Johnny Marr interview: ‘I had to defend myself against Morrissey’ - thetimes.co.uk

Johnny Marr interview - The Times

Johnny Marr tells his side.

Johnny Marr interview: ‘I had to defend myself against Morrissey’

Fight or flight? Since Johnny Marr walked out on the Smiths in 1987 he has chosen the latter. He collaborated with countless artists, from the Pretenders to Mod

www.thetimes.co.uk

Excerpt:

A month on the guitarist explains his decision to come out fighting. “When you’re attacked out of the blue, particularly in public, you have to defend yourself. The letter was designed to be insulting, wasn’t it? That has to have been the idea. If it’s something that’s not based in fact, you have to react in kind, which is just” — he curls his lip — “with ridicule.” Tellingly, he doesn’t use the M word.

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Related items:

• Johnny Marr responds to Morrissey's open letter via Twitter (January 26, 2022)
• Morrissey Central: "OPEN LETTER TO JOHNNY MARR." (January 25, 2022)

 

[Redacted]

I think this is more about Marr than Morrissey and I think Morrissey alluded to that in his open letter; this has nothing to do with him, none of it. This is why I think Morrissey is and will be ok. I think he put Johnny behind when Johnny left the Smiths. Morrissey had one rough night, got up, dusted himself off and went on with his life. refusing any an all offers to ever reunite the Smiths. This is not Johnny's choice, it's Morrissey's, he holds all the cards here and he is not playing. This enrages Johnny, who is very controlling, but completely blew it when he lost control of this. He is such a hothead, he ruined the rest of his life.

It's easy to see Johnny is an abuser and a bully and he probably is at home too, the proof is in Nile's behavior. He learned to abuse, so he abuses. That household must have been a nightmare to grow up in. All of his mentions of Angie are nothing more than to remind us he is a homphobe, that came through loud and clear in this last article.

 

[Redacted]

Aly and Ory, FFS you run a LePepe FB page
you should both wear paper bags over your head



Moz is trying by all possible means to get rid of the remora trying to shake him off his shoe. but the Pepe wont give way.
thats how your idol, LePepe thinks, that if Moz walks down the street he must be thinking about him, he is not right in his mind, this Pepe, so much is now obvious



WtF? your LePepPew fanboydom has made you post insanity
he held back Moz with the sucy and now we see how he was fired by many groups, including the mouse, the cribs, and electronic where Bernard, bless his twatto heart, finally gave him the boot



Self respect? the Pep? with wig and NOW HAS PAINTED ON EYEBROWS? what next the circus?
self respect???



Moz cant stand the twat cant you read his open letter? its like Moz throws him out the house and climbs in the window thinking Moz didnt really mean to throw him out he is not 100 percent there thats for sure

Moz is asking kindly for the Pep to get a life but he wont budge
he got nothing going but rubbering off Moz




career? he cant even sing so peeps can make out what he is doing!!
claims he sings like Patti Smith and Mick Jagger
hes doing 200 seats in the fing UK NOW at 60 yr old
Frank Sinatra he is not poor twat
he has no touch with reality hes gone gone gone

I love you

 

[Dean B]

Johnny Marr interview - The Times

Johnny Marr tells his side.

Johnny Marr interview: ‘I had to defend myself against Morrissey’

Fight or flight? Since Johnny Marr walked out on the Smiths in 1987 he has chosen the latter. He collaborated with countless artists, from the Pretenders to Mod

www.thetimes.co.uk

Excerpt:

A month on the guitarist explains his decision to come out fighting. “When you’re attacked out of the blue, particularly in public, you have to defend yourself. The letter was designed to be insulting, wasn’t it? That has to have been the idea. If it’s something that’s not based in fact, you have to react in kind, which is just” — he curls his lip — “with ridicule.” Tellingly, he doesn’t use the M word.

---

Related items:

• Johnny Marr responds to Morrissey's open letter via Twitter (January 26, 2022)
• Morrissey Central: "OPEN LETTER TO JOHNNY MARR." (January 25, 2022)

Truly delusional. The number of people who own or have heard your solo albums Johnny could fit comfortably on an old school bus.
Morrissey is an icon and you are an embarassment in skinny jeans.

 

[Joe Boredom]

Truly delusional. The number of people who own or have heard your solo albums Johnny could fit comfortably on an old school bus.
Morrissey is an icon and you are an embarassment in skinny jeans.

That's really hilarious, just as I was reading this, Johnny's new single "Night and Day" was playing on Radio 6. It's on their A List this week.

 

[The truth…]

I think Johnny should have left it, after that last interview. He saw that M was hurt He kind of eased up. That should have been it.

You though, and the posters like you, are know-nothing shit posters
What do YOU have? Don't live your life through M.
As if sticking up for him, makes you akin to him. Here's the news f***face, it doesn't
What have YOU done? f*** all I bet, which is why you get so worked up about this media fluff.

Morrissey quite obviously still cares about Johnny, otherwise, he wouldn't have said anything
When he doesn't care, he doesn't speak.

Johnny also made the best music of Morrissey's entire career with him.
Morrissey hasn't made one lp as good as his Smith's lps. Singles sure, not LPs - and he has been a solo player for around 35 years. He was in the smiths, what 4 years?
V iva was patchy, Vauhxaul overrated. the rest follow the 3 great songs, four ok ones 3 filler. Method

Johnny also has some self-respect, no begging Morrissey to come back, like Alain (who M, thinks is thick) or wearing a dress like Boz ( M thinks of as no more than a loyal hand) , or being a yes man creep like Jesse, (M thinks he's a drinking buddy , charity case. If he thinks Alain is dim, imagine what he thinks about Jesse)

It's only Johnny, who M loved, respected, and considered even close to equal and if you don't know that, you do not know much. Imagine, spending time back and forth shit posting about a person and defending another as if you know anything about anything.

Johnny , probably has more than M, could ever wish for. A successful career in music, respected, considered one of the best guitarists, and song writers ever. On top of that, he has the love of his wife, his kid, he has a team of friends who would come out to support him

The only people sticking up for M, are peoples whose livelihoods depend on it- his nephew, Jesse and Fiona.
Its a complete joke,

How do you get everything wrong?

Name 5 good Marr songs? NMe one good Marr album? Likely can’t because they don’t exist.

Also love Viva is as good as any Smiths album and Vauxhall can be debatable.

If you wrote and article about Johnny Marr most people would even know who that is unless you mention Morrissey, which is likely why he does.

Now here the truth…both Marr and Morrissey need to grow up. Without each other neither would be who thy are or have as much success. Get over yourselves and respect each other for their contributions to each other’s lives. Say sorry and talk good about each other in public is how it should be. Period.

 

[Joe Boredom]

How do you get everything wrong?

Name 5 good Marr songs? NMe one good Marr album? Likely can’t because they don’t exist.

Also love Viva is as good as any Smiths album and Vauxhall can be debatable.

If you wrote and article about Johnny Marr most people would even know who that is unless you mention Morrissey, which is likely why he does.

Now here the truth…both Marr and Morrissey need to grow up. Without each other neither would be who thy are or have as much success. Get over yourselves and respect each other for their contributions to each other’s lives. Say sorry and talk good about each other in public is how it should be. Period.

Why don't you listen to his latest album? There's 16 good songs on there.

Morrissey accused Johnny of something that he didn't do. Why shouldn't he defend himself? Free speech and all that, yeah?

 

[Lujissey]

I absolutely agree with Amy, Moz's letter is profound, it is an invitation to reflection, and there is no attack on Johnny in any stretch of the letter. Johnny is making a serious mistake with Morrissey, between the two there was a very strong connection the inspiration of each merged in each of the songs we hear from Smiths.Si Johnny wants Moz if he values him, he must call him and talk to him and leave the Ego aside

 

[Lujissey]

Johnny must leave the Ego Ego, and put into practice his "Spiritual Power and SOUL... instead of singing the song, those three words are tremendously powerful and Johnny only expresses himself with Ego Ego and more EGO. Also just because you're married to your girlfriend and having children doesn't mean someone is decent or happy, in fact I read a few days ago that Johnny Marr said he's not happy. People also talk about MoZ as if they were with him 24 hours a day, crazy!!!!!!?

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Did you read the entire article?

A month on the guitarist explains his decision to come out fighting. “When you’re attacked out of the blue, particularly in public, you have to defend yourself. The letter was designed to be insulting, wasn’t it? That has to have been the idea. If it’s something that’s not based in fact, you have to react in kind, which is just” — he curls his lip — “with ridicule.” Tellingly, he doesn’t use the M word.

“Look, it was about [his wanting] attention,” Marr continues, “and I’m getting a lot of it. I’ve got my new record coming out, and that’s getting attention too. All my solo records have. I just do what I do. I’ll just carry on being who I am.”

What is interesting about it is this is the first interview since that debacle and the first thing Marr does is starts talking about Morrissey.

It's the second interview, Johnny has given The reply he gave on Twatter and IG, were basic bitch replies.
"I'm above it"
However, the first actual interview he gave, was actually really quite nice and filled me full of hope

This interview, which he knows full well will get a wider audience is a nasty bit of work
Im not sure johnny even believes that which he says. Its almost as if he let himself get wound up by haters and so took it out on M

You know, I tend to think that's what he was like in the Smiths with M. Johnny knew M loved him and he had love for M and mainly he protected M but I get the impression he used and abused M's feelings.
Laughing at him with the lads, calling him Dorrissey etc etc , Knowing that M needed him as a buffer.
Knowing that he can blame M for everything, an easy target. I think it was prob like that with Junky jake and M as well.
When they are together its all close and bonding, as soon as another "lad" entered the room Johnny prob swanned off, making M feel lonely and isolated and a spectre of ridicule

Johnny is Biden, pretending he has no idea why M (Putin) has reacted like this, forgetting he has been extracting the urine for decades.

 

[Lujissey]

Moz I'm with you supporting you against any unfair attack, Johnny Marr is getting carried away by his ego, and he will regret it!! That's guaranteed! I hope that when he realizes it won't be too late. The ego thinks of the "I" and separation, and the SOUL thinks of "WE" AND UNITY... !!!!! THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND,

 

[Lujissey]

Vegan you are Damon??? Or are you the same Moz? If you are MOZ, then I love you!!!!?? As simple as that. Love for my !!! Moz

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Is Morrissey working with Miley? No.

No BUT Morrissey did work with KY, who bless her, only got where she is (where is she?) due to sleeping with an OAP, and an OAP who himself leaches off Bowie's corpse. like a cockroach. I'd suggest Johnny's team-up - which was for a Bond film, is the better choice
I think M, would love to freak out, ala Shirley Bassey for a Bond film- a British institution, not too far off from European song contest cool, in SPM's "1960s English cool mindset"

I think this is more about Marr than Morrissey and I think Morrissey alluded to that in his open letter; this has nothing to do with him, none of it. This is why I think Morrissey is and will be ok. I think he put Johnny behind when Johnny left the Smiths. Morrissey had one rough night, got up, dusted himself off and went on with his life. refusing any an all offers to ever reunite the Smiths. This is not Johnny's choice, it's Morrissey's, he holds all the cards here and he is not playing. This enrages Johnny, who is very controlling, but completely blew it when he lost control of this. He is such a hothead, he ruined the rest of his life.

It's easy to see Johnny is an abuser and a bully and he probably is at home too, the proof is in Nile's behavior. He learned to abuse, so he abuses. That household must have been a nightmare to grow up in. All of his mentions of Angie are nothing more than to remind us he is a homphobe, that came through loud and clear in this last article.

I don't mean to be rude, but do you not know much about M, the smiths etc?
You know there is interview after interview going up to about 1991, where he spoke about wanting to get back with Johnny.
Most people in the Smiths orbit said M was devastated that Johnny left . That "one rough night" lasted at least 4 years, and after that, you could still tell he was bitter that it ended, years and years later, he would sit and lament, it was't his choice the smiths ended and he thought they could have been massive "like Queen"

He must of entertained the thought, of working with Johnny, otherwise, he wouldn't have gone off with Johnny and talked about reforming

You are correct its M's choice not to get back together, but its Johnny's choice they split, so it's 1 all


The thing that surprises me, is that people are surprised Johnny is talking about M
It's the Jurno's not him and I expect that was part of the point of the "open letter" to get people talking about M as usual its kind of backfired

Also Who said M didn't send the letter to the NME, about Johnny leaving? That is a classic M move, he's been caught doing loads of stuff like that.

I am camp M NOT camp JM if i had to choose - or maybe I'm just camp
But it was pretty low , all that trying to release Arns around Paris as a charity song.. So, lets not pretend M, is purer than pure

 

[Surface]

I am going by this, which is in the article in this thread. Which other interview are you talking about?


Sitting in his manager’s HQ in north London, Marr is clearly conscious that discussing Morrissey risks adding fuel to the fire. This is his first interview since their very public spat last month, and when the subject comes up Marr’s normally sunny demeanour changes; his expression is less amiable interlocutor and more jut-jawed pugilist.

I think whoever or whatever Johnny is, he is a petty man with anger issues and no sense of loyalty to anyone. If a person has to repeatedly tell you how chill and loyal they are, they are neither of those things.
I had mentioned a few weeks ago that a friend of mine who has worked with a lot of bands told me years ago that Johnny was a rather unpleasant person and Morrissey was really actually pretty normal. I didn't really believe what she said about Johnny because he really didn't seem that way, but wow I see it now.
This was a sucker punch, it was an act of thuggery, it was low class and no one with a full formed conscience would do something like this. I think Johnny needs some psychiatric help.
I also think this is why his ventures with other bands and people are so short, they know him but they don't speak out about him because who really wants the hassle of being his target. I wonder if people are rethinking their association with him because who would want to be associated with this mess.

Marr lives around here, lots of people know him and everyone knows he's a decent guy. You pap on about other bands, yet he's still mates with Bernard and often joins him on stage or vice versa , only last week he was posting messages about the Modest Mouse tour and in 2018 he and Matt Johnson released a version of Summer In The City.

You may not like the guy but that's no reason to resort to telling lies about him.

 

[Lujissey]

VIVA MOZUCHISSSSSSSS VIVA BONFIRE

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

I can't be

I am going by this, which is in the article in this thread. Which other interview are you talking about?


Sitting in his manager’s HQ in north London, Marr is clearly conscious that discussing Morrissey risks adding fuel to the fire. This is his first interview since their very public spat last month, and when the subject comes up Marr’s normally sunny demeanour changes; his expression is less amiable interlocutor and more jut-jawed pugilist.

I think whoever or whatever Johnny is, he is a petty man with anger issues and no sense of loyalty to anyone. If a person has to repeatedly tell you how chill and loyal they are, they are neither of those things.
I had mentioned a few weeks ago that a friend of mine who has worked with a lot of bands told me years ago that Johnny was a rather unpleasant person and Morrissey was really actually pretty normal. I didn't really believe what she said about Johnny because he really didn't seem that way, but wow I see it now.
This was a sucker punch, it was an act of thuggery, it was low class and no one with a fully formed conscience would do something like this. I think Johnny needs some psychiatric help.
I also think this is why his ventures with other bands and people are so short, they know him but they don't speak out about him because who really wants the hassle of being his target. I wonder if people are rethinking their association with him because who would want to be associated with this mess.

I can't be mithered to get a link.
someone else can, but he was speaking to someone just the other week and it was posted on here..

At least I think it was an interview .. Unless he was just coming out of Lidl and someone Vox Popped him

 

[Redacted]

I can't be

I can't be mithered to get a link.
someone else can, but he was speaking to someone just the other week and it was posted on here..

At least I think it was an interview .. Unless he was just coming out of Lidl and someone Vox Popped him

Ok, so in the future dont make claims you wont prove, and now I know exactly how to read your other post to me I doubt I will be responding to you anymore and I am going to delete my other post to you because, well I see what you're about here.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

I did not read the interviews you speak of but I saw documentaries and read other interviews/material that express what I posted. I find these people to be credible sources and you can just believe as you wish, I am not here to change anyone's mind.
I've been attacked several times lately just for expressing my opinion and while I do not respond in kind because........who cares? I really do not wish to get into arguments with people so we can agree to disagree on this.
I think people are "attacking you" becuase you are lying

A few of us, do not agree with Johnny and feel for M. However, we do not feel the need to make up lies about a man who has given us joy with his music.

If you have read and watched lots of stuff. YOU MUST KNOW you are lying. Just go an pick a handful of interviews from around 87 to 91

There are people who live in Mancheter and they will tell you Johnny is liked.and respected.
They are not lying

Why not just leave it M can be a dick, Johnny can be a dick ?
You may feel better if you did

 

[Anonymous]

I always thought Johnny Marr was a pretentious little turd. His tunes are nice little riffs repeated over and over that Morrissey miraculously turned into utter gems. Listen to the instrumental of You Just Haven’t Earned it Yet, Baby and marvel at Morrissey’s talent in turning out the finished article.
Those that do are judged by those who tried and found they couldn’t do.

This seems a really strange song to pick?! You could have easily chosen something like 'Rusholme Ruffians', which doesn't stand up at all as an instrumental - but this track is a flat out banger, with or without vocals!

 

[The.Truth.]

Hating Johnny Marr is so much more fun than talking about Morrissey's political opinions. I want to thank Morrissey for getting this ball rolling.

 

[Anonymous]

There are two sorts of people who visit this site now: those who hate Morrissey and slag him off, and those who hate Johnny Marr and slag him off. It's just one endles bitchfest going round in circles trying to score points and getting nowhere. At this point I'm not even sure anyone actually likes either artist, or has anything positive to say.