Johnny Marr interview: ‘I had to defend myself against Morrissey’ - thetimes.co.uk

Johnny Marr interview - The Times

Johnny Marr tells his side.

Johnny Marr interview: ‘I had to defend myself against Morrissey’

Fight or flight? Since Johnny Marr walked out on the Smiths in 1987 he has chosen the latter. He collaborated with countless artists, from the Pretenders to Mod

www.thetimes.co.uk

Excerpt:

A month on the guitarist explains his decision to come out fighting. “When you’re attacked out of the blue, particularly in public, you have to defend yourself. The letter was designed to be insulting, wasn’t it? That has to have been the idea. If it’s something that’s not based in fact, you have to react in kind, which is just” — he curls his lip — “with ridicule.” Tellingly, he doesn’t use the M word.

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Related items:

• Johnny Marr responds to Morrissey's open letter via Twitter (January 26, 2022)
• Morrissey Central: "OPEN LETTER TO JOHNNY MARR." (January 25, 2022)

 

[Thewlis]

Johnny at 4 in the UK midweeks:

1 Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point (17,850) [16,328 physicals] *
2 Central Cee - 23 (11,261) *
3 Avril Lavigne - Love Sux (8,388) *
4 Johnny Marr - Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4 (7,088) *
5 Ed Sheeran - = (3,744)

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Not really. Morrissey's letter was directed at Johnny Marr, not at irresponsible journalists and editors. They would be fair targets. Johnny didn't do anything to deserve Morrissey's letter.

The Times journalist, editor, whatever, was neither sloppy or irresponsible. They knew exactly what to do to make sure their article
gets the clicks. And that’s why the headline reads as it does.

Morrissey’s open letter was basically asking Johnny to not feed the media with stories about him, to not even mention his name, so that they can not use, misuse or distort
what he (Marr) says in order for them (as we see here with the Times article) to use as clickbait.


‘Yes, we all know that the British press will print anything you say about me as long as it’s cruel and savage. But you’ve done all that. Move on.

There comes a time when you must take responsibility for your own actions and your own career, with which I wish you good health to enjoy. Just stop using my name as click-bait. I have not ever attacked your solo work or your solo life, and I have openly applauded your genius during the days of ‘Louder than bombs’ and ‘Strangeways, here we come’, yet you have positioned yourself ever-ready as rent-a-quote whenever the press require an ugly slant on something I half-said ...’

- excerpts from Morrissey’s open letter to Marr.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Not really. Morrissey's letter was directed at Johnny Marr, not at irresponsible journalists and editors. They would be fair targets.

Johnny didn't do anything to deserve Morrissey's letter.

Opinions, yes. But I don’t think we’re really in the position to make that judgment. I mean, we are not Morrissey.

 

[gordyboy9]

Not really. Morrissey's letter was directed at Johnny Marr, not at irresponsible journalists and editors. They would be fair targets. Johnny didn't do anything to deserve Morrissey's letter.

I like both Johnny and Morrissey. If Moz is allowed to say whatever he wants about absolutely anything - it is only fair that Johnny is free to do the same. I think Moz's open letter showed a sensitivity that is understandable, especially given recent loss in his life, but unhelpful.
Johnny has clearly decided to put the boot in. His lack of regard for former friendship perhaps say something about him as a person. But Moz needs to smell the coffee. Johnny just doesn't have any regard for him anymore and is prepared to say so. Time for Moz to completely let go and move on. Johnny is aware that these comments are hurting Moz - so in that case he will just keep saying them. Ultimately this site is called Morrissey-solo and not Marr-solo, and that in itself speaks volumes about the cultural importance of each figure.

for years people on here have assumed that i dont like johnboy marr,i just dont like how everything he says or does ends up on here,this is not a site dedicated to him.if andy or mike did an interview it would barely even be mentioned on here,that is the difference.

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

This is Johnny Marr channeling Meghan Markle

Terrible

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Johnny at 4 in the UK midweeks:

1 Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point (17,850) [16,328 physicals] *
2 Central Cee - 23 (11,261) *
3 Avril Lavigne - Love Sux (8,388) *
4 Johnny Marr - Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4 (7,088) *
5 Ed Sheeran - = (3,744)

Nothing here worth listening to, regardless of placement.

I mean, Marr’s in good company.

 

[Thewlis]

Nothing here worth listening to, regardless of placement.

I quite like that new Tears for Fears-record.
Good to see them come back with a nr 1 album.

 

[Surface]

I quite like that new Tears for Fears-record.
Good to see them come back with a nr 1 album.

I didn't know they had released a new one, going to download that tomorrow.

 

[Surface]

Nothing here worth listening to, regardless of placement.

I mean, Marr’s in good company.

Depends on what you're into, Tears for fears, Songs from The Big Chair is a magnificent album.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Depends on what you're into, Tears for fears, Songs from The Big Chair is a magnificent album.

Can remember buying in my lunch break 1984, i think .
A young slip of a lad at 15-16

 

[rubbersoul]

Depends on what you're into, Tears for fears, Songs from The Big Chair is a magnificent album.

BBC radio 2 play their new single all the bloody time (it's on all day where I work), it isn't good at all, in my opinion, but I want to check out the album anyway because I LOVE Tears For Fears. Hopefully the album as a whole is better than that song.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

Johnny at 4 in the UK midweeks:

1 Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point (17,850) [16,328 physicals] *
2 Central Cee - 23 (11,261) *
3 Avril Lavigne - Love Sux (8,388) *
4 Johnny Marr - Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4 (7,088) *
5 Ed Sheeran - = (3,744)

California Son an album of covers sold more in the first week what a
LePepe katastrofa .

 

[Redacted]

Johnny did already reply in public, on twitter, then that tard Nile replied on his IG. Obviously that was not enough for these 2 little bitches. They truly are Morrissey's bitches, he says dance and they do, M knew what he was doing, he is proving his point.

 

[Redacted]

Considering all the posts about Marr, maybe the site name should be changed to Morrissey-Marr-Solo.

It's just silly that people come to a site named Morrissey Solo and get upset if people criticize Marr, esp when he is such a dolt. They can make their own site.

 

[dressrehearsal]

It's just silly that people come to a site named Morrissey Solo and get upset if people criticize Marr, esp when he is such a dolt. They can make their own site.

seems that theres absolutely no one on this site who posts more about marr than you, im almost inclined to believe you've been hired by his pr people to work some angle of reverse psychology

consider taking your own advice and stop boring the daylights out of everyone else here

 

[Redacted]

seems that theres absolutely no one on this site who posts more about marr than you, im almost inclined to believe you've been hired by his pr people to work some angle of reverse psychology

It's true, I have, it pays well

 

[The.Truth.]

Lots of people, Johnny is also on the Radio 2 playlist this week. Radio 2 attracts 14.6 million listeners per week.

BBC Radio 2 is still No. 1 with a weekly reach of 14.6m listeners

Those are just the numbers they push to sell ads. No one is actually listening. It's background noise that goes ignored by the people that are too lazy to change the station.

 

[Surface]

Those are just the numbers they push to sell ads. No one is actually listening. It's background noise that goes ignored by the people that are too lazy to change the station.

There are no ads on the BBC Radio 2

 

[Thewlis]

Yes, Morrissey at his lowest sold about as much as Johnny sells now.
And without any radio play or media attention for Moz, where Johnny gets the full support.

 

[Surface]

The 6k sales for Morrissey last album were after a week, Johnnys are after 3 days. probably won’t sell many more though.