The Smiths: Last News

The Smiths drummer Mike Joyce has confirmed a permanent mural dedicated to late bassist Andy Rourke will go ahead.It comes after a crowdfunding campaign was set up by Joyce earlier this month to honour the late sticksman’s legacy and impact.Additionally, the campaign was also set up to raise funds for the charity organisation Pancreatic Cancer Action. This is notable as Rourke died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 59 last year.Now, Joyce has confirmed the crowdfunder for the mural, which will depict Rourke performing at Dundee’s Caird Hall in 1985, as captured in an image by tour photographer Nalinee Darmrong, has raised more than its initial £20,000 target.He told BBC Radio Manchester (via BBC News): “He was such a brilliant musician and such a great bloke that I thought a permanent memorial would be apt for the man.”The mural is due to be unveiled in November, which is pancreatic cancer awareness month and donors will receive a photograph print of the mural signed by Joyce and the mural artist.The mural will be created by renowned street artist Akse, who has previously depicted footballer Marcus Rashford in Withington and David Bowie on the side of a pub in Oak Street in Manchester’s Northern QuarterJoyce said he hoped it would raise awareness of “getting an early diagnosis”.Elsewhere, Morrissey fired his management team following Johnny Marr‘s statement refuting several claims regarding The Smiths earlier this week.The former Smiths singer took to his website to announce that he had parted ways with his management, but offered no further details.

Morrissey has fired his management team following Johnny Marr‘s statement refuting several claims regarding The Smiths earlier this week.The former Smiths singer took to his website to announce that he had parted ways with his management, but offered no further details. He wrote on September 19: “Morrissey has severed all connections with Red Light Management/Pete Galli Management.”It’s the latest move Morrissey has made following a string of claims he made regarding The Smiths and Johnny Marr.

Johnny Marr has disputed a string of recent claims from Morrissey, who says that Marr declined a lucrative reunion tour offer, blocked a greatest hits album and acquired the trademark rights to The Smiths without informing him.On Sunday (September 15) Morrissey took to his website to allege that his ex-bandmate had acquired “trademark rights and Intellectual Property” of The Smiths, and could tour as a band without him. He stated that the action was taken without warning him or giving him a chance to object.It followed his claims only a day prior that a Smiths ‘Greatest Hits’ album had been “blocked” by Marr.

Morrissey has claimed that Johnny Marr now owns all of the “trademark rights and Intellectual Property” of The Smiths, and can tour as a band without him.The band’s former frontman made the claims against his ex-bandmate in a new post shared on his website yesterday (September 15), stating that the action was taken without warning him or giving him a chance to object.“J Marr has successfully applied for 100 per cent trademark rights / Intellectual Property ownership of The Smiths name,” the post began. “His application has been accepted on whatever oaths or proclamations he has put forward.

The Smiths drummer Mike Joyce has launched a crowdfunding campaign to create a permanent mural of late bassist Andy Rourke – find out more below.On Sunday (September 15), Joyce took to social media to share that he has launched a campaign on the Crowdfunder platform. The campaign aims to secure a permanent mural of Rourke in Manchester to honour his legacy and impact.Additionally, the campaign will also raise funds for the charity organisation Pancreatic Cancer Action.

KISS‘s Gene Simmons has had his say on the prospect of a reunion of The Smiths.Morrissey recently revealed late last month that Johnny Marr had “ignored” a lucrative offer from AEG Entertainment Group to reunite the band. Morrissey claimed at the time that he had agreed to the offer, which would’ve seen The Smiths tour “throughout 2025”.The update continued: “Morrissey undertakes a largely sold out tour of the USA in November. Marr continues to tour as a special guest to New Order.” The statement came after Marr had responded to a fan’s call for The Smiths to return amid the huge Oasis reunion news.Morrissey also said in a new post on his website that Marr had blocked a ‘Greatest Hits’ album by The Smiths.

The Smiths has been “blocked” by Johnny Marr, according to Morrissey.In a new post on his website shared last night (September 11), Morrissey revealed that a “proposed greatest hits album by the Smiths entitled ‘Smiths Rule OK!’ has been blocked by J Marr”. He went on to add that a re-issue of the band’s 1983 debut single ‘Hand In Glove’ has similarly been blocked from release by his former bandmate.But according to Morrissey, that’s not all – the singer wrote in his blogpost that the greatest hits album and ‘Hand In Glove’ reissue were scheduled for release this year alongside “a deluxe box release of The Smiths’ first album” and “a new 7-inch” of their 1992 track ‘This Charming Man’.

Morrissey says he’s been “gagged” over the release of his album ‘Bonfire Of The Teenagers’, which he recorded between 2020 and 2021 and remains unreleased.In a new interview with The Telegraph, the former frontman of The Smiths said he’s being “gagged” and that what he calls “Idiot Culture” is preventing his album’s release.The album features the titular track ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ – a song he says is about “England’s 9/11”, the Manchester Arena bombing.On May 22, 2017, 22 people died and hundreds were injured when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the foyer at the venue at the end of an Ariana Grande concert. In the wake of the tragedy, Oasis‘ single ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ became an anthem of love and solidarity for many in the city.The song features the lyric: “And the morons sing and sway: ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, I can assure you I will look back in anger ’till the day I die”.In the interview, Morrissey said: “The Manchester Arena bombing was our 9/11.

Morrissey claiming that Johnny Marr shut down any chances of a Smiths reunion.It comes after a statement was posted to the singer’s official Morrissey Central website yesterday (August 29) which read: “In June 2024 AEG Entertainment Group made a lucrative offer to both Morrissey and Marr to tour worldwide as ‘The Smiths’ throughout 2025.”It added: “Morrissey said Yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer. Morrissey undertakes a largely sold out tour of the USA in November.

Morrissey has said he agreed to a “lucrative” The Smiths reunion tour next year, but claimed that Johnny Marr “ignored” the offer.A statement posted to the singer’s official Morrissey Central website today (August 29) reads: “In June 2024 AEG Entertainment Group made a lucrative offer to both Morrissey and Marr to tour worldwide as ‘The Smiths’ throughout 2025.”The update continued: “Morrissey said Yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer.“Morrissey undertakes a largely sold out tour of the USA in November. Marr continues to tour as a special guest to New Order.”NME has contacted Marr’s representatives for comment.

Morrissey has spoken out after his “very first passport from his early teens” was stolen from the “personal possessions of his late mother”.The former Smiths frontman made an appeal in a new blog post, shared on his official website Morrissey Central.He wrote: “The passport is circulating on Facebook/X by a “Steven Pisu” / “Xavier Jones”. If the passport is sold / bought, there will be criminal proceedings against anyone who knowingly buys or sells or withholds the passport.“In the UK, the action is viewed as robbery, and criminal charges apply.

Morrissey has looked back at the legacy of The Smiths, and said that the band’s popularity has not come to an end as it was all about “a refusal to surrender to enemy propaganda”.The singer and former frontman of the iconic ‘80s group reflected on the impact their music had on culture in a new blog post, shared on his official website Morrissey Central.In the update, he wrote to fans about how the legacy the members forged came as a result of taking “risks”, and through their ability to stand up against “enemy propaganda” – something which he says is just as relevant today as it was 40 years ago.“I am well aware of the Smiths’ rise in recent years, and their affirmed position in our cultural heritage,” he began. “It proves how taking risks can work beautifully … and if you don’t take risks when you make music then what the hell are you doing making music? “He continued: “I am incredibly grateful to anyone who walked out to buy, or who stayed in to download, Smiths’ music.

English Teacher celebrated their time in Manchester by breaking out covers of The Smiths and LCD Soundsystem – find footage of the show below.The rising indie rockers and former NME Cover stars broke into the two covers while on stage in Manchester last week – one of the recent shows they have been playing as part of their ongoing UK tour.The dates come in celebration of their recently-shared debut album ‘This Could Be Texas’, which arrived in April and already has become one tipped to be featured in some of the best albums of 2024.Now, while playing numerous tracks from the breakthrough LP while on stage at the Gorilla venue, Lily Fontaine and co. used the opportunity to make a nod to Manchester music royalty, The Smiths.Towards the end of their 15-song set, the band delivered a surprise rendition of classic track by the indie pioneers ‘Big Mouth Strikes Again’.

Morrissey has said he has bought back the rights to two of his albums, after a long-running dispute with his label Capitol Records.The former Smiths frontman has been locked in battle with Capitol for a number of years, after his album ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ went unreleased, despite being completed in 2021.The album had been announced for a 2023 release on Capitol, but Morrissey later said he had “voluntarily withdrawn from any association with Capitol Records”. He also revealed that Miley Cyrus, who recorded backing vocals for the track ‘I Am Veronica’ in 2020, had asked to have her vocals removed from the song.But now, in a post on his website Morrissey Central, titled ‘A Rush And A Push And The Music Is Ours’, in reference to a 1987 Smiths song, he has said that he has bought the rights to release that album.“Morrissey has paid the exit fee to Capitol Records in order to return both WORLD PEACE IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS and BONFIRE OF TEENAGERS albums back to him,” the post reads.“It’s been a long, hard, bloody war.

The Smiths and Nirvana tribute bands re-opened Brixton Academy last night (April 19) after tragedy closed its doors 16 months ago – with fans hailing it as “the best venue in London”.The legendary South London venue has been shut since December 2022 after a fatal crowd crush that left two people dead. The tragic incident occurred at an Asake concert, which resulted in the deaths of Gabrielle Hutchinson, aged 23, and 33-year-old Rebecca Ikumelo.

The Smiths tribute band set to play at the re-opening gig of the O2 Academy in Brixton tonight (Friday April 19) have spoken to NME about what to expect from the show and what it means it be gracing the stage at the iconic London venue after tragedy closed its doors.The legendary South London venue has been shut since December 2022 after a fatal crowd crush that left two people dead. The tragic incident occurred at an Asake concert, which resulted in the deaths of Gabrielle Hutchinson, aged 23, and 33-year-old Rebecca Ikumelo.

Morrissey has announced details of a new live album reissue, and teased that he plans to announce two “special event concerts”.The announcement was shared by the vocalist and former Smiths frontman over the weekend (April 13), as he took to his Morrissey Central blog to tease a new release with fans.“On Friday 26 July, Warner Records will re-issue Morrissey’s 1993 live in Paris album, ‘Beethoven Was Deaf’,” the brief post stated. “The release is global, and the album will be available on CD, black vinyl, and orange vinyl.”“The album originally reached #13 in England, but was not released in the U.S.

December 2022 after a fatal crowd crush that left two people dead.The O2 venue has been shuttered since the tragic incident that occurred at an Asake concert, which resulted in the deaths of Gabrielle Hutchinson, aged 23, and 33-year-old Rebecca Ikumelo. A third was left in a critical condition.The future of the iconic London venue had been uncertain since then, before it was announced in December that the venue was allowed to retain its licence and re-open if it can meet “robust” safety rules.

Damon Albarn covered The Smiths‘ ‘Panic’ with his Africa Express collective on stage in Mexico City this weekend.The Blur frontman joined the group for the performance in Morelos, Mexico at Bahidorá Festival on Saturday (February 17).The musical collective was formed in 2006 with the aim of bringing together artists from different cultures and musical genres for collaborative events.Albarn sang and played piano for the high-energy performance, and was joined by Camilo Lara for a lively ska interpretation of The Smiths’ 1986 track.Check out footage of the showcase below.Announcing the show last month, the Gorillaz artist shared that the performance would mark Africa Express’ first visit to Mexico, bringing together musicians, singers and DJs from around the world “to collaborate on a very special, completely original show”.NME watched Africa Express live back in 2019, describing the show in a five-star review as a “symbolic display of diversity, collaboration and unity”. It added: “Africa Express rarely gets together, but when it does, it specialises in generating one-off moments through unique combinations.”The collective’s last release, ‘Egoli‘ also came out in 2019.

Johnny Marr appeared on an episode of Would I Lie To You this evening (February 9) and recounted a “true story” about getting egged in Manchester as a teenager.Would I Lie To You? – which was first broadcast back in 2007 – is presented by Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey, The Trip), and the award-winning programme’s current team captains are David Mitchell (Peep Show) and Lee Mack (Not Going Out).Per an official description, the trio “encourage their guests to tell the tallest of tales” to the opposing team across three rounds: ‘Home Truths’, ‘This is My…’ and ‘Quick-Fire Lies’. Teams are awarded a point for correctly guessing whether a story is true or not, but their rival team gets a point if they guess incorrectly.After being described as “this show’s coolest ever guest” by comedian Mack, Marr tried to convince the other contestants that he was telling the truth about the time he was egged after getting sacked from his job at a local co-op in Manchester.Marr had a job as a teenager “stacking shelves” and “eggs” in the shop for around three weeks before he was “let go”, he told the contestants.

Morrissey is currently “receiving medical supervision for physical exhaustion”, after the former Smiths frontman cancelled a string of shows in LA.The former Smiths frontman was scheduled to perform two shows in California celebrating the 20th anniversary of his classic 2004 album ‘You Are The Quarry’ this weekend, before it was announced that the gigs would not be going ahead due to “unforeseen circumstances”.Now, the indie veterans’ social media accounts have shared the reason for the cancellation with a message from his tour manager Donnie Knutson.“Morrissey is receiving medical supervision for physical exhaustion,” said Knutson. “He has been ordered to rest for two weeks, and he will remain in Zurich.”Posted by Morrissey Official on Friday, January 26, 2024The announcement comes amidst the singer’s grapple with Capitol Records over the release of his upcoming album, ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’.