On Monday night, Morrissey appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Performing Jobriath’s legendary 1973 glam anthem “Morning Starship”, Moz sauntered through the genre with ease, his voice exuding all the right levels of theatricality.
However, as Stereogum notes, his delicate performance wasn’t without controversy. If you look closely, he’s wearing a pin that once again supports For Britain.
For context, For Britain is an extremely controversial right-wing political party in the UK, which was founded by anti-Muslim activist Anne Marie Waters in 2017.
Last year, Morrissey endorsed the party on his site, writing, “Please give them a chance. Listen to them. Do not be influenced by the tyrannies of the MSM who will tell you that For Britain are racist or fascist — please believe me, they are the very opposite!!! Please do not close your mind.”
Well, that certainly puts a damper on things, and likely made for an awkward setting backstage. In addition to Morrissey, last night’s guest list included Democratic presidential candidate Pete Butigieg.
Replay Morrissey’s performance below.
“Morning Starship” is just one of a dozen covers off his new compilation California Son, which is due out May 24th. The studio recording of the song features Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste.
Over the weekend, Morrissey wrapped up his debut Broadway residency, which brought the first-ever live performance of The Smiths’ “I Won’t Share You”, as well as rare renditions of “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get” and “Girl Afraid”. This fall, Morrissey is scheduled to embark on a US tour with Interpol. Get your tickets now before it’s too late.