8,000 digital downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan. With those kind of sales numbers for the physical formats, Billboard speculates that Harvest probably built about 50,000 physical units for the U.S. market. That means there is still plenty of World Peace stock left for Morrissey fans to track down, if they're so inclined. And if Morrissey demands that Harvest get those CD and vinyl albums back, good luck to the combative artist if he thinks store merchants will fully comply with such a request from Harvest.



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Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

World Peace Is None of Your Business may very well be Morrissey's best album since Vauxhall and I. It also, however, looks like its going to be the worst selling album of his career. I can't help, but suspect that may be part of the motivation of pulling the album. If it's no longer available for sale we can never really know how much it would have sold.

It's really a damn shame since it was a good album.

It still IS a good album! Great album, really.

I've wondered the same as you regarding the album being pulled, and while I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility (at this point, what is?), I still feel like there's an awful lot more going on here behind the scenes that we way never know more about.

I truly hope it gets a re-release at some point in the near future. In the mean time, I'll keep listening.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

It's Stanley Kubrick and A Clockwork Orange all over again.
Like myself and ACO, kids will be carrying a bootlegged copy of World Peace in a rucksack to their mate's house while sweating profusely as every police car drives past and the prospect of a prison sentence and a criminal record hangs in the balance!
O the thrill of Morrissey-album-related crim cred.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

It still IS a good album! Great album, really.

I've wondered the same as you regarding the album being pulled, and while I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility (at this point, what is?), I still feel like there's an awful lot more going on here behind the scenes that we way never know more about.

I truly hope it gets a re-release at some point in the near future. In the mean time, I'll keep listening.

It would need extra tracks and a tacky badge for me to be interested in buying it again. The French mixes perhaps?
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

they could use add an e.p with the songs he preformed on the 2013 tour and use a new cover image in lieu of a badge. thatd go over ok i think
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

I'm listening to the album as we speak (I listen pretty much daily still, which I can't say for a lot of other newer releases) and I'm struggling to find the problems that a lot of people have with it, honestly. I have so many of my friends thinking I'm crazy or "blinded by Moz worship" who tell me it's a terrible album, but I just don't see it.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

Plus, do not forget the harsh fact: THE ALBUM SUCKS.

By the way, Morrissey is still on Twitter!

You sure didn't mince words but I have to agree, I don't like "World Peace....." either.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

It still IS a good album! Great album, really.

I've wondered the same as you regarding the album being pulled, and while I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility (at this point, what is?), I still feel like there's an awful lot more going on here behind the scenes that we way never know more about.

I truly hope it gets a re-release at some point in the near future. In the mean time, I'll keep listening.

I keep trying to think up other explanations, as well. Even with all the complaints about marketing, no music video, etc. don't they ultimately also really boil down to sales?

Only two of his albums were ever certified Gold in the US (Viva Hate and Bona Drag--no surprise there). He's a cult artist whose artistic and cultural legacy well eclipses any commercial success he's ever had. Even if he produced a truly brilliant album I don't think at this point in his career he would suddenly become a multi-plantium selling act.

That being said the initial sales for World Peace were low--much lower than I expected given how high they charted. Neither Bona Drag nor Viva Hate charted very high, but I suspect like a lot of cult albums they sell a steady stream every year, as opposed to selling several million copies all at once and than being relegated to the bargain bin for all eternity the week after next. I don't see World Peace selling like that over time--it has probably sold all it is going to sell. The sales were sadly quite dismal (it is probably his best album since Vauxhall) and I think that ultimately factored somewhat into pulling the album. Whether Morrissey pulled it because he wanted an excuse for the low sales ("Of course it is my worst selling record, I pulled it off the shelves") or Morrissey really believes it is a great album and Harvest f***ed up the marketing and caused it to sell poorly I don't think we will ever know.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

Well said, Chip.

I truly, in my heart of hearts, believe that over time people will talk about WPINOYB as being the one that "got away". I'm just waiting to be able to say "I told ya so" :)
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

Justin Bieber produces great pop music in the same way the girl groups of the '60s that Morrissey clearly idolises did.
That's why he's sold so many records.
Sure we can all feel resentful of his youth and his good looks and his fame and his money, but we don't have to lower ourselves to elitist snobbery.
That whole "We like rarifies 'real' music and the 'masses' like Justin Bieber" schtick is so tiresome.

^THIS!

Does anyone really believe Morrissey was an Abba fan at school? Like all the other silly boys, he was trying to gain Kudos From Obscurity. But the real hipster boys & girls who liked Abba, Bowie & Zepp just *roll'd their eyes* & LOL'd at the misfit. He probably thinks Taylor Swift if just another manufactured pop star. He famously didn't 'get' Nirvana, then tried to ape grunge on his hilarious Southpaw project. He's funny. Long may he rave on!

regards
BB
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

Is it too much to expect music videos, billboards/posters, adverts,merchandise Morrissey expects this as standard any artist does.
The rest lies at PR/Morrissey to do the leg work, If you`re gonna sell a critical album, concert tour, TV/radio live sets, record store signings, magazine interviews and competitions, and the whole tinternet social media buzz.
EMI and Sanctuary have been able to promote Moz when he`s up for it, there`s got be a label that can pick up the baton, and just run with it.
Moz videos cant be that expensive to make...Moz walks up street does intense face. Moz walks up stairs does distant face. Moz Mexicans playfight on street, Moz avoids situation, smirks gets in Jag drives away. viola....... Goodbye Harvest...bring back Attack label....

His videos have as much money & preparation lavished on them as the spectacular live shows. Kerching!

regards
BB (clutching his wallet)
 
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Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

You sure didn't mince words but I have to agree, I don't like "World Peace....." either.

That's the only thing FAN don't mince.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

Well said, Chip.

I truly, in my heart of hearts, believe that over time people will talk about WPINOYB as being the one that "got away". I'm just waiting to be able to say "I told ya so" :)

I hope so. I don't feel quite so optimistic at the moment. Though I do know there are quite a few albums that were not well-recieved when released and history has been very kind to them (think Bowie's Berlin Trilogy)--or at the very least developed cult followings amongst hardcore followers of the band as being a hidden gem or their best album (think Kiss's Creatures of the Night).

I am feeling kind of pessimistic--there doesn't even seem to be a wider cultural memory of Vauxhall and I or Your Arsenal outside of Morrissey's (mostly dedicated) fan base. I get the impression that to a lot of people Morrissey is the guy from the Smiths who also recorded Everyday is Like Sunday.

I know my posts are usually more positive--maybe I am just in a down mood.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

I hope so. I don't feel quite so optimistic at the moment. Though I do know there are quite a few albums that were not well-recieved when released and history has been very kind to them (think Bowie's Berlin Trilogy)--or at the very least developed cult followings amongst hardcore followers of the band as being a hidden gem or their best album (think Kiss's Creatures of the Night).

I am feeling kind of pessimistic--there doesn't even seem to be a wider cultural memory of Vauxhall and I or Your Arsenal outside of Morrissey's (mostly dedicated) fan base. I get the impression that to a lot of people Morrissey is the guy from the Smiths who also recorded Everyday is Like Sunday.

I know my posts are usually more positive--maybe I am just in a down mood.

I see what you mean. My post was actually more in reference to actual Morrissey fans of his other solo work that wrote this one off, though I do think that over time even some casual fans will realize how great the album is.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

I am feeling kind of pessimistic--there doesn't even seem to be a wider cultural memory of Vauxhall and I or Your Arsenal outside of Morrissey's (mostly dedicated) fan base. I get the impression that to a lot of people Morrissey is the guy from the Smiths who also recorded Everyday is Like Sunday.

Yeah. I think that's very true, at least in the US. It's amazing to me that that's the case with that majority of gen-Xers I know, even the ones whose other musical tastes would leave me to think there's a good chance they might be into Morrissey. It's sort of as though "Morrissey" is a concept or lifestyle that they have a vague idea about rather than a person with a rather large body of work.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

^THIS!
He famously didn't 'get' Nirvana, then tried to ape grunge on his hilarious Southpaw project.

yeah, totally. nothing makes me think of grunge more than 2 minute drum solos and 10 minute songs based on shostackovich samples.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

"Holy anemic sales figures, Batman!" "Back to the Batcave, Robin. We shall begin work on a new album that will be the envy of all of Gotham."

Under 25k sold? I think Swords sold more;) I think there's enough blame to go around on both sides. There isn't another record company who will re-issue so it's best to move on to another album/book/tour.
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

"Since its release the album has sold 25,000 units -- 15,000 CDs, 3,000 LPs and 8,000 digital downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan."

:eek:

That's appalling.

Particularly, when I bought two CDs, meaning I own one of every 7500 CDs out there!
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

yeah, totally. nothing makes me think of grunge more than 2 minute drum solos and 10 minute songs based on shostackovich samples.

that only goes to show how little you know.....about Morrissey's fixation with Cobain....try again....actually don't bother. I very much doubt you have the slightest clue about Shostakovitch, prog-rog skeleton's in Morrissey's closet alongside the others or why his career imploded when Kurt mocked him on TOTP....

best
BB
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

I hope so. I don't feel quite so optimistic at the moment. Though I do know there are quite a few albums that were not well-recieved when released and history has been very kind to them (think Bowie's Berlin Trilogy)--or at the very least developed cult followings amongst hardcore followers of the band as being a hidden gem or their best album (think Kiss's Creatures of the Night).

I am feeling kind of pessimistic--there doesn't even seem to be a wider cultural memory of Vauxhall and I or Your Arsenal outside of Morrissey's (mostly dedicated) fan base. I get the impression that to a lot of people Morrissey is the guy from the Smiths who also recorded Everyday is Like Sunday.

I know my posts are usually more positive--maybe I am just in a down mood.

He's well known as a provocative Troll and a flamboyant eejit, but not as a musician/writer. His "Autobiography" should have been in the Comedy section. Most people brought it to mock him, read a few chapters with their mates at the book club then threw it in the bin. Where it belongs...

best
BB
 
Re: Morrissey not dropped by Harvest; album pulled from all services at Morrissey's request - Billbo

I see what you mean. My post was actually more in reference to actual Morrissey fans of his other solo work that wrote this one off, though I do think that over time even some casual fans will realize how great the album is.

Wrong tense. It was a great album. Until he destroyed it by returning to the very same potty-mouth TTY nonsense that derailed his career after his diss of David Banda. He career is now TOAST. He has made himself a laughing stock by dissing Robin Williams and attempting to appropriate the legacy of The Ramones, even though his contempt for them was so strong on initial hearing he had to share it with the world.....what a wanker.

best
BB
 

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