British Rock Icon Reveals Why He Turned Down ‘Eye-Watering’ Sum To Reform His Band originally appeared on Parade.
The Smiths are one of the most revered British bands in history—and they will never play together again. Apparently, not even a queen’s ransom will convince guitarist Johnny Marr to share the stage with lead singer Morrissey.
The group—Marr, Morrissey, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce—formed in the fertile U.K. music scene of the 1980s. With Morrissey’s somber, introspective lyrics, The Smiths were often considered contemporaries of British goth bands like The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees; they were also associated with the new wave, indie, post-punk, and New Romantics scenes of the day.
With such regard for the band and after seeing Oasis reunite, would Marr put aside his differences with Morrissey and reunite the Smiths? “We got made an offer recently, but I said no,” Marr said on the Stick to Football podcast. “It was a little bit about principles, but I’m not an idiot, I just think the vibe’s not right.”
Johnny Marr, Morrissey, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke of The Smiths pose for a portrait before their first show in Detroit in 1985. Photo by Ross Marino/Getty Images
During their heyday, The Smiths experienced commercial success in the U.K. with albums like Meat Is Murder and The Queen Is Dead, and songs like “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now,” “This Charming Man” and “How Soon Is Now?” (which Charmed used as its theme song for eight seasons).
However, by 1987, the band had called it quits due to creative differences and business issues. In the subsequent decades, Marr and Morrissey have taken shots at each other, but time (and money) heals all wounds, right?
Not exactly. Marr told Stick to Football that the offer was “an eye-watering amount of money,” but he still turned it down.
“I really like what I’m doing no,w which makes it a lot easier,” he said. “I like where I’m at. I still want to write the best song I’ve ever written. I want to be a better performer.”
In August 2024, Morrisey claimed that AEG offered him and Marr a “lucrative” deal to reform with the band’s surviving members (Andy Rourke died in 2023). Marr said he turned it down, per Billboard.
Morrissey has continued his solo career (along with a history of controversial “anti-woke” statements). Marr has played with bands like Modest Mouse and The Pretenders. He will play NYC’s CBGBs Festival in September.
Related: Rock Icon, 67, Reveals He Turned Down Collaborating With Controversial Goth Singer
British Rock Icon Reveals Why He Turned Down ‘Eye-Watering’ Sum To Reform His Band first appeared on Parade on Jun 19, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.