The power figures of The Smiths in disputes over the right to use the band’s name

In the year The songwriters and power figures of The Smiths, which broke up in 1987 Morrissey and Johnny Marr have argued over the use of the band’s name, says, among other things Pitchfork.

Morrissey recently claimed that Marr had trademarked The Smiths’ name in his own name without consulting Morrissey.

Already before, Morrissey was argued publicly that Marr had not responded to a proposal offering The Smiths a comeback tour in 2025. According to Morrissey, Marr also did not give the label permission to release a new collection of the band’s old songs.

Marr responded through his managers with a statement in which he said he had suggested to Morrissey that they register The Smiths name together because a third party had tried to use the name.

According to Marr, Morrissey did not respond to the proposal, so Marr registered the name for himself. Marr says that he then offered Morrissey a contract in which the rights to the name would be shared equally between both. According to Marr, Morrissey did not respond to this offer either.

Furthermore, Marr states that far from failing to respond to the return tour offer, he turned it down. He also confirms that he has forbidden the record company to release a new compilation album, because in his opinion there are already enough of them.

take and Morrissey’s right-wing populist stances have been causing friction for a long time.

“We never argued about politics back in the day, but we probably would now,” Marr commented of the Guardian in an interview in 2022.

Johnny Marr performed in the summer of 2023 at Huvila in Helsinki’s festive weeks. HS asked him in the interview if he ever believed in The Smiths coming back. Morrissey and Marr discussed the topic in 2010.

“I believed in that possibility for two days, but I was wrong,” Marr replied.

The Smiths are still considered a key influence in British guitar rock and indie rock. After the breakup of the band, Morrissey and Marr have made careers as solo artists, but have also performed old songs of The Smiths at concerts. The band’s bassist Andy Rourke will die in the spring of 2023.