Morrissey has continued his feud with Johnny Marr by claiming that his former bandmate ignored a ‘lucrative offer’ to follow Oasis and reform The Smiths.
A statement on Morrissey’s website, titled ‘war is old, art is young’, said ‘yes’ to AEG Entertainment Group’s offer.
It was to tour as The Smiths throughout 2025, but ‘Marr ignored the offer’, he claimed.
While Marr, 60, has yet to respond, he did respond to a post on X suggesting a reunion with a photo of British Reform leader Nigel Farage.
This is a reference to his views on the singer’s political views.
The band – formed in Manchester in 1982 – produced four albums before disbanding in 1987, and many nostalgic fans are hoping they will follow in Oasis’ footsteps and make peace for a reunion tour.
Morrissey has continued his feud with Johnny Marr by claiming that his former bandmate ignored a ‘lucrative offer’ to follow Oasis and reform The Smiths.
A statement on Morrissey’s website, titled ‘war is old, art is young’, said he had “said yes” to AEG Entertainment Group’s offer.
While Marr, 60, has yet to respond, he did respond to a post on X suggesting a reunion with a photo of British Reform leader Nigel Farage.
Morrissey, 65, said on his website that the promoter had ‘made a good offer for Morrissey and Marr to tour the world as ‘The Smiths’ in 2025.
‘Morrissey said Yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer.
‘Morrissey held a sold-out US tour in November. Marr continues to tour as a special guest of New Order.’
Few bands have burned as brightly or as quickly as The Smiths for such a short period of time and lived in the public imagination with a prestige that could not be denied.
1980s Manchester act Marr and Morrissey became iconic, but the group haven’t played together in years – and there’s no reunion.
After releasing four albums in the five years between 1982-1987, the tiff about the royalties of the cavernous repertoire now spelled the end of the quartet – which spent its last days as an act not on stage but in the courtroom against the remains of the estate. .
Morrissey has often made headlines for his controversial political comments.
In 2018, the outspoken singer sparked outrage online by describing the jailing of English Defense League founder Tommy Robinson as ‘outrageous’.
Guitarist Johnny Marr, singer Morrissey, drummer Mike Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke of The Smiths pose for a photo before the first show during the Meat Is Murder Tour in 1985
Marr (left) and Morrissey of The Smiths pose together in the Rough Trade record room in London in 1983
The former Smiths frontman from Manchester discussed what he feels is a lack of diversity of opinion in mainstream politics in an interview.
He said the jailing of the far-right for breaking contempt laws by filming outside a court was an example of how Britain’s biggest political party was fighting freedom of expression.
‘It is very obvious that Labor or the Tories do not believe in free speech,’ he told tremr. ‘I mean, look at the shocking treatment of Tommy Robinson.’
A year later, the musician caused controversy after reiterating his support for far-right parties for the UK while also claiming ‘everyone prefers to run their own race’.
The singer also said he believed Nigel Farage would ‘make a good prime minister’, prompting criticism of the former The Smiths frontman on social media.
But others backed the rock star and said he had been unfairly targeted for his views, including saying Britain was a ‘very dangerous place’.
The Smiths are pictured performing on stage in 1984
Singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr of The Smiths perform on stage at Hammersmith Palais, on March 12, 1984 in London.
He also caused further controversy by appearing on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in the US while wearing a badge supporting For Britain, which he called ‘an end to the Islamization of Britain’.
Marr and Morrissey and off again the relationship was the subject of much tabloid speculation with rumored reunions percolating decades the group lay dormant for.
Although it’s been a long time, the group is not talking about what terms are legal anymore.
Finally, an increasingly exasperated Morrissey broke his silence on the matter in 2022 with a chilling open letter directed at Marr.
In a blog entry on the Morrissey Central website, the musician began: ‘This is not a hysterical rant or bombshell. Here is a polite and quiet request: Would you please mention my name in your interview?
‘Would you like to discuss your own career, your unstoppable solo achievements and your own music? If you could, would you leave me?
A new photo of Liam and Noel Gallagher as it was confirmed that Oasis had reformed
Oasis announced a series of dates in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin
‘The truth is: you don’t know me. You don’t know anything about my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings. But you speak as if you were a private psychiatrist with consistent and uninterrupted access to my instincts.’
Continuing his long rant, Morrissey told Johnny to ‘stop using my name as click-bait’.
He said: ‘Our time together was ages ago, and a lot of blood has flowed under the bridge since then. There are times when you have to take responsibility for your own actions and career, which I believe is good health. Just stop using my name as click bait.’
Morrissey concluded: ‘I’ve never attacked your solo work or your solo life, and I openly praised your genius during the ‘Louder than bomb’ and ‘Strangeways, here we come’ days, but you’re on your way. as a rent-a-quote whenever the press needs a terrible slant on something I half said during the last glacial period as the Colorado River began to carve the Grand Canyon.
‘Please stop. This is 2022, not 1982.’
Marr, who has said there is no way he and Morrissey will ever work together again because of their differences, responded bemusedly: ‘An ‘open letter’ hasn’t really been a thing since 1953, It’s all ‘social media’ now.
Later in an interview with the Times, he admitted he was shocked by the attack but did not regret ‘defending himself’ from the ‘insulting’ letter.
