In latest weeks, Morrissey has made quite a few statements about his outdated band with Johnny Marr, the Smiths. In a single occasion, he claimed Marr “ignored” a suggestion for a 2025 tour. He later claimed that Marr “blocked” a Smiths greatest-hits album. And, most just lately, he asserted that Marr obtained the trademark rights to the Smiths’ identify “with none session to Morrissey, and with out permitting Morrissey the usual alternative of ‘objection.’”
Marr, by way of his administration, has now responded to Morrissey’s varied allegations. Discover it in full beneath.
Concerning the Smiths trademark, Marr’s administration mentioned that, in 2018, “Marr reached out to Morrissey, by way of his representatives, to work collectively in defending The Smiths’ identify.” Morrissey apparently didn’t reply to Marr, which led the latter musician “to register the trademark himself.”
Concerning a compilation album, Marr verified Morrissey’s account, explaining that he declined Warner Music Group’s provide to launch a greatest-hits album “given the quantity already in existence.”
Most crucially for Smiths followers, Marr additionally confirmed {that a} reunion tour was provided to him: “I didn’t ignore the provide,” Marr wrote, “I mentioned no.”
The Smiths broke up in 1987, and Johnny Marr and Morrissey have had quite a few disputes within the ensuing years. Nonetheless, the thought of a reunion has been on the desk prior to now, with Marr revealing in his 2016 memoir, Set the Boy Free, that he mentioned the likelihood of reuniting with Morrissey in 2008.
In 2018, a sequence of live shows billed as “Classically Smiths” had been introduced. The exhibits had been presupposed to characteristic drummer Mike Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke, however Rourke rapidly distanced himself from the mission, and the exhibits had been canceled in brief order. Months later, Marr criticized the mission, telling Mojo, “I wasn’t consulted and that tells you all you have to know, I believe.”
An announcement from Johnny Marr’s administration:
Current statements made by Morrissey on his web site concerning the trademark of The Smiths’ identify are incorrect.
Listed below are the information:
In 2018, following an try by a 3rd social gathering to make use of The Smiths’ identify – and upon discovery that the trademark was not owned by the band – Marr reached out to Morrissey, by way of his representatives, to work collectively in defending The Smiths’ identify.
A failure to reply led Marr to register the trademark himself. It was subsequently agreed with Morrissey’s attorneys that this trademark was held for the mutual advantage of Morrissey & Marr.
As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an project of joint possession to Morrissey. Execution of this doc nonetheless requires Morrissey to signal.
Within the pursuits of accuracy and readability concerning the trademark, and to reply latest stories that Marr ignored a promoter’s provide to tour as The Smiths, Marr says:
“To forestall third events from cashing in on the band’s identify, it was left to me to guard the legacy. This I’ve completed on behalf of each myself and my former bandmates.”
“As for the provide to tour, I didn’t ignore the provide – I mentioned no.”
Moreover, hypothesis about Johnny Marr touring with a special singer as The Smiths isn’t true. There are not any such plans.
Johnny Marr additionally confirms that he declined a suggestion for one more best hits compilation from Warner Music Group given the quantity already in existence.
