Oasis may have put their differences aside, but Morrissey and The Smiths’ Johnny Marr are still fighting, trading row over 2025 tour proposal

While controversial Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have put their differences aside to launch a hugely lucrative tour – Manchester’s other bitter rock feud continues.

Last month, Morrissey — the famously moody lead singer of ’80s icons The Smiths — claimed the band had received a lucrative offer to reunite for a 2025 tour, and that he was up for it, but his ally and now nemesis, guitarist Johnny Marr, “ignored the offer.”

Then last week, the “Meat Is Murder” singer suggested Marr was also blocking the release of a greatest hits album from the band.

Moz stated via his site that Marr had acquired the rights to the Smiths name, giving them the possibility of touring as the Smiths with a different lead singer, potentially “depriving Morrissey of a financial livelihood.”

(Morrissey also claimed that he had coined the name “The Smiths” for the group in May 1982.)

On Tuesday, Marr’s managers hit back – saying in a statement that the guitar god “had previously contacted Morrissey, through his representatives, to work together to protect The Smiths’ name” when a third party was trying to use his nickname, and that Marr “learned the trademark was not owned by the band.”

The statement added: “Due to a lack of response Marr had to register the trademark himself. It was later agreed with Morrissey’s lawyers that the trademark was held for the mutual benefit of Morrissey and Marr.”

He also alleged, “As a gesture of good faith, in January 2024, Marr signed an assignment of joint ownership to Morrissey. Morrissey’s signature is still required for the execution of this document.”

Marr said in the statement: “As far as the offer to tour goes, I didn’t ignore it – I refused it.” He added that he also turned down a greatest hits album, because there are so many already.

Marr said he had no plans to tour with a new singer. The band broke up in 1987 after five glorious years and have now reunited in court.

Another longtime feuding act, Jane’s Addiction, also canceled their tour after rival vocalists and guitarists Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro got into an onstage brawl.