Morrissey has confirmed his share in The Smiths is up for sale as he is “burnt out” being associated with his former bandmates.
The veteran performer has had success of his own with a decades-long solo career, but says he now has “no choice” but to sell off his stake in The Smiths. Morrissey confirmed the connections to bandmates Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke, and Mike Joyce had left him “burnt out” and that he no longer wanted a stake in the band’s future. A statement to Morrissey’s website confirmed not only his desire to sell, but an email address for those with genuine interest in purchasing those “full and exclusive rights”. The offer includes merchandising rights, recordings, and The Smiths name. A full list of what Morrissey is selling, along with his statement, can be found below.
- The name ‘The Smiths’, as created by Morrissey
- All Smiths artwork, as created by Morrissey
- All Smiths merchandising rights
- All Smiths songs lyrically and musically
- All synchronisation rights
- All Smiths recordings
- All contractual rights for Smiths publishing
Morrissey said: “I am burnt out by any and all connections to Marr, Rourke, Joyce. I have had enough of malicious associations. With my entire life I have paid my rightful dues to these songs and these images.
“I would now like to live disassociated from those who wish me nothing but ill-will and destruction, and this is the only resolution. The songs are me – they are no one else – but they bring with them business communications that go to excessive lengths to create as much dread and spite year after year. I must now protect myself, especially my health.”
A sale of The Smiths’ catalogue to another buyer would not be the first lucrative music deal in recent years, with Pink Floyd selling off their back catalogue to Sony Music. The reportedly $400million deal left guitarist David Gilmour feeling relieved once the sale was put through.
Speaking to Rolling Stone Magazine, Gilmour said a weight had been lifted now he no longer had to decide on what is and is not released from the band’s back catalogue. He told the outlet: “The entire Pink Floyd catalog, as I say, these desk tapes, all sorts of stuff is now out of my hands. Whatever Sony wants to do with it is what will happen.
“And I’m thrilled to not have that responsibility and to have a life that is more peaceful and at peace with itself than all the arguing and aggravation that’s gone along with helping to curate that over the last 40 or 50 years. I don’t make any suggestions to them and if they want to ask me anything they undoubtedly will.”
Other backlog sales over the last few years have included Queen, Bob Dylan, and Paul Simon.
