Morrissey on why he wanted The Smiths reunion tour: "We’ve all begun to grow old"
12 December 2024, 11:00 | Updated: 12 December 2024, 11:46
The former Smiths frontman talked about why he considered a reunion in a rare interview.
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Morrissey has revealed why he considered potential reunion shows with The Smiths.
This year saw the former frontman of the iconic Manchester band allege that he agreed to a "lucrative" 2025 reunion tour, but the offer was "ignored" by bandmate Johnny Marr.
In a post on the website Morrissey Central, the Hand In Glove singer also accused Marr of successfully applying for 100% trademark rights and intellectual property of The Smiths name without notifying him.
Soon after the former Smiths guitarist took to X to refute his ex-bandmates claims, adding that when it came to a Smiths reunion: "I didn’t ignore the offer – I said no".
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Now, in a rare new interview, Morrissey was asked why he even considered a Smiths reunion in 2025, despite his ongoing fractious relationship with Marr.
Asked by Medium if he was really “really keen on sharing a stage with the guitarist, the This Charming Man singer replied: "I agreed because it felt like the last time such a thing would be possible".
The 65-year-old singer added to the outlet: "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."
Asked how he views his former bandmate today, Morrissey replied: "He seems to me to be just as insecure and fearful as he was during the 1980s.
"But he gains more press adoration by pretending to be the Smiths gatekeeper and custodian in isolation, and as long as he is sitting in a corner complaining about me he has a pedestal which would disappear in the event of a reunion."
Morrissey went on: "He claims to find me completely indigestible, but whenever he walks onto a stage he sings my lyrics, my vocal melodies and my song titles. Is this hypocrisy or self-deception?
"He has forced people to choose between Morrissey and Marr, and I’ve had just about enough of his bitchslap comments. I’ve quietly put up with them for over 30 years."
"As for me, whatever time I have left is now quite limited, but I absolutely love the musical career that I have made without Marr’s involvement," Morrissey reflected when thinking of his life and career thus far.
"Music really is the last thing that brings people together, and if you enjoy music then you enjoy life"
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