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

 

[Thewlis]

The open letter of 2022 cemented that damage.

One would think so, and yet Marr reached out to Morrissey in January 2024 to sign an assignment of joint ownership.

 

[dallow_bg]

True, but Morrissey declined the former in 2018 and still Marr asked him again this year, so apparently he would like to share ownership.

Then what would shared ownership entail if not working together on future releases or projects?

One would think so, and yet Marr reached out to Morrissey in January 2024 to sign an assignment of joint ownership.

Because Marr is the bigger person. He knows he doesn't really own "THE SMITHS". He's just taking care of it.

 

[Surface]

Morrisseys version if events has had

Has anyone done a welfare check on Fiona?
FWD.

Someone posted this in response to her original tweet.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, what will Morrissey’s new manager do after this statement? He's still there, or?

Based on recent evidence I expect more childish social media digs from Morrissey, either directly or drip-fed via the likes of Sam and Fiona - showing how triumphant his 'nearly sold out' tour is, compared to Johnny's pitiful support slots. Something to make him feel like he is the victor in all this mess.

 

[dallow_bg]

Morrissey in 2022:
The fact is: you don’t know me. You know nothing of my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings. Yet you talk as if you were my personal psychiatrist with consistent and uninterrupted access to my instincts. We haven’t known each other for 35 years - which is many lifetimes ago. When we met you and I were not successful. We both helped each other become whatever it is we are today. Can you not just leave it at that? Must you persistently, year after year, decade after decade, blame me for everything … from the 2007 Solomon Islands tsunami to the dribble on your grandma’s chin ?

Morrissey in 2024:
Johnny baby! What's the haps?
Let's do a tour! Money in the bag!

 

[Kenmare]

View attachment 111517

---

Related items:

• Morrissey Central: "THE PLOT THICKENS" - September 15, 2024
• Morrissey Central: "WAR IS OLD, ART IS YOUNG" - August 29, 2024

The whole thing is doublespeak cloaked in civility. Marr proffers an offer of joint ownership to Morrissey 8 months ago for something he never solely owned to "protect the legacy". The legacy of what? Taking potshots via Farage pics? Putting the kibosh on WMG releases? Saying "no" to the offer to tour? If two-thirds of the surviving Smiths are keen on touring (don't know about Joyce, but I'd say he'd be), Marr protects the legacy by refusing? Okay. His prerogative. But I don't think his "legal team" has a slam dunk on the moral high ground that they surmised they would.
Maybe that judge was right all those years ago....Morrissey being "unreliable where his own interests were at stake" and Marr, "willing to embroider his evidence to a point where he became less credible" It's all very sad.

 

[manfields]

Has anyone done a welfare check on Fiona?
FWD.

just like most of Morrissey fans on x/twitter who yesterday were insulting jm, suddenly their internet connection isn't working anymore, because they are quiet now and haven't said a word after jm statement

 

[Anonymous]

Then what would shared ownership entail if not working together on future releases or projects?

It might be that Marr is willing to work with Morrissey on future releases, just not Smiths Rule Ok
The statement from Marr’s management doesn’t mention that Marr declined The Smiths’ deluxe box and 7”s, but it could be that Marr objected to new artwork or any other suggested changes which then halted the project

 

[Benny-the-British-Butcher]

Has anyone done a welfare check on Fiona?
FWD.

The whole thing is embarrassing.

I can only assume he’s mentally not well.

Personally I don’t give a shit.

Benny

 

[Famous when dead]

Well, the Christmas list is getting shorter...
FWD.

(noticed to be a duplicate post).

 

[Jacob Grease-Smog]

It will be tumbleweed from Morrissey and his echo chamber (touring soon), he doesn't retract or apologise.....he's never really grown up.
He'll also never lose the stink of his latter day flirtations, due to this misguided sense of being beyond reproach
Morrissey 2020's had zero standards, you just have to see the state of any artwork or statements other than his obituaries.
I agree with Marr about that horrific looking compilation, it's a saturated market.
Morrissey just sees a pay day, least Marr tries to protect their legacy.
It's very hard trying to find any glimpses of light with Moz, it's just embarrassing.
I gave up the Moz apologist bit a while ago. he always comes off looking ridiculous.

 

[dallow_bg]

The whole thing is doublespeak cloaked in civility. Marr proffers an offer of joint ownership to Morrissey 8 months ago for something he never solely owned to "protect the legacy". The legacy of what? Taking potshots via Farage pics? Putting the kibosh on WMG releases? Saying "no" to the offer to tour? If two-thirds of the surviving Smiths are keen on touring (don't know about Joyce, but I'd say he'd be), Marr protects the legacy by refusing? Okay. His prerogative. But I don't think his "legal team" has a slam dunk on the moral high ground that they surmised they would.
Maybe that judge was right all those years ago....Morrissey being "unreliable where his own interests were at stake" and Marr, "willing to embroider his evidence to a point where he became less credible" It's all very sad.

He says it right in the statement.
So that third parties could not use the name for their own exploitive purposes. That was exactly what was about to happen until it was stopped.

Morrissey's legal team seemingly agreed.

 

[Lincoln Nebraska]

I hope Dodwell sees this and apologises.

She won't. We know that. She's a blinkered fool.

 

[DaveJCarr]

People surmise Morrissey wrote Speedway about him. It's a song about someone protecting a friend despite seeing their errors. I suggest Morrissey write a new song appreciating the musicians he's worked with since. Johnny Marr has turned against Morrissey and is trying to take advantage of bad publicity he's received. He has become an enemy.

Oh sure. I'm certain Alain and Gustavo have nothing but positive things to say about a guy whose creative orbit they very pointedly left, who cannot find a bidder for a full album of music they co-wrote (which has none of the baggage of the "Bonfire" fracas.) Someone should also ask Spencer Corbin.

When has Morrissey ever sincerely given credit to his co-writers beyond the passions of the moment, or in retrospect?

If anything, this entire episode makes it seem that, in his heart of hearts, Morrissey's co-writers are interchangeable to him, worthy only if they display unflinching fealty M to oz and to his - not their shared- creative visions

I have no idea how "hey the band isn't protected by copyright, let's work together to protect the band we had" is turning against him, but sure. Marr is allowed to think ill of Moz because of Farage, or any number of other things, just as Moz is allowed to find Marr equally insufferable.

That doesn't mean that either is in incapable of acting with integrity towards the other and their mutual shared interest. Marr's rejection of the Tour doesn't mean it's a no forever, or that he wouldn't be interested in other archival, non- compilation releases. Neither is likely to get everything they want. Comprise will have to be key.

 

[Ryan]

I really hate how much Morrissey reminds me of Trump these days

They’re both Geminis too.

 

[Thewlis]

It might be that Marr is willing to work with Morrissey on future releases, just not Smiths Rule Ok
The statement from Marr’s management doesn’t mention that Marr declined The Smiths’ deluxe box and 7”s, but it could be that Marr objected to new artwork or any other suggested changes which then halted the project

Yes, possibly, but the statement could have been more precise on possible future releases.

I doubt we will be getting any new Smiths releases anytime soon.

 

[manfields]

Based on recent evidence I expect more childish social media digs from Morrissey, either directly or drip-fed via the likes of Sam and Fiona - showing how triumphant his 'nearly sold out' tour is, compared to Johnny's pitiful support slots. Something to make him feel like he is the victor in all this mess.

basically. I don't think he is going to ignore Marr's statement. Such a sad situation.

 

[Leroy]

Fiona Dodwell, over to you, Love.

 

[Surface]

Morrissey's original comments on this Smiths trademark thing has had a few thousand views on social media outlets since he mentioned it on Sunday, Johnny's response has had nearly a million in 3 hours.

 

[Thewlis]

Morrissey's original comments on this Smiths trademark thing has had a few thousand views on social media outlets since his comments on Sunday, Johnny's response has had nearly a million in 3 hours.

Yes, Johnny is much bigger on social media, so that’s hardly surprising is it?