January 5, 2006 15:47

Morrissey inspired by Rome

He reveals the reasons for recording there

Photo Gallery: Morrissey

Morrissey has revealed that he chose to record his new album ‘Ringleader Of The Tormentors’ in Rome because the city – and its police force - “inspired” him.

The singer has explained that the Italian capital provided a welcome break from his current home in Los Angeles.

“I'm inspired by Rome because it's the exact opposite to Los Angeles, where I've spent so much time in recent years,” he said. “As stunningly beautiful as Los Angeles is, it is also essentially a police state. The city belongs to the police, no one else. Everywhere you go there are police - watching, watching, and waiting for any reason - for no reason - to jump on people.”

He added: “Consequently, the people of Los Angeles are very nervous about everything… If you walk down a street humming in Los Angeles you are immediately considered to be suspicious. Once you're arrested, the courts always support whatever the police say regardless of what that is.”

Speaking as part of a question and answer session on fansite true-to-you.com, he said: “In Rome, the police are very casual, and they don't threaten people because they seem to quite rightly think that most people don't actually intend to break the law. This gains the police respect. In Los Angeles, the police believe that everyone is guilty of intending to commit a major crime - to know is to be guilty. Rome has struck me as being a very safe city, and not at all uptight, which is a contrasting relief against the pressures of Los Angeles.”

Describing the sound of his new record – which is expected for release on March 27 – Morrissey revealed: “If you hear the new album you will notice a marked difference in sound, principally due to both (band-mates) Michael Farrell and to Jesse (Tobias). Personally and musically, Jesse has made a big impact – ‘You Have Killed Me’, ‘The Youngest Was The Most Loved’, ‘In The Future When All's Well’, ‘I Just Want To See The Boy Happy’... these songs, especially, fully release the hounds.”

He added: “There are no Boz (Boorer – guitar) songs on this album, but strangely, it is the album on which Boz has been most involved and had such a massive input. Boz is 24-hour non-stop, and if impetus lulls, Boz steers everyone back on track.”

‘Ringleader Of The Tormentors’ will be preceded by the single ‘You Have Killed Me’, but an exact release date has yet to be confirmed.