Fans of The Smiths have been left heartbroken after singer Morrissey seemingly put to bed any lingering hopes of the band’s reunion. The 66-year old took to Instagram to reveal he had taken drastic measures to protect his health.
Morrissey formed the band in Manchester in 1982 – alongside guitarist and songwriting partner Johnny Marr, drummer Mike Joyce, and the late Andy Rourke on bass, who passed away in 2023 following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. After numerous top 20 hits, the band split in 1987 in acrimonious as tensions between Morrissey and Marr boiled over.
Despite legal battles and the occasional war of words in the years that followed, many fans always reamined hopeful that the pair would perform together once more. And with fellow Mancunians Oasis reforming last year, it offered a greater anticipation that those irreconcilable differences could in fact be overcome.
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday (August 4), however, Morrissey appeared to hammer the final nail in The Smiths’ coffin as he issued a lenghty statement titled “A soul for sale”.
Revealing that he was “burnt out”, he said: “Morrissey has no choice but to offer for sale all of his business interests in ‘The Smiths’ to any interested party/investor.”
The singer advised that purchase of The Smiths “as created by Morrissey” concerned: The name ‘The Smiths; all Smiths artwork; all Smiths merchandising rights; all Smiths songs lyrically/musically; all synchronisation rights; all Smiths recordings; and all contractual rights for Smiths publishing.
Morrissey went on to add that he had reached the decision that he needs to “protect himself”.
He added: “I am burnt out by any and all connections to Marr, Rourke, Joyce. I have had enough of malicious associations. With my entire life I have paid my rightful dues to these songs and these images.
“I would now like to live disassociated from those who wish me nothing but ill-will and destruction, and this is the only resolution. The songs are me – they are no one else – but they bring with them business communications that go to excessive lengths to create as much dread and spite year after year. I must now protect myself, especially my health.”
Morrissey closed by sharing an email address and urging “serious investors” to make contact.
Writing in response, one fan begged: “Please Morrissey, don’t do this to yourself, to your ex bandmates, to us. We love you and your music, your words, those five years of your life. Nobody could just throw all of this away. There may be haters, but we are here too. You don’t have to do this alone. We want ‘the songs that saved our lives’ to be in their writer’s hands.”
A second person expressed with sadness: “My heart is broken. YOU are The Smiths, Morrissey.” A third Instagram user declared: “Tragic. But maybe The Smiths should just be left to rest in glory.”
Whilst a fourth shared: “Damn. This is not what I expected to see this morning.”
Last year, frontman Morrissey claimed Marr turned down a “lucrative” deal to tour in 2025, meanwhile, with AEG Entertainment Group apparently offering the pair a deal to play together once more.
At the time, he penned: “Morrissey said yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer. Morrissey undertakes a largely sold out tour of the USA in November. Marr continues to tour as a special guest to New Order.”