Johnny Marr fires back at Morrissey's open letter

Yesterday (25 January) Morrissey published an open letter to former Smiths bandmate Johnny Marr. In the letter, Morrissey asked Marr to "please stop mentioning my name" in interviews.

Despite starting semi-politely, Morrissey then went full force at Marr, writing, "The fact is: you don’t know me. You know nothing of my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings. Yet you talk as if you were my personal psychiatrist with consistent and uninterrupted access to my instincts. We haven’t known each other for 35 years - which is many lifetimes ago. When we met you and I were not successful. We both helped each other become whatever it is we are today. Can you not just leave it at that? Must you persistently, year after year, decade after decade, blame me for everything … from the 2007 Solomon Islands tsunami to the dribble on your grandma’s chin?"

Morrissey continued, "Yes, we all know that the British press will print anything you say about me as long as it’s cruel and savage. But you’ve done all that. Move on. It’s as if you can’t uncross your own legs without mentioning me. Our period together was many lifetimes ago, and a lot of blood has streamed under the bridge since then. There comes a time when you must take responsibility for your own actions and your own career, with which I wish you good health to enjoy. Just stop using my name as click-bait."

He concluded, "Please stop. It is 2022, not 1982."

Marr has since responded to Morrissey's fiery letter on Twitter, writing, "Dear Morrissey. An ‘open letter’ hasn’t really been a thing since 1953, It’s all ‘social media’ now. Even Donald J Trump had that one down. Also, this fake news business…a bit 2021 yeah ?"

Dear @officialmoz . An ‘open letter’ hasn’t really been a thing since 1953, It’s all ‘social media’ now. Even Donald J Trump had that one down. Also, this fake news business…a bit 2021 yeah ?#makingindiegreatagain

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) January 26, 2022