Whilst one iconic Mancunian band have reformed this week, don’t go expecting the other one to follow suit anytime soon.
That’s the message from Johnny Marr anyway. One Smiths fan, perhaps suggesting how much of a remote possibility it would be, wrote on Twitter/X : “If Oasis can do it The Smiths can too (I’m delusional).
pic.twitter.com/DK9rbyMEB0August 26, 2024
In response Marr simply posted a picture of the Reform Party leader and now MP for Clacton, Nigel Farage in his customary pint-in-hand pose, suggesting that the major stumbling block to any reunion would be Morrissey’s outspoken right wing views.
It’s not the first time that Marr has brought up Farage when it comes to this question. Back in 2019 during another time when ‘Smiths-to-reform’ rumours were doing the rounds, he put an end to them by a simple four word tweet: ‘Nigel Farage on guitar’.
Morrissey, lest we forget, is (along with Roger Daltrey) one of the few working musicians to welcome Brexit, hailing the 2016 referendum result as “magnificent” and calling Farage a “liberal educator” and saying he would “make a good Prime Minister”.
His ex-partner in the Smiths wasn’t so pleased and in interviews has always distanced himself from Morrissey’s views and attempted to quarantine the Smiths’ legacy.
“I don’t think you can change history,” he said in an interview with NME in 2019. “I’ve said that before. I’m not worried. It’s got nothing to do with my world or my life. The songs are out there for people to judge, relate to and hear.
"I think that’s all going to be forgotten in a few weeks, as these things inevitably are – for better or worse. It’s always been that way. I understand the issue, but I’m used to stuff coming and going.”
Marr revealed in his 2016 memoir Set The Boy Free that in 2008 he and Morrissey had met up and talked about the possibility of reforming The Smiths. The pair had met in a pub in South Manchester: “The drinks kept coming and we sat talking for hours. We chatted, as we always did, about the records we loved, and eventually we moved on to ‘that subject’.
“Suddenly we were talking about the possibility of the band reforming, and in that moment it seemed that with the right intention it could actually be done and might even be great. We hung out for a while longer, and after even more orange juice (for me) and even more beer (for him) we hugged and said our goodbyes.”
“Morrissey and I continued our dialogue and planned to meet up again. I went to Mexico with the Cribs, and then suddenly there was radio silence. Our communication ended, and things went back to how they were and how I expect they always will be.”
