Getty ImagesMorrissey claimed his former bandmate Johnny Marr “ignored” a “lucrative offer” to reunite The Smiths for a world tour in 2025.
Formed in Manchester in 1982, the band produced four albums that arguably redefined British guitar music before an acrimonious split in 1987.
A statement on Morrissey’s website said the singer had said “yes” to an offer from AEG Entertainment Group to tour as The Smiths until 2025, but “Marr ignored the offer.”
The guitarist did not respond, but rejected a suggestion that The Smiths should reform after the Oasis reunion. Publication of a picture of Reform UK chairman and Clacton MP Nigel Faragean indication of his perception of Morrissey’s political views.
Fans have been hoping for a reunion between the two for decades, and rumors of a possible easing of their relationship over the years sparked excited speculation.
However, the relationship between the two has been difficult since the guitarist left the band a few weeks before the release of The Smiths’ last album in 1987, citing Morrissey’s lack of flexibility as the reason.
It was believed that the singer was equally frustrated and annoyed that Marr was playing with other groups.
This divide has become a deep chasm in recent years, and hostilities based on the two sides’ political leanings have only increased the hostility.
Marr wrote in his 2016 autobiography about his sporadic meetings with Morrissey since The Smiths split, claiming there was a “real prospect” of a reunion in 2008, but the singer rejected the idea.
That same year, he told Sky News that Morrissey’s views on Brexit aligned with those of the then UKIP leader, before posting in 2019 that because of this similarity, any Smiths reunion would feature “Nigel Farage on guitar”.
In 2022, a year after The Simpsons used him as the basis for a character that become a flesh-eating, overweight xenophobeMorrissey published an open letter to Marr, urging him to stop using the singer’s name as “clickbait” and to stop blaming him for everything from the tsunami to “the drool on your grandmother’s chin.”
PA MediaThe latest statement from Morrissey, who rarely speaks to the media, said the live music promoter had “made both Morrissey and Marr a lucrative offer to tour worldwide as ‘The Smiths’ until 2025.”
“Morrissey accepted the offer; Marr ignored it,” read a caption under a photo of the couple from their time together in The Smiths.
“Morrissey is embarking on a largely sold-out tour of the USA in November.
“Marr continues to tour as a special guest of New Order.”
Marr and AEG Entertainment were contacted for comment.
Morrissey and Marr’s songwriting partnership made their band one of the most important groups for a generation of music fans.
The pair went on to have successful solo careers, with Marr also playing with a wide range of artists, including Billy Bragg, Beck, Crowded House, Oasis, Pet Shop Boys and Girls Aloud.
The other two members of the group, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke, later filed legal action against the couple over the royalties.
Mr Rourke, who died in 2022accepted an out-of-court settlement, while Joyce won a settlement of about £1 million and a 25% share of future licensing revenues.
