The battle over the legacy of The Smiths rages on, at least according to Morrissey, who today posted on his “Messages from Morrissey” online outlet, claiming that his former songwriting partner, Johnny Marr, has applied for rights to band’s name and intellectual property.
“J Marr has successfully applied for 100% trademark rights / Intellectual Property ownership of The Smiths name,” Morrissey aledges in his latest statement. “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 finishes by writing, “Morrissey alone created the musical unit name ‘The Smiths’ in May 1982.”
While Johnny Marr hasn’t made a statement in response to this or any of Morrissey’s recent claims, it seems highly unlikely that he would ever tour as The Smiths with another singer. That’s not his style.
I used to say the same of Morrissey, but these days I’m not so sure. He claims to have said yes to an offer from AEG for Morrissey and Marr to perform as The Smiths that Marr rejected, and that Marr vetoed Morrissey’s (terrible) artwork to yet another Smiths best-of.