Morrissey wants to sell his Smiths rights

Morrissey, the former lead singer of The Smiths, recently announced his intention to sell all of his commercial rights related to the iconic British band. In a statement titled “A Soul for Sale” published on his official website, he expressed his emotional exhaustion and his desire to distance himself from his former bandmates Johnny Marr, Mike Joyce, and the late Andy Rourke. This decision includes the sale of rights related to the band’s name, recordings, artwork, merchandise, and copyrights.

Morrissey set up an email address to allow interested parties to express their interest. However, this address was quickly deactivated after receiving a massive volume of messages, which Morrissey described as "unpleasant and upsetting." He stated that he closed this communication channel due to 38 years of insults and abuse, emphasizing his wish to withdraw completely from this dynamic.

This initiative comes after growing tensions between Morrissey and Johnny Marr, particularly regarding the ownership of the “The Smiths” trademark. Morrissey claimed that Marr had registered the band’s name without prior consultation, which would now allow Marr to tour under the name with another singer. Marr responded by stating that he acted to protect the band’s legacy after a third party attempted to use the name and that he had offered co-ownership to Morrissey. This proposal still awaits his signature.

This potential sale raises questions about the future of the name “The Smiths” and how the band’s legacy will be preserved. For now, Johnny Marr has not publicly commented on this decision.