Johnny Marr interview in Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant; mentions Smiths split

‘Bij alles wat ik deed stonden fans en journalisten te luisteren of het wel genoeg op The Smiths leek’ - De Volkskrant

Some interesting comments by Marr on The Smiths split. Please note: these are (amateurish) translations from a (journalists) translation in Dutch.

"The best decision I ever made was running away from The Smiths. I never regretted it, it really was done. Always when somebody calls again: gee, what a shame, I think: dude, you should know. The chemistry between Morrissey and me had worked out. We weren't friends, the only thing that tied us were shared musical preferences. When we could no longer find each other in music, it was done."

"I initially laughed at Morrisseys sarcasm and was touched by his strong anti-macho texts. But after five years of references to Oscar Wilde and sixties films, I was slightly done with it. I myself read J.G. Ballard and William S. Burroughs. I loved dystopian literature. Morrissey was actually more romantic."

"Morrissey and I were different in almost anything. Always. OK, thanks to his lyrics to Meat Is Murder, I stopped eating meat, but otherwise I've never attached much value to his opinions. All I can say is that The Smiths stood up for the rightless and the oppressed, the marginalized ones in our society because of their sexual orientation, race or descent. That is what The Smiths stood for. And we called ourselves leftwing. Morrissey engaging himself with disseminators of hatred is horrible, but I have felt so far away from him for so long that I can't really worry about it. What he does, says or sings, doesn't interest me. And please note: even he can not rewrite our history. I do not recognize anything in him what we once stood for as a band. "

 

[Anonymous]

Was that necessary?? What a Judas.

In fairness, Judas betrayed Jesus when the cock crowed three times. In this modern retelling, it's Morrissey who's the cock, and Johnny has tolerated quite a lot of crowing before finally deciding enough is enough.

 

[countthree]

In fairness, Judas betrayed Jesus when the cock crowed three times. In this modern retelling, it's Morrissey who's the cock, and Johnny has tolerated quite a lot of crowing before finally deciding enough is enough.

Poor Judas...

 

[Anonymous]

Poor Judas...

He doesn't have it so bad. No-one really remembers Simon the Brownnoser, do they?

 

[URBANUS]

https://www.volkskrant.nl/cultuur-m...-het-wel-genoeg-op-the-smiths-leek-~b7c93de2/

Some interesting comments by Marr on The Smiths split. Please note: these are (amateurish) translations from a (journalists) translation in Dutch.

"The best decision I ever made was running away from The Smiths. I never regretted it, it really was done. Always when somebody calls again: gee, what a shame, I think: dude, you should know. The chemistry between Morrissey and me had worked out. We weren't friends, the only thing that tied us were shared musical preferences. When we could no longer find each other in music, it was done."

"I initially laughed at Morrisseys sarcasm and was touched by his strong anti-macho texts. But after five years of references to Oscar Wilde and sixties films, I was slightly done with it. I myself read J.G. Ballard and William S. Burroughs. I loved dystopian literature. Morrissey was actually more romantic."

"Morrissey and I were different in almost anything. Always. OK, thanks to his lyrics to Meat Is Murder, I stopped eating meat, but otherwise I've never attached much value to his opinions. All I can say is that The Smiths stood up for the rightless and the oppressed, the marginalized ones in our society because of their sexual orientation, race or descent. That is what The Smiths stood for. And we called ourselves leftwing. Morrissey engaging himself with disseminators of hatred is horrible, but I have felt so far away from him for so long that I can't really worry about it. What he does, says or sings, doesn't interest me. And please note: even he can not rewrite our history. I do not recognize anything in him what we once stood for as a band. "

Grown men playing the guitar claiming not to be romantic......
Maher is a bitter twat it seems and could at least stop trying to hide his irish traveller roots like the pikey he is.
The cost to maintain that wig alone meant he lost most of his money from his time with Moz.

 

[URBANUS]

In fairness, Judas betrayed Jesus when the cock crowed three times. In this modern retelling, it's Morrissey who's the cock, and Johnny has tolerated quite a lot of crowing before finally deciding enough is enough.

Marr re writing history and what really happened is a bit like the jews talking about what really happened in those camps but forgetting to tell us about the football pitches and swimming pools and other recreational spaces built for them.
Marr is a wooden door on a gas chamber, it just doesn't make any sense.

 

[vegan.cro spirit# 568]

"All I can say is that The Smiths stood up for the rightless and the oppressed, the marginalized ones in our society because of their sexual orientation, race or descent."

Really Johnny? And how do you think people knew that the Smiths stood up for all of that? I tell you how. By the lyrics which you didn't write, by the interviews which you (for the most part) didn't give and by the overall image of the band which you (largely) didn't create. Because, as good as the music was, it hadn't a voice.

this Drama J is a total hot airNon stoping. Jesus, with the tattoos and the, how about poor Moz having to stare at the hair helmet all the time.

 

[Anonymous]

how about poor Moz having to stare at the hair helmet all the time.

I agree, Moz should move on and get a new screensaver for his phone.

 

[Amy]

I read that as Johnny saying they weren't friends prior to working together, so their relationship was fundamentally based on their shared musical project, with nothing to fall back on when that ended. Still fairly brutal, but I don't think he's saying they weren't friends as in they resented each other's company.

I don't find this extract sad at all. The situation is sad, but I'm glad that Johnny isn't not wasting his time trying to protect Morrissey or bat away questions about it and glad that he is trying to protect the Smiths' legacy. It's a pretty seaworthy legacy, but these are choppy waters.

I agree about the friendship aspect, but this kind of "We were just colleagues really" talk is a million miles from Morrissey's perspective, isn't it? I wonder if Marr was telling the truth when he said he'd never read Autobiography. It also sticks in my craw for other reasons, such as his continued fawning over Matt Johnson and others.

As for the last part - huh? The extract is sad precisely because it highlights the situation of their complete estrangement. "Nothing he says/does/sings interests me." Ouch.

 

[bhops]

Johnny Marr hated the Smiths so much and was soooooooo glad to leave the Smiths he even tried to reform the band many years later!!! Moz sure must've worked some strong Stockholm Syndrome magic on Johnny.

 

[Mods]

Morrissey was actually more romantic.

 

[Anonymous]

Marr re writing history and what really happened is a bit like the jews talking about what really happened in those camps but forgetting to tell us about the football pitches and swimming pools and other recreational spaces built for them.
Marr is a wooden door on a gas chamber, it just doesn't make any sense.

Urbanus , you already talked bullshit before but now you prove you are a revisionist wanker and a nazi scum. A disgrace on that forum. Where are the moderators by the way?

Get lost . f*** off

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

Wow, reading this it really resonated to me, but I still felt a bit sad for Moz, hope he doesn’t care or something, just wow

 

[Anonymous]

I agree about the friendship aspect, but this kind of "We were just colleagues really" talk is a million miles from Morrissey's perspective, isn't it? I wonder if Marr was telling the truth when he said he'd never read Autobiography. It also sticks in my craw for other reasons, such as his continued fawning over Matt Johnson and others.

As for the last part - huh? The extract is sad precisely because it highlights the situation of their complete estrangement. "Nothing he says/does/sings interests me." Ouch.

Well, from Johnny's perspective, they were songwriting partners and thank goodness they had a bit of distance between them because from that space sprang all the brilliant, lovelorn lyrics of Morrissey.

 

[Hayer Dew]

Grown men playing the guitar claiming not to be romantic......
Maher is a bitter twat it seems and could at least stop trying to hide his irish traveller roots like the pikey he is.
The cost to maintain that wig alone meant he lost most of his money from his time with Moz.

 

[Anonymous]

Marr re writing history and what really happened is a bit like the jews talking about what really happened in those camps but forgetting to tell us about the football pitches and swimming pools and other recreational spaces built for them.
Marr is a wooden door on a gas chamber, it just doesn't make any sense.

Urbanus and Jean Marie le Pen are in fact the same person !

 

[Anonymous]

Marr re writing history and what really happened is a bit like the jews talking about what really happened in those camps but forgetting to tell us about the football pitches and swimming pools and other recreational spaces built for them.
Marr is a wooden door on a gas chamber, it just doesn't make any sense.

Some people just make me puke
Urbanus on the guillotine
When will you die

 

[Anonymous]

Morrissey should bitch slap Johnny Marr.

I doubt that Morrissey could catch him to do so.

 

[modmop]

Grown men playing the guitar claiming not to be romantic......
Maher is a bitter twat it seems and could at least stop trying to hide his irish traveller roots like the pikey he is.
The cost to maintain that wig alone meant he lost most of his money from his time with Moz.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, reading this it really resonated to me, but I still felt a bit sad for Moz, hope he doesn’t care or something, just wow

Of course Moz cares. This is the whole point of their dynamic. Moz cares and Johnny doesn't.

 

[Surface]

Marr re writing history and what really happened is a bit like the jews talking about what really happened in those camps but forgetting to tell us about the football pitches and swimming pools and other recreational spaces built for them.
Marr is a wooden door on a gas chamber, it just doesn't make any sense.

You absolute c***!