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)

 

[Surface]

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.

Don't agree with that, there are a few that like both, however they are the minority.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Johnny Marr interview: ‘I had to defend myself against Morri$$ey’ - thetimes.co.uk​

 

[Deleted member 30524]

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.

I like them both.
And I can have both.
Your correct with the bitchfest though ....
Your also right about point scoring childishness.

My view is that Moz and Marr

Want their 4cking heads
Banged together....
These petty Squabbles are pathetic
When you see displaced people in Europe fleeing for their lives .

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

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

Believe this is the first published interview since the open letter.

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.

I know you’re just trying to be clever again, but there’s no need to be comparing Marr or Morrissey to these fuucking people, it’s not cool. What’s going on in the world right now is so disgusting.

 

[Lord P]

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.

All these posts about Johnny are a result of absolutely nothing going on with Moz. It’s really sad. If Johnny didn’t mention him, there’d be nothing to talk about.

 

[Surface]

I like them both.
And I can have both.
Your correct with the bitchfest though ....
Your also right about point scoring childishness.

My view is that Moz and Marr

Want their 4cking heads
Banged together....
These petty Squabbles are pathetic
When you see displaced people in Europe fleeing for their lives .

Same here Baz, I go to see them both live and buy both of their albums, no idea why people have to be so shitty about one or the other. Funnily enough it popped up on my FB memories yesterday that it was 4 years ago since I saw Morrissey in Birmingham.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Same here Baz, I go to see them both live and buy both of their albums, no idea why people have to be so shitty about one or the other. Funnily enough it popped up on my FB memories yesterday that it was 4 years ago since I saw Morrissey in Birmingham.

View attachment 79520

I’ve only heard a couple of songs from Johnny’s latest stuff, I’ll listen at the weekend with a few coors
Make a proper night of it
Looks like the place was packed

 

[Surface]

I’ve only heard a couple of songs from Johnny’s latest stuff, I’ll listen at the weekend with a few coors
Make a proper night of it
Looks like the place was packed

Yes it was, just a few spaces right at the back. I went to see Echo & The Bunnymen for their 2nd Manchester Albert Hall gig on Friday night, I've avoided Covid up to now by being careful but I'm convinced Fridays gig was over sold, so half expecting to test positive this week!!

Seen Johnny play 2 nights at this place as well, it's a great venue.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

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.

do you know that you are not allowed to even post about Moz in the Aly and Ory s "LePepe is God" stupid FB cult page? He doesnt exist. There Pep is like The Beatles a superstar, when in the real musical world he is unknown

he has inferiority issues
hes taken now to plucking and painting the eyebrows

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Yes it was, just a few spaces right at the back. I went to see Echo & The Bunnymen for their 2nd Manchester Albert Hall gig on Friday night, I've avoided Covid up to now by being careful but I'm convinced Fridays gig was over sold, so half expecting to test positive this week!!

Seen Johnny play 2 nights at this place as well, it's a great venue.

Seems like a cracking venue, where was it ?
Ian still sounds great as well

 

[Dean B]

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.

Radio 6? Who listens to radio anymore? I respect Johnny as a musician....but when The Smiths broke up most realized it was Morrissey that was the essential element. Morrissey went many many years holding his tongue about Johnny...and now that the Estsblishment despises him, he has to watch Johnny get attention for swiping at him. Over here, the ONLY articles that pop up in feeds are about what he says about Morrissey.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

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.

that must have been a nightmare, in portland.
tiny poor dwelling, small amounts of food. barely any money.

everybody inside Walmart staring at the fam, with

leading the way with the wig and the eyebrows and JR with the hairs sticking straight up. Shopping for
bird feed and broke up pieces of corn.

then the cribs without a simple ceremony, kicking out

 

[Surface]

Seems like a cracking venue, where was it ?
Ian still sounds great as well

Albert Hall Manchester, lots of bands seem to doing 2 nights there rather than the Apollo nowadays.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

Radio 6? Who listens to radio anymore? I respect Johnny as a musician....but when The Smiths broke up most realized it was Morrissey that was the essential element. Morrissey went many many years holding his tongue about Johnny...and now that the Estsblishment despises him, he has to watch Johnny get attention for swiping at him. Over here, the ONLY articles that pop up in feeds are about what he says about Morrissey.

very learned exposition.
its like LePepe is out finding ways of getting Moz attention, while Moz has been ignoring him for many years.

why doesnt he concentrate on the mouse group or bryan ferry or bernard and talk about them. what they wear, their politics, why they booted him out etc.
he has been booted out of every group hes been in FFS

 

[Joe Boredom]

Radio 6? Who listens to radio anymore? I respect Johnny as a musician....but when The Smiths broke up most realized it was Morrissey that was the essential element. Morrissey went many many years holding his tongue about Johnny...and now that the Estsblishment despises him, he has to watch Johnny get attention for swiping at him. Over here, the ONLY articles that pop up in feeds are about what he says about Morrissey.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Morrissey is only in the news because of Johnny.

 

[Angry White Male]

What a freaking snake.. So we just step over all the great work Morrissey has done.. every single record a classic....

MARR HAS DONE NOTHING!! NOTHING! what an idiot... look at the press so eager to condemm a working class white man for having a working class opinion. THEY REALLY DO WANT US GONE>AWAY>SNUFFED. Never forget NOBODY LOVES US.

 

[Surface]

Radio 6? Who listens to radio anymore? I respect Johnny as a musician....but when The Smiths broke up most realized it was Morrissey that was the essential element. Morrissey went many many years holding his tongue about Johnny...and now that the Estsblishment despises him, he has to watch Johnny get attention for swiping at him. Over here, the ONLY articles that pop up in feeds are about what he says about Morrissey.

Lots of people, Johnny is also on the Radio 2 playlist this week. Radio 2 attracts 14.6 million listeners per week.

BBC Radio 2 is still No. 1 with a weekly reach of 14.6m listeners

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Morrissey is only in the news because of Johnny.

Correct. Because the little twat has no life of his own, but exists thru Moz.

its like his new super suco album is a Moz one, all anyone cares about Moz, who is the superstar, where LePepe was but a minor sidekick like Kato, 35 yrs ago.

There is nothing Moz can do for the twerp to quit living thru him. the Pepe goes 'pugilistic' if you try to stop him.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

What a freaking snake.. So we just step over all the great work Morrissey has done.. every single record a classic....

MARR HAS DONE NOTHING!! NOTHING! what an idiot... look at the press so eager to condemm a working class white man for having a working class opinion. THEY REALLY DO WANT US GONE>AWAY>SNUFFED. Never forget NOBODY LOVES US.

by the way you express yourself, the readership are going to think you are surfboard

not a good thing.

 

[Truth]

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?

I will try it, but heard the last two and they were unlistenable.
Morrissey did not accuse Marr if something he didn’t do. Marr basically said everyone is great but Morrissey. Also it is true that Marr usually sends Morrissey a good dig in his interviews while I have never seen Morrissey dig Marr at all.
Matt can do what he likes, but a grown man would recognize there time tighter was pivotal, important and life changing and treat it as such. Whether Marr likes Morrissey or not, respect should be there.