Morrissey claims Johnny Marr has acquired The Smiths trademark

He's also not happy with Kathy Burke

Morrissey
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 17th Sep 2024

A disgruntled Morrissey has claimed that Johnny Marr has acquired the rights to The Smiths band name.

65-year-old Morrissey has already hit out at Johnny Marr – or ‘J Marr’ as he can only stomach to call him – twice in recent weeks, for allegedly snubbing a lucrative Smiths reunion tour in 2025 and blocking the release of a Smiths 40th anniversary greatest hits album.

In a fresh post on his official website under the title ‘The Plot Thickens’, Morrissey has accused ‘J Marr’ of buying the trademark rights to The Smiths without consulting him.

“J Marr has successfully applied for 100% trademark rights / Intellectual Property ownership of The Smiths name,” Morrissey’s statement reads.

The Smiths' Morrissey and Johnny Marr in 1984

“His application has been accepted on whatever oaths or proclamations he has put forward. This action was done without any consultation to Morrissey, and without allowing Morrissey the standard opportunity of 'objection'. Amongst many other things, this means that Marr can now tour as The Smiths using the vocalist of his choice, and it also prohibits Morrissey from using the name whilst also denying Morrissey considerable financial livelihood.

“Morrissey alone created the musical unit name 'The Smiths' in May 1982.”

In a separate and completely unrelated post on Monday (16th September), Morrissey revealed that he took umbrage with some comments made by comedian Kathy Burke.

“Sony Publishing website have complied with a request to remove hateful comments made against Morrissey by media personality Kathy Burke,” the post reads. “Legal proceedings were avoided.”

Kathy Burke was previously a Morrissey fan and even appeared in the music video for his 1989 single ‘Ouija Board, Ouija Board’, however she has since denounced him numerous times on social media.

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