Credit: Far Out / Andy Cotterill / YouTube Still

Morrissey claims Johnny Marr is stopping The Smiths from releasing new compilation

Thu 12 September 2024 9:58, UK

Morrissey has claimed that The Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr has blocked the release of a new compilation from the band, alleging that a greatest hits record won’t see the light of day as Marr refused to give it the green light.

In the wake of the Oasis reunion, it seems that many iconic bands are having a conversation about whether they should make a comeback. Unsurprisingly, The Smiths were among them, but as tensions in the band remain heightened, it appears that there is no chance of Morrissey and Marr putting their feud to bed like the Gallagher brothers have.

Instead, the idea of a reunion seems to have made their situation even worse. Morrissey revealed that he’d agreed to reunite the band in 2025, but the offer was turned down by the group’s co-founder. A statement on his website read, “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.”

Adding a not-so-subtle dig at the guitarist, the statement continued, “Morrissey undertakes a largely sold-out tour of the USA in November. Marr continues to tour as a special guest to New Order.”

However, the issues between Morrissey and Marr and their strained relationship continue to affect the group’s legacy. Now, Morrissey has said that in addition to blocking a comeback, the guitarist has also blocked the release of music from the band, standing in the way of single re-issues and compilation releases.

In a new statement on his website, Morrissey said that a “proposed greatest hits album by the Smiths entitled Smiths Rule OK! has been blocked by J Marr”. He also claimed that a re-issue of the band’s 1983 debut single ‘Hand In Glove’ had been stopped in its tracks by Marr, too.

That’s not all. Along with the greatest hits and single, he said that “a deluxe box release of The Smiths’ first album” and “a new 7-inch” of their 1992 track ‘This Charming Man’ will also never see the light of day due to Marr’s refusal to co-operate.

Morrissey alleged that Warner Records had approached him and Darren Evans to “assemble artwork for all four releases, all of which were rejected and halted out of hand by J Marr”.

Marr has yet to comment on these claims, but it’s clear that a reunion is as further away than ever before.