Former Smiths frontman and all-round Pope of Mope Morrissey has lashed out at artist Damien Hirst by calling for his head to be "kept in a bag." A staunch vegetarian, the singer expressed his outrage over Hirst's series of conceptual art pieces that saw numerous animals -- including a cow and a shark -- suspended in formaldehyde.

Morrissey made his comments while quizzing artist Linder Sterling for Interview magazine.

"I dislike the 'use' of animals in art, such as in the work of Damien Hirst," he said. "But in your latest performance piece, 'Your Actions Are My Dreams,' you have a woman serenely sitting atop a calmly satisfied horse, which is, of course, alive and healthy. Do you agree that Hirst's head should be kept in a bag for the way he's utilised -- and sold -- dead animals?"

Linder replied, "Dead butterflies, cows, horses, humans, sheep, and sharks -- it reads like the inventory of a funerary Noah. How many halved calves suspended in formaldehyde does the world need? To my way of thinking, none."

Morrissey also goes on to compare Hirst with a factory outlet while lambasting what he perceives as the media's obsession with how much money the artist earns.

The singer and Linder originally met at Sex Pistols gig in 1976 and Morrissey's lyrics for 'Cemetery Gates' gates were inspired by their relationship.