A new interview with Johnny Marr was published in today's Independent. You can't help but feel bad for Marr...he's released an excellent new album The Messenger, and he's trying to focus on the future, but of course the question on many minds (both fans and interviewers') seem to be 'well, is a Smiths' reunion ever going to happen?' This time around, The Independent grilled Marr about the possibility of a Smiths' reunion in the future, and a frustrated Marr made the following comments:
"It's impossible for that group to re-form. That's it. That's my answer."
The interviewer pressed on and asked if Marr and Morrissey were in contact, which led to this:
"You're just interested in asking the question, and really you shouldn't be. Because who cares about some emails that we send to each other every few years, that aren't particularly in-depth. I mean, is that interesting for people to read about? I don't think it is really. It's not as interesting as my new songs, and why some songs are called what they are. If you want to know about me and Morrissey, just Google it...
"...There have been emails. Just emails. That's it. That's all I can say"
And that was that. The whole interview with Marr is a great read, so head over to the Independent to check it out (via Roberto Ferdenzi).
By the way, Morrissey made comments about the Smiths, reunions, and rumors during his Mexico City interview in March. Listen to his comments below, or read the transcript below.
"Well, they persist ALL the time every day, every year, yes, constantly and I, I constantly have requests to reform. But people forget that I did not break up the Smiths, so I don't know why people ask me about reformations, but I would always say no because we're all very different people now, and it's been a very long time, and the truth is, we don't know each other, we're not friends, so why would you be in a band with people who you don't really know? We're linked because of the distant past, but we have no links in our lives now. So it doesn't really make any sense to me. Also, I'm very, very happy with my life, with my musical life as it is now, so I don't feel any to, for, a musical reformation. I don't see the point. If I'm so happy singing now, why would I want to play with strangers?"
"Because when you, when you first form a band you have a certain attitude, the world isn't listening to you, and you want to make it listen to you. But if you're in a situation where everybody's waiting it's not the same thing. And it can never be the same thing. And you're not the same person. But people, people have, it fixed in their mind, when they listen to music and when they listen to older music, that the person who made that music is still the same person. But they're not. And if you meet many people, like, David Bowie, etc, etc, and you talk to him about the past, he doesn't really know. Because he's not that person anymore. He's not there and he doesn't feel all those things anymore, and he's quite rightly, living in the now. But the listener, the person who listens to the music always thinks, that the person is still the same, and it's not true."
The full Moz interview/transcript is posted here.
Enjoy what's probably the closest fans will ever get to a Smiths' reunion - video of Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke performing "How Soon Is Now?" May 3rd in New York City: