Universal deny stopping Morrissey's Paris tribute single

Record label Universal Music have denied claims the company has stopped Morrissey from releasing a tribute single for victims of the Paris attacks.

A statement posted on Morrissey-approved fan site True To You earlier this week claimed that Universal UK and Ireland’s CEO, David Joseph, refused to allow the Mancunian singer to re-release his ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’ single as “a loving tribute to the lives lost in the Paris atrocities”.

True To You also accused Universal of passing over Morrissey in favour of a tribute to Paris involving a “current crop of Universal artists”.

In a response to Pitchfork enquiring about the accusations Universal have denied any knowledge of Morrissey making such a request:

“We have not received – let alone refused – any request from Morrissey himself related to ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’. While we have not been contacted directly by Morrissey, after seeing the comments on his website last week, we asked his representative to confirm his intentions and which charity he had in mind to support via the song’s proceeds. We are yet to receive a reply.”

The official Universal response concluded: “Many people at Universal Music have been personally affected by the events in Paris. The implication that we have blocked a request from Morrissey in favour of another tribute “utilizing our current crop of Universal artists” is hurtful and wrong.”

Listen to ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’ below: