After Morrissey's most recent tirade, Johnny Marr has hit back against multiple claims the singer has made against him.
The most condemning accusation came yesterday (September 16), when Moz alleged that Marr went behind his back to trademark the Smiths, implying he may have plans to tour as the band without him. In a statement posted to the guitarist's social media, a representative for him laid down "the facts."
The statement claims a third party tried to use the Smiths' name, resulting in Marr finding out his band's name had never been trademarked. He then reached out to Morrissey through his representatives to "work together" to own the branding. "A failure to respond led Marr to register the trademark himself," it reads. "It was subsequently agreed with Morrissey's lawyers that this trademark was held for the mutual benefit of Morrissey and Marr."
Marr said he signed paperwork that assigned "joint ownership" to his ex-bandmate "as a gesture of goodwill," but it hasn't been executed as Morrissey still hasn't signed the papers. "To prevent third parties from profiting from the band's name, it was left to me to protect the legacy," Marr wrote within the statement. "This I have done on behalf of both myself and my former bandmates."
He also addressed claims that he ignored an offer for both a reunion tour and a greatest hits album. Marr "said no" to the tour offer, and said any speculation that he will tour as the Smiths with a new singer is "not true." His rejection of the hits album is allegedly due to the "number" of Smiths compilations already in existence.
With the statement, Marr has seemingly disproven every recent slam piece written about him on Morrissey Central. At least Moz still has Bonfire of Teenagers to complain about.