Morrissey dumps management after Johnny Marr message

Following Johnny Marr’s recent statements, to deny Morrissey’s claims about the rights to use the name of the historic group and clarify his position on a promoter’s offer to tour as the Smiths, the 65-year-old singer has announced that he has fired his management team.

The former voice of the “There’s a light that never goes out” lineup has in fact communicated via a short message shared yesterday, September 19, on his website, Morrissey Central: “Morrissey has severed all ties with Red Light Management/Pete Galli Management”.

The announcement comes after several claims about The Smiths were refuted by the singer’s former bandmate Johnny Marr. According to Morrissey, the guitarist had “ignored” a lucrative offer from AEG Entertainment Group to reunite the group and tour as The Smiths “through 2025,” as well as “blocking” a proposal to release a greatest hits compilation. The singer also claimed that Marr owns all of The Smiths’ “trademark and intellectual property rights.”

Johnny Marr responded to his former friend’s claims with a message shared by his management in which he clarified what Morrissey said.

“In 2018, following an attempt by a third party to use the Smiths name, and after discovering that the trademark was not owned by the band, Marr contacted Morrissey, through his representatives, to assist in protecting the Smiths name.

A lack of response led Marr to register the trademark himself. It was later agreed with Morrissey’s lawyers that this trademark would be held for the mutual benefit of Morrissey and Marr”, was reported in the post regarding the rights to use the name of the historic group. Regarding the offer of a tour as the Smiths, which he would not have ignored but rejected, and of a “Greatest Hits”, Marr later clarified: “The speculation about Johnny Marr touring with a singer other than the Smiths is not true. There are no such plans. Johnny Marr also confirms that he rejected a suggestion for another greatest hits compilation from Warner Music Group, given the number already in existence”.