"Johnny Marr says The Smiths had a “blind spot” of being obsessed with media and notoriety" - NME (July 5, 2021)

shoplifterromo sends the link:

"Particularly one certain member of the group"

Excerpt:

Speaking to Poet Laureate Simon Armitage for the new BBC Radio 4 series The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed, Marr said that the band could have done with “less” coverage at the height of their 1980s fame.

Discussing how it became their blind spot, Marr said: “I was in a very very big ‘music press’ band, which now I’m older I think we could’ve done with less of that.

“I wouldn’t say it was our downfall but I think it was a blind spot of The Smiths, being so occupied with the media and notoriety – particularly one certain member of the group. I think that could’ve been dialled down a bit and would’ve helped the group out.”


Related item:
 
Why else would someone quit a band at the height of their fame unless it was unbearable?

I guess we will never know for sure because he hasn't been totally honest about it.

He's always tried to blame The Smiths' breakup on Morrissey, or the managerial workload, or both.

At the time all the heat: fame, money, record label, tours, band members relationships, etc., might have been quite overwhelming for a guy in his early twenties, so, he wanted out. OK!

It was his decision.

The other day I read a JM interview where he said it was never his intention to stay in one band for 30 years, because he had always wanted to play with others bands.
 
At the time: beads, quiffs, gladioli & NHS specs were in far more demand than Brian Jones / Stu Sutcliffe / Byrds haircuts - that's about it really.
The rest came from the music itself IMHO.
I read the press religiously, but the connection I felt on hearing albums & live performances is what fueled my following them - not lots of witty ripostes in magazines / on TV.
Not forgetting they were actually quite prolific tourers and the albums were great - what exactly would have been the 'help' the group gained if things were "dialed down"?
FWD.
I guess the controversial comments like the IRA bomb in Brighton missing thatcher and other such comments bringing a greater focus (pressure??) from the media when maybe Johnny just wanted to focus on the music
 
Why all the Johnny bashing?! The Smiths were Morrissey and Marr. A perfect partnership. The reason the band broke up is all the stress that Marr was in trying to be in charge of the music AND the management of the Smiths. If they worried less about the press and trying to manage themselves, and if Morrissey wasn't complaining all the time about promotion and chart position, they would have been happier and might have stayed together to record another album or two.
Yeah, that's what I thought as well. It might have "helped the group out" as far as their internal relationships. It makes me wonder how negative and sour Morrissey would become based on low chart positions, bad press, etc.? If so, surely that took a toll and couldn't have been good for the morale of the band.
 
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Why all the Johnny bashing?! The Smiths were Morrissey and Marr. A perfect partnership. The reason the band broke up is all the stress that Marr was in trying to be in charge of the music AND the management of the Smiths. If they worried less about the press and trying to manage themselves, and if Morrissey wasn't complaining all the time about promotion and chart position, they would have been happier and might have stayed together to record another album or two.
Because the sycophants on this website quite literally can't handle when anyone says anything south of laudatory about their god emperor. All objectivity flies out the window.
 
Why all the Johnny bashing?! The Smiths were Morrissey and Marr. A perfect partnership.

Agree.

The reason the band broke up is all the stress that Marr was in trying to be in charge of the music AND the management of the Smiths.

Agree there,

but we’re talking mainly about Marr’s criticism of Morrissey’s interest in doing press.

Johnny Marr states that all the press wasn’t what split the band up..

I wouldn’t say it was our downfall but I think it was a blind spot of The Smiths, being so occupied with the media and notoriety – particularly one certain member of the group. I think that could’ve been dialled down a bit and would’ve helped the group out.”

If they worried less about the press and trying to manage themselves,

I don’t think they or Morrissey was worried about the press.

Yes agree the subject of management was a big issue.
But if Morrissey did less interviews/press the issue of management would still be a problem.

and if Morrissey wasn't complaining all the time about promotion and chart position,

Was that an issue between Morrissey and Marr? Don’t ever remember Marr complaining about
that.

they would have been happier and might have stayed together to record another album or two.

Well, non management of the band and the burden of it falling on Marr’s shoulders was the straw that broke the Smiths back.


So what is Marr’s statement really about ?
 
:)

of course he just made it up to throw shade on Moz.(n)

:hammer:
 
Marr didn’t know exactly do all the management duties himself. Morrissey negotiated contracts, morrissey was doing the press which he has said was work
 
Morrissey was just more interesting. And they were making fantastic records. Would he have wanted less attention? That does mean less money...
 
Morrissey was just more interesting. And they were making fantastic records. Would he have wanted less attention? That does mean less money...

Yes, no one has yet posted a reason as to why he would make such a statement.

Maybe it’s just Marr throwing shade on Morrissey, as someone who is usually right has already noted.
 
Revisionist history
 
Agree.



Agree there,

but we’re talking mainly about Marr’s criticism of Morrissey’s interest in doing press.

Johnny Marr states that all the press wasn’t what split the band up..

I wouldn’t say it was our downfall but I think it was a blind spot of The Smiths, being so occupied with the media and notoriety – particularly one certain member of the group. I think that could’ve been dialled down a bit and would’ve helped the group out.”



I don’t think they or Morrissey was worried about the press.

Yes agree the subject of management was a big issue.
But if Morrissey did less interviews/press the issue of management would still be a problem.



Was that an issue between Morrissey and Marr? Don’t ever remember Marr complaining about
that.



Well, non management of the band and the burden of it falling on Marr’s shoulders was the straw that broke the Smiths back.


So what is Marr’s statement really about ?
KetSun,

You won't stand for even the mildest criticism of Moz, will you? :ROFLMAO:
 
I guess we will never know for sure because he hasn't been totally honest about it.

He's always tried to blame The Smiths' breakup on Morrissey, or the managerial workload, or both.

At the time all the heat: fame, money, record label, tours, band members relationships, etc., might have been quite overwhelming for a guy in his early twenties, so, he wanted out. OK!

It was his decision.

The other day I read a JM interview where he said it was never his intention to stay in one band for 30 years, because he had always wanted to play with others bands.
History has shown it was a terrible decision for JM. Morrissey went on to huge success all over the world and JM became a was.
 
Sorry Johnny, pure nonsense. Contradicting himself again too, as he's said many times that Morrissey was a natural at 'handling' the Press and could carry himself in interviews better than anyone else. I believe most of JM's comments are cherry-picked and distorted for headlines but even so, this snarking at M is getting really tiresome. Go down the Stamford with the bloke and stop being so petty.
 
KetSun,

You won't stand for even the mildest criticism of Moz, will you? :ROFLMAO:

Not at all. See how you read my posts, very telling.

I agreed with you about management being a problem, and we all know Morrissey, even today has a problem with management.
 
History has shown it was a terrible decision for JM. Morrissey went on to huge success all over the world and JM became a was.

True, but that’s a bit cruel. I don’t know if it’s weakness on Marr’s part, but it’s very rare that an artist can handle artistic and managerial duties at the same time.

It was the reason for Marr’s drug abuse and almost death in a car crash. Which I believe is when he decided that enough was enough.
 
Just bullshit.
Is he talking about Spandau Ballet or The Smiths? I don't remember so many videos or whatever by the Smiths and nevertheless I think he should just be grateful he had a singer with an interesting personality instead of a ghost.
It's very easy to speak now. He could speak then if he didn't like it. Or was it okay after all to become famous and conquer the heart of people?
 
Yes, it could have given them more time to focus on the music and the creative process.
Maybe. But many many bands are the same: one member, usually the vocalist, gravitates or is forced into the spotlight. Suede, The Cure, The The, Joy Division, New Order, The Jam, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, Blondie, The Smiths, Pet Shop Boys (haha twat hat never spoke a word), etc. It's not unusual. Moz sought the limelight but that is his nature, despite any protestations to the contrary, in my exalted opinion.

Johnny is being slightly twattish saying what he said. Bernard Butler criticised Brett in a guitar mag and destroyed a great relationship for years.
 
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