Never mind Oasis, here's The Smiths...

I think some things best left as they were and I think Johnny Marr has said as much. The Smiths were a moment in time and the time passed. Not everything needs to be resurrected and in fact, sometimes it loses its magic that way. I also think Morrissey is a very unreliable narrator and wouldn't be surprised if it's all just an attempt at being attention-seeking, which wouldn't exactly be a first for him.

Of course this would eclipse the Gallaghers but not a snowballs chance in hell that Johnny would contemplate it. Nor should he. Moz is gone to the dark side. I'm done with him. Johnny remains a shining beacon of enlightenment and cool, and nobody can take the Smiths back catalogue away. We still get to see Johnny belting out How Soon is Now and sundry classics on a fairly regular basis. That'll have to do for now.

Morrissey for decades has poured scorn on the idea of the Smiths ever reuniting…

If he’s ever asked about it in the music press he just laughs and puts some withering remark on record as to the possibility….

He’s generally kind enough or at least not disparaging about Marr but he’s been quite unkind about the late Andy Rourke and Joyce.

So if it happens it would be a bit of a sell out. For those reasons as well as Andy Rourke having died.

That said if my memory is accurate but it frequently isn’t, a sometimes fifth member that was brought in towards the latter days of the band, Craig Gannon was his name.. from wiki actually…

“Gannon had played in bands with friends since he was 12 years old, and in 1983 joined Aztec Camera after replying to an ad in Melody Maker. In 1984, he briefly joined The Colourfield, and went on to join The Bluebells. After another brief stint in The Colourfield, when bass player Andy Rourke was fired from the Smiths in early 1986, Gannon was hired to replace him. Within a fortnight, however, Rourke was reinstated and Gannon moved to rhythm guitar, becoming the official fifth member, playing on the "Panic" and "Ask" and touring the UK, Canada, and the US with the band.”

So technically, there is another living Smiths bass player.

My sentiments exactly. It's why, even though i never saw them, i would hate to see Spacemen 3 reform (about as likely as The Smiths tbf).

yep, saw him in Badly Drawn Boys band years ago… the sound he got from his bass was incredible and he did it looking like it was all as easy to him as drinking a pint…. That’s one thing I remember he was getting this incredible sound and spot on ethereal rhythm while ‘looking’ like it was absolutely no effort to him. I remember thinking “ talented show off, but brilliant **** “ he barely glanced at the instrument all gig…

Morrissey and Marr will never reunite. Whatever Morrissey may want I just cant see Marr ever wanting to do it. He is doing his thing and seems to be enjoying it.

He does not need the money and for him to be in a room with Morrissey for 5 minutes would be a trauma. Nevermind going on tour with him.

and I think Morrissey turning into a right-wing troll is just an extra reason for him not to want to do it, he already didn't like him.

yeah, I don't think he's set the world alight since the Smiths split up. For all his faults, Morrissey has released a lot of good solo music, mostly in the 90s though.

Lads, let's just stick on Hatful of Hollow and remember the good times.

Stop, this is not bigger than the Oasis reunion. Not even remotely close. Never in a million years.

All subjective of course MG but if Noel and Liam were in here, I'm pretty sure that they'd agree that the Smiths getting back together would be a far more significant event than Oasis burying the hatchet. They're still far more influential that the 2 lads will ever be. Of course the country wouldn't be losing it's collective **** like they are this morning but the people losing their **** would be the very best kind of people. 😉

I’m not sure Morrissey wants it that badly. Since the Smiths he has made a very good solo career and from going to his shows, many of his younger fans are only vaguely familiar with The Smiths.
Johnny Marty only really exists as the person who is that good guitarist who was in The Smiths. He has had a few ok songs on his own but very few. From attending his shows, the crowd only come to life when he plays Smiths songs or memorable cover songs.

Johnny Marr has More to make out of all this but I can’t see this happening. He likes to come over as easy going etc but I’m sure he has a massive ego. Morrissey is, well, Morrissey. I doing some of his US tour in a few weeks and in a strange way I hope The Smiths do not reform. I can imagine some promoters looking to cash in on large venues and morrissey hating it. Not at all what The Smiths were like. Oasis did stadiums. The Smiths were small **** dingy halls and that was the appeal.

Agreed. Oasis have sold way more albums.

That's the main thing. Right? Right?

Ideally neither reunion happens. The Smiths are infinitely better, but Morrissey is also a massive tw#t. I'd have similar feelings towards the Gallagher brothers. But at least they never went around wearing a fascist Britain First badge.

He's clearly bothered

Eh? Who's doing that? As far as I can make out, it's universal love for the Smiths and a general acceptance that Moz has not turned out as we all would have hoped. I think it's ok, in fact fairly important looking at the state of our country at the moment, to be calling out his Tommy Robinson bullshit and the rest.

Thats the thing. I reckon theres a bit of Morrissey playing a character and the lines are blurred between Stephen and "Morrissey". Controversy creates cash etc. Hes a crafty hoor.

Wouldn't surprise me if this reunion thing was bullshit. Moz has buckets of cash and seems to have relatively simple tastes.

Maybe not in Ireland nor Britain, however a Smiths reunion would make many millions more in the USA than Oasis reforming. Reports were that $120 million, was previously offered to The Smiths just for a USA tour, in 2007. With the current lucrative tours recently announced that would be substantial earnings in large American sports stadiums.

The Jam is potentially another unlikely reunion that would very lucrative in Britain, maybe less so in Ireland.

For some reason Morrissey is huge in South America. Always find South American mega fans to be rudest of them

The Smiths music is very popular among young adults

I attend Morrissey concerts worldwide. West coast USA , 75% of audience are mex/lat. They say he is an emigrant, catholic, disaffected, not listened to, ridiculed, oppressed and pushed out of his place of birth. They like he is the outsiders outsider. He is every they are, they say.

he has a long standing beef with The Guardian. I’m not sure I would believe anything they say about him.