Morrissey, previously on tour in the U.S. to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his 2004 album You Are the Quarry, has now offered an explanation for his recent spate of canceled concerts.
They did it their way. Morrissey onstage in Doncaster, September 2022.
The former Smiths frontperson had initially had his Instagram account post an apology, attributed to his tour manager Donnie Knutson, for the last-minute cancelation of two shows – Jan. 26 at the Honda Center in Anaheim and Jan. 27 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles – due to "physical exhaustion."
It's since been learned that he is at home in Zurich, Switzerland, recuperating under medical supervision. He also had scheduled shows as part of his 40 Years of Morrissey tour in Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil next month, which have also been canceled.
Taking a minute or maybe more... Morrissey at Wembley Arena, March 2020.
While the circumstances surrounding this latest development are unknown, he was active on social media on Jan. 25, posting a tribute to singer Melanie Safka, who passed at age 76 on Jan. 23. He had recorded her "Some Say (I Got Devil)" for his 2019 covers album California Son. "I heard of Melanie Safka's death with a white-knuckle shiver," he wrote. "Her lyric poetry arrested me at the age of 11, and it made me whatever it is I became."
Morrissey: Some Say I Got Devil (Unofficial video)
His long history of cancellations, postponements, or in some cases mid-show concert abandonments (which most recently occurred in November 2022, when he walked off the stage at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles after five songs) has left some people wary of his schedule.
She Wants Revenge, who were the support act for both the Anaheim and Los Angeles shows, posted on their Instagram account that "though we are frustrated and deeply disappointed, we are not terribly surprised - and that's the truly unfortunate part. We all knew this was a possibility, we just hoped it would play out different this time."
With the news of the cancelations and his condition, one musician stood out to wish Morrissey a speedy recovery. The Cure's keyboardist Roger O’Donnell posted on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account "Sorry to hear Morrissey is unwell, sending him hugs and wishing him a speedy recovery."
Morrissey has battled several health problems in the past couple of years, including the throat condition Barrett's esophagus, which he spoke to on a 2015 episode of Larry King Now, stating he has had "four cancer-scrapings, but so what."
The former Smiths singer has been in the news a good deal in 2024. Earlier in January the singer took aim at what he described as attempts to “delete” him from the “central essence” of his former band. In a post on his official website Morrissey Central titled (somewhat ironically given latest events) “Cancel culture begins at home,” he claimed that there is an apparent conspiracy to erase or downplay his role in the Smiths.
The Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" recently passed the 500-million mark on Spotify. Meanwhile, Morrissey's old Smiths bandmate Johnny Marr made headlines with his objections to Donald Trump's use of the band's "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" at campaign rallies.
