Johnny Marr is "not worried" about the backlash against his former bandmate Morrissey’s political beliefs affecting the legacy of The Smiths.
Morrissey’s albums have been withdrawn from sale at Cardiff’s Spillers Records, the world’s oldest record shop, due to his support for the far-right political party For Britain and posters advertising his new solo LP ‘California Son’ were stopped from being displayed by British commuter train service Merseyrail.
The 60-year-old singer even performed on US TV on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ whilst wearing a badge with party’s trident logo sparking a huge wave of criticism of him.
Johnny, 55, has been watching the controversy unfold but he insists Morrissey’s actions will not stop people from listening to the incredible music they made together in The Smiths in the 1980s.
In an interview with NME, the guitarist said: "I don’t think you can change history. I’ve said that before. I’m not worried. It’s got nothing to do with my world or my life. The songs are out there for people to judge, relate to and hear. I think that’s all going to be forgotten in a few weeks, as these things inevitably are – for better or worse. It’s always been that way. I understand the issue, but I’m used to stuff coming and going. I don’t worry about people missing out on the culture. That would be like saying to a teenage me, ‘Are you worried about you and your mates missing out on The Velvet Underground?’ That was never going to happen. I know the way things go. Things come and go."
Johnny isn’t focusing his past glories and has revealed that he will start work on his fourth studio album – the follow-up to 2018’s ‘Call the Comet’ – at the end of the year.
The ‘How Soon Is Now?’ hitmaker said: "I’ve got another single coming in about six weeks or so that I’ve finished. That’s a bit more psychedelic guitar. Then I’m going to finish off the touring and get into some new stuff at the end of the year which is pretty exciting. I’ve got a new solo album coming, and I’m also hoping to get in the studio with Maxine Peake again."
Morrissey compared Merseyrail’s decision to remove posters promoting his new album following a customer complaint to akin to the "Third Reich", the totalitarian state that Germany became under the control of the Nazis.
He said: "It’s very Third Reich, isn’t it? And it proves how only the feelings of the most narrow-minded can be considered within the British Arts. We are not free to debate, and this in itself is the ultimate rejection of diversity … I am afraid we are living through The Age of Stupid, and we must pray that it passes soon. I’m only surprised that Mary Whitehouse isn’t on the ten pound note. But, no, I’m not about to go into combat with Mersey Rail … could life get any more mediocre?"
Johnny Marr isn’t worried about Morrissey harming The Smiths’ legacy
