In a recent interview with Fiona Dodwell, Morrissey slammed his former Smiths bandmate, Johnny Marr.
“He seems to me to be just as insecure and fearful as he was during the 1980s,” the singer said of Marr. “But he gains more press adoration by pretending to be the Smiths gatekeeper and custodian in isolation, and as long as he is sitting in a corner complaining about me he has a pedestal which would disappear in the event of a reunion.”
Morrissey added, “He claims to find me completely indigestible, but whenever he walks onto a stage he sings my lyrics, my vocal melodies, and my song titles. Is this hypocrisy or self-deception? He has forced people to choose between Morrissey and Marr, and I’ve had just about enough of his b*tchslap comments. I’ve quietly put up with them for over thirty years.”
Over the years, there have been many rumors about a Smiths reunion after the disbandment in 1987. Morrissey once said he would rather eat his own testicles than reform the band. A VH1 show tried and failed to bring them back together. Reports of million-dollar offers also surfaced, but nothing happened.
In August, Morrissey claimed AEG Entertainment offered him and Marr a big deal for a 2025 Smiths tour. He said he agreed, but Marr ignored it. Marr later denied this, saying, “I didn’t ignore it. I said no.”
Marr’s team also explained at the time, “Additionally, speculation about Johnny Marr touring with a different singer as the Smiths is not true. There are no such plans. Johnny Marr also confirms that he declined a suggestion for another greatest hits compilation from Warner Music Group given the number already in existence.”
The two have had a rocky relationship for years. Morrissey also said Marr blocked a new greatest-hits album and now owns the rights to the Smiths’ name. He even claimed Marr could replace him with another singer if he wanted.
