Morrissey Condemns Music Industry For Not Supporting Sinead O’Connor While She Lived
Morrissey has posted a scathing essay on his personal website, condemning the posthumous praise and crocodile tears that followed Sinead O’Connor’s death on Wednesday.
The outspoken singer claimed that O’Connor never received the support she needed while living, and “she was dropped by her label after selling 7 million albums for them.”
He added, “There is a certain music industy hatred for singers who don’t ‘fit in,” he wrote, “and they are never praised until death — when, finally, they can’t answer back.”
Morrissey’s comments were made in a post titled “You Know I Couldn’t Last” taken from the title of one of his songs. The lyrics refer to giving up on the music industry, noting, “CD’s and T-shirts, promos and God knows, You know I couldn’t last, Someone please take me home.”
A longtime friend of O’Connor, Morrissey also took aim at the media praise of her.
“The cruel playpen of fame gushes with praise for Sinead today … with the usual moronic labels of ‘icon’ and ‘legend’ … You hadn’t the guts to support her when she was alive and she was looking for you.
“She was a challenge, and she couldn’t be boxed up, and she had the courage to speak when everyone else stayed safely silent. She was harassed simply for being herself. Her eyes finally closed in search of a soul she could call her own. As always, the lamestreamers miss the ringing point, and with unlocked jaws they return to the insultingly stupid ‘icon’ and ‘legend’ when last week words far more cruel and dismissive would have done.”
Morrissey also compared O’Connor to other female stars who were let down by the public in their time: Judy Garland, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Marilyn Monroe and Billie Holliday. .
Source: Deadline
