Latest news with #TheSmiths
Metro
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Johnny Marr reveals why he rejected 'eye-watering' amount to reunite with Smiths
Johnny Marr, the legendary guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths, has revealed the key reason he won't reunite with his band The rock band, composed of Morrissey, Marr, the late Andy Rourke, and Mike Joyce, was formed in 1982 and split just five years later in 1987 after reports of internal tensions. Now, Marr, 61, has revealed why he decided to reject a recent offer to reunite the band over 30 years later, despite being offered a shed-load of money. 'We got made an offer recently, but I said no,' said Marr on the Stick to Football podcast. 'It was a little bit about principles, but I'm not an idiot, I just think the vibe's not right. Bad vibe. 'It was an eye-watering amount of money, but also, I really like what I'm doing now which makes it a lot easier. I really like where I'm at. I still work, I craft, I still want to write the best song I've ever written. I want to be a better performer.' He added that, unlike other professions like being a footballer, he hasn't grown out of his work and will be able to be a songwriter well into his later life. This isn't the band's first refusal to reunite, despite huge pressure from fans and being offered bucket loads of money. Amid fan speculation, a post on the Morrissey Central website revealed that Morrissey was keen to reunite the band. A post in August 2024 revealed: 'In June 2024, AEG Entertainment Group made a lucrative offer to both Morrissey and Marr to tour worldwide as The Smiths throughout 2025. 'Morrissey said yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer.' The post added pointedly: 'Morrissey undertakes a largely sold-out tour of the USA in November. Marr continues to tour as a special guest to New Order.' Over the years, Morrissey and Marr have exchanged barbs, also disagreeing about The Smiths' trademark. The Back to the Old House singers have given numerous reasons for the original break-up over the years, with some suggesting it was Marr's departure that led to the breakdown of the band. Marr said he was taking a break due to being exhausted from the band's schedule. Easterhouse guitarist Ivor Perry briefly replaced him, but the group split up weeks later. More Trending Marr rejected NME's claim that The Smiths broke up because Morrissey was frustrated at him wanting to work with other artists, as he told the publication in a 1978 interview: 'The major reason for me going was simply that there are things I want to do, musically, that there is just not scope for in The Smiths.' — Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) August 26, 2024 In the years since, Morrissey's conservative political views have been at odds with Marr's – meaning the gap between the pair has only grown. In 2024, a fan asked Marr on X about a reunion: 'If Oasis can do it, The Smiths can too (I'm delusional).' To this, Marr seemingly made a dig at Morrissey as he shared an image of Reform politician Nigel Farage. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Veteran rocker, 90, shockingly turns down Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction MORE: James Prime's 'brokenhearted' Deacon Blue bandmates lead tributes after star's death MORE: Martin Kemp reveals he might not actually be married Shirlie Holliman
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Johnny Marr turned down 'eye-watering' sum for The Smiths reunion
Johnny Marr turned down an "eye-watering" amount of money to reform The Smiths because "the vibe's not right". The 61-year-old musician has revealed he was asked to get back together with his former bandmate Morrissey for a money-spinning reunion more than three decades after they parted ways back in the 1980s, but Marr rejected the deal because it didn't feel right. During an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast, Marr explained: "We got made an offer recently, but I said no. It was a little bit about principles, but I'm not an idiot, I just think the vibe's not right. "It was an eye-watering amount of money, but also, I really like what I'm doing now which makes it a lot easier. I like where I'm at. I still want to write the best song I've ever written. I want to be a better performer." Morrissey, 66, previously lashed out at Marr over the reunion suggestion - claiming the guitarist "ignored the offer" to get the group back together for a 2025 world tour and accusing him of "blocking" the release of a greatest hits album, as well as acquiring "trademark rights and intellectual property" of The Smith. Morrissey told Medium: "I agreed [to the reunion] because it felt like the last time such a thing would be possible. 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.' In response, Marr's management said in a statement: "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 and Marr. "As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an agreement of joint ownership to Morrissey. Execution of this document still requires Morrissey to sign." Marr then added: '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."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Johnny Marr turned down ‘eye-watering' Smiths reunion offer because the ‘vibe' wasn't right
Johnny Marr has confirmed that The Smiths were recently offered the chance to reform for an 'eye-watering' amount but he turned it down because the 'vibe' wasn't right. The indie band, fronted by Morrissey, formed in Manchester in 1982 with Marr as the guitarist, Andy Rourke on bass and Mike Joyce on drums. Rourke died in May 2023, aged 59, following a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer. The group produced several critically acclaimed albums including Meat is Murder (1985) and The Queen is Dead (1986) but split in 1987, with Marr and Morrissey at loggerheads ever since. In a recent appearance on the Stick to Football YouTube show, which is presented by former England and Manchester United player Gary Neville, Marr said the group had been made an offer to reform in 2024. Marr said: 'We got made an offer really recently, in fact, but yeah, I said no. It was a little bit about principles, but I'm not an idiot, I just think the vibe's not right.' He added: 'It was an eye-watering amount of money, but also, I really like what I'm doing now which makes it a lot easier. I like where I'm at. I still want to write the best song I've ever written. I want to be a better performer.' News of a potential reunion was made public at the time thanks to Morrissey, with the singer announcing on his website: 'In June 2024 AEG Entertainment Group made a lucrative offer to both Morrissey and Marr to tour worldwide as 'The Smiths' throughout 2025. 'Morrissey said yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer. 'Morrissey undertakes a largely sold out tour of the USA in November. Marr continues to tour as a special guest to New Order.' The feud continued between the pair with Morrissey claiming in September 2024 that Marr had applied for copyright of The Smiths name 'without any consultation' with him, and without giving him a chance to object. In a statement, Marr's representatives denied the claims and explainied that he'd offered a joint ownership document to the singer following a third-party attempt to use the band's name. In 2022, Marr said there was 'zero chance' he'd ever work with Morrissey again. Speaking to the late Steve Wright on BBC Radio Two, Marr said it had been '18 or maybe 15' years since he had last spoken to Morrissey in person. At the time the pair were involved in a fresh spat after Morrissey wrote an open letter to Marr asking him to stop bringing him up in interviews. Marr responded to his former bandmate on Instagram, writing: 'An 'open letter' hasn't really been a thing since 1953, It's all 'social media' now. Even Donald J Trump had that one down. Also, this fake news business… a bit 2021 yeah?'
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
Simple Minds at Bell Centre: A simply amazing reminder of 1980s new wave power
Montreal did not forget about Simple Minds. Article content Just under 9,000 fans made the trek to the Bell Centre on Tuesday to see the Scottish band, which was part of the slew of ultracool British new wave bands during the first half of the 1980s that revolutionized the music world, and it was very clear that a big chunk of the folks there had been following them from way back in the day. Article content Article content 'Montreal was one of the first cities to get behind Simple Minds and really encourage us,' said the band's charismatic and oh-so-down-to-Earth frontman Jim Kerr. Article content Article content There was a lot of grey hair in the crowd. Which was super cool to see. Pop music is a young person's game, but there are loads of people of a certain age who still love the music they listened to in high school and university during the '80s. Article content There are '80s DJ/dance nights happening all over the city. I even do one myself, called High Fidelity, and every time I hold one, people — inevitably 40 and older — tell me they love reliving the dancing fun they had all those years ago. There's also VV Taverna, a bar devoted to the same scene at the corner of St. Denis and Rachel Sts. Article content There are loads of folks who still dig listening to bands like The Smiths, Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, the Psychedelic Furs, to name a few. And it's not just nostalgia. It's because the music still sounds fab. Article content Article content 'It's still great music 40 years later,' said Jean Boudreau, who was at the Bell Centre Tuesday. 'Even young people today listen to music from the 1980s. It's aged better than the music of the '90s, like grunge. These songs have strong melodies. I remember hearing this music at the Limelight, at the Passeport on St. Denis St., at the Thunderdome.' Article content Nancy Faraj said it's only natural that you return to the music of your youth. Article content 'When you listen to music from the age of 16 to 25, it influences you for the rest of your life,' said Faraj. Article content Before the concert, I texted my old friend Ivan Doroschuk, lead singer of Men Without Hats, the Montreal band that produced one of the iconic anthems of the '80s new wave, Safety Dance, and I asked him why this music was still so popular. Article content Article content 'It's a decade that hearkens back to better times in a lot of people's minds (even though it was the Reagan/Thatcher era),' wrote Doroschuk. 'It's one of the last decades where there were real songs, real melodies, but also social/political commentary. A lot of singalongs, too. The music is dance-oriented as well, which gives it a cross-generational appeal and which explains why '80s nights are popping up all over the place, taking the place of disco in a lot of clubs. Contemporary pop music also borrows a lot from the '80s, with artists like The Weeknd.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rock Icon Turned Down Collaborating With Controversial Goth Singer
Rock Icon Turned Down Collaborating With Controversial Goth Singer originally appeared on Parade. Nick Cave collaborating with would have been something special back in the 1980s. Even in 2025, it would have been huge, but Cave revealed that a partnership between these two underground rock icons was not meant to be. Cave first found success in the late 1970s by leading the post-punk band The Birthday Party. In the early 1980s, Cave formed Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, incorporating darker sounds and themes into their music, making them contemporaries of the goth movement of the time. A star of that movement was Morrissey, lyricist and frontman for the gothic rock band The Smiths. And these two nearly worked together on a song. 'I've never actually met Morrissey, which is probably why I like him,' wrote Cave in a recent edition of his newsletter, The Red Hand Files. Cave acknowledged Morrissey as 'undeniably a complex and divisive figure, someone who takes more than a little pleasure in pissing people off.' But Cave considers him 'probably the best lyricist of his generation — certainly the strangest, funniest, most sophisticated, and most subtle.' Nick revealed that through 'a few pleasant email exchanges,' Morrissey asked him to sing on a new song with a 'lengthy and entirely irrelevant Greek bouzouki intro.' 'It also seemed that he didn't want me to actually sing on the song,' wrote Nick, 'but deliver, over the top of the bouzouki, an unnecessarily provocative and slightly silly anti-woke screed he had written.' 'Although I suppose I agreed with the sentiment on some level, it just wasn't my thing. I try to keep politics, cultural or otherwise, out of the music I am involved with. I find that it has a diminishing effect and is antithetical to whatever it is I am trying to achieve. So...I politely declined. I said no.' In recent decades, the 66-year-old Morrissey has drawn ire over political views and statements. In 2019, he wore a pin in support of For Britain, a far-right political party, per The Guardian. He also has a history of inflammatory remarks about race, the #MeToo movement, and more, often leaving fans feeling 'betrayed.'Rock Icon Turned Down Collaborating With Controversial Goth Singer first appeared on Parade on Jun 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
