Is Morrissey making any $ from this tour?

[Raquel]

It sounds so crass, but I wonder if there are any profits to be made for our boy, even with some tickets hitting the $135 mark.
With some venues not sold out, and the incredible costs of venue rental, busses, crew, band, SECURITY!, back drops, Kristeen Young, countless new Gucci shirts and I am sure many many more associated costs, it just seems like he might not break even...
What do you think?

 

[Your Arsenal]

Morrissey work for free? Pahlease LOL

I know what you mean though, it seems all too much of expense on his behalf, but trust me. When there's a tour, there's merchandise sold as well. and Those tickets really are very very high. and I don't think Morrissey is spending considerably more on his tour than say the Kill Uncle tour, and he is charging a hell of alot more than that tour. I mean, last tour at Pasadena he didn't have any fancy lights on stage, or male strippers, jugglers, etc.

 

[Claudia2006]

I remember reading in an interview from the early 2000s, when he said that by the time the dust cleared after either the Oye Esteban tour or the 2002 one, he could have maybe bought a candy bar. (Sorry to be so vague. I'll try to find it). He wasn't complaining, he was just saying that he loves to tour. I figure he's probably doing a little better than that on this tour, but then again I don't know. I doubt he's making much at all if any b/c the venues are all so small, the tour is so extensive and there are so many stops, and overall I don't think the ticket prices are all that high.

 

[dislocate my shoulder]

What I remember from articles, is that both Oye Esteban and 'Gong' tours were self-financed. He can afford it, but I don't think he'd end in red figures this year.

 

[Dave]

He is playing smaller venues which is great for the fans. I think maybe the plan is to make up the cost with the Hollywood Bowl show? I'm sure that after expenses some of the smaller shows are not that lucrative for an artist of his stature. He's Morrissey for God's sake!
Would the Pet Shop Boys play in Sparks, Nevada for 700 people? Doubter.

 

[Your Arsenal]

Well the Oye Esteban tour wasn't a huge tour, it wasn't even supporting an album.
Quarry and ROTT are massive compared to Oye Esteban. ;-)

"There's a cash register, ringing and it ways sooooooooooooooo heavy on my back"

 

[Danny]

Seeing as he is not with Sanctuary anymore (I think they'd have updated his myspace page with the tour dates if he was) then this tour is self financed as well.

My impression is Morrissey likes to tour in comfort rather than worry about making money. He's not exactly penny pinching on this tour is he? You only have to look at the tour bus to see that. So I doubt he's making much money.

 

[Hellie]

He probably makes enough to keep himself in new shirts.He doesn`t do it for the dosh,he does it because its the only way he can be loved.

 

[Walkers Crisp]

I read in some music mag recently that artists nowadays make more money selling their merchandise at gigs than through actual ticket sales. Might be the same with Morrissey - T-Shirts, posters and stuff are cheap to produce and sell like hot cakes (at least thats what I witnessed last year).

BTW, can anyone get me the "Mozzer Posse" shirt? Pls send me a PM

 

[Kyoko]

The general rule of thumb is that artists making a killing on tours because it's all money that the record label can't touch. I am sure he will come out just fine from this tour.

Kyoko

 

[Happy Maudlin]

Of course there is money making involved. i have nothing better to say. I never do.

 

[Mars_Rover]

The general rule of thumb is that artists making a killing on tours because it's all money that the record label can't touch. I am sure he will come out just fine from this tour.

Kyoko

Yes, but usually the record company finances the tour. Since Moz is currently label-less, we assume he's financing the tour himself, and the costs are enormous (transportation and lodging for himself, the band, roadies and other personnel, venue costs, etc.).

 

[Danny]

Not everyone makes a fortune touring. That tends to be the major artists who have label backing, tour promoters and young fans that will use pester power to buy up all the crap merchandise.

Morrissey runs his tours like he is a major artist but doesn't fill the large venues or charge the ticket prices. So use your common sense to decide if he is coining it in.

 

[Chartres]

Well, he had Sanctuary last year anyway and that tour sold quite well. And most of it was festivals and many festivals in general ahve had huge problems with artists demanding more money to play. Apparently they belive it will compensate their losses from the CD market. Many festivals ahve increased their ticket prices, Hultsfred asked an unknown artist who wanted $1 million to just think about it. And since he played many festivals last year (he even played on the Orange, 60 000+ capacity) he might have earned quite a bit, but then we have the question if he's one of them. Apparently it's mostly American artist who does this. (Don't have any English sources for this)

His early European dates sold quite well too I belive, he sold all the standing tickets in the Scandinavium in just one minute, that's probably atleast 4000 tickets.

 

[Slip-In]

Wow, I am so out of the loop guys,

When was it announced Morrissey was no longer with Sanctuary?

I think he'll end up making at least some money out of this tour and if not, the man has plenty of money already,

The same can't be said for Marr and the others though,

 

[Chartres]

Wow, I am so out of the loop guys,

When was it announced Morrissey was no longer with Sanctuary?

I think he'll end up making at least some money out of this tour and if not, the man has plenty of money already,

The same can't be said for Marr and the others though,

If we shoubd belive Morrissey, Joyce is far from poor.

"The point I wish to make is this: Joyce is not poor, unless, living as he does in the Cheshire green-belt, he lives beyond his means. Somehow, he appears to believe that he should have equal financial status to both myself and to Johnny Marr, even though Joyce has done dramatically less than Johnny and I to attain the positions we now have."

 

[Danny]

Wow, I am so out of the loop guys,

When was it announced Morrissey was no longer with Sanctuary?

I think he'll end up making at least some money out of this tour and if not, the man has plenty of money already,

The same can't be said for Marr and the others though,

Im pretty sure Marr is doing OK at the moment.

It was never announced that Morrissey was no longer with Sanctuary but his myspace page (run by Sanctuary) was updated constantly last year with tour dates and single releases. The last update was when they uploaded loads of merchandise a few months ago. None of the new tour dates are on it and none of the new merchandise is on it. Draw your own conclusions.

My conclusion is that the last update was their way of trying to squeeze the last few pennies out of their association with Morrissey.

 

[Dave]

"I know there's one question you're all dying to ask me", he says. pause. half a pause. "Do I need to do this to make a living?"

answer

"It's not a living."

I think most people don't have any idea what it would cost to do a show like Morrissey's. I think he does it in style and lives in as much luxury as you can while traveling hundreds of miles on a bus, but if you do the math he is not getting rich on this tour. If money was the issue he would have done fewer shows at larger places. He is doing a boutique tour where each venue has some character and it will make a memory. It has been very different from a typical tour so far. He wants to make money touring, sure, but it's also about keeping himself out there for the fans, keeping the whole thing going.

I didn't buy any merchandise so far, but I do see people buying it. About the merchandise, it is really overpriced and I don't see anything in the designs that I like. I've seen better bootleg shirts. If they were smart they would rent space to merchandise bootleggers and take a percentage. I'd love to have a nice Morrissey shirt that had a good graphic, not his face (sorry) or some text in random fonts.

 

[Your Arsenal]

Morrissey is still with Sanctuary.

 

[Kyoko]

"I know there's one question you're all dying to ask me", he says. pause. half a pause. "Do I need to do this to make a living?"

answer

"It's not a living."

I think most people don't have any idea what it would cost to do a show like Morrissey's. I think he does it in style and lives in as much luxury as you can while traveling hundreds of miles on a bus, but if you do the math he is not getting rich on this tour. If money was the issue he would have done fewer shows at larger places. He is doing a boutique tour where each venue has some character and it will make a memory. It has been very different from a typical tour so far. He wants to make money touring, sure, but it's also about keeping himself out there for the fans, keeping the whole thing going.

I didn't buy any merchandise so far, but I do see people buying it. About the merchandise, it is really overpriced and I don't see anything in the designs that I like. I've seen better bootleg shirts. If they were smart they would rent space to merchandise bootleggers and take a percentage. I'd love to have a nice Morrissey shirt that had a good graphic, not his face (sorry) or some text in random fonts.

I am not trying to say money is the only factor but it certainly a major one in EVERYTHING he does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-lwDJY5vVY

Kyoko