Morrissey Reveals Multiple Cancer Treatments

The former frontman of The Smiths, Morrissey, has undergone several treatments to remove cancerous cells from his body, the singer has revealed.

"If I die, then I die."

Speaking with Spanish newspaper El Mundo, the World Peace Is None Of Your Business scribe, who has faced numerous health struggles in recent years, did not clarify for which type of cancer he is being treated, but given Morrissey's well-documented health struggles of late — including a bleeding ulcer, pneumonia, food poisoning and a respiratory infection that ended in another tour cancellation (and some bad blood with his support act) — he's apparently taking it like a champ.

"I am aware that in some of my recent photos I look somewhat unhealthy, but that’s what illness can do. I’m not going to worry about that; I’ll rest when I’m dead."

Either way, he's in good enough health to be playing currently; he stepped out at the Coliseu Dos Recreios earlier this week, with his band decked out in T-shirts emblazoned with the words, "Fuck Harvest" — a reference to his recent dispute with now-ex-label Harvest Records over the release and promotion of the World Peace… LP.

Acknowledging that, at 55, he is "at an age when one should no longer be making music", Morrissey now seems less concerned with his ongoing health concerns than he does finishing his first novel — after which he may not be all that worried about making music in the first place, much less bringing age into the mix.

"Many composers of classical music died at age 34," he told the paper. "And I'm still here, and nobody knows what to do with me."

"The audience that I have is very young, which leads me to think that the songs of The Smiths, as with those of The Ramones, are more significant now than before."

"My novel is coming along well, but it would be presumptuous of me to talk about something that is not finalised yet," he continued. "It will probably be published next year and with luck I will be able to stop singing forever, which would make many people happy!"

World Peace Is None Of Your Business, Morrissey's tenth solo studio album, was released in July.