Olympics 2012: Morrissey Trashes London Games, British 'Jingoism'

Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Bigmouth strikes again.

our editor recommends

Morrissey Announces 2014 Retirement Plans

Morrissey Takes 'Racism' Battle to U.K. Court

Though he once sang "Irish Blood, English Heart," rock legend Morrissey has nothing but unkind words for the Union Jack-draped London Olympic Games. In a new update on his blog, Morrissey writes, "I am unable to watch the Olympics due to the blustering jingoism that drenches the event. Has England ever been quite so foul with patriotism? The 'dazzling royals' have, quite naturally, hi-jacked the Olympics for their own empirical needs, and no oppositional voice is allowed in the free press. It is lethal to witness. As London is suddenly promoted as a super-wealth brand, the England outside London shivers beneath cutbacks, tight circumstances and economic disasters."

PHOTOS: The Most Memorable Moments of the 2012 Olympic Games

Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, have attended a series of events at the games, and have earned plenty of attention on TV and in print for their apparent love of sports, and celebrations of British gold medals. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II was part of a skit in director Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony extravaganza, as she gave Daniel Craig's James Bond the assignment of starting the games.

"As I recently drove through Greece I noticed repeated graffiti seemingly everywhere on every available wall. In large blue letters it said WAKE UP WAKE UP," the singer continued. "It could almost have been written with the British public in mind, because although the spirit of 1939 Germany now pervades throughout media-brand Britain, the 2013 grotesque inevitability of Lord and Lady Beckham (with Sir Jamie Horrible close at heel) is, believe me, a fate worse than life. WAKE UP WAKE UP."

Long a critic of the British Monarchy; he once titled a Smiths album The Queen is Dead, and his band wore "We Hate William and Kate" t-shirts in concert this year.