Johnny Marr on chances of working with Morrissey in the future - Steve Wright show (February 28, 2022)

It was a strange little interview on Steve Wright on Radio 2 this afternoon, with Johnny. Aside from Steve mentioning The Smiths once at the very start, in his intro about Johnny, they were not mentioned at all, even when Johnny was talking about his early years as a musician, etc. And then there was a brief exchange near the end that went something like this:

Steve Wright: Now, are you OK with me asking you the question that you probably don't want me to ask you about? You know the one.
Johnny: Sure, go for it.
Steve Wright: When did you last talk to Morrissey, or have any contact with him?
Johnny: I guess, 18 years ago. Maybe 15?
Steve Wright: Wow. And so, what are the chances of you ever maybe working together in the future?
Johnny: Zero.

And that was that.

---

Clarification (March 1, 2022):
The exact wording of Steve's question to Johnny was:

"So what do you see in the future for any kind of personal professional relationship with Morrissey? Could that ever happen?"

To which Johnny replied: "Oh let me think about that...zero?" (cue laughter)

 

[The Wild Turkey]

Ya woulda thought that Johnny's pseudo spirituality woulda
brought him some peace.
Instead it's got'em thinkin' in absolutes.

 

[Jerry Hammers]

Isn't that the curious thing? M puts up with Marrs crap for years , often Marr has stuck up for M , to be fair
They have worked together on Smiths rereleases
we know they met to talk about working together. We know M is the king of the media wind up merchants

Anyone could have guessed if M did the Open Letter, lots would have gone on Marrs side. So, why the letter now?
Sure it could be M has had enough, he is even more sensitive than normal, as his mum passed.
The latest comments about Johnny getting on with all the people he has worked with, apart from M and that M isn't the best writer he has worked with could have been a step too far

It could be when M , turned down the chance to work with Marr again, M's career was still going, quite well. There was still some "come back magic " to it Lots of people respected him, not liked but respected.
That isn't the case now, not to the same degree. So, maybe M's mum died. Marr and M started talking and they came up with this great Stones/Beatles rivalry, that's leads to them getting back together

Maybe not but also maybe ?

I wish. Which one of them said their seeming antagonism in years past was them playing a game with the press?

 

[Vegan. Cro. Spirit 444]

the last Moz album sold 17 000 worldwide in the first week with 0 promotion
superstars dont prostitute themselves


LePep has 7001 with a R0n Popeil spray on hair campaign
7000 in the UK and the rest in the rest of the

luckily for LePepe he had 0 fanbase to lose

 

[Amy]

I wish. Which one of them said their seeming antagonism in years past was them playing a game with the press?

Johnny said the press played a game with them.

 

[marred]

Amazing song so sad that Moz and Marr will never perform together again.

That's only sad if you're five years old and Morrissey and Marr are your divorced parents.

 

[Redacted]

That's only sad if you're five years old and Morrissey and Marr are your divorced parents.

I agree, it's so strange

 

[Redacted]

Still not talking about Morrissey huh Marr?

Never thought I’d say this:
Morrissey was right to send that open letter. The fans are right.
You honestly are a bit if a twat.

I am in some Smiths fan groups and the sentiment is overwhelmingly against Johnny, a lot of people saying they were fans of his til this, this was too much

 

[Redacted]

My god this guy cannot help himself. It's as if he's slipped all the interviewers a note saying

- "Go ahead and make sure you ask me Morrissey related questions. I'll take 'em all."

Oh an btw hands up whoever thought these two were A. ever going to work together again and B. Wanted to work together again?

I didnt think they wanted to work together again or would, so I don't think Johnny made any sort of decision here, it had been made already.

 

[Cashew Is King]

I didnt think they wanted to work together again or would, so I don't think Johnny made any sort of decision here, it had been made already.

You think? Moz decided to work with Alain again, that was a surprise!

 

[Ugly Devil]

It was a strange little interview on Steve Wright on Radio 2 this afternoon, with Johnny. Aside from Steve mentioning The Smiths once at the very start, in his intro about Johnny, they were not mentioned at all, even when Johnny was talking about his early years as a musician, etc. And then there was a brief exchange near the end that went something like this:

Steve Wright: Now, are you OK with me asking you the question that you probably don't want me to ask you about? You know the one.
Johnny: Sure, go for it.
Steve Wright: When did you last talk to Morrissey, or have any contact with him?
Johnny: I guess, 18 years ago. Maybe 15?
Steve Wright: Wow. And so, what are the chances of you ever maybe working together in the future?
Johnny: Zero.

And that was that.

---

Clarification (March 1, 2022):
The exact wording of Steve's question to Johnny was:

"So what do you see in the future for any kind of personal professional relationship with Morrissey? Could that ever happen?"

To which Johnny replied: "Oh let me think about that...zero?" (cue laughter)

Johnny will forever live in the shadow of Morrissey. More or less every interview he's participated in mentions Morrissey. How many times is Johnny mentioned when Morrissey is interviewed? Exactly, sad really.

 

[Dennis]

Moz has had no interest in working with The Pep for 30 odd years FFS
why would Moz want to work with the Pepe? its not like
he is in great demand

Moz works with good musicians now FFS

A M&M gig would be grand, it's obvious that both still have a lot of respect for the Smiths music that's why they continue to play the music, it wouldn't be surprised if they just got into the same room together and started with the music that things wouldn't fall back into place, just a thought

 

[Redacted]

the last Moz album sold 17 000 worldwide in the first week with 0 promotion
superstars dont prostitute themselves


LePep has 7001 with a R0n Popeil spray on hair campaign
7000 in the UK and the rest in the rest of the

luckily for LePepe he had 0 fanbase to lose

R0n Popeil
Tiny LePepe has tiny sales, I don't know how anyone can even talk about it like it's a good thing without being embarassed

 

[SeniorLife]

Why the Hatred for Johnny Marr?

I met him a few years ago at a Little Barrie gig in Manchester and he was a very nice guy.
Very polite, courteous and engaging (Never once mentioned Mr Morrissey).

To suggest he is of little talent and was carried by Morrissey is nothing short of stupid.
Not the greatest lyricist, granted but then, Morrissey isn't the greatest guitarist.

Reading the Marr-bashing comments online leaves me bewildered.

I don't hate Mozzer but he seems to be the one berating people left, right and centre - What has Johnny done to upset everybody?

Reading these posts is a bit like listening to children in the schoolyard.

‘Never once mentioned Mr. Morrissey’
*He was not promoting a new record to you.

’Not the greatest lyricist, granted but then, Morrissey isn’t the greatest guitarist’
*Morrissey isn’t playing (trying) to play the guitar.

That was almost too easy.

 

[El Stevo]

‘Never once mentioned Mr. Morrissey’
*He was not promoting a new record to you.

’Not the greatest lyricist, granted but then, Morrissey isn’t the greatest guitarist’
*Morrissey isn’t playing (trying) to play the guitar.

That was almost too easy.

Whatever .

I ask again, Why the hatred of JM?

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

A M&M gig would be grand, it's obvious that both still have a lot of respect for the Smiths music that's why they continue to play the music, it wouldn't be surprised if they just got into the same room together and started with the music that things wouldn't fall back into place, just a thought

Moz is not going to go into a room with a
besides LePepe is mediocre having but one riff
that he uses on all the sucy songs from the suco albums

better to do albums with Bernard and the computer chip

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

R0n Popeil
Tiny LePepe has tiny sales, I don't know how anyone can even talk about it like it's a good thing without being embarassed

and half are up on discogs
one thing to make review another to actually listen to it
10 cds sold per podcast/blog interview
plus the 50 from that dumb record store, most of
those sitting idle on ebay since the LePepe simple minded
fans dont understand that a Pepe autograph reduced value
in an item

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Why the Hatred for Johnny Marr?

I met him a few years ago at a Little Barrie gig in Manchester and he was a very nice guy.
Very polite, courteous and engaging (Never once mentioned Mr Morrissey).

To suggest he is of little talent and was carried by Morrissey is nothing short of stupid.
Not the greatest lyricist, granted but then, Morrissey isn't the greatest guitarist.

Reading the Marr-bashing comments online leaves me bewildered.

I don't hate Mozzer but he seems to be the one berating people left, right and centre - What has Johnny done to upset everybody?

Reading these posts is a bit like listening to children in the schoolyard.

I agree, its not at all surprising though, I mean this is called Morrissey Solo , not Smiths-Grouped
It happens on lots of band websites.
Beatles ones often have anti-Paul posts etc . On Suede ones, you get lots of anti BB comments

To suggest Marr has no to little talent is just stupid and it invalidates, everything else these people say.
Especially when you think of M's other fellow songwriters- Alain,Boz and Jesse. All of them, far from great players and songwriters, Certainly. not as talented or intelligent as Johnny.
None of them are really known outside the Morrissey world, either.

Johnny has managed to be a very well known figure which is hard for group members that were not the front person.

Jesse and Alain and boz do not just butcher Smiths songs, either. Can you remember the hatchet job they did on Suede Insatiable Ones . awful.

Still, Johnny isn't quite the "Mr Nice Guy" he likes to make out.
Before Johnny got Electronic together, he went up to Hooky, and asked him to be in the band.
Hooky said no. So he then asked Bernard
When Hooky told Bernard that Johnny tried to steal him away, Johnny denied it , right in front of Hookys face

Also, at this point, Johnny could say "no more M related questions" in his interviews.
However, maybe he just thinks ' ok, M handed me a gift. It helps me so I will run with it"

Its sad to watch Johnny pretend he hasn't been taking potshots at M for years.- its got way way worse, since he decided M was "toxic"

 

[rubbersoul]

I agree, its not at all surprising though, I mean this is called Morrissey Solo , not Smiths-Grouped
It happens on lots of band websites.
Beatles ones often have anti-Paul posts etc . On Suede ones, you get lots of anti BB comments

To suggest Marr has no to little talent is just stupid and it invalidates, everything else these people say.
Especially when you think of M's other fellow songwriters- Alain,Boz and Jesse. All of them, far from great players and songwriters, Certainly. not as talented or intelligent as Johnny.
None of them are really known outside the Morrissey world, either.

Johnny has managed to be a very well known figure which is hard for group members that were not the front person.

Jesse and Alain and boz do not just butcher Smiths songs, either. Can you remember the hatchet job they did on Suede Insatiable Ones . awful.

Still, Johnny isn't quite the "Mr Nice Guy" he likes to make out.
Before Johnny got Electronic together, he went up to Hooky, and asked him to be in the band.
Hooky said no. So he then asked Bernard
When Hooky told Bernard that Johnny tried to steal him away, Johnny denied it , right in front of Hookys face

Also, at this point, Johnny could say "no more M related questions" in his interviews.
However, maybe he just thinks ' ok, M handed me a gift. It helps me so I will run with it"

Its sad to watch Johnny pretend he hasn't been taking potshots at M for years.- its got way way worse, since he decided M was "toxic"

Did you really just claim that Alain and Boz are not great songwriters?? Trying to minimise Johnny Marr's talent is stupid, you're right, as is trying to diminish Morrissey's other collaborators' talents and contributions. And of course Johnny Marr is a known figure, he was in The f***ing Smiths!

 

[Anonymous]

I agree, its not at all surprising though, I mean this is called Morrissey Solo , not Smiths-Grouped
It happens on lots of band websites.
Beatles ones often have anti-Paul posts etc . On Suede ones, you get lots of anti BB comments

To suggest Marr has no to little talent is just stupid and it invalidates, everything else these people say.
Especially when you think of M's other fellow songwriters- Alain,Boz and Jesse. All of them, far from great players and songwriters, Certainly. not as talented or intelligent as Johnny.
None of them are really known outside the Morrissey world, either.

Johnny has managed to be a very well known figure which is hard for group members that were not the front person.

Jesse and Alain and boz do not just butcher Smiths songs, either. Can you remember the hatchet job they did on Suede Insatiable Ones . awful.

Still, Johnny isn't quite the "Mr Nice Guy" he likes to make out.
Before Johnny got Electronic together, he went up to Hooky, and asked him to be in the band.
Hooky said no. So he then asked Bernard
When Hooky told Bernard that Johnny tried to steal him away, Johnny denied it , right in front of Hookys face

Also, at this point, Johnny could say "no more M related questions" in his interviews.
However, maybe he just thinks ' ok, M handed me a gift. It helps me so I will run with it"

Its sad to watch Johnny pretend he hasn't been taking potshots at M for years.- its got way way worse, since he decided M was "toxic"

Regarding talking about Morrissey, I saw a recent interview with Johnny where he said if someone asks him a question in good faith, he's going to answer it. He said he's not like Prince, he's not going to take questions behind a beaded curtain. I mean, if he feels like answering a question, let him. Why should Morrissey constrain what Johnny should say. Would Morrissey operate under such a constraint? I hardly think so, Morrissey is about speaking one's mind freely.