Morrissey snubs our very own Eli "Paperboy" Reed

From today's Hotline column: Eli Reed gets snubbed by the Mozzer!

When Morrissey hits Boston’s new House of Blues on March 29, he won’t have local soul man Eli “Paperboy” Reed opening the show for him. Too bad given how close the two came to pairing up for a lengthy 2009 tour.

Morrissey’s camp allegedly struck a deal to have Brookline soulman Reed and his band, the True Loves, open for five weeks of the Mozzer’s seven-week North America tour early next year. But two weeks ago, the former Smiths frontman took in a True Loves gig in London and suddenly nixed the deal.

Reed did not respond to several Hotline requests for comment on Moz-gate, but spilled the details last week on a local music message board, Lemmingtrail.

“It’s alright, now at least we can do all the other stuff we couldn’t do because of how long the tour was,” Reed wrote. “(We) just played for 1,300 people headlining in Madrid so at least I have that going for me. I really just wanted to play Carnegie Hall.”

Morrissey’s upcoming tour hits the New York landmark on March 26.

“At least he came to the show,” Reed wrote. “I just wish they hadn’t confirmed beforehand.”

The snub could be a blessing, as Morrissey’s opening acts have ranged from terrible to unlistenable. Anyone remember Elcka or the Planet Rockers?

Morrissey’s new album, “Years of Refusal,” drops Feb. 17 on his new label, Nashville-based Lost Highway records.