In recent weeks, Morrissey has made many announcements about his old band The Smiths with Johnny Marr. In one instance, he claimed Marr had “ignored” a 2025 tour offer. He later claimed that Marr had “blocked” the Smiths’ most popular album. And, most recently, he claimed that Marr acquired the trademark rights to the Smiths’ name “without any consultation with Morrissey and without giving Morrissey the standard opportunity to ‘object'”.
Marr, through his management, has now responded to Morrissey’s various allegations. Find it in full below.
Regarding the Smiths brand, Marr’s management said that in 2018, “Marr approached Morrissey through his representatives to work together to protect the Smiths name.” Morrissey apparently did not respond to Marr, prompting the latter musician to “trademark himself”.
Regarding the compilation album, Marr checked Morrissey’s account, explaining that he turned down Warner Music Group’s offer to release a greatest hits album “given the number that already exists”.
Crucially for Smiths fans, Marr also confirmed that he has been offered a reunion tour;
The Smiths split in 1987, and Johnny Marr and Morrissey had numerous feuds in the years that followed. However, the idea of a reunion has been on the table before, with Marr revealing in his 2016 memoir: Free the boythat he discussed the possibility of reuniting with Morrissey in 2008;
In 2018, a concert series called “Classically Smiths” was announced. The shows were supposed to feature drummer Mike Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke, but Rourke quickly left the project and the shows were canceled shortly after. Months later, Marr criticized the project, telling mojo“I wasn’t consulted, and that tells you all you need to know, I think.”
Johnny Marr’s management statement.
Recent statements made by Morrissey on his website regarding the trademark of The Smiths name are incorrect.
Here are the facts.
In 2018, after a third party attempted to use The Smiths’ name and it was discovered that the band did not own the trademark, Marr approached Morrissey through his representatives to work together to protect the Smiths’ name.
Failure to respond prompted Marr to register the trademark himself. It was later agreed with Morrissey’s lawyers that this trademark was held for the mutual benefit of Morrissey & Marr.
As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an assignment of joint ownership to Morrissey. Execution of this document still requires Morris’s signature.
In the interest of accuracy and clarity regarding the trademark, and to respond to recent reports that Marr has ignored promoters’ offer to tour as The Smiths, Marr says:
“So that third parties do not profit from the name of the group, I was left to protect the heritage. I did this on behalf of both myself and my former bandmates.”
“As for the tour offer, I didn’t ignore the offer, I said no.”
Also, speculation that Johnny Marr toured with another singer as The Smiths is incorrect. There are no such plans.
Johnny Marr also confirms that he turned down an offer for another Warner Music Group greatest hits compilation, given the number that already existed.
