Morrissey Central "OPEN LETTER TO JOHNNY MARR." (January 25, 2022)

This is not a rant or an hysterical bombast. It is a polite and calmly measured request: Would you please stop mentioning my name in your interviews?

Would you please, instead, discuss your own career, your own unstoppable solo achievements and your own music?

If you can, would you please just leave me out of it?

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 ?

You found me inspirational enough to make music with me for 6 years. If I was, as you claim, such an eyesore monster, where exactly did this leave you? Kidnapped? Mute? Chained? Abducted by cross-eyed extraterrestrials? It was YOU who played guitar on ‘Golden Lights’ - not me.

Yes, we all know that the British press will print anything you say about me as long as it’s cruel and savage. But you’ve done all that. Move on. It’s as if you can’t uncross your own legs without mentioning me. Our period together was many lifetimes ago, and a lot of blood has streamed under the bridge since then. There comes a time when you must take responsibility for your own actions and your own career, with which I wish you good health to enjoy. Just stop using my name as click-bait. I have not ever attacked your solo work or your solo life, and I have openly applauded your genius during the days of ‘Louder than bombs’ and ‘Strangeways, here we come’, yet you have positioned yourself ever-ready as rent-a-quote whenever the press require an ugly slant on something I half-said during the last glacial period as the Colorado River began to carve out the Grand Canyon. Please stop. It is 2022, not 1982.

Morrissey. January 2022.

OPEN LETTER TO JOHNNY MARR. - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - OPEN LETTER TO JOHNNY MARR.

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY

www.morrisseycentral.com

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Marr, January 26th:


Some related posts moved to this thread: Johnny Marr responds to Morrissey's open letter via Twitter (January 26, 2022)

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Related item:

• Express: "The Smiths split ‘bruised me emotionally, it turned to s*** with Morrissey’ – Johnny Marr" via Uncut Magazine - January 13, 2022

Media items:

• BBC: Morrissey calls on Johnny Marr to 'stop using my name as clickbait' - January 26, 2022
• Daily Mail: There is a fight that never goes out: Morrissey accuses Johnny Marr of 'using my name as click bait' and insists The Smiths bandmate 'knows nothing of my life' in scathing letter - January 26, 2022
• Far Out: Morrissey pens scathing open letter to Johnny Marr: "You don't know me" - January 25, 2022
• Fiona Dodwell: "From Morrissey to Marr: Why THAT Open Letter Was a Long Time Coming" (January 26, 2022)
• Guardian: ‘You don’t know me’: Morrissey accuses Johnny Marr of using him for clickbait - January 26, 2022
• Independent: ‘Move on’: Morrissey tells Johnny Marr to stop talking about him in interviews - January 26, 2022
• MEN: 'Move on. It's as if you can’t uncross your own legs without mentioning me': Morrissey tells Johnny Marr to stop talking about him - January 26, 2022
• NME: Morrissey asks Johnny Marr to stop mentioning him in interviews - January 25, 2022
• Rolling Stone: Still Ill: Morrissey Really Wants Johnny Marr to Stop Talking About Him - January 26, 2022
• Stereogum: Morrissey To Johnny Marr: Keep My Name Out Of Your Mouth - January 25, 2022
• The Telegraph: Why Morrissey and Johnny Marr hate each other (paywalll) - January 27, 2022 (transcript at Yahoo!)

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Just a guess - reunion's off
FWD.

 

[Amy]

You realize to anyone who is not a Mozbot that this list is ridiculous. There is just nothing there that Morrissey should take complete offense to. Morrissey, who has wished death and dismemberment on any number of popstars and celebrities, can dish it out but he certainly cannot take it.

Half of the list are "sins" of omission, which is what Morrissey wants anyway, right? Where is the savagery and the cruelty he mentions? These are micro-aggressions at worst. Moz should be ashamed of himself for that letter - let's hope he was drunk and retracts it. The tone of his letter is that of a spurned teenager. It's yet another embarrassment for him.

It's super petty and probably ridiculous to anyone who isn't Moz himself - but that's the whole point we're discussing, isn't it? Other folk might not bat an eyelid over this stuff but Morrissey takes it to heart, that's why he wrote the letter. As he wrote before - "people who have been close do not have to say much to wound each other."

 

[Amy]

I think you’ve summed it up pretty nicely. The little digs over the years add up; it’s an easy thumbs-up/like/retweet to make a negative comment about Morrissey.
I’m surprised he has remained tight-lipped for so long, especially given his propensity to go after people/things that irk him.

I thought it was interesting that he posted the open letter along with a picture of the Hand In Glove sleeve. “I’m saying all of this, and I mean it.. but…..”

Exactly. We may be hidden by rags, but we (had?) something they'll never have.

 

[Lujissey]

Why would anybody who likes Morrissey's buy something from the wanker who posts shit on Morrissey Central, which does nothing to support Morrissey getting a deal to release Bonfire.

UHHHHHHHHH FUERTEEE

 

[Mardie]

Anyone who does not agree with you is stupid and blind, yes, message received
I won't bother explaining left wing lunatics in the US and how their views do not matter

Hypocrisy, thy name is Johnny Who?

 

[Mardie]

“Don’t talk about me, when asked about the past!” …whines Uncle Fester - who’s spent the past 35 years talking smack about other artists, genres, countries and lifestyles.

“Grow up, be a man and shut your mealy-mouth”, ya whiny little twat.

Uncle Fester? This childish name-calling has got to stop (you too, Marr-haters, with your Pepe-sligs, etc.)!

 

[Anonymous]

I think he acquits himself pretty well here, both singing and playing - how difficult that must be! Yes, the tens of thousands of brainless sycophants in the audience cheer!

I wrote the post you responded to, and this was one of the clips I had in mind. Yes indeed, as you say, and let's reiterate it again, the tens of thousands of brainless sycophants cheer. I can't account for your, or their, lack of taste or intelligence, but it's hilarious that you cite this clip as evidence for Marr's defence

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .888]

I think he acquits himself pretty well here, both singing and playing - how difficult that must be! Yes, the tens of thousands of brainless sycophants in the audience cheer!

A CAPO?????
what is this guitar toddler school?
what disgrace A FING CAPO by Lepep the guitar 'god'
Katastrofa!!!! what is this FFS??
the dumb is out of tune AGAIN!
Jesse can play the correct music in his sleep
where is the twat with the hair sticking up?
and the 'ribbit ribbit' singing WTF?
he should be arrested for impersonating a Smiths song
what shanda

and the vestments:
flowery shirt
and the old bow cut wig with the white dog ear
flap on top. makes the head look sideways triangular
can it possibly get any worse.

and the comments and digs at Moz, im making a supergroup yap yap
oi hes worse than an old Yenta, gossiping all day. Matt Johnson and Ivan Brock are but Moz wont call me on the phone.

where did it go wrong for the LePep, too many sunflower seeds??

 

[Uncleskinny]

A CAPO?????
what is this guitar toddler school?
what disgrace A FING CAPO by Lepep the guitar 'god'
Katastrofa!!!! what is this FFS??
the dumb is out of tune AGAIN!
Jesse can play the correct music in his sleep
where is the twat with the hair sticking up?
and the 'ribbit ribbit' singing WTF?
he should be arrested for impersonating a Smiths song
what shanda

and the vestments:
flowery shirt
and the old bow cut wig with the white dog ear
flap on top. makes the head look sideways triangular
can it possibly get any worse.

and the comments and digs at Moz, im making a supergroup yap yap
oi hes worse than an old Yenta, gossiping all day. Matt Johnson and Ivan Brock are but Moz wont call me on the phone.

where did it go wrong for the LePep, too many sunflower seeds??

Did you like The Smiths? Did you know that an awful lot of those songs were capo-ed on the 2nd fret?

Of course you didn't.

You're a f***ing idiot.

 

[CrazyFaceGenes]

Did you like The Smiths? Did you know that an awful lot of those songs were capo-ed on the 2nd fret?

Of course you didn't.

You're a f***ing idiot.

Yeah or tuned up a whole step in the studio, which is bad for a guitar neck due to tension, so you use lighter strings which causes other issues. The Capo gets that tuning without the downsides except for losing the glassier sound which almost nobody would notice anyway.

Vegan is a bit weird about capo's

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

Did you like The Smiths? Did you know that an awful lot of those songs were capo-ed on the 2nd fret?

Of course you didn't.

You're a f***ing idiot.

WTF??? what are on about>FFS if you have to use the dumb CAPO at 60 yrs , then you had to use when you were 25 yrs
thats why they were called "LAWNMOWERS"
are you totally out of it too>like Pep too

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

right, its the guitar neck tension the reason he needs the capo
to play the out of tune riff.
how about: LePepe is 'indie' thus the need for help on the guitar.

thats why moz got better guitar players going forward. so there would be no need for any more lawnmowers

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

It's super petty and probably ridiculous to anyone who isn't Moz himself -

but that's the whole point we're discussing,

or should be.

isn't it? Other folk might not bat an eyelid over this stuff but Morrissey takes it to heart, that's why he wrote the letter. As he wrote before - "people who have been close do not have to say much to wound each other."

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Tough to call someone that ghosted you 35 years ago.

Johnny Marr is often interviewed because he’s active in the world of music. He doesn’t write the questions and he has absolutely no reason to not answer them honestly.

Morrissey has no career. No deal. Cut-rate hacks for collaborators, …and he’s spent half a lifetime alienating the music press because his gentle sensibilities don’t like the questions he’s asked. He’s constantly, selfishly, ignorantly and hypocritically attached himself to marginalized groups as a means of making bank.

Those days are over. He’s not gay. He’s not vegan. He string together sentence, let alone a lyric.

…and the clowns around here that justify their existence by apologizing for his porous lack of grace and humanity are insufferable. If you truly loved the man, you’d offer up some constructive criticism, rather than simply pandering to the cringe-worthy, cashmere-sweatered fop.

Someone who actually cares needs to let the frumpy man-child known that it’s time to shuffle-off.

The joke isn’t funny anymore.

So true about not being gay. Not one person has come forward with tales of Morrissey's gayness in 40 years? Come on!

 

[Johnny who?]

oi aly and ory, the Commadre McMuffin/Fredo of the wig set.

most who play on those dumb 'soundtracks' are unknown who collect
a few quid. who have small LePepe like incomes
that 1oo dollar meet was a great success-5 simpletons. needed to feed the 'band' outside piled in the camper like moths.

what a fiasco the LePepe ' career' aka sponging off Moz. the only reason this fiasco even exists is that no more suco groups exist that want him to join their band.

Aly and Ory are just jealous that Morrissey is prettier than they are.
I could practically hear them convulsing when I was posting about how Johnny cannot sing and its painful to watch and listen as he stumbles over 'criminally vulgar' in How Soon is Now, as he pushes it out his nose and sounds like the Frankenstein monster.
They gave me a stern talking to about saying such things about Johnny singing songs HE wrote in a group about HIM that HE often visits, but remains silent. Kind of like when he made some appearance with Billie Eyelash and looked like a little ant on the stage, I don't think he was even introduced.

I do enjoy your posts, they always give me a good laugh

The meet and greet my husband went to was very poorly organized (I had tix but was sick, so we sold mine). It was in Boston in October and it was freezing cold. There were very specific instructions about what to do, but everyone was left out in the cold for over and hour after they were supposed to be let in then it was sort of rushed thru. It was strange to me because this club did have a place people could wait inside and I have been there lots of times, before a show and was always let in early so I think the problem was with Marr, not the club.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

Aly and Ory are just jealous that Morrissey is prettier than they are.
I could practically hear them convulsing when I was posting about how Johnny cannot sing and its painful to watch and listen as he stumbles over 'criminally vulgar' in How Soon is Now, as he pushes it out his nose and sounds like the Frankenstein monster.
They gave me a stern talking to about saying such things about Johnny singing songs HE wrote in a group about HIM that HE often visits, but remains silent. Kind of like when he made some appearance with Billie Eyelash and looked like a little ant on the stage, I don't think he was even introduced.

I do enjoy your posts, they always give me a good laugh

The meet and greet my husband went to was very poorly organized (I had tix but was sick, so we sold mine). It was in Boston in October and it was freezing cold. There were very specific instructions about what to do, but everyone was left out in the cold for over and hour after they were supposed to be let in then it was sort of rushed thru. It was strange to me because this club did have a place people could wait inside and I have been there lots of times, before a show and was always let in early so I think the problem was with Marr, not the club.

he sings as if he were masticating his throat, very bizzare.
but thats how the LePep rolls. Mr Smoke and Mirrors. Create the impression that he is a superstar. Make everyone wait in the cold as he were Robbie Williams
Like the peeps at the festivals he opens, make think they come to see him when in fact most are drunk and dont know who he is. solo gigs top at 50 walk abouts.
he kisses arse all around, the dork from The The, the hapless dude
from Mouse, the one chubby dude from the movies, who actually wrote the movie music, and then sets them trying to surround Moz with gossipy pap. he cant make a video about how he "created" a dumb Mouse song with a 'circular' guitar because that Mouse oaf will immediately punch him in the wig.

but LePep and his tiny cadre knowing that Moz is of noble nature thinks he can rabble rouse him but it backfired on him.

 

[Anonymous]

I wrote the post you responded to, and this was one of the clips I had in mind. Yes indeed, as you say, and let's reiterate it again, the tens of thousands of brainless sycophants cheer. I can't account for your, or their, lack of taste or intelligence, but it's hilarious that you cite this clip as evidence for Marr's defence

I guess someone is very jealous that Moz has not been asked back to Glastonbury since quarreling with Michael Eavis.

 

[Surface]

There's a saying that no publicity is bad publicity and it's interesting that on last Fridays Vinyl chart both Morrissey/Bowie and Johnny had singles that re entered the chart.

Last weeks Vinyl chart includes Everyday is Like Sunday by Rhoda Dakar, Cosmic Dancer by Morrissey/Bowie, Spirit Power and Sou by Johnny Marr and Lightning People by Johnny Marr. Added to that the Morrissey and Marr singles all topped that chart at some point.

 

[Ryan]

Maybe this is all a smoke screen and what Morrissey is really saying is: “Johnny, stop wasting your time just mentioning my name. Shut your mouth. I’ll do the singing, you play the guitar. It’s reunion time, bitch!”

 

[Janice]

Maybe this is all a smoke screen and what Morrissey is really saying is: “Johnny, stop wasting your time just mentioning my name. Shut your mouth. I’ll do the singing, you play the guitar. It’s reunion time, bitch!”

I hope not

 

[Ryan]

I hope not

I don’t care either way. I’m happy with the few Smiths songs he chucks into his solo shows. Hell, he’s even done I Keep Mine Hidden for us. All we’re owed is Well I Wonder.