Morrissey's debut solo album Viva Hate was released 30 years ago today. As the story goes, as The Smiths combusted in August 1987, Morrissey decided he wanted to do a solo album. Months later he was in the studio recording Viva Hate. The sessions began in October and wrapped up by year's end, with the album being released March 14th, 1988. Led by the debut single "Suedehead," Viva Hate was a majestic and sonic launching pad to Morrissey's successful solo career and is one of the most beloved gems in his enduring and artistically credible catalog.
Morrissey enlisted Stephen Street to produce and write the music for Viva Hate, but over recent years there's been a bit of controversy as to who should receive songwriting credit. As with The Smiths, Morrissey wrote the lyrics to all of the songs, and there is no doubt over Morrissey's contributions, however the debate is over who wrote the music. In addition to producing, Street received credit for writing Viva Hate, however guitarist Vini Reilly (best known for leading Factory's influential post-punk band The Durutti Column) has claimed that he was the one to write every track on Viva Hate except for "Suedehead," and even did some of the production.
Street calls Reilly's claims preposterous, especially since Street began writing songs for Morrissey before they had even entered the studio in October 1987, but Reilly maintains that he was the one that wrote the songs along with Morrissey. Reilly claims he never pushed for songwriting credit because he just wanted to work on the music and knew that Street was paranoid that Reilly was trying to take over as songwriter. Reilly now feels that it was "bad manners" for Morrissey, Street, and Morrissey's management to use his talents without the courtesy of songwriting credit.
Watch video of Street and Reilly telling their version of the story in separate interview with The Prism Archive plus stream Viva Hate in full below.
Published March 14th, 2018