Morrissey Interview Weeks Before The Smiths’ Breakup (1987)

Digitally restored from a rare mid-80s broadcast, this candid interview finds Morrissey speaking with striking honesty about disillusionment, integrity, and his uneasy relationship with the music industry at the height of The Smiths’ influence. Reflecting on the erosion of his early idealism, Morrissey discusses becoming increasingly sceptical of record labels, publicity cycles, and the machinery that surrounds pop music — while still holding firm belief in the records themselves. He explains why total silence doesn’t work for bands without massive promotional power, why he’s remained insular and detached from industry “scenes,” and how that distance has helped him protect a personal creative vision. The conversation also explores new material, including Paint a Vulgar Picture — a sharp critique of how the industry exploits artists after death — and Girlfriend in a Coma, a title that provokes not for shock value, but to disrupt the blandness of mainstream radio. Morrissey reflects on fandom, memory, meeting his own heroes, and the strange morality of pop culture grief. Elsewhere, he addresses misconceptions about his role within The Smiths, stressing the band’s collective identity, his refusal to soften personal beliefs for public comfort, and why honesty matters more than appearing agreeable. 🎤 Highlights include: Morrissey on losing faith in the music industry — but not the music Why silence only works for megastars Paint a Vulgar Picture and the commodification of death Provocation vs bland pop culture Fame, privacy, and creative self-protection The Smiths as a collective, not a figurehead band 📼 Originally broadcast in the 1980s, this interview offers a thoughtful, uncompromising snapshot of Morrissey at a moment when The Smiths were both mythologised and misunderstood — restored and presented by Sunset Vinyl. If you’re interested in licensing this or other archive footage, contact: [email protected]