Former Smiths frontman Morrissey has taken aim at Wikipedia, disputing claims about his early musical career in Manchester's punk scene. In a post titled "Madness" on his official website, the singer denounced Wikipedia entries listing him as a former member of both The Nosebleeds and Slaughter And The Dogs.
"I did not ever join The Nosebleeds and I have no connection whatsoever with Slaughter And The Dogs," Morrissey stated, demanding corrections to what he calls inaccurate information.
However, historical accounts paint a different picture. According to multiple sources, including Billy Duffy's own website, Morrissey did perform with The Nosebleeds in 1978, participating in two local gigs. The second show, opening for Magazine at Manchester's New Ritz, was even reviewed by NME, which praised "Steve Morrison [sic]" as "a front man with charisma."
The controversy extends to Slaughter And The Dogs, with band member Mick Rossi claiming to possess four demo tracks featuring Morrissey on vocals, recorded after the departure of their original singer Wayne Barrett-McGrath. These recordings, however, have never been made public.
In his 2013 memoir "Autobiography," Morrissey acknowledged performing at The Ritz but characterized it as a one-off show with a "no name" band, expressing frustration at being associated with The Nosebleeds name.
This dispute adds to Morrissey's recent pattern of challenging historical narratives about his career, including earlier claims this year about being erased from The Smiths' origin story.
While Wikipedia entries have already been modified following Morrissey's complaint, the true nature of his involvement with these early Manchester punk bands remains a matter of conflicting accounts.
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