Morrissey posted an open letter to former bandmate Johnny Marr on his website. In the letter, he urges Marr not to use his name in future interviews.
The singer continues: “The fact is that you don’t even know me. You don’t know anything about my life, my intentions, thoughts or feelings.” Despite this, Marr behaves in public as if he were his personal psychiatrist, Moz claims in the letter.
Despite the fact that the two have not been in contact for 35 years, Johnny Marr would always gossip about him in the media. “We know the British press would write anything about me as long as it’s gruesome and brutal,” Morrissey said. He himself has never commented on Marr’s solo work or private life. And he also seems to want to remind the ex-bandmate of something, because he “played the guitar on ‘Golden Lights’ – not me”. “Golden Lights” is a fan-favorite track by the band The Smiths, which included Morrissey and Johnny Marr until 1987.
Marr responds on Twitter
Marr’s reply to Morrissey’s letter was not long in coming. He wrote to Morrissey on Twitter that an open letter had been “not a thing” at least since 1953. By now, everything would take place on social media. “Even Donald J. Trump got that,” Marr wrote. He added the hashtag #makeindiegreatagain to his post.
And on Instagram, almost at the same time, he posted a picture of himself lying in a hammock in the sea.
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. So, this fake news business…a bit 2021 yeah ?#makingindiegreatagain
— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) January 26, 2022
Morrissey’s open letter appears to be a response to Marr’s comments in Uncut Magazine. There the successful guitarist and songwriter had said that he was not so close with Morrissey because the two were so different. On the other hand, he is still in contact with other former bandmates and can call them at any time, Marr said in an interview.
Morrissey and Marr were members of the legendary band The Smiths from 1982 to 1987 and released four studio albums together during that time.
Morrissey, who has been touring as a solo artist ever since, has released 13 albums since the band broke up. Most recently, he published I AM NOT A DOG ON A CHAIN in 2020. Marr, on the other hand, played guitar in many different groups, such as The The and at times in his own band with Electronic. Since 2013 he has released four solo albums, on February 25 his latest long player FEVER DREAMS PT. 1-4 to be published.