Morrissey Central "THE PLOT THICKENS" (September 15, 2024)

J Marr has successfully applied for 100% trademark rights / Intellectual Property ownership of The Smiths name. His application has been accepted on whatever oaths or proclamations he has put forward. This action was done without any consultation to Morrissey, and without allowing Morrissey the standard opportunity of 'objection'. Amongst many other things, this means that Marr can now tour as The Smiths using the vocalist of his choice, and it also prohibits Morrissey from using the name whilst also denying Morrissey considerable financial livelihood.

Morrissey alone created the musical unit name 'The Smiths' in May 1982.

THE PLOT THICKENS - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - THE PLOT THICKENS

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

---

Media items:

• AV Club: "Morrissey claims that Johnny Marr owns name "The Smiths" now" - September 16, 2024
• NME: "Morrissey claims Johnny Marr now owns “100 per cent trademark rights and Intellectual Property” of The Smiths name" - September 16, 2024
• Stereogum: "Morrissey Says Johnny Marr Has Acquired The Smiths Trademark, Can Replace Him As Band’s Vocalist" - September 16, 2024

 

[SeniorLife]

Morrissey has and is arguably one the greatest wordsmiths in the musical industry. He seemingly chooses and uses each word he writes (assuming he wrote the Central post and/or approved it) very carefully.

'Plot', in my opinion insinuates that this personal (and purposelessly public) debacle/feud they currently have seems to be reaching a boiling point, and is not over.

 

[Anonymous]

And, no matter if this gets downvoted by partisans or otherwise: from the fans' perspectives, they both have long proven to be 'unreliable narrators'. So it's going to be bloody hard to figure out for sure who, if any, is the actual villain in this situation (and in many others, past and present).

For me, it’s a legal matter, baby! Marr has better lawyers than Morrissey. Morrissey’s lawyers/management should have been on top of this. Maybe they’d all been fired, again??

 

[Redacted]

Morrissey, 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 Johnny out of it?

I really feel bad for Johnny now, this is just a small glimpse of the hell he must have gone through dealing with Morrissey. Either Morrisey knew in 2018 and is choosing to bring it up now, or Morrissey was not on top of his business affairs and just found out now. Either way, it's not Johnny's fault, Morrisey had literal decades to trademark the name if he wanted to.

Morrissey is acting like an unhinged stalker
I won't make the obvious joke

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

And, no matter if this gets downvoted by partisans or otherwise: from the fans' perspectives, they both have long proven to be 'unreliable narrators'. So it's going to be bloody hard to figure out for sure who, if any, is the actual villain in this situation (and in many others, past and present).

well, if Marr doesn’t say anything publicly, then all we’ll have is his defenders making up reasons why Johnny was ‘justified’ in doing what he did, as we’ve already seen in this thread. Also, if he doesn’t speak publicly about it, then all we have is Morrissey’s statements. Which I’m still on the fence as to believe him or not.

 

[Anonymous]

Who knew posting a photograph of Nigel Farage on Twitter could trigger Morrissey this much?

Anyway - the crowning tragedy of all this is that, whether it's regarding potential Smiths reunions, reissues, or the trademark of the band's name, Morrissey is seemingly incapable of picking up the phone and actually speaking directly to his one-time partner, leading to this current petty public one-sided slanging match. I don't know if Morrissey is refusing to get in direct contact, or if Johnny is currently ghosting him after that open letter and unwilling to speak, but either way, it's a tragic farce that the pair of them have ended up in this state. Neither of them come out of this looking good.

For the sake of their shared history, and the legacy of the band they each have an equal share in, they really ought to communicate and sort this mess out in private.

 

[Redacted]

well, if Marr doesn’t say anything publicly, then all we’ll have is his defenders making up reasons why Johnny was ‘justified’ in doing what he did, as we’ve already seen in this thread. Also, if he doesn’t speak publicly about it, then all we have is Morrissey’s statements. Which I’m still on the fence as to believe him or not.

It's really strange that you think you are owed public statements about things, you aren't. This is business between the two, not meant for public consumption and just because Morrissey wants to have a public hissy doesn't mean anyone should or has to respond.

This is not like Morrissey canceling a show and not saying anything about it ,which is exactly when a public statement should be made, but you are the first to argue he doesn't owe anyone any explanations or even a decent set list. Sit down.

 

[Anonymous]

It's probably worth breaking this sentence down, to try and get to the bottom of it:

"Amongst many other things, this means that Marr can now tour as The Smiths using the vocalist of his choice..."

If Johnny has owned the trademark of 'The Smiths' since 2018, then he has shown no indication of wanting to tour under this name, so I'm not sure why he's suddenly start doing so now.

"...and it also prohibits Morrissey from using the name whilst also denying Morrissey considerable financial livelihood."

Which begs the question - what exactly was Morrissey planning to do under the Smiths name?

 

[Amy]

What I can't understand is that this situation is precisely the 'war of the worlds' that Moz seemed to want to avoid, just a few days ago. Or it would be, if Johnny were engaging with it. How has this spiralled from "War is old, art is young", and seeming to want to bring Johnny to the table, to this?

It's impossible for people on the 'outside' to know the truth of a situation really, which is why none of this had to be public. Morrissey is coming across now as someone who is obsessed and can't calm down, keeps escalating and escalating - and of course, pushing any hopes of reunion or reconciliation into the abyss. What the hell is really going on? Why is M so determined to burn down Rome?

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

And, no matter if this gets downvoted by partisans or otherwise: from the fans' perspectives, they both have long proven to be 'unreliable narrators'. So it's going to be bloody hard to figure out for sure who, if any, is the actual villain in this situation (and in many others, past and present).

I guess it doesn’t matter who the villain is, even if this feud was made public knowledge by both parties since the open letter and their public exchange, we should as fans have no interest in what happens from here on out. And to respect Marr’s silence, we should also be silent about it. As much as I would like Marr to give his side of the story, I’m glad that I did not in any of my posts say that Johnny owes us a public statement.

 

[Redacted]

What I can't understand is that this situation is precisely the 'war of the worlds' that Moz seemed to want to avoid, just a few days ago. Or it would be, if Johnny were engaging with it. How has this spiralled from "War is old, art is young", and seeming to want to bring Johnny to the table, to this?

It's impossible for people on the 'outside' to know the truth of a situation really, which is why none of this had to be public. Morrissey is coming across now as someone who is obsessed and can't calm down, keeps escalating and escalating - and of course, pushing any hopes of reunion or reconciliation into the abyss. What the hell is really going on? Why is M so determined to burn down Rome?

In retrospect, this looks like a warning shot to me now.

“I think I made my point without turning it into the war of the worlds… which, of course, I easily could,” he says.

I might just have to concede he always was and is a lovesick man scorned. I honestly never thought of them like that and they even told the press they played it up sometimes, and I really did not see Morissey that way, but he is certainly acting that way now. Maybe that is what Tony Wilson meant when he said 'especially Angie' has had enough.

 

[bored]

Just spit balling here, what if Johnny resurrected The Smiths with Martin Rossiter on lead vocals, Mike Joyce on the drums, Alain Whyte on rhythm guitar, and Stephen Street on the bass. Would you go see that?

If the claims he stole the name I would not but I need proof.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

What I can't understand is that this situation is precisely the 'war of the worlds' that Moz seemed to want to avoid, just a few days ago. Or it would be, if Johnny were engaging with it. How has this spiralled from "War is old, art is young", and seeming to want to bring Johnny to the table, to this?

It's impossible for people on the 'outside' to know the truth of a situation really, which is why none of this had to be public. Morrissey is coming across now as someone who is obsessed and can't calm down, keeps escalating and escalating - and of course, pushing any hopes of reunion or reconciliation into the abyss.

What the hell is really going on? Why is M so determined to burn down Rome?

You don’t think that Johnny finally burned down Rome by taking away from Morrissey what rightfully belonged to both of them?

I don’t know how Morrissey would be able to work with Marr after he did that to him.

 

[hand in glove]

Good grief. I used to like Johnny but his ego is ridiculous. I think this is something different than the trademark from 2018 that’s being posted in this thread. And Morrissey doesn’t miss anything - ever.

I can’t handle this mess.

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Think I’ll wait for further information before passing judgement- this one has a faint whiff of vodka.

 

[Amy]

In retrospect, this looks like a warning shot to me now.

“I think I made my point without turning it into the war of the worlds… which, of course, I easily could,” he says.

I might just have to concede he always was and is a lovesick man scorned. I honestly never thought of them like that and they even told the press they played it up sometimes, and I really did not see Morissey that way, but he is certainly acting that way now. Maybe that is what Tony Wilson meant when he said 'especially Angie' has had enough.

Yes, it does look like a veiled threat, sadly. I never thought he would go through with it, though. As for the rest.. I tried to DM you to see if you had relented yet, but didn't have permissions .

I think M is a very "all or nothing" person and likes to get his own way. He might have calmed down if he had gotten a response to the reunion thing earlier? Or even the open letter? But it seems he got stonewalled and we're now in the unstable, Kathy Bates 'say-goodbye-to-your-ankles' stage of things. God, what a mess.

 

[Anonymous]

You don’t think that Johnny finally burned down Rome by taking away from Morrissey what rightfully belonged to both of them?

I don’t know how Morrissey would be able to work with Marr after he did that to him.

What has Johnny done with the trademark that only he has profited from? Wouldn’t you think in 6 years Morrissey would’ve noticed if Johnny was doing something nefarious? If anything he’s protected the legacy of the Smiths from being tarnished by shoddy products.

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

This is going to be nastier than the Bucks Fizz shenanigans. Holy moly !!!!

 

[Amy]

You don’t think that Johnny finally burned down Rome by taking away from Morrissey what rightfully belonged to both of them?

I don’t know how Morrissey would be able to work with Marr after he did that to him.

Moz is clearly trying to stir things up, to get a response - and as a result of that, I wouldn't take anything he is saying as the whole truth, no. I don't believe it would have taken him six years to find out, either.

 

[SteveWS]

This website seems awfully slow to load today. So, obviously, Moz's minions or Johnny's worker-elves are trying to stamp-out criticism. Or my pc is old and knackered.

 

[Redacted]

Yes, it does look like a veiled threat, sadly. I never thought he would go through with it, though. As for the rest.. I tried to DM you to see if you had relented yet, but didn't have permissions .

I think M is a very "all or nothing" person and likes to get his own way. He might have calmed down if he had gotten a response to the reunion thing earlier? Or even the open letter? But it seems he got stonewalled and we're now in the unstable, Kathy Bates 'say-goodbye-to-your-ankles' stage of things. God, what a mess.

I'm sorry, my DMs are closed to everyone so please do not take that personally. I don't really use them on other social media either.
Yes, I am about to relent because this looks like unrequited love, I just can't see it any other way at present.

Morrissey has lost everyone (band, Miley Cyrus never even spoke his name despite his description of a very close friendship, etc etc) in a very short period of time, he can't even get a record deal, seems to may he maybe thought Johnny would be the one person he could rely on no matter what? Since Johnny agreed to or seemed open to reunions before maybe Morrissey thought he could take some refuge there, rehabilitate his image and I don't know......be with the person he has felt closest to in his life besides his mother?

I honestly do not know what to make of this, but I do think the open letter is what burned it all down. Morrissey has made himself a pariah and even Johnny won't help, it's kind of a malicious compliance (as in the Reddit forum) and Morrissey is getting exactly what he asked for.

I can't help but think that Johnny may be offended that Morrissey wants all these Smiths things to happen now that Andy is dead, because no one can ask for his inclusion. I really can't help but think this is tied to Andy somehow too. Of course this is all just my imagination running wild, because this is so extremely odd, but one thing seems for sure, he is desperate for some response or acknowledgment from Johnny.

The Misery reference seems about right at this point