Johnny Marr hits back after Morrissey asks him to stop mentioning him in interviews

26 January 2022, 18:16

The former Smiths guitarist has responded to his ex-bandmate's "open letter" in which he asked him to stick to talking about his solo career.

Johnny Marr has hit back at Morrissey after he 'politely' asked him to stop mentioning him in interviews.

The former Smiths frontman recently issued an open letter via Morrissey Central in which he suggested his ex-bandmate stuck to discussing his own career.

However, taking to Twitter this Wednesday (26th January), Marr wrote: "Dear @officialmoz . An ‘open letter’ hasn’t really been a thing since 1953, It’s all ‘social media’ now. Even Donald J Trump had that one down. Also, this fake news business…a bit 2021 yeah ?#makingindiegreatagain".

Just the day before (25th January), Morrissey issued his "open letter." which began: "This is not a rant or an hysterical bombast.  It is a polite and calmly measured request:  Would you please stop mentioning my name in your interviews?

"Would you please, instead, discuss your own career, your own unstoppable solo achievements and your own music?

"If you can, would you please just leave me out of it?"

The Panic singer added: "The fact is: you don’t know me. You know nothing of my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings.  Yet you talk as if you were my personal psychiatrist with consistent and uninterrupted access to my instincts.

"We haven’t known each other for 35 years - which is many lifetimes ago.  When we met you and I were not successful.  We both helped each other become whatever it is we are today.  Can you not just leave it at that?"

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Morrissey was no doubt referring to Marr's recent interview with Uncut magazine in which he talked fondly of his relationships with his previous bands and collaborators.

He explained: "It’s a simplistic way of putting it, but one of the reasons I’ve been in so many bands was because I wanted to be loyal to them.

"It won’t come as any surprise when I say that I’m really close with everyone I’ve worked with – except for the obvious one. And that isn’t that much of a surprise because we’re so different, me and Morrissey.

"But all of these different musicians, I can pick up the phone to any one, and just pick up from where we left off.”

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