Morrissey, the former frontman of The Smiths, has cancelled two US tour dates following what his team described as 'credible' death threats. The 66-year-old singer was scheduled to perform at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut on Friday and at MGM Music Hall in Boston the following day, but both shows have been called off.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Morrissey wrote: 'Due to recent events and out of an abundance of caution for both the artist and band, the upcoming shows this weekend at Foxwoods and MGM Music Hall have been cancelled. All tickets will be refunded automatically at your original point of purchase.'
Court documents later revealed that a Bluesky user had made a series of death threats against the singer on September 4. The Ottawa Citizen reported that a 26-year-old man, Noah Castellano, had been arrested in connection with the threats and released on $5,000 CAD (£2,691) bail. When asked about the charges, Castellano declined to comment, saying: 'I'm not interested.'
Morrissey rose to fame as the lead singer of The Smiths, formed in Manchester in 1982 with guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce. The band released indie classics such as 'There is a Light That Never Goes Out' and 'This Charming Man' before splitting in 1987 due to internal conflicts. Morrissey has since pursued a solo career, touring extensively.
Recently, Morrissey announced on his website that he was selling his business interests in The Smiths, citing a desire to disassociate from his former bandmates. He said: 'I am burnt out by any and all connections to Marr, Rourke, Joyce. I have had enough of malicious associations.'
