Morrissey ‘receiving medical supervision’ as former Smiths singer cancels arena concerts

Singer was diagnosed with ‘physical exhaustion’

Morrissey is “receiving medical supervision” after cancelling two arena gigs at short notice.

The former frontman of The Smiths, 64, had been set to play a pair of dates in Southern California this week, but the venues announced that “unforseen circumstances” had led to the cancellations.

In a statement shared to social media, a spokesperson for Morrissey revealed that the singer was getting medical care after suffering “physical exhaustion”.

“He has been ordered to rest for two weeks, and he will remain in Zurich,” wrote Donnie Knutson.

The concerts had been set to take place at the Honda Center in Anaheim and Kia Forum near Los Angeles on Friday (27 January) and Saturday (28 January) respectively.

It has not yet been announced whether the performances will be rescheduled for later dates.

Morrissey is still expected to perform seven planned performances in Mexico and South America next month.

During his last show in Los Angeles, Morrissey walked off stage at the city’s Greek Theater after just 20 minutes, with a bandmate telling the audience: “Sorry, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the show is not going to continue. Very sorry. We’ll see you next time. Apologies.”

This week’s cancelled shows would have seen the British artist perform his 2004 album You Are the Quarry in its entirety, to mark the 20th anniversary of the record.

Morrissey performing in 2013 (Daniel Sannum Lauten/AFP via Getty Images)

You Are the Quarry contains several of Morrissey’s best-known songs released as a solo artist, including “Irish Blood, English Heart”, “First of the Gang to Die”, and “Let Me Kiss You”.

Back in August, Michael Imperioli, star of The Sopranos, claimed that Morrissey had been “abandoned” by the music industry, comparing him to late Irish musician Sinead O’Connor.

Imperioli, who is also the guitarist and vocalist for the band Zopa, told The Guardian: “He’s uncompromising and very true to his art, to himself. As a lyricist, he’s on the level of Bob Dylan and Lou Reed to me: his intelligence, his wit and point of view.

“I thought what he wrote about Sinead O’Connor was spot on and brilliant – how easily she was abandoned by the music industry. He was as well,” Imperioli added.

Following O’Connor’s death last year, Morrissey shared a comment on his personal website, lamenting the singer’s treatment by media.

“She was dropped by her label after selling seven million albums for them. She became crazed, yes, but uninteresting, never. She had done nothing wrong,” he wrote.

“... You praise her now ONLY because it is too late. You hadn’t the guts to support her when she was alive and she was looking for you.”