Entertainment retail franchise HMV have today denied claims that they refused to stock Morrissey’s latest album. Rumour surfaced that the former Smiths frontman’s new LP Low In High School, had been rejected by the store due to it’s supposedly ‘offensive’ artwork.
Over the weekend, artist Linder Sterling- a friend of the singer- posted the album’s artwork on Instagram (it’s since been deleted) to celebrate the new album. Rumours then began to surface through various fan sites that HMV had rejected the album’s artwork, with the decision allegedly putting Morrissey’s promotional run for the album “in jeopardy unless Morrissey and his record company rethink the album cover.”
However, after several days of mounting speculation, HMV have today issued a statement on the matter, via their official Twitter page.
Contrary to reports, hmv have not refused to stock the new Morrissey album. Full comment below @NME @SPIN pic.twitter.com/ih2DE2ZP2s
— hmv (@hmvtweets) September 11, 2017
The statement not only refutes the claim about their refusal to stock the album, but also implies that Morrissey and his side of things are responsible for the rumour escalating in such a way.
There is some history here, as as recently as June, the two sides have had problems. Morrissey had previously accused HMV of attempting to “freeze sales” of the re-issue of The Smiths’ classic The Queen is Dead, after the store labelled the limited edition vinyls to make sure that sales were limited to one per customer.
In a Facebook post on the matter, the singer called HMV’s actions an “overwhelming insult to The Smiths”. Never one to overreact, Morrissey added: “Over thirty years since their death, and the Smiths are still thought too radical for the slow reader! It is evident, to me at least, that music audiences must only feel and think the very same thing at all times. Freud: ‘There is no such thing as an accident.'”
Assuming HMV’s statement resolves the issue-if there ever was one to begin with- Low in High School is due for release on November 17, through BMG, and Morrissey’s own label Etienne. This is the not-all-that-shocking album artwork:
