For some, they're the band that produced songs that were literally life-saving. The Smiths' brief lifespan from 1982 to 1987 produced just four studio albums (along with a glut of beloved singles, B-sides and live albums). But, while both Morrissey and Marr's solo careers have found them new fans, the demand for the pair to re-unite - especially in the wake of Oasis' recent unlikely comeback - has been huge.
Recently it was revealed that Morrissey and Marr had been offered the opportunity to tour once again as The Smiths (the band's bassist, Andy Rourke, sadly passed away in 2023, and drummer Mike Joyce doesn't exactly see eye-to-eye with the pair, following a now-legendary court case).
But a war of words online between the two seems to have put paid to that. Ostensibly triggered over confusion around trademarking the band's name to prevent copyright infringement, the back-and-forth resulted in Marr admitting that he actively turned down the offer to reunite (as opposed to ignoring it, as Morrissey had assumed). This widened the division between the once solid creative partnership.
In a new lengthy interview with Medium, Morrissey spoke to journalist Fiona Dodwell, and explained why the fractious relationship with Johnny Marr is preventing the comeback, which he personally felt would have been a positive thing to do.
"I agreed [to the reunion] because it felt like the last time such a thing would be possible," Morrissey says, "We’ve all begun to grow old. I thought the tour that was offered would be a good way of saying thank you for those who have listened for what suddenly feels like a lifetime. It wasn’t because I had any emotional attachment to Marr. I have absolutely none.”
