It's Morrissey Versus The NME As Race Row Ensues

added 28 November 2007 at 15.09

Morrissey has found himself at the centre of a race row as the NME claims that in a recent interview the former Smiths singer's language, "at worst...echoes that used in the current manifesto of the crypto-fascist BNP."

A feature published in this week's NME has sparked threats of legal action from Morrissey's management.

The article focusses on an interview with Morrissey - who currently resides in Italy - discussing UK immigration issues with NME writer Tim Jonze and concludes that the frontman's language "At the very least smacks of naive hypocrisy...at the very worst?...Echoes that used in the current manifesto of the crypto-fascist BNP."

Morrissey's camp were apparently tipped off last October about the potentially damaging article in the NME, which famously fell out with Mozza back in 1992 when it suggested he was flirting with National Front imagery.

NME editor Conor McNicholas - who is now being accused of "betraying the trust" of the singer and his representatives - apparently reassured the Morrissey camp on October 29 that there were "rumours and untruths" about the story.

However, according to true-to-you.net, the interviewer Tim Jonze wrote to Morrissey's representative Merck Mercuriadis stating “I should mention that for reasons I'll probably never understand, NME have rewritten the Moz piece. I had a read and virtually none of it is my words or beliefs so I've asked for my name to be taken off it. Just so you know when you read it.” 

Interestingly the feature is credited: Interview: Tim Jonze/ Words: NME.

McNicholas has responded that the piece is “Fair and balanced”, adding, “Obviously no-one is accusing Morrissey of racism - that would be mad given what Morrissey says - but we do say that the language Morrissey uses is very unhelpful at a time of great tensions.”

And in what is swiftly escalating into a war of words Mercuriadis has now posted the following message onto true-to-you.net:

When / if you read the interview, please look at the credits which are unique:
Interview - Tim Jonze
Words - NME

When reading it we request that you think for yourself and consider what is question and answer and what is inflammatory editorial on the part of the NME which we assume can only be intended to create controversy to boost their circulation at the expense of Morrissey's integrity and for which no journalist is willing to be credited. It might as well say "anonymous."

There is virtually no other artist with a more meaningful following across the history of the NME and it would appear that Mr. McNicholas thought the "new" NME could gain some credibility at Morrissey's expense. The story reads like a cynical exercise by yet another NME editor trying to put his name in the history books via a poorly thought out and terribly executed attempt at character assassination.

As we all know, the NME does not speak for its readership, the artists do. Artists like Morrissey. The NME also does not speak for Morrissey. Anti-racist songs such as "Irish Blood, English Heart," "America Is Not The World" and "I Will See You In Far-Off Places" tell you the true measure of the man.

Conor McNicholas made a decision for reasons known only to himself to betray our trust and make himself out to be a hero at Morrissey's expense.

As you can see from the legal letter below, we will be unrelenting in our quest to bring him / NME to justice.

By the way, the good news of the day is that Morrissey signed his new record deal with Polydor / Decca this afternoon! We will soon be scheduling new singles and albums for next year, but one thing you can count on not happening is a 7" cover mount on the eNeMEy!

Sincerely,
Merck Mercuriadis
28th November, 2007

It seems the hatchet that was buried between NME and Morrissey over three years ago has been well and truly unearthed.

 Find Morrissey on iTunes

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