Johnny Marr Fires At Morrissey's Claims About The Smiths Trademark & Tour: 'I Said No'

Johnny Marr has responded to former The Smiths bandmate Morrissey’s claims that he filed for protecting the band’s trademark and halting a Smiths reunion tour without consulting the singer.

On Monday (16 September), Morrissey posted a message to his website called The Plot Thickens. In it, he alleged that Johnny Marr—guitarist of The Smiths— “successfully applied for 100% trademark rights/Intellectual Property ownership” of the band’s name.

According to the Hand In Glove singer, the alleged application was accepted without any consultation, and he claims he wasn’t given the opportunity to object.

Morrissey continued, “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.”

He ended the statement by writing that he came up with the name The Smiths in May 1982.

Johnny Marr shared a statement this morning alleging that the statements on Morrissey’s website regarding the trademarks are “incorrect.”

According to Marr, a third party attempted to use The Smiths’ name in 2018, and upon discovering that the band didn’t own the trademark, Marr’s management said he reached out to Morrissey via his representatives to protect The Smiths’ name.

Marr’s management claimed that “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 & Marr.”

The statement continued, “As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an assignment of joint ownership to Morrissey.” This, Marr’s statement claims, still requires Morrissey to sign.

Regarding the trademark and recent reports that Marr allegedly ignored a promoter’s offer to tour as The Smiths, Marr said: “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.”

Denying another of Morrissey’s claims, Marr’s statement adds that he has no plans to tour as The Smiths with a different singer. However, he did decline a suggestion for another greatest hits compilation album from Warner Music Group, “given the number already in existence.”

In a 2022 interview, Marr said that he and Morrissey had never fallen out over politics but “probably would” in the present day.

After a fan said they were “so disappointed” in Morrissey’s expression of far-right political views – so much so that it had impacted their relationship with The Smiths’ music – Marr answered that Morrissey’s views “hasn’t impacted” how he feels about the band.