Johnny Marr interview in SPIN mentions why The Smiths won't reunite, Classically Smiths

Shoplifterromo sends the link:

Johnny Marr on His New Solo Album, Why the Smiths Won’t Reunite, and the Time He Almost Fell in a Volcano - SPIN
Maggie Serota // September 25, 2018

Excerpt:

I’m not going to ask you if the Smiths are ever going to reunite, because I know the answer is no. What I will ask is, do you feel like you dodged a bullet not reuniting given the political positions Morrissey has taken recently?

I don’t know whether I dodged a bullet because of that. I just feel like we never reformed because we shouldn’t have reformed. I don’t like ‘dodging the bullet,’ because there’s so many reasons why we haven’t reformed. I think that’s fair to say, and I don’t think that would come as any kind of puzzle or surprise to anybody. I don’t feel like I dodged any bullets. And also we never really got close to reforming, except for a conversation that happened quite a long time ago.

What did you think of that “Classically Smiths” event that kind of fell apart very quickly with Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce?

There wasn’t really much time to think anything of it. I heard about it when everybody else heard about it, which tells you all you need to know, really. It was particularly disrespectful that I wasn’t consulted, and I kind of feel it was a farce in the way it went down, really. I thought about it how I imagine everybody else thought about it, that it was really kind of sketchy. That is disappointing to me, that the band gets chained to that kind of sketchiness. It’s a good thing those guys weren’t organizing the gigs when we were together, otherwise we would’ve never gone on the stage.

 

[Zoinks]

Johnny believes it was 'disrespectful' that he wasn't consulted before the 'Classically Smiths' debacle. I can't help wondering why he believes Mike or Craig would particularly feel the need or inclination to approach him.

Because they were all in the band together. Because he and Morrissey wrote the songs. Because it was publicized as a Smiths "reunion".

 

[Peppermint]

Also interesting is that I've read that Moz wrote "Joan of Arc" because it sounded like "Johnny Marr" - so it's come full circle.

Oh! Never heard that before.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Also interesting is that I've read that Moz wrote "Joan of Arc" because it sounded like "Johnny Marr" - so it's come full circle.

Where is this reference?

 

[nicky wire's legs]

Where is this reference?

what does it matter? if you hate Morrissey so much you needn't waste your time anymore being a compendium of info on his band.

just clooooooseee the barn door and off you go!

 

[Zoinks]

Where is this reference?

Definitely not from Morrissey. I think I read it in some kind of analysis of his lyrics, as an example of alliterative wordplay and disguised meanings. Johnny picked it up for sure!

 

[vegan cro spirit 99]

DramaJ has always been VERY DRAMATIC!!
why else would be known as the Dramatic DramaJ?????
always the VICTIM.....the Joan of Arc of Manchester, this is true
Ive heard him being called that.

 

[Big Fanof Mo]

Anybody know the reason why Jesse Tobias only lasted a month with the Red Hot Chill Peppers?

I remember seeing some quote saying they had some clashes and differences, but I don't know how credible the source. You'll only know if you ask him.

 

[Peppermint]

Definitely not from Morrissey. I think I read it in some kind of analysis of his lyrics, as an example of alliterative wordplay and disguised meanings. Johnny picked it up for sure!

So it was someone's analytical assumption, not a comment from someone in the band?

 

[Zoinks]

So it was someone's analytical assumption, not a comment from someone in the band?

Yes I think so, it's always stuck in my mind, but couldn't tell you the exact source. But anyway, Johnny has been singing it that way since at least 2014 - it's on his live album "Adrenalin Baby".

 

[Surface]

Yes I think so, it's always stuck in my mind, but couldn't tell you the exact source. But anyway, Johnny has been singing it that way since at least 2014 - it's on his live album "Adrenalin Baby".

Bloody hell, I have just played the Adrenalin version and he does, although only once as the first line is the Joan of arc reference and the second Johnny Marr! Have listened to that album loads of times and never realised?

 

[vegan cro spirit 99]

The only thing that you create are sickly looking and foul smelling bowel movements thanks to your non-stop buffet of microwave meals. There's a metaphor there somewhere about bowel movements, but I can't quite...

I TOUCHED A NERVE WITH MY POST!!!!

THE FORUM CAME TO STANDSTILL WITH MY RIVETING POST

 

[vegan cro spirit 99]

NO IT CANT BE!!
you mean to say that DramaJ is ALLUDING TO HIMSELF AS JOAN OF ARC CHANGING MOZ LYRICS!!!

why not just go on and change the title to BIG EGO STRIKES AGAIN!!

im shocked, DramaJ hit a NERVE FOR SURE changing Joan of Arc to

UNREAL!!

in the meantime, does anyone know which continent exactly is Drama 'Joan of Arc" J
'touring'??

 

[Famous when dead]

Anybody know the reason why Jesse Tobias only lasted a month with the Red Hot Chill Peppers?

"Tobias was recruited after a series of open auditions; however, his tenure with the band was brief and after weeks of writing and rehearsals for the next album the band stated that "the chemistry wasn't right" and he was fired although the band already had his replacement ready. Chad was friends with and in contact with Navarro..."

Add too:

"New music was created with Tobias during his brief tenure in the band as they rehearsed for a follow-up to Blood Sugar Sex Magik however he was fired from the band before anything was recorded or released."
(Source: RHCP wiki).

Regards,
FWD.

Edit:
Just added - HSIN:

 

[Anonymous]

I agree. This is not half bad. At first it seemed like he was almost embarrassed to be singing those songs because he knew he couldn't match Morrissey. Now it's as if he's said 'f*** it' and he's just decided to do them his own way, and it's so much better for it. Obviously his voice has improved, which definitely helps, though. Good on ya, Johnny.

It's odd, isn't it, how Marr can sing Morrissey's words one minute - words full of observation, humour, empathy, insight and wisdom. And then switch to his own depressingly gormless lyrics the next. Words full of cliches, clumsiness, dullness - all sung in a ghastly fake mid-Atlantic accent.
Marr will have us believe that all his non-Smiths stuff is equally valid, and come out with idiotic nonsense like saying that Ian Curtis was a better lyricist/singer than Morrissey, and yet in all the live shows sing virtually nothing other than Morrissey's lyrics when he departs from the third rate plodding drudgery of his own tedious compositions.
John, old chap - how about putting Morrissey's songwriting on the back-burner for the next tour and just sing the stuff you wrote with The Cribs, Modest Mouse, The The if it was of such a high quality?

 

[Orson Swells]

Bloody hell, I have just played the Adrenalin version and he does, although only once as the first line is the Joan of arc reference and the second Johnny Marr! Have listened to that album loads of times and never realised?

Yes, but Johnny Marr/Joan of Arc is clearly the pun that Morrissey intended all along, isn't it? Johnny just picked up on it and put it out there - a bit like he did with the back cover of The World Won't Listen looking like the Smiths in female form. I always wondered about Jean Marais/Johnny Marr too. The similarity of the names seems like a secondary reason for Moz using him on the TCM cover.​

 

[Zoinks]

Yes, but Johnny Marr/Joan of Arc is clearly the pun that Morrissey intended all along, isn't it? Johnny just picked up on it and put it out there - a bit like he did with the back cover of The World Won't Listen looking like the Smiths in female form. I always wondered about Jean Marais/Johnny Marr too. The similarity of the names seems like a secondary reason for Moz using him on the TCM cover.​

Yes, I do think Morrissey intended the Joan of Arc pun that way. Speaking of album covers, I've read an interview with Johnny where he noticed there was a physical resemblance between himself and Shelagh Delaney.

 

[Surface]

It's odd, isn't it, how Marr can sing Morrissey's words one minute - words full of observation, humour, empathy, insight and wisdom. And then switch to his own depressingly gormless lyrics the next. Words full of cliches, clumsiness, dullness - all sung in a ghastly fake mid-Atlantic accent.
Marr will have us believe that all his non-Smiths stuff is equally valid, and come out with idiotic nonsense like saying that Ian Curtis was a better lyricist/singer than Morrissey, and yet in all the live shows sing virtually nothing other than Morrissey's lyrics when he departs from the third rate plodding drudgery of his own tedious compositions.
John, old chap - how about putting Morrissey's songwriting on the back-burner for the next tour and just sing the stuff you wrote with The Cribs, Modest Mouse, The The if it was of such a high quality?

I find it interesting that in their later years Johnny seems to be on the rise whereas Morrissey star is fading at an alarming rate. Johnny’s last album received better reviews than Morrissey’s by a country mile according to metacritic, which rounds up all the major reviews. It’s also interesting that each of Johnnys last 3 albums has charted higher than the previous one whereas Morrissey chart placing has gone backwards and finally it looks like Johnny is in the middle of a very successful world tour whereas Morrissey is desperately looking for countries where he still has a opportunity to sell tickets.

Hopefully his covers album will open him up to a new audience but I’m not convinced.

 

[spineless]

Because they were all in the band together. Because he and Morrissey wrote the songs. Because it was publicized as a Smiths "reunion".

I'd dispute the fact that it was solely Marr and Morrissey who wrote the songs. Marr wrote riffs but it was Andy who turned them into songs and gave them structure. He did all his bass lines himself. If there was a reunion Andy would be essential.

 

[Peppermint]

I find it interesting that in their later years Johnny seems to be on the rise whereas Morrissey star is fading at an alarming rate. Johnny’s last album received better reviews than Morrissey’s by a country mile according to metacritic, which rounds up all the major reviews. It’s also interesting that each of Johnnys last 3 albums has charted higher than the previous one whereas Morrissey chart placing has gone backwards and finally it looks like Johnny is in the middle of a very successful world tour whereas Morrissey is desperately looking for countries where he still has a opportunity to sell tickets.

Hopefully his covers album will open him up to a new audience but I’m not convinced.

It's even more interesting when people who have heard Johnny's latest album say it's 'ooookaaaay' (ie not outstanding). I think Johnny simply has a lot more goodwill in the bank, whereas Morrissey is now heavily overdrawn.

 

[Peppermint]

'Video unavailable', spiney.