Morrissey Criticizes Johnny Marr Regarding New Smiths Documentary

If there’s one thing Morrissey known for, it’s routinely canceling concerts . If there are two things Moz known for, it’s for canceling shows and regularly revisiting his blood feud with former bandmate Johnny Marr .

In the latest escalation of their perpetual (occasionally one-sided) war of words, Morrissey uploaded a lengthy letter titled “The Art Of Forgery” to Morrissey Central . (The post has since been deleted, but not before Stereogum preserved the post text.)

Morrissey’s primary issue stems from a forthcoming BBC documentary on The Smiths , which, as of press time, has not been announced. The singer claims that not only is the said doc actively critical of him, but it paints Marr as an “angel.” Morrissey even goes so far as to say it’s yet another instance where Marr has “intentionally divided the Smiths audience into Marr or Morrissey factions.”

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Here are a few key takeaways from the letter:

- Marr “cannot do anything with his life but look back. The truth is always ignored.” Morrissey then specifically mentions the “tired lie” of having fired Andy Rourke via a note on his car. (Morrissey has spent years claiming that the note is pure rock ‘n’ roll myth .) Adds Morrissey, “Yes, I imagine there was a note, and yes, I imagine my name was scribbled across it mischievously… but I hadn’t hired Andy Rourke and I would have no place nor right to fire him.”

- That “The Smiths was my voice, my lyrics, my song-titles, my album titles, my single and album artwork, my vision, my vocal melodies, my emotions.” Morrissey then says that Smiths fans who hate him are akin to “saying ‘we hate David Bowie but we love the S piders From Mars .’”

- When The Guardian made Morrissey the “focus of their hourly malice” beginning 2015 (that’s Morrissey’s claim), it was because “Marr possibly appeared in their offices the next day – sweeping the stairs and waxing the floors.”

- Marr isn’t the only target of Morrissey’s ire. He also notes that comments from Smiths producer Grant Showbiz aren’t just “slanderous,” but that they “come from someone whom I always held solidly in the highest regard – until now. Even Soviet Statues crumble.”

- Marr has “devoted his entire life to killing Morrissey in whatever way available,” with the singer adding, “His predatory sport of ‘calling Morrissey names’ is now in full wachine-machine overdrive. Why isn’t he bored of it all yet?”

- Morrissey has “relentlessly faced the slings and arrows” from both Marr and The Guardian ,” and that “those who vomit out the same corrupt hatred decade after decade are half in love with their targets, hence their romantic possession.”

- Despite seemingly being a victim, Morrissey finishes the piece by declaring, “Let the pie-fights continue. I shall always be reborn.”

Recapping the entire Marr-Morrissey beef would require a New Testament -sized tome. But there are, of course, some highlights from recent years. Back in April, Morrissey called a story Marr told about The Smiths demo being delivered to Rough Trade “deliberately untrue.” Before that, Morrissey blamed Marr for sinking a proposed 2025 Smiths reunion ; claimed Marr had unilaterally acquired The Smiths’ trademark rights (and implied that the guitarist was seeking a replacement vocalist); and that Marr had even “blocked” a Smiths greatest hits album . (The Marr spat got so bad that Morrissey fired his management in September 2024.) And, of course, there was another long, venom-soaked open letter from 2022 .

And how has Marr responded to all this? Well, there’s been some occasional statements, but he’s also been clear that Moz’s words would never harm The Smiths’ legacy . However, he did once declare that Isaac Brock was “the greatest lyricist I’ve ever worked with.” Ouch, that one’s got to cut deep.

Check out the full text below. Then, stay tuned for round No. 4,683 of the Morrissey-Marr beef.

A BBC radio program supposedly tracking the story of the Smiths will be aired on July 13. The BBC has warned that it is critical in nature towards Morrissey.

Morrissey was not invited to take part in this timeworn story – which has seen at least five identical documentaries wherein Marr grabs center stage as the unchanging face of discord … and Bigmarr Strikes Again. The souring of the Smiths dream unravels once again through Marr’s mechanical paces, which are by now totally predictable plot development. The outcome is never in doubt – Marr angel; Morrissey executioner. Forty years on, Marr cannot do anything with his life but look back. The truth is always ignored. The tired lie that I left a note on Andy Rourke’s car saying ‘you are fired’ lives on with sly determination. Yes, I imagine there was a note, and yes, I imagine my name was scribbled across it mischievously – by someone unknown to the BBC. But I hadn’t hired Andy Rourke and I would have no place nor right to fire him.

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The Smiths was my voice, my lyrics, my song-titles, my album titles, my single and album artwork, my vision, my vocal melodies, my emotions – nobody else’s. When The Guardian say that they love the Smiths but hate Morrissey, it is like saying ‘we hate David Bowie but we love the Spiders From Mars’. It’s all so staged, isn’t it? As if ANYONE could listen to the Smiths yet somehow magically find a way to negotiate AROUND Morrissey and pretend he wasn’t there! When The Guardian first jumped on me in 2015 and made me the focus of their hourly malice, Marr possibly appeared in their offices the next day – sweeping the stairs and waxing the floors. This was his big chance to sway people away from the notion of the Smiths as my project. Beyond playing the music, nobody else had one single idea – but the writer Gareth Roberts took it too far when he recently said: “Remove Morrissey from the Smiths and you are left with Haircut 100”.

Funny, but not quite true.

This new BBC program already sounds like it is NOT for anyone who knows or cares about the Smiths. Marr has intentionally divided the Smiths audience into Marr or Morrissey factions; he has legally claimed the Smiths trade mark name as his – knowing full well that the name was devised by Morrissey. He has devoted his entire life to killing Morrissey in whatever way available. He embodies precisely what he claims to hate in others. His predatory sport of ‘calling Morrissey names’ is now in full wachine-machine overdrive. Why isn’t he bored of it all yet?

I am somehow more shocked by the words of Grant Showbiz in this BBC program. They are slanderous, and even worse-they come from someone whom I always held solidly in the highest regard – until now. Even Soviet Statues crumble.

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The people who continually shout the loudest are those who look for relevance. Marr, I firmly believe, is destroying the legacy of the Smiths. He plants seeds of doubt everywhere. He’s done it so loudly and so often that he has trapped himself.

I have relentlessly faced the slings and arrows of the most vile of the devils snares – be they Marr, or The Guardian. It is said that those who vomit out the same corrupt hatred decade after decade are half in love with their targets, hence their romantic possession. Otherwise, they’d move on – disinclined to devote their adult lives to someone whom they claim is tat. Marr has turned his back on the Smiths in order to get the black wax seal from the haters. He has not ever felt the lyrics to How Soon is Now? – which is why he sings them with all of the romantic enchantment of Leslie Crowther.

How fantastic life would have been if Marr had chosen four more studio albums with the Smiths instead of joining and then being thrown out of the Pretenders.

Let the pie-fights continue. I shall always be reborn. The only artistic beauty in this world is whatever we bring to it. On the other hand, you have those who obliterate for pay. They have absolutely nothing else to offer.

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I apologise for use of my own name in the third person (illeism), but it’s easier on both eyes.

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_Originally reported by [Consequence](https://consequence.net/2026/06/morrissey-johnny-marr-documentary-letter/)._