Johnny Marr; The Smiths Reunion?

photo from NME

Former guitarist and songwriter for English rock band The Smiths Johnny Marr mentioned the possibility of a mini-reunion with fellow bandmate bassist Andy Rourke. Nothing has leaked from their jam sessions so far, but the wait probably won’t be long. Given the duo’s willingness to perform old tracks for live audiences as recently as last year, it’s fairly certain they’ll let the public know when they have new material.

Marr says he’s on good terms with legendary frontman Morrissey as well, but the master of mourning is likely busy preparing for his upcoming solo tours in the U.S. and Mexico. Besides, after stating in a 2006 interview, “I’d rather eat my testicles than re-form The Smiths,” he may still need some time to cool off.

A court battle caused a rift in the band in 1996 when Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce sued Morrissey and Marr for recording and performance royalties. Although the two latter band members created the songs, Rourke and Joyce claimed they never agreed to the 10 percent of the earnings they were paid. The court ruled in favor of Joyce, who was payed £1 million (about $1.5 million) in back pay and receive twenty-five percent henceforth. Rourke took a lump sum in 1989 to pay his debts.

Last month, Marr remastered all four studio LPs from The Smiths, which are more than 20 years old. It might prick up the ears of die-hard fans, but as we’ve seen with the likes of Pink Floyd and Metallica, he could also be using a big name in order to remain on the public’s radar. The other bandmates’ involvement in the releases isn’t greatly discussed, but there is likely a payday in it for each of them.

Although Marr continues to sound hopeful in interviews, the wait for a full-on reunion of The Smiths will continue. It seems as though there is indeed a light that never goes out, although some people clearly wish it would.