First stories emerge from Morrissey memoir

17.10.13 | Bookseller staff - The Bookseller

Morrissey's Autobiography, which was released as a Penguin Classic today (17th October), has revealed the singer's views on the legal system, the music business and the music magazine NME.

Newspapers and websites have examined Autobiography for details of the former Smiths frontman's life, after it went on sale at midnight, with north London bookshop The Big Green Bookshop opening specially to allow fans to buy it from the moment of release.

The BBC focuses on Morrissey's scathing comments about the judge John Weeks, who presided over a legal battle between the singer and former bandmate Mike Joyce in 1996. Morrissey, who was described as "envious, truculent and unreliable" by Weeks, said: "Weeks tore into me with a thunder reserved for rapists and murderers", and calls Weeks "the pride of the pipsqueakery".

The Telegraph describes how the book has no chapters and no index, and begins with a single opening paragraph about the singer's childhood in "forgotten Victorian knife-plunging Manchester" that is four and a half pages long. It also mentions Morrissey's reminiscences about being touched inappropriately by a teacher, and how his first serious relationship ended after playwright Alan Bennett observed he did not speak to his partner.

The Guardian focuses on the singer's description of his relationships and his battle with the NME, which criticised Morrissey for performing while wrapped in a Union Jack. Morrissey also describes how he was the victim of a kidnap attempt in Mexico in 2007.

Morrissey will sign copies of the book today in Gothenburg, Sweden. The publication of the book has been marked by controversy, with reports that the deal had been cancelled weeks before it was due to be published due to content disputes.