Morrissey, Leeds and a dog chain combine in arena gig and album release

The album artwork for Morrissey’s March 20 album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain

MORRISSEY will preview his new album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain, at Leeds First Direct Arena on March 6.

This will be the northern marrow to his one southern gig, The SSE Arena, Wembley, London on March 14.

Released on March 20 on BMG, the album will be preceded by the single Bobby, Don’t You Think They Know?, featuring guest vocals by Seventies’ Motown legend Thelma Houston.

“One of the biggest joys for me in this business is getting the opportunity to collaborate with other top artists,” says Thelma, now 73. “I love the challenge to see if what I do can work with what they’re doing.

“Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. I think the blend of what Morrissey is singing and what I’m singing really works on ‘Bobby’. And it was a lot of fun working with Morrissey in the studio too!”

Produced by Joe Chicarelli, whose credits include Beck, The Strokes and The Killers, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain was recorded at Studio La Fabrique in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, and Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California.

“I’ve now produced four studio albums for Morrissey,” says Chicarelli. “This is his boldest and most adventurous album yet. He has pushed the boundaries yet again, both musically and lyrically. And once again proving that as a songwriter and singer, he is in his own category. In truth, no one can be Morrissey but… Morrissey.”

I Am Not A Dog On A Chain follows last May’s California Son, a covers album that featured Ed Droste, of Grizzly Bear, Billie Joe Armstrong, of Green Day, LP (aka Laura Pergolizzi), Broken Social Scene’s Ariel Engle, Petra Haden and Young The Giant’s Sameer Gadhia.

Morrissey’s last album of original compositions was Low In High School in 2017. The new one has a track listing of Jim Jim Falls; Love Is On Its Way Out; Bobby, Don’t You Think They Know?; I Am Not A Dog On A Chain; What Kind Of People Live In These Houses?; Knockabout World; Darling, I Hug A Pillow; Once I Saw The River Clean; The Truth About Ruth; The Secret Of Music and My Hurling Days Are Done.

I Am Not A Dog On A Chain arrives against the backdrop of The Smiths’ former frontman, 60, sparking controversy with his latter-day political views.

Tickets for his Morrissey Live In Concert 2020 gig in Leeds are on sale at gigsandtours.com, ticketmaster.co.uk and axscom/uk.