Morrissey: "Everything I say must be ridiculed"

Morrissey has admitted that he fears soundbites of his outspoken opinions have damaged his reputation.

The former Smiths frontman, who earlier this year appeared to claim that the fast food industry was worse than the Norway massacre, said that he blames the media for not allowing him to elaborate upon his views.

In an interview with Clash magazine, the singer said: "I think I am officially 'Mad Morrissey' now, and everything I say must be ridiculed because that's one way of not dealing with the contents of the actual comment.

"We live in very dumbed-down times. Everything - news media, music, music magazines - are presented with the assumption that the people as a whole are utterly thick.

"So therefore when I say, as I have, that the so-called royals are the most dysfunctional and unpleasant family in British history, no-one asks me why I think this."

The 52-year-old added: "They simply print 'Bigmouth Strikes Again'. Oh, I could go on. And do, often."

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Watch The Smiths perform 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' as part of their 1988 Rank album below: