He may have just given his first in-person interview in nearly ten years (according to Larry King), but it’s not as though Morrissey has been quiet recently. We’ve rounded up this year’s best, worst and most interesting quotes from his blog-of-sorts true-to-you.net.

Renowned for making statements that are likely to get a lot of press (often when there’s a new single, album or tour to promote … ), a lot of what Morrissey says is pretty controversial, comparing, as he often, bafflingly, does, the meat industry to various WWII atrocities. It is worth noting that his words do not reflect the views of any fans of Morrissey’s music at List HQ.

On foxes
'Don't be surprised by a sudden flux of BBC News items highlighting the "nuisance" and "danger" of the urban fox. "Fox Squeezes Through Letter-box To Eat Grandmother Alive" is certain to be a UK newspaper headline before Wednesday. Do not be taken in. Remember the badgers.' 10 Jul

On the Cecil the Lion controversy
'Under UK law, there is only one species on the planet worthy of protective laws, and that species is the most destructive species of them all: the human being.' 4 Aug

On escaping the long arm of the law
'Walter Palmer does not appear in court in Zimbabwe and instead decides to do what the newspapers eloquently term "a runner". Yet an order is not issued for his arrest! So, from this we learn that, should we ever be summoned to court, we need only run off and the courts won't mind in the least! End of case! Try it! You'll get away with it! Walter Palmer has! Free to kill again! Evidently the law and justice rarely combine.' 30 Jul

On the death of Cilla Black
'Cilla Black made some great records – ‘The Right One Is Left’, ‘Suffer Now I Must’, ‘It's For You’, ‘I've Been Wrong Before’, ‘What Good Am I?’ I'm very grateful for the songs, and it never occurred to me that such people could die.' 2 Aug

On a successful US tour
'Now I know what Rollermania was like (you are too young to remember), and now I know what Osmondmania was like (you are too young to remember), and now I know what Beatlemania was like (everyone is too old to remember). Thank you for our best ever American tour. We are engulfed by a sense of indebtedness and joy. The credit for such a wonderful tour is all yours. We simply turn up and hope for the best and that best is you.' 29 Jul

On experiencing sexual harrasment
'You have just sexually groped this man.
Officer: That's just your opinion.
What you have done is illegal.
Officer: That's just your opinion.
You have no right to do what you have just done.
Officer: That's just your opinion.

Apart from "that's just your opinion", he would not comment, even though, since the penis and testicles were mine and no one else's, then my opinion must surely have some meaning. But, of course, what the airport security officer was saying was: your opinion will never count in the eyes of the law. The words "that's just your opinion" volunteered themselves from this 'officer's' mouth before he had even heard the question. He knew he could be confronted, but he also knew that he could never be challenged (even though the entire incident is most certainly on CCTV camera).' 29 Jul

On being a bit of a loner
'Almost everything I do and say goes against the sympathies of the music industry.' 29 Jul

On animal cruelty
'Animal consumption also places a deadly strain on medical care throughout the US and the U.K, a strain no different to the results of tobacco intake. The meat industry is rotting the world and appeals only to the deadliest aspects of human behavior. The blood-lust must end; KFC and McDonalds and Burger King have made enough money and have murdered more sentient beings than they could have ever wished for. The world does not want or need it any more. The yellow McDonalds "M" is the modern swastika. Meat shits on the world, and social justice for animals will automatically lead to less social violence. Please do not accept the political darkness of animal slaughter.' 29 Jul

On the Royal family’s infamous Nazi salute photo
'Although the British press are predictably doing their best to excuse this photograph (which also includes the 'beloved' Queen Mother) as mere 'play-acting', we must wonder how many other British families have similar shots from this period, and we must ask ourselves how the families of the boys slaughtered in the Second World War would feel if they knew that the future Queen and her mother found the Nazi salute to be so hysterical.' 19 Jul

On Trinity College’s ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award
'My initial reaction is to feel undeserving ... my contribution to music being such that no record label on the planet has either the nerve or the imagination to sign me!' 11 Jul

On British politics
'Whilst the British media wonder why the public has become so overwhelmingly unconvinced by British politics, they are unable to penetrate the question: having survived Thatcher and Blair and politicians' expenses scandals and the self-serving waywardness of the Crown Prosecution Service, for what reasons would any of us ever again believe? It is the British establishment that is anarchic, lawless, unruly and destructive, and each time you vote you support the process.' 15 May

On yet another successful tour
'Surrendered will I am before you. We tender and render very sincere thanks to you for our triumphant March tour. The guilt I feel at my own happiness … ' 31 Mar

On the music industry
'The fine paste explosion of X-factory smash-and-grab plasticity as it exploits dreamers who dream of dreaming, leaves us with a trash culture unable to produce one genuine star, and with a flux of tantrum-need species all of whom make the same point in exactly the same way, whilst posing an urgent threat to public health.' 10 Feb

On venues who serve meat
'I love Iceland and I have waited a long time to return, but I shall leave the Harpa Concert Hall to their cannibalistic flesh-eating bloodlust … ' 2 Feb

On bullfighting
'Most tourist guides still list 'bullfighting' as a sport, yet nothing about the event is sporting. In actual and undeniable fact, it ought to be listed in travel publications as 'torture' because to the intelligent mind, it does not qualify for any other description.' 1 Jan