Morrissey snit over Smiths

WHILE contentious Oasis bros Liam and Noel Gallagher have buried the hatchet to launch a wildly lucrative tour, Manchester’s other acrimonious rock feud rages on.

Last month, Morrissey — the legendarily moody lead singer of ’80s icons The Smiths — claimed the band received a lucrative offer to reunite, and he was willing, but his collaborator-turned-nemesis, guitarist Johnny Marr, “ignored the offer.”

Then last week, the “Meat Is Murder” singer suggested that Marr was also blocking the release of a greatest-hits album by the band.

Moz added via his site that Marr acquired the rights to the Smiths name, giving him the potential to tour as The Smiths with a different lead singer, possibly “denying Morrissey considerable financial livelihood.”

(Morrissey also alleged he alone created the group’s name The Smiths in May 1982.)

On Tuesday, Marr’s managers fired back — saying in a statement he “previously reached out to Morrissey, via his representatives, to work together in protecting The Smiths’ name” when a third party was trying to use their moniker, and Marr discovered “that the trademark was not owned by the band.”

The statement added: “A failure to respond led Marr to register the trademark himself. It was subsequently agreed with Morrissey’s lawyers that this trademark was held for the mutual benefit of Morrissey & Marr.”

They also alleged, “As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an assignment of joint ownership to Morrissey.”

Marr said as part of the statement: “As for the offer to tour, I didn’t ignore the offer — I said no.” He said he also shot down a greatesthits album because there are too many already.

Marr said he has no plans to tour with a new singer. The band broke up in 1987 .

Another reunion act, Jane’s Addiction, just pulled the plug on their tour when antagonistic singer Perry Farrell and guitarist Navarro fought on stage.