Morrissey claims 'diversity is a lie' in rant about the BBC
Morrissey has hit out the BBC for not playing his single Notre-Dame.
Morrissey has claimed "diversity is a lie" in rant hitting out at the BBC for not playing his new single.
The former Smiths singer has claimed his track Notre-Dame has hit number six in the "Official UK Chart" without getting any radio support.
In a blog post on his Morrissey Central website titled Diversity Is A Lie, he wrote: "The public wants to hear the song, but the BBC will not play it even though their stations are a public service duty-bound to reflect public taste.
"Obviously not! If the song is suspected of independent thought - God forbid!, it is not played, therefore, under these circumstances, any station that pledges allegiance to diversity is lying.
"When people say ‘Diversity is our strength’ they fail to mention how their notion of ‘diversity’ entails very strict Third Reich regulations and punishments.
"I wonder why people can’t simply be honest about these things?”
The blog post also claims that "with no airplay", the single "is number 6 in the Official UK Chart".
Currently, Notre-Dame is six in the Official Singles Sales Chart, and is ranked at five and four in the Physical Singles Chart and Vinyl Singles Chart respectively.
However, it's not charted on the main Official Singles Chart.
The single comes from Morrissey's 14th solo album Make-Up Is A Lie, his first in six years, which charted at three in the Official Albums Chart when it dropped in March.
Last month, the star was critical of an upcoming BBC documentary about The Smiths.
In a since‑deleted post on his website Morrissey Central, the 67-year-old singer wrote: “A BBC radio program supposedly tracking the story of the Smiths will be aired on July 13. The BBC has warned that it is critical in nature towards Morrissey.”
He accused guitarist Johnny Marr - who he has been at loggerheads with for decades - of taking "centre stage" and being presented as an "angel" and himself as the "executioner".
Morrissey said he had not been approached to contribute.
Morrissey went on to describe his creative role in the group, writing: “The Smiths was my voice, my lyrics, my song-titles, my album titles, my single and album artwork, my vision, my vocal melodies, my emotions - nobody else’s.”
He also criticised media coverage of his career, saying: “When The Guardian say that they love the Smiths but hate Morrissey, it is like saying ‘we hate David Bowie but we love the Spiders From Mars’. It’s all so staged, isn’t it?”
Morrissey claims the documentary - the title for which he did not disclose - is set to air on July 13.
