As Morrissey has infamously vilified NME in the past ((Where the image I've used is from, back in 1992.)) when they published garbage about him being racist, he's understandably drawn guns at the blighters again, as they've basically done the same thing, but in a different style. For all the details, check this post, courtesy of True To You.

Tim Jonze interviewed Morrissey for NME. OK. No problem there, until Morrissey's management were notified (("by an anonymous post on morrissey-solo.com")) that NME were "potentially doing a hatchet job on Morrissey", something that was examined and rebuffed by NME's editor, Conor McNicholas. All's well, then. Until said management received the following e-mail from Jonze, abridged by me, bringing out the gist:

[...] 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. [...]

The management understandably goes apeshit, tries to call McNicholas who doesn't reply until three days later, via e-mail. From the beforementioned post:

Please note that Mr. McNicholas' email above was timed to arrive after his magazine was printed therefore preventing us from stopping the printing.

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."

What absolute bastards. Backstabbing, lying bitches with no back-bone whatsoever, hiding behind the ugly facade that is NME, while Morrissey clearly has tried to bury the hatchet. Damn it. I just hope NME have to pay Morrissey a lot of money when this gets to court, that all bands deny them interviews and that they lose their good journos. Fat chance, but dreaming is free, unlike their horrific, lie-filled mag.

Good things though: Morrissey now has a record-deal with Polydor/Decca, and the letter that his lawyer has sent to NME makes for fantastic reading. Sorrow will come to them in the end, et al.

update: today, Morrissey's management has received a cowardly legal reply from NME. Morrissey's legal representative is strong. Check out this detailed post for more on the matter, courtesy of True To You.

update 2: Morrissey's manager implies that Tim Jonze now isn't holding up very well as far as truth is concerned, when faced with combatting his paymasters, i.e. NME and IPC.

update 3: Morrissey himself writes on the subject, making his views clear as an unmudded lake, while slaying the "new" NME. As always, the man is eloquent and funny; from said post:

It is true that the magazine is ailing badly in the market place, but Conor doesn't understand how the relentless stream of "cheers mate, got pissed last night, ha ha" interviews that clutter every single issue of the "new" NME are simply not interesting to those of us who have no trouble standing upright.