Editing Johnny Marr (section)

==The Smiths==
{{Main|The Smiths}}
By early 1982, Freak Party had fizzled out, being unable to find a singer. Marr approached Rob Allman, singer in White Dice, who suggested [[Morrissey|Steven Morrissey]], a singer with the short-lived punk band [[the Nosebleeds]]. Marr approached a mutual friend, Stephen Pomfret, asking to be introduced and they visited Morrissey at his house in Kings Road, [[Stretford]], in May.{{sfn|Rogan|1994|p=37}}

Marr's [[Jangle pop|jangly]] [[Rickenbacker]] and [[Fender Telecaster]] guitar playing became synonymous with the Smiths' sound. Marr's friend Andy Rourke joined as bass player and [[Mike Joyce (musician)|Mike Joyce]] was recruited as drummer. Signing to indie label [[Rough Trade Records]], they released their first single, "[[Hand in Glove]]", on 13 May 1983. By February 1984, the Smiths' fanbase was sufficiently large to launch the band's long-awaited [[The Smiths (album)|debut album]] to number two in the UK chart. Early in 1985, the band released their second album, ''[[Meat Is Murder]]''. It was more strident and political than its predecessor, and it was the band's only album (barring compilations) to reach number one in the UK charts. During 1985 the band completed lengthy tours of the UK and the US while recording the next studio record, ''[[The Queen Is Dead]]''.

In 1989 ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' magazine rated ''The Queen is Dead'' as number one of "The Greatest Albums Ever Made". Spin was not alone in this designation—numerous periodicals rank the Smiths and their albums, especially ''The Queen is Dead'', high on their best ever lists. ''NME'', for example, has dubbed the Smiths the most important rock band of all time. A legal dispute with Rough Trade had delayed the album by almost seven months (it had been completed in November 1985), and Marr was beginning to feel the stress of the band's exhausting touring and recording schedule. He later told ''NME'', "'Worse for wear' wasn't the half of it: I was extremely ill. By the time the tour actually finished it was all getting a little bit... dangerous. I was just drinking more than I could handle."<ref>{{cite web|author=Kelly, Danny |date=14 February 1987 |title=Exile on Mainstream |format=http |work=[[NME]], cited at Foreverill.com |url=http://foreverill.com/interviews/1987/exile.htm |access-date=22 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928031722/http://foreverill.com/interviews/1987/exile.htm |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> Meanwhile, Rourke was fired from the band in early 1986 due to his use of heroin, although he was reinstated in short order. Despite their continued success, personal differences within the band—including the increasingly strained relationship between Morrissey and Marr—saw them on the verge of splitting.

In July 1987, Marr left the group, and auditions to find a replacement for him proved fruitless. By the time ''[[Strangeways, Here We Come (album)|Strangeways, Here We Come]]'' (named after [[Strangeways Prison]], Manchester) was released in September, the band had split up.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/ca2e0e30-afaa-4bc6-86d9-53343d9ddf41 | title=10 of the most dramatic resignations in rock and pop - BBC Music| date=2016-07-06}}</ref> The breakdown in the relationship has been primarily attributed to Morrissey's becoming annoyed by Marr's work with other artists and Marr's growing frustration with Morrissey's musical inflexibility. Referring to the songs recorded in the group's last session together (B-sides for the "Girlfriend in a Coma" single, which preceded the album's release), Marr said "I wrote '[[I Keep Mine Hidden]]', but 'Work Is a Four-Letter Word' I hated. That was the last straw, really. I didn't form a group to perform [[Cilla Black]] songs".<ref>{{cite web|author=Rogan, Johnny |date=November–December 1992 |title=The Smiths: Johnny Marr's View |format=http |work=[[Record Collector]], cited at Foreverill.com |url=http://foreverill.com/interviews/post87/marrview.htm |access-date=22 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427094304/http://foreverill.com/interviews/post87/marrview.htm |archive-date=27 April 2007 }}</ref> In 1989, in an interview with young fan [[Tim Samuels]], later a BBC journalist, Morrissey said the lack of a managerial figure and business problems were to blame for the band's eventual split.<ref>{{cite web|author=David Tseng|url=http://www.morrissey-solo.com/content/interview/greenscene/index4.html|title="Meat Is Murder" (from "Greenscene", 1989), page 4|website=Morrissey-solo.com|access-date=23 January 2013}}</ref> In a 2016 interview, Marr agreed with this.<ref>{{cite news|author=Simon Hattenstone |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/29/johnny-marr-the-smiths-morrissey-simon-hattenstone?CMP=twt_gu |title=Johnny Marr: 'The conversation about re-forming came out of the blue' &#124; Music |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date= 2016-10-29|access-date=15 May 2017}}</ref>

In 1996, Smiths' drummer Mike Joyce took Morrissey and Marr to court, arguing that he had not received his fair share of recording and performance royalties. Morrissey and Marr had received most of the Smiths' recording and performance royalties, and allowed ten per cent each to Joyce and Rourke. Composition royalties were not an issue, as Rourke and Joyce had never been credited as composers for the band. Morrissey and Marr said the other two members of the band had always agreed to that split of the royalties, but the court found in favour of Joyce and ordered that he be paid over £1&nbsp;million in back pay and receive 25% thenceforth.<ref>{{cite web|author=[[BBC News]]|date=11 December 1996|title=Rock band drummer awarded £1m payout|format=http|website=Cemetrygates.com|url=http://www.cemetrygates.com/vault/news/court.html|access-date=22 April 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 June 2021 |title=What actually went down during The Smiths' lawsuit? - Far Out Magazine |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-smiths-breakup-lawsuit-marr-morrissey-rourke/ |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=faroutmagazine.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=McGreevy |first=Ronan |date=3 October 2022 |title=The Smiths' Mike Joyce: 'I know people say never say never but 'never' is the most appropriate word' |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2022/10/03/the-smiths-mike-joyce-i-know-people-say-never-say-never-but-never-is-the-most-appropriate-word/ |access-date=2024-08-14 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>

Marr and Morrissey have repeatedly stated they will not reunite the band.<ref name=testicles>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/aug/30/morrissey-claims-johnny-marr-ignored-lucrative-smiths-reunion-offer|first=Mark|last=Brown|date=30 August 2024|title=Morrissey claims Johnny Marr ignored lucrative Smiths reunion offer|website=[[The Guardian]]|quote=“I would rather eat my own testicles than reform the Smiths, and that’s saying something for a vegetarian.”}}</ref> In 2005, [[VH1]] attempted to get the band back together on its ''[[Bands Reunited]]'' show but abandoned its attempt after the show's host, [[Aamer Haleem]], failed to corner Morrissey before a show. In December 2005 it was announced that Johnny Marr and the Healers would play at [[Manchester v Cancer]], a benefit show for cancer research being organised by Andy Rourke and his production company, Great Northern Productions.<ref>{{cite web|author=Cohen, Jonathan|year=2005|title=Smiths Members Regrouping For Cancer Benefit|website=Billboard.com|url=https://billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001659262|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220060435/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001659262|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 February 2006|access-date=15 August 2006}}</ref> Rumours suggested that a Smiths reunion would occur at this concert but were dispelled by Marr on his website.<ref>{{cite web|date=16 December 2005|title=Johnny and the Healers play Manchester Versus Cancer charity concert|website=Jmarr.com|url=http://www.jmarr.com|access-date=22 April 2007}}</ref>

In an October 2007 interview on [[BBC Radio 5 Live]], Marr hinted at a potential reformation in the future, saying that "stranger things have happened so, you know, who knows?" Marr went on to say that "It's no biggy. Maybe we will in 18 or 32 years' time when we all need to for whatever reasons, but right now Morrissey is doing his thing and I'm doing mine, so that's the answer really." This was the first indication of a possible Smiths reunion from Marr, who previously had said that reforming the band would be a bad idea.<ref>{{cite web |last=Parrack |first=Dave |date=October 23, 2007 |title=Johnny Marr Doesn't Rule Out Smiths Reunion With Morrissey |url=http://britmusicscene.com/johnny-marr-doesnt-rule-out-smiths-reunion-with-morrissey |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820031303/http://britmusicscene.com/johnny-marr-doesnt-rule-out-smiths-reunion-with-morrissey/ |archive-date=20 August 2008 |access-date=8 January 2008 |website=BritMusicScene.com}}</ref> In 2008 Marr and Morrissey met and discussed the possibility of a reunion, but after initial enthusiasm from both parties, neither pursued the idea.<ref>{{cite news|title=The conversation about re-forming the Smiths came out of the blue'|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/29/johnny-marr-the-smiths-morrissey-simon-hattenstone|date=2016-10-29|last1=Hattenstone|first1=Simon}}</ref>

Marr's guitar playing "was a huge building block" for more Manchester bands that followed the Smiths. [[The Stone Roses]] guitarist [[John Squire]] has stated that Marr was a major influence.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3005033.stm|work=BBC News|title=The Smiths: The influential alliance|date=13 May 2003|access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref> [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] lead guitarist [[Noel Gallagher]] credited the Smiths as an influence, especially Marr, whom he described as a "fucking wizard", also stating that "he's unique, you can't play what he plays."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MsuoNJQ3U| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322182309/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MsuoNJQ3U&mode=related&search=| archive-date=2007-03-22 | url-status=dead|title=Noel Gallagher on the Smiths|publisher=[[YouTube]]|date=10 April 2006|access-date=23 January 2013}}</ref>

In August 2024, Morrissey said in a post on his website that he and Marr had received a "lucrative offer" to tour as the Smiths in 2025.<ref name="moz central 2024">{{cite web |last1=Morrissey |title=WAR IS OLD, ART IS YOUNG |url=https://www.morrisseycentral.com/messagesfrommorrissey/war-is-old-art-is-young |website=Morrissey Central |access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref> The singer said he had accepted the invitation, but that Marr did not respond. Marr did not publicly comment, but had recently posted a picture of [[Reform UK]] leader [[Nigel Farage]] to rebuke calls to reunite in the aftermath of [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]]'s reunion. Marr previously said in 2016 that Morrissey's politics aligned with Farage's, joking that any potential Smiths reunion would feature the politician as their replacement guitarist.<ref name="bbc reunion 2024">{{cite web |last1=Long |first1=Chris |title=Morrissey claims Johnny Marr 'ignored' 2025 Smiths reunion offer |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp352111wyxo |website=[[BBC News]] |access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref> Weeks later, on Marr's official Instagram, Marr's management issued an official statement in response to Morrissey's claims that Marr ignored the offer: "As for the offer to tour, I didn't ignore the offer - I said no."<ref name="Marr Variety">{{cite web|title=Johnny Marr Responds to Morrissey's Claims About Smiths Reunion Tour, Name Ownership: 'It Was Left to Me to Protect the Legacy'|work=Variety|date=17 September 2024 |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/smiths-johnny-marr-responds-to-morrissey-reunion-tour-1236147686/}}</ref>

Marr's statement also clarified other claims made by Morrissey's team on Morrissey's website such as that Marr had filed for 100% ownership of the Smiths' intellectual property and [[trademark]] rights without having consulted with Morrissey despite the fact that "Morrissey alone created the musical unit name "The Smiths' in May 1982".<ref>{{cite web | title=MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY | website=MORRISSEY CENTRAL | date=16 September 2024 | url=https://www.morrisseycentral.com/messagesfrommorrissey/the-plot-thickens | access-date=22 September 2024}}</ref> In Marr's statement, it was clarified that Marr discovered that the band did not own the trademark, and in an effort to protect the trademark from a third party attempt made in 2018 to use the band's name, Marr registered the trademark solely under his name after a failure to receive a response from Morrissey and his representatives. In January 2024, Marr signed an agreement to share ownership of the name with Morrissey, an agreement Morrissey has yet to follow up on. Marr further clarified that the efforts to take the trademark were not to tour under the Smiths' name with a singer of Marr's choice (contrary to the claims made by Morrissey's team), but rather simply to protect the band's name and use of the name.<ref name="Marr Variety"/>