6. Bigmouth Strikes Again

No one could accuse Morrissey of playing it safe. Two early singles drew headlines for deeply sensitive reasons. A comment about the Brighton bombing left Fleet Street incandescent. And then there was Meat Is Murder: the album that shot to number one.

But as the tabloids obsessed over every word, a very different tension was building behind the scenes. One that archive testimony from the band and their inner circle reveals in remarkable detail.

If you're enjoying this series of The Rise & Fall podcast, there are loads of other gripping music stories to immerse yourself in, focusing on Britpop, Madchester, Indie Sleaze, Sex Pistols and Oasis. Just search 'rise and fall' in BBC Sounds, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A Tempo+Talker production for BBC Sounds. Produced by Tom Pooley with original music and sound design by Coach Conrad.