Editing The Smiths (section)

===Reunion speculation===
Marr and Morrissey have repeatedly said that they will not reunite the band. In 2006, Morrissey declared, "I would rather eat my own testicles than reform the Smiths, and that's saying something for a vegetarian."<ref>Scott Colothan, [http://www.gigwise.com/news.asp?contentid=15239 "Morrissey: 'I'd Rather Eat My Testicles Than Reform The Smiths{{'"}}], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212084806/http://www.gigwise.com/article.php?contentid=15239 |date=12 December 2008 }} ''Gigwise'', 30 March 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2012.</ref> When asked why in another interview the same year, he responded, "I feel as if I've worked very hard since the demise of the Smiths and the others haven't, so why hand them attention that they haven't earned? We are not friends, we don't see each other. Why on earth would we be on a stage together?"<ref>Daniel Melia, [http://www.gigwise.com/news.asp?contentid=18006 "Morrissey: 'The Smiths Don't Deserve to Be on Stage with Me{{'"}}], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212045141/http://www.gigwise.com/article.php?contentid=18006 |date=12 December 2008 }} ''Gigwise'', 5 June 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2012.</ref> In a February 2009 interview on [[BBC Radio 2]], he said, "People always ask me about reunions and I can't imagine why&nbsp;[...] the past seems like a distant place, and I'm pleased with that."<ref>[http://www.idiomag.com/peek/64678/morrissey "Morrissey turns down The Smiths&nbsp;... again"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327140952/http://www.idiomag.com/peek/64678/morrissey |date=27 March 2012 }}, ''Idio'', 13 February 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2012.</ref> In 2002, Joyce said he was not interested in reforming as he felt the Smiths had run its course.<ref>{{cite web |last1=ITV |title=The Smiths – These Things Take Time (documentary) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG0Gi5KeWLI | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211029/WG0Gi5KeWLI| archive-date=2021-10-29|website=YouTube |date=3 April 2011 |access-date=11 April 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In November 2004, [[VH1]] screened a ''Backstage Pass Special'' episode of ''[[Bands Reunited]]'' showing host [[Aamer Haleem]] trying and failing to corner Morrissey before a show at the Apollo Theater.<ref>The encounter is described in an [http://www.morrissey-solo.com/articles/04/11/12/153226.shtml anonymous post] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120173430/http://www.morrissey-solo.com/articles/04/11/12/153226.shtml |date=20 November 2012 }} at morrissey-solo.com, 12 November 2004; retrieved 8 January 2012. See also the VH1 [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Coming+Up+on+VH1+November+5+-+November+11,+2004.-a0124018186 media release] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305130213/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Coming+Up+on+VH1+November+5+-+November+11,+2004.-a0124018186 |date=5 March 2016 }}, 3 November 2004; retrieved 8 January 2012.</ref> In March 2006, Morrissey said the Smiths had declined a $5&nbsp;million offer to perform at the [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]], saying, "Money doesn't come into it ... It was a fantastic journey. And then it ended. I didn't feel we should have ended. I wanted to continue. [Marr] wanted to end it. And that was that."<ref name="billboard">Barry Jeckell, [https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/59064/morrissey-smiths-turned-down-millions-to-reunite "Morrissey: Smiths Turned Down Millions to Reunite"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025153029/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/59064/morrissey-smiths-turned-down-millions-to-reunite |date=25 October 2018 }}, ''Billboard'', 16 March 2006. Retrieved 8 January 2012.</ref>

In August 2007, it was widely reported that Morrissey had that summer declined an offer of $75&nbsp;million – nearly £40&nbsp;million at the time – from a "consortium of promoters" to reunite with Marr for a fifty-date world tour under the Smiths' name in 2008 and 2009. ''[[NME]]'' gave Morrissey as its source for the story.<ref>[https://www.nme.com/news/the-smiths/30599 "Morrissey rejects fresh attempt at Smiths reunion"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306021322/http://www.nme.com/news/the-smiths/30599 |date=6 March 2016 }}, ''NME'', 23 August 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2011.</ref> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' cited his publicist.<ref>Elizabeth Goodman, [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/morrissey-turned-down-mega-bucks-smiths-reunion-offer-over-johnny-marr-20070823 "Morrissey Turned Down Mega-Bucks Smiths Reunion Offer Over Johnny Marr"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113162036/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/morrissey-turned-down-mega-bucks-smiths-reunion-offer-over-johnny-marr-20070823 |date=13 November 2017 }}, ''Rolling Stone'', 23 August 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2012.</ref> The offer was also reported at true-to-you.net, an unofficial fan site tacitly supported by Morrissey.<ref>[http://true-to-you.net/morrissey_news_070822_01 "Press release regarding tour dates"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510055058/http://true-to-you.net/morrissey_news_070822_01 |date=10 May 2012 }}, 22 August 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2012.</ref> It was later described as a hoax, although it is unclear who was hoaxing whom.<ref>[http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=26177_0_2_0_C "Morrissey announces new album – reunion tour Smiths a hoax"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609063109/http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=26177_0_2_0_C |date=9 June 2012 }}, 3 October 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2012.</ref> In October, Marr said on [[BBC Radio 5 Live]]: "Stranger things have happened so, you know, who knows? ... It's no biggie. Maybe we will in 10 or 15 years' time when we all need to for whatever reasons, but right now Morrissey is doing his thing and I'm doing mine."<ref>[http://everyjoe.com/entertainment/johnny-marr-doesnt-rule-out-smiths-reunion-with-morrissey/ "Johnny Marr Doesn't Rule Out Smiths Reunion with Morrissey"], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308040831/http://everyjoe.com/entertainment/johnny-marr-doesnt-rule-out-smiths-reunion-with-morrissey/ |date=8 March 2012 }} ''Every Joe'', 23 October 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2012.</ref>

In 2008, Marr resumed contact with Morrissey and Rourke while remastering the band's catalogue.<ref name="guardmarr">{{cite web|last1=Hattenstone|first1=Simon|title=Johnny Marr: 'The conversation about re-forming the Smiths came out of the blue'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/29/johnny-marr-the-smiths-morrissey-simon-hattenstone|website=The Guardian|access-date=29 October 2016|date=29 October 2016|archive-date=30 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030081914/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/29/johnny-marr-the-smiths-morrissey-simon-hattenstone|url-status=live}}</ref> That September, Morrissey and Marr met in Manchester and discussed the possibility of reforming the band.<ref name="guardmarr" /> The two kept in contact over the next four days and decided to exclude Joyce from any prospective reunion and to wait until after Marr completed his commitments to [[the Cribs]].<ref name="guardmarr" /> Communication between the two abruptly ended while Marr was touring in Mexico with the Cribs and the topic of a reunion was never brought up again.<ref name="guardmarr" /> Marr said that he did not hear from Morrissey again until a brief email correspondence in December 2010.<ref name="guardmarr" /> In June 2009, Marr told an interviewer on London's [[XFM]], "I think we were offered 50 million dollars for three&nbsp;... possibly five shows." He said that the chances of a reunion were "nothing to do with money" and that the reasons were "really abstract".<ref>[http://www.xfm.co.uk/news/2009/johnny-marr-weve-been-offered-50-million-to-reform-the-smiths "Johnny Marr: 'We've Been Offered $50 Million To Reform The Smiths{{'"}}] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826130122/http://www.xfm.co.uk/news/2009/johnny-marr-weve-been-offered-50-million-to-reform-the-smiths |date=26 August 2012 }}, Radio XFM London 104.9, 30 June 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2012.</ref>

In January 2006, Marr and the Healers played at Rourke's [[Manchester v Cancer]] benefit concert, where Marr performed "How Soon Is Now?" with Rourke.<ref>[http://www.johnny-marr.com/dates/shows-archive "28 January 2006 – Johnny Marr and The Healers – Manchester vs Cancer – MEN Arena – Manchester UK"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101023608/http://www.johnny-marr.com/dates/shows-archive |date=1 January 2012 }}, Shows Archive, johnny-marr.com. Retrieved 8 January 2012.</ref> Marr and Rourke also performed "How Soon Is Now?" at the Lollapallooza Brazil festival in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musica.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2014/04/06/com-andy-rourke-johnny-marr-faz-show-possivel-do-smiths-no-lollapalooza.htm|title=Com Andy Rourke Johnny Marr faz show possivel do Smiths no lollapalooza|publisher=musica.uol.com.br|access-date=6 April 2014|archive-date=7 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407074927/http://musica.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2014/04/06/com-andy-rourke-johnny-marr-faz-show-possivel-do-smiths-no-lollapalooza.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Rourke died of [[pancreatic cancer]] on 19 May 2023, aged 59.<ref name=":3" />

In August 2024, Morrissey said in a post on his website, Morrissey Central, 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 claimed that he accepted the invitation, but that Marr did not respond. Marr soon after 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"/> 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=2024-09-17}}</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">{{cite web|last=Aswad|first=Jem|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/|access-date=18 September 2024}}</ref>