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While he'd rather be famous than righteous or holy (any day, any day, any day), a certain Federal Bureau of Investigation has branded Stephen Patrick Morrissey with a rather infamous tag: potential threat to national security.

Prepping for a handful of U.S. dates, a massive sold-out UK tour, and the April 4 release of Ringleader of the Tormentors, the Moz recently revealed to NME that he has been questioned by the FBI and British Intelligence agents. He copped a James Bond cool all the while, then deployed a smoke bomb hidden in his pen and vanished using a grappling hook rigged into that adorable tuft of hair atop his head.

No, but seriously, here's what Mozzy had to say: "The FBI and the Special Branch have investigated me and I've been interviewed and taped and so forth. They [the FBI] were trying to determine if I was a threat to the government, and similarly in England. But it didn't take them very long to realise that I'm not."

He went on: "I don't belong to any political groups. I don't really say anything unless I'm asked directly and I don't even demonstrate in public. I always assume that so-called authoritarian figures just assume that pop/rock music is slightly insane and an untouchable platform for the working classes to stand up and say something noticeable."

"My view is that neither England or America are democratic societies," Moz summed up. "You can't really speak your mind and if you do you're investigated."

As you may recall, Morrissey raised hell back in 2004 by wishing death upon George W. Bush during a Dublin concert. Who knows what venomous arrows of dissent Moz will spew over audiences at SXSW in Bush's native Texas this year, particularly during his live interview with Rolling Stone's David Fricke on March 16. Or his only scheduled American dates, taking place in Oklahoma just before the festival.

Morrissey in Oklahoma. Doesn't that sound like a science fiction title?

Far off places:

03-13 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom *
03-14 Oklahoma City, OK - Bricktown Events Center *
03-16 Austin, TX - Austin Music Hall (SXSW) ^
04-04 Helsinki, Finland - Cable Hall
04-10 Amsterdam, Holland - Heineken Music Hall
04-13 Killarney, Ireland - INEC
04-15 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia
04-18 Salford, England - Lowry #
04-19 Llandudno, Wales - North Wales Theatre #
04-20 Leeds, England - Town Hall #
04-22 Aberdeen, Scotland - Music Hall #
04-23 Stirling, Scotland - Albert Halls #
04-25 Dundee, Scotland - Caird Hall #
04-26 Greenock, Scotland - Town Hall #
04-27 Glasgow, Scotland - Carling Academy #
04-29 Whitehaven, England - Civic Hall #
04-30 Gateshead, England - The Sage #
05-01 London, England - Alexandra Palace #
05-03 Sheffield, England - City Hall #
05-04 Grimsby, England - Auditorium #
05-06 Manchester, England - Carling Apollo #
05-07 Manchester, England - Opera House #
05-08 Manchester, England - Bridgewater Hall *
05-10 Halifax, England - Victoria Hall *
05-11 Blackburn, England - King Georges Hall *
05-12 Liverpool, England - Philharmonic *
05-14 London, England - Palladium *
05-15 Cardiff, Wales - St David's Hall *
05-17 Reading, England - Hexagon *
05-19 Portsmouth, England - Guildhall *
05-20 Birmingham, England - Symphony Hall *
05-21 London, England - Palladium *
05-23 Truro, England - Hall For Cornwall *
05-24 Cheltenham, England - Town Hall *
05-25 Oxford, England - New Theatre *
05-27 Kings Lynn, England - Corn Exchange *
05-28 London, England - Palladium *

* with Tiger Army
^ with Goldfrapp, Richard Hawley, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Zutons
# with Sons and Daughters

Morrissey's latest single, "You Have Killed Me", is available online now. We don't think it's about any government officials.

Pitchfork Track Review: Morrissey: "I Will See You in Far Off Places"