Johnny Marr's Management response to Morrissey's allegations (September 17, 2024)

A statement from Johnny Marr's management:

Recent statements made by Morrissey on his website regarding the trademark of
The Smiths' name are incorrect.

Here are the facts:

In 2018, following an attempt by a third party to use The Smiths' name - and upon
discovery that the trademark was not owned by the band - Marr reached out to
Morrissey, via his representatives, to work together in protecting The Smiths' name.

A failure to respond led Marr to register the trademark himself.
It was subsequently agreed with Morrissey's lawyers that this trademark was held
for the mutual benefit of Morrissey & Marr.

As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an assignment of joint
ownership to Morrissey. Execution of this document still requires Morrissey to sign.

In the interests of accuracy and clarity regarding the trademark, and to answer
recent reports that Marr ignored a promoter's offer to tour as The Smiths, Marr says:

"To prevent third parties from profiting from the band's name, it was left to me
to protect the legacy. This I have done on behalf of both myself and my former
bandmates."

"As for the offer to tour, I didn't ignore the offer - I said no."

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.

---

Related items:

• Morrissey Central: "THE PLOT THICKENS" - September 15, 2024
• Morrissey Central: "SMITHS NOT OK" - September 11, 2024
• Morrissey Central: "WAR IS OLD, ART IS YOUNG" - August 29, 2024

 

[Phranc & Open]

For me, the only thing left to do, would be to bow down completely to Johnny Marr. Admitting that he is personally in poor health and artistically not up to his best + that he wants to work with him again and that he is truly sorry for many things.
This will not happen.
Sorry seems to be the hardest word.
Sings Elton's head lonely, offered on a plate.

 

[The Alchemist]

In the past, when Moz has been proven wrong or proven to have told lies, he just goes quiet. What else can he do? 'Own' the mistake (too proud), refuse to accept that it is a mistake (futile) or just hope it all goes away. When the real situation with Bonfire was revealed on Twitter, Moz couldn't respond. He had to admit that he'd bought it back. He tried to change the subject. He just runs away.

You're right, but he runs away with a grudge (Bowie, for example)

The steadfast unwillingness to let things go is significant. It adds another layer of defence, another layer of armour, but it also adds to the toxic cocktail that can destroy you from within.

That's why I see so much of Sebastian Flyte in him.

 

[The Alchemist]

His self-sabotaging tendencies has always spoken to me in a way since I have self-harmed before and while it didn't achieved anything truly beneficial, it always did gave me a sense of relief and control. I don't want to speculate on behalf of him but it does strikes a chord I'm familiar with. This is a bit TMI I know, but thank god for anonymous, right

So sorry to hear that. To you and anyone else who has ever felt the need to do that - it's not your fault.

 

[Gray Fruit]

Never take advice from Gene Simmons!

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey is pissed because he’s broke. He can’t get a record deal and will never again after all these fiascos. He wanted to hit the jackpot with the smiths reunion.

 

[theprivilegeismine]

Somebody stop me
From thinking
From thinking all the time?
So deeply, so bleakly
From thinking all the time

So deeply/bleakly is one issue whereas so delusionally is quite another... Somehow M manages all three spectacularly of late.

 

[Lujan369]

Not sure if this is relevant, but - according to Johnny's statement, the joint ownership document for Morrissey to co-sign was sent to his representatives in January 2024. At that time, Moz was in Zurich, receiving 'medical supervision' for exhaustion. This was also just before he got new management, so he may not have had a formal manager at the time. Is it possible that he was unreachable as a result of that - and this is why he didn't know?

No, from what I read from what Johnny M said it was communicated once and there was no response so J acted and communicated to M's lawyers that he registered the name "The Smiths", and there was no response either M or his representative ..... Another mistake is poorly advised, or he is leaving his career in the hands of an enemy, or he has gone mad. Lamentable. He was again in a very complicated situation ....

 

[Young And Alive]

I wonder what will happened if I skipped out on a few days of reading moz-solo.

"A world war was announce
Days ago
But they didn't know
The lazy sunbathers"

I envy those with drama-free favourite singers/bands. But this is way more interesting and eventful I supposed than those bland popstars

I think only Bucks Fizz have had more drama than Morrissey and Marr.

 

[Young And Alive]

Reminds me a bit of that spiegel interview
Moz denied that he’d said what was printed and said the tape needed to be released
Spiegel - hold my beer

The most counter productive releasing of tapes since Watergate.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Difference is Marr has an established social media presence and sometimes responds himself. A lot of people are probably badgering him and waiting for his response anyway. Morrissey just uses his website and left his social media manager(?) to pick up the pieces on FB and IG. To his detriment I admit. That's not really much of a brag that you think it is though.

I don’t think he meant it as a brag . I think he meant if M is trying to push a narrative, he’s lost . As more people have seen Marrs response and nobody takes M seriously sadly for him
it gets to the point with M , where you know he is lying and as much as you love him and want keep following, you just can’t muster up enough fantasy to live in his make believe world

 

[Young And Alive]

What seems strange to me is why Johnny apparently wants Morrissey to sign this assignment of joint ownership (asking him to sign it in January 2024, six whole years after the trademark was registered) yet refuses to work with him in any other shape or form.

You can wish to have shared custody of your kids with your ex. It doesn't mean you want to remarry them.

 

[Famous when dead]

Currently 1.1k replies to Marr's FB post.
A lot of Janus-faced "super" fans putting on gymnastic displays.
Clearly not as conflicted as they were the day before...
FWD.

(Add X version: 15.3k s and comments off).

 

[Ashley_TakeABow]

Well, Marr has certainly responded well, leaving Moz with little else but to shut up. If only he was the bigger man and say something nice!

I will not change
and I will not "be nice"!

 

[Ashley_TakeABow]

Ooof. Not looking so good for 'ol Mozzybear.
I wonder though... what will be said next?
Apology? Argument/rebuttal? Nothing?

...I see a grim future ahead.
I hope I'm wrong.
Either way, I'm here for it -- Sideline bound.

 

[JerryCan]

As has been said many times before - he doesn't do confrontation, because this is what happens. Maybe time out cooling his heels for a bit would be a good idea. Focus on the up coming shows.
Johnny showed how it's done, apparently all while busy gearing up to perform too.
If not a proper apology maybe just a statement just saying "mistakes were made" would help. We all know who by.

 

[hand in glove]

Marr always thinks it’s his responsibility to save anything Smiths related. And I don’t think he really started caring until the word “legend” was attached to the Smiths name. Let’s not forget Johnny is the one who broke up the Smiths…to do bigger and better things. Well, that didn’t work out, but he gave Morrissey a golden opportunity. So there, I’m tired of the back and forth. It’s only about money, anyway. They both have issues and they need to work this out privately. .

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

As has been said many times before - he doesn't do confrontation, because this is what happens. Maybe time out cooling his heels for a bit would be a good idea. Focus on the up coming shows.
Johnny showed how it's done, apparently all while busy gearing up to perform too.

If not a proper apology maybe just a statement just saying "mistakes were made" would help. We all know who by.

Yeah. Maybe M will post a statement through his management too.

 

[Skylarker]

So...let's see.

Morrissey was correct and honest regarding his claim that Johnny refused a reunion.

Morrissey was correct and honest regarding his claim that Johnny nixed a new official compilation.

Morrissey was, however, a bit misleading (more likely uninformed) regarding the trademark issue, however let's be honest. Marr clearly couldn't give less of a shit about Morrissey or The Smiths. The whole "offer of joint ownership" thing isn't some altruistic olive branch. Big whoop, he conceded that Morrissey was half entitled to the name. Wow, how big of him. In the meantime he knows full well Morrissey can't do anything with it unless he approves...which clearly he isn't going to.

So essentially it comes down to the same thing. Morrissey is spinning his wheels unable to do anything with the name or the legacy while Johnny is a passive aggressive, bitter little bitch obsessed with power.

 

[bored]

Morrissey is coming off looking like a complete maniac in this whole ordeal.

Which is true for all the ordeals he reports in absolute incomplete ways.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Morrissey is pissed because he’s broke. He can’t get a record deal and will never again after all these fiascos. He wanted to hit the jackpot with the smiths reunion.

I don't doubt that his current situation (no record deal - 2 unreleased albums) factors into his willingness to reunite when he never seemed interested before.