Linder Sterling took the shots of Morrissey in El Paso which we used for the Southpaw Grammar reissue.

One of my favourite bands Thursday ran a T-shirt design comp towards the end of 2007. I submitted a couple of designs and while this one didn’t make the cut (the one that made it to the shortlist was this) I received an e-mail from their management asking if they could use it.

“Fuck yes”, was the reply. I don’t think they’ve printed it yet, I’m not sure if they ever will, but I’m just chuffed as all hell that they were even close to using this for merch.

This design made the shortlist for a merch contest that Thursday held last year.

It ended up coming in fourth but a few weeks after the competition ended Thursday’s management contacted me and asked to use this design in an upcoming range. As per the Heart design it’s not seen the back of a sweaty meathead in a moshpit yet but I hold hope.

‘All You Need Is Me’ was the second release from Greatest Hits. The patterned paper on this was made of snakes, globes, eyes and stars.

Also released as two 7″s and a CD wallet.

See also Morrissey Greatest Hits and That’s How People Grow Up

Cover photography by Jake Walters.

Morrissey had been residing in Rome while writing and recording Ringleader and we wanted the design to echo the inspiration.The cover was shot by Fabio Lovino who also shot M on the streets of Rome with every allusion to Italian life and industry—on a Vespa, next to political graffiti eating gelato, in front of an old Fiat, playing football, under pizzeria signs and in between lines of linen hung out to dry. Some of these shots became the covers of the singles from Ringleader.

The branding focused around the cartouche and crest. The fleurons framing the cartouche were taken from triumphal arches found in books of Roman architecture. The “M” crest was aped from Rome’s official seal with his initial replacing “The Senate and the People of Rome” and we designed a monogramme in vein of an Italian high-fashion house to run on the inner bags. This monogramme carried into merchandising—silk scarves were printed with the pattern á la Louis Vuitton (a French fashion house to be sure). The crest featured on lapel pins, Tiffany-style keyrings, tie-pins, cufflinks and even girls’ pants.

This was done at Stylorouge. Mark Higenbottam at Stylorouge drew the typography for M’s name.