Artist News

Morrissey and Marr discussed Smiths reunion

By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 31 October 2016

In recent years, The Smiths reunion has been “not happening”, “never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever” happening, and not happening because “not everybody is a fat old slag”. Also, anyone who thinks that there should be a reunion should “go and find a hobby”. Which all sounds pretty definitive. Although it now turns out that Morrissey and Johnny Marr did actually decide to reunite eight years ago, but just never got around to it.

“The conversation about re-forming came out of the blue”, Marr tells The Guardian, recalling an afternoon spent in the pub with Morrissey in 2008 – their first meeting for more than a decade. “I didn’t go there with that in mind. But there had been quite a few rumours about it, so naturally we discussed it. ‘It could happen…’ ‘How d’you feel about it?’ ‘What if?’ And off we went. I think we were both as keen as each other”.

Discussions apparently continued, then Marr went off on tour with The Cribs and never heard from Morrissey ever again. I don’t know if we should take this as a comment on Marr’s time with The Cribs. Possibly. Maybe not.

As for whether Marr thinks the two could at least be friends again, he says: “I don’t. I think it’s run its course. I don’t feel unfriendly in any way towards Morrissey – there’s just no need for it. One of the things we had in common was that we lived for work, and we’re too busy doing what we’re doing now”.

So, there you go, we never knew how close we came to real disaster, ie an actual Smiths reunion. Someone should make a film about this with Bruce Willis as Morrissey.