Morrissey Central "SMITHS NOT OK" (September 11, 2024)

September 11, 2024

The proposed greatest hits album by The Smiths entitled Smiths Rule OK! has been blocked by J Marr. The album (above), and also the single Hand In Glove (below)

were planned for 2024 worldwide release by Warner Records along with a deluxe box release of The Smiths first album in order to commemorate its 40-year anniversary, and also a new 7-inch of This Charming Man. Warner approached Morrissey and Darren Evans to assemble artwork for all four releases, all of which were rejected and halted out of hand by J Marr.

SMITHS NOT OK - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - SMITHS NOT OK

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

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Media item:

• Stereogum: "Now Morrissey Says Johnny Marr Has Blocked A New Smiths Deluxe Reissue" - September 11, 2024

 

[robertw93]

He's really going for Johnny at the moment...

 

[Gregor Samsa]

It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s all a hoax.

Would love to get Marr’s take on this.

 

[gashonthenail]

To be honest 'The Smiths Rule Ok' title is tacky as hell. I agree with Johnny if he has rejected it on artistic grounds. I like the 'Hand in Glove' cover pic - but it's nothing on the original.

 

[robertw93]

Didn't he moan about the last greatest hits?

 

[Rufusindigo]

September 11, 2024

The proposed greatest hits album by The Smiths entitled Smiths Rule OK! has been blocked by J Marr. The album (above), and also the single Hand In Glove (below)

were planned for 2024 worldwide release by Warner Records along with a deluxe box release of The Smiths first album in order to commemorate its 40-year anniversary, and also a new 7-inch of This Charming Man. Warner approached Morrissey and Darren Evans to assemble artwork for all four releases, all of which were rejected and halted out of hand by J Marr.

SMITHS NOT OK - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - SMITHS NOT OK

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

Doesn't this mean that JM has rejected the artwork, that Morrissey and Darren Evans wanted, rather than blocking the release entirely? Surely if they had got to the point where they were choosing artwork then the project as a whole was pretty far down the pipeline anyway, which must have been with JM's consent??

 

[Rufusindigo]

It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s all a hoax.

Would love to get Marr’s take on this.

PS Surely that art work/title is a hoax?! That cannot be serious!

 

[manfields]

I don't understand his obsession with Johnny Marr? he want his fans to hate Johnny or what? Also, I feel like Jesse is enjoying this.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not surprised - those covers look friggin' awful. Stay strong Johnny - it's up to you to protect the legacy of the Smiths now.

 

[SteveWS]

Wonder if the album's title is a reference to a series featured in the notorious 70s comic Action?:

 

[Famous when dead]

This was an actual thing from '23 going forwards.
My contact had dropped this in the conversation back in my rumour post of Feb 6, 2023:

"Rumour mill (but a credible source):
A Warner's The Smiths 'greatest hits' is being compiled for later in the year (yes, another).

You may have heard it here first folks."

When following it up privately myself, there was 'no permission' to proceed, but not who was blocking it.
Regards,
FWD.

 

[dallow_bg]

What a cover, lol

I'd only be interested in the 40th anniversary reissue if it actually included something new which seems highly unlikely.

 

[starman1973]

My god. That is a horrible cover and I'm glad its not coming out. Thank goodness for Marr having the sense to keep the integrity of the Smiths legacy intact. I'm all for more Smiths releases, but please do better!

 

[Thewlis]

It's war, it's war, it's war, it's war, it's war
War, war, war, war, war

 

[trevS]

Sounds sensible from Johnny. Whether Moz needs money or attention, he's really messing with the Smiths' legacy, with all the recent whoring about.

Will a compilation be any different to the hundreds which preceded it?

 

[rivum]

if the artwork presented in the post is what was planned, Marr was right to reject it.
no surprise there, though. Moz should never be trusted to do artwork nowadays. his days of designing interesting sleeves are well and truly in the rearview

 

[JoeSellMozza]

Why has Warner no interest in BOT?

 

[SteveWS]

Why, it almost looks as if cardboard cut-outs of Johnny, Andy & Mike have been added to a photo of Moz...

 

[Jamie]

"Assemble artwork" is doing quite a bit of heavy lifting in conjunction with these examples.

 

[dallow_bg]

Why has Warner no interest in BOT?

It's TOO good.