Morrissey axes autobiography over disagreement with publishers

The singer has pulled his book due to a 'last-minute content disagreement'

Morrissey has pulled his autobiography (Getty Images)

Former Smiths' frontman Morrissey has pulled plans to publish his autobiography after what he described as a “last-minute content disagreement” with his publishers Penguin.

The memoirs, which would have lifted the lid on his upbringing in Manchester and his relationship with former songwriting partner Johnny Marr, was scheduled to come out next week.

A statement on a fan website, called True To You, said: “Although Morrissey's Autobiography was set to be available throughout the UK on September 16th, a last-minute content disagreement between Penguin Books and Morrissey has caused the venture to collapse. No review copies were printed, and Morrissey is now in search of a new publisher.”

A spokeswoman for Penguin said there would be no comment on the statement.

The singer, who is a prominent vegetarian, recently donated £10,000 to an anti-foie gras campaign after being paid the money by Channel 4, which had used one of his songs without permission in an advert for a Gordon Ramsay show.

He has consistently courted controversy throughout his career criticising fellow singers and including a track called Margaret On The Guillotine - in which he mused about the execution of Baroness Thatcher - on his solo debut album in 1988.

Last year, he waded into the row over the Falkland Islands telling the audience at an Argentinian gig that they “belong to you”.

He published two books, one about US rockers The New York Dolls and another about the actor James Dean, before finding fame with The Smiths.

PA