Morrissey sought Killers producer

Former Smiths frontman Morrissey releases his 10th solo album, Ringleader Of The Tormentors, on Tuesday, April 4th. The album was produced by the legendary Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex), but Morrissey's original choice was Jeffrey Saltzman, who produced the Killers' multi-platinum 2004 debut Hot Fuss. Morrissey said that he tried to do some recording with Saltzman but it didn't work out: "With Jeff I thought the sound of the album, the Killers album, was very good, so shoot me. He ended up not doing it, which was very unfortunate. When we were finally in the studio there wasn't any meeting -- nobody's fault, but that's life, really."

Ringleader Of The Tormentors is the follow-up to Morrissey's 2004 "comeback" album You Are The Quarry. He released a concert album, Live At Earls Court, in 2005.

Morrissey's real name is Stephen Patrick Morrissey. He co-founded the Smiths in 1982, and went solo after the group broke up in 1988. He currently resides in Rome.

He begins a UK tour to promote Ringleader Of The Tormentors on April 18th. North American dates are expected this summer.