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David Bowie with special guest Morrissey
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With the recent Morrissey’s postponement of his entire USA tour, due to “a severe sinusitis attack,” I have decided to put together a top ten list of my favorite reasons for Morrissey to cancel a gig.
Read more Every date that Morrissey has ever cancelled.
#10 Good Charlotte (Isle Of Wight Festival 2005)
In an official statement, Morrissey had to cancel Isle Of Wight Festival in 2005 because he lost his drummer. From that statement, I thought the drummer died… but, in fact, Dean Butterworth left Morrissey to join Good Charlotte.
#9 First of the cop with a gun in his hand (Italy 2017)
According to Morrissey, he said that Italian police pulled a gun on Morrissey. Morrissey was going to book seven Italian dates (including Macerata Opera Festival), but after this gun-happy officer experience, he decided to cancel the Italy tour. Of course Italian police disagreed with Morrissey’s story.
#8 Too cold (Greek Theatre 2022)
Morrissey left early because it was “too cold outside”. Look, I get it, if I’m freezing, I would stop too. Maybe the venue could have given Morrissey a coat? Mittens? This cancellation could have been avoided! The temperature was in the 50s during the concert.
#7 Ailing Singer (2004, 2009, 2013, 2022)
“Ailing Singer”, “recurring illness”, “band illness”, and “Still Ill” (named after the Smiths song) are some of my favorite excuses for cancelling shows. Sure, it paints a poor picture of Morrissey’s health.
One year (2013), and I quote, “bleeding ulcer, Barrett’s esophagus and double pneumonia.” Good god, Morrissey, why are you even getting out of bed!
#6 Animal serial killers (Jimmy Kimmel Live 2013)
Just 24 hours before the show, Morrissey cancelled his Jimmy Kimmel appearance, stating, “I can’t take the risk of being on a show alongside people who, in effect, amount to animal serial killers [referring to Duck Dynasty].”
#5 Kristeen Young, germ spreader (USA Tour 2014)
According to an official statement, Morrissey had to cancel his entire US tour because he caught a cold from his supporting act, Kristeen Young. That’s right, all 13 dates in June 2014 were cancelled.
Look, even if you got a cold, you don’t blame someone else for giving it to you… certainly, not in a public press statement. Young, of course, refute Morrissey’s claim, which you can read at Morrissey-Solo: “I did not "confess to a horrendous cold". On Monday, June 2nd, I had an allergy attack that was over within 16 hours…”
Morrissey wanted Young off the tour and according to Young, “was asked to leave [the tour]… that there would be a new support band in Boston.”
#4 England for the English (Madstock 1992)
This Morrissey appearance was in controversy. When Morrissey brought out and waved and wrapped the Union Jack flag, singing “The National Front Disco” - a song about a boy who joined the National Front (a far-right, fascist political party), because he wants “England for the English”… people naturally thought Morrissey was saying keep England white. Some people in the crowd may have disagreed and the audience got rowdy and started throwing cans on stage and shouting and fighting the security guards. The show ended early, and Morrissey had to cancel out his second Madstock appearance, despite being scheduled to appear the next day.
If you read interviews with Morrissey, you get a sense that Morrissey really does believe that he wants to keep ‘England for the English’, and rejected all foreign invasions - including from America.
#3 Cannibalistic flesh-eating bloodlust (Reykjavik 2015)
Morrissey is vegetarian, and he demands that all venues are meat-free whenever he performs. This actually includes security searching fans for illegal items, like meat products. Most venues will comply, and have shut down their meat services, but the Harpa Concert Hall in Iceland refused. As a result, Morrissey is quoted as saying, “I love Iceland and have waited a long time to return, but I shall leave the Harpa Concert Hall to their cannibalistic flesh-eating bloodlust.”
#2 The Smell of Burning Animals (Coachella 2009)
As The Guardian explains, “The singer was performing a set laced with Smiths hits when, midway through his performance, he was overcome with fumes from the backstage barbecue. "I can smell burning flesh ... and I hope to God it's human… The smell of burning animals is making me sick. I just couldn't bear it.””
#1 “David Showie” (Outside Tour – 1995/1996)
Morrissey was David Bowie’s support for his Outside Tour in 1995/1996. After a few shows, Morrissey dropped out.
Bowie, in his own words, said he didn’t find out that Morrissey wasn’t going to perform until 45 minutes before the show. That, Morrissey already headed back to London. Bowie maintains that Morrissey was sick, but I felt that the truth was that Morrissey did not want to open for another artist.
I’ve read later, from Morrissey, that “David Showie” wanted to control which songs Morrissey would play, and even wanted to join Morrissey on his set to do a duet. That sounds great, but in Morrissey’s mind, it was unwanted.
After Morrissey left the tour, Bowie put Morrissey on his enemies list: rejecting to duet with Morrissey for a cover of The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” in 2006 (to be included on Moz’s album Ringleader Of The Tormentors) and rejecting the usage of a photo of Morrissey and Bowie as the cover sleeve for EMI’s reissue of The Last Of The Famous International Playboys in 2013.
As soon as Bowie died, Morrissey went ahead and released Cosmic Dancer featuring a photo of David Bowie and Morrissey on its cover. Morrissey claimed that Bowie had “no legal rights to the photograph.” While that is true, it was clear that Morrissey did not respect Bowie’s wishes.
I danced myself into the tomb
Is it strange to dance so soon?
BONUS: How soon is no? (Roundhouse 2008)
In 2008, Morrissey had a residency at the Roundhouse, in London. Near the end of the week, on Friday night, he was struggling with singing and walked off the stage after four songs. This caused Saturday and Sunday shows to be rescheduled. The Roundhouse did not have any opening, so they offered Morrissey The Forum, but, as written by ratty, “they tried to move the show to the Forum, but Morrissey refused, because he played there in 1999 and had no desire to return.”
In an official statement, Morrissey had to cancel Isle Of Wight Festival in 2005 because he lost his drummer. From that statement, I thought the drummer died… but, in fact, Dean Butterworth left Morrissey to join Good Charlotte.
#9 First of the cop with a gun in his hand (Italy 2017)
According to Morrissey, he said that Italian police pulled a gun on Morrissey. Morrissey was going to book seven Italian dates (including Macerata Opera Festival), but after this gun-happy officer experience, he decided to cancel the Italy tour. Of course Italian police disagreed with Morrissey’s story.
#8 Too cold (Greek Theatre 2022)
Morrissey left early because it was “too cold outside”. Look, I get it, if I’m freezing, I would stop too. Maybe the venue could have given Morrissey a coat? Mittens? This cancellation could have been avoided! The temperature was in the 50s during the concert.
#7 Ailing Singer (2004, 2009, 2013, 2022)
“Ailing Singer”, “recurring illness”, “band illness”, and “Still Ill” (named after the Smiths song) are some of my favorite excuses for cancelling shows. Sure, it paints a poor picture of Morrissey’s health.
One year (2013), and I quote, “bleeding ulcer, Barrett’s esophagus and double pneumonia.” Good god, Morrissey, why are you even getting out of bed!
#6 Animal serial killers (Jimmy Kimmel Live 2013)
Just 24 hours before the show, Morrissey cancelled his Jimmy Kimmel appearance, stating, “I can’t take the risk of being on a show alongside people who, in effect, amount to animal serial killers [referring to Duck Dynasty].”
#5 Kristeen Young, germ spreader (USA Tour 2014)
According to an official statement, Morrissey had to cancel his entire US tour because he caught a cold from his supporting act, Kristeen Young. That’s right, all 13 dates in June 2014 were cancelled.
Look, even if you got a cold, you don’t blame someone else for giving it to you… certainly, not in a public press statement. Young, of course, refute Morrissey’s claim, which you can read at Morrissey-Solo: “I did not "confess to a horrendous cold". On Monday, June 2nd, I had an allergy attack that was over within 16 hours…”
Morrissey wanted Young off the tour and according to Young, “was asked to leave [the tour]… that there would be a new support band in Boston.”
#4 England for the English (Madstock 1992)
This Morrissey appearance was in controversy. When Morrissey brought out and waved and wrapped the Union Jack flag, singing “The National Front Disco” - a song about a boy who joined the National Front (a far-right, fascist political party), because he wants “England for the English”… people naturally thought Morrissey was saying keep England white. Some people in the crowd may have disagreed and the audience got rowdy and started throwing cans on stage and shouting and fighting the security guards. The show ended early, and Morrissey had to cancel out his second Madstock appearance, despite being scheduled to appear the next day.
If you read interviews with Morrissey, you get a sense that Morrissey really does believe that he wants to keep ‘England for the English’, and rejected all foreign invasions - including from America.
#3 Cannibalistic flesh-eating bloodlust (Reykjavik 2015)
Morrissey is vegetarian, and he demands that all venues are meat-free whenever he performs. This actually includes security searching fans for illegal items, like meat products. Most venues will comply, and have shut down their meat services, but the Harpa Concert Hall in Iceland refused. As a result, Morrissey is quoted as saying, “I love Iceland and have waited a long time to return, but I shall leave the Harpa Concert Hall to their cannibalistic flesh-eating bloodlust.”
#2 The Smell of Burning Animals (Coachella 2009)
As The Guardian explains, “The singer was performing a set laced with Smiths hits when, midway through his performance, he was overcome with fumes from the backstage barbecue. "I can smell burning flesh ... and I hope to God it's human… The smell of burning animals is making me sick. I just couldn't bear it.””
#1 “David Showie” (Outside Tour – 1995/1996)
Morrissey was David Bowie’s support for his Outside Tour in 1995/1996. After a few shows, Morrissey dropped out.
Bowie, in his own words, said he didn’t find out that Morrissey wasn’t going to perform until 45 minutes before the show. That, Morrissey already headed back to London. Bowie maintains that Morrissey was sick, but I felt that the truth was that Morrissey did not want to open for another artist.
I’ve read later, from Morrissey, that “David Showie” wanted to control which songs Morrissey would play, and even wanted to join Morrissey on his set to do a duet. That sounds great, but in Morrissey’s mind, it was unwanted.
After Morrissey left the tour, Bowie put Morrissey on his enemies list: rejecting to duet with Morrissey for a cover of The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” in 2006 (to be included on Moz’s album Ringleader Of The Tormentors) and rejecting the usage of a photo of Morrissey and Bowie as the cover sleeve for EMI’s reissue of The Last Of The Famous International Playboys in 2013.
As soon as Bowie died, Morrissey went ahead and released Cosmic Dancer featuring a photo of David Bowie and Morrissey on its cover. Morrissey claimed that Bowie had “no legal rights to the photograph.” While that is true, it was clear that Morrissey did not respect Bowie’s wishes.
I danced myself into the tomb
Is it strange to dance so soon?
BONUS: How soon is no? (Roundhouse 2008)
In 2008, Morrissey had a residency at the Roundhouse, in London. Near the end of the week, on Friday night, he was struggling with singing and walked off the stage after four songs. This caused Saturday and Sunday shows to be rescheduled. The Roundhouse did not have any opening, so they offered Morrissey The Forum, but, as written by ratty, “they tried to move the show to the Forum, but Morrissey refused, because he played there in 1999 and had no desire to return.”
Read more Every date that Morrissey has ever cancelled.
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