Morrissey first announced Bonfire Of Teenagers in 2021, calling it “the best album of my life.” Since then, he departed from Capitol Records and said the CEO wanted to wreck his career. Today, the former Smiths frontman expanded on the situation in a rare interview with The Telegraph.

The title Bonfire Of Teenagers comes from a song of the same name, which is about the tragic 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack that transpired at an Ariana Grande concert and left 22 dead. Moz claims this track is the reason no label wants the album. “Controversial means intelligent, doesn’t it? We are still in the grip of Idiot Culture, it’s everywhere you look. Naturally I’m one of the first to be gagged since my entire life has relied on free speech,” he told the publication over email. “No, I wouldn’t remove the title song because I wouldn’t abandon the murdered kids of Manchester. Their spirits cry out every single day for remembrance and recognition.”

On “Bonfire Of Teenagers” Morrissey apparently sings about a fan being “vapourised,” repeats the refrain “go easy on the killer,” and references Oasis with the line “And the morons sing and sway: ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ / I can assure you I will look back in anger ’til the day I die.” He told The Telegraph: “The Manchester Arena bombing was our 9/11. But, in this sad country of ours, to understand the full meaning of the attack is to be guilty, and this is why the ‘don’t look back in anger’ command always struck me as derisive and not at all words of social harmony.”

The 65-year-old continued:

Once you edit yourself or self-censor then the idiots have won. There is no arts media anymore in England, therefore there’s no one to whom I can sit and talk about this. The fact is, genuine artists in England are now being held hostage by people who object to any manner of alternative opinion. The biggest monsters are the #BeKind crew” — a social media movement promoting empathy — “who will smash your face in if you disagree with them.”

The album features Iggy Pop and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea and Chad Smith, but not Miley Cyrus who asked for her feature to be removed. It was produced by Andrew Watt “who is in himself a miracle,” Morrissey says. “He is an untouchable genius of music production.”

“Every major label in London has refused Bonfire Of Teenagers whilst also admitting that it is a masterpiece,” Morrissey continued. “And although there is nothing insulting or antagonistic in the title track, label bosses say they are worried that The Guardian would make their lives hell if they supported any such social awareness.”