What or who is keeping The Smiths apart?

[ossapa]

I don't know the details but I always felt that Marr had to be between Morrissey and the other people in the buisness, because Morrissey is a rather difficult person to have a discussion with. So Morrissey told Marr what he wanted, and Marr had to make it true. That still means Marr had the most work in the band.
An other thing is of course how people can live with work and preasure. I do believe Marr had more problems with the success, the shows, the fact that he had to compose everything while Morrissey kept on writing lyrics almost day after day. This means that Marr not actualy had more work, but that he felt like he had more work than morrissey, simply because he coudn't cope with the preasure. So both Marr and Morrissey can claim that they did most of the work in the band, simply because they felt it that way.

Of course, this is only an impression and I could be absolutely wrong.

 

[Danny]

I don't know the details but I always felt that Marr had to be between Morrissey and the other people in the buisness, because Morrissey is a rather difficult person to have a discussion with. So Morrissey told Marr what he wanted, and Marr had to make it true. That still means Marr had the most work in the band.
An other thing is of course how people can live with work and preasure. I do believe Marr had more problems with the success, the shows, the fact that he had to compose everything while Morrissey kept on writing lyrics almost day after day. This means that Marr not actualy had more work, but that he felt like he had more work than morrissey, simply because he coudn't cope with the preasure. So both Marr and Morrissey can claim that they did most of the work in the band, simply because they felt it that way.

Of course, this is only an impression and I could be absolutely wrong.

No, Morrissey told people in the business what he wanted. He had a close working relationship with all the people I've mentioned. Johnny had little to do with those people. It's obvious who ran the show when you actually listen to what the people who had to deal with The Smiths say. Johnny had more to do with working with Andy and Mike while Morrissey did the high level stuff.

 

[anotherordinaryboy]

Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce added to the The Smiths. This is an undeniable fact. Looking from the outside - which is the only thing us fans can do - they both added to the look and gang feel of the band, to every gig the smiths played, and to laying down the tracks in the studio.

From what I understand, Morrissey wrote ALL the lyrics, and the melodies were ALL done by Marr. Melodies and lyrics are the core of a song - at least they were with the music of the Smiths. Drums and bass add to the finished product, but are not part the core of the music. For royalties to be split each way - in my opinion - all four men must have added equally to the band. This is not the case.

The interview's were done by.....Morrissey and Marr.
Artwork by.......Morrissey
Organising/Management by.....various 3rd parties, Marr and Morrissey.
The two that are still praised by the music world today...Morrissey and Marr.

It's sounds like Joyce has got more than what he deserves, yet the miserable bastard is still to this day making out he's hard done by. I would be gutted if Morrissey and Marr got on stage with the little weasel after what he has put them, and the legacy of the band, through. Andy Rourke, by all means get together on stage with Moz and Marr.... it would be nice, and be closure for them - closure Mike Joyce does not deserve.

 

[SNS22]

Can anyone name any other BAND, that split recording royalites unequally?

 

[vivabob]

the question shouldnt be who is keeping them apart , it should be why

i would absoultly hate the smiths to reform, they never released one bad record (ok golden lights is ropey), the have a wonderful history - why the hell would you want to harm this ... reforming would be purly for money and i would hate anyone else to think otherwise.

as much as the smiths are relivant it wouldnt work now, the history makes it special .

look at all the bands that have reformed , anyone think any of them were worth while ... the sex pistols in hyde park ...pass me a gun , the who at t in the park ... pass me a rope .... the police ... pass me a bomb

keep it real but in your heart ... never wish for the smiths live at the wembley

 

[pandora_cocteau]

As is stated above, it won't happen until Joyce dies or gives all the money back and apologizes... yeah right. When asked about a Smiths reunion Morrissey has replied with things such as, why would I want to be around people I hate?

I would really love to see Morrissey and Marr back together, but then again who wouldn't he he.

I don't think Morrissey needs Marr...so I wouldn't really care too much if they got back together. It's like...maybe it worked in the 1980s, but people change..just because we remember them as two lads hugging and sitting alone together writing beautiful songs..it doesn't mean that they can just go back to that place in their life. And the fact that Morrissey's solo songs are just as good, if not better, than the stuff he did with the Smiths, and Marr is just a session guitarist, proves that it was Morrissey and Morrissey only all along...

Can anyone name any other BAND, that split recording royalites unequally?

The Beatles!?
No...but I still think that Joyce does not deserve 1/4 of songs that are completely written by Morrissey and Marr. If Joyce actually wrote the melody of the songs, then that'd be different. From what I know, it was Morrissey and Marr putting the songs together alone, going to the guys and showing them what they've come up with, and asking them to play "this and that" for the songs. Which doesn't really make them the songwriters. But then again, I was never there so I can't 100% confidently say that was so. However, I fully believe Morrissey because if there's one thing that he's always given us it's full honesty.

I know what you're saying though...it's a weird situation. I don't want to seem like a blind Morrissey follower, but Joyce seems like a serious dick...so I hate the fact that he upset so many people just because of his greed.

 

[SNS22]

I don't think Morrissey needs Marr...so I wouldn't really care too much if they got back together. It's like...maybe it worked in the 1980s, but people change..just because we remember them as two lads hugging and sitting alone together writing beautiful songs..it doesn't mean that they can just go back to that place in their life. And the fact that Morrissey's solo songs are just as good, if not better, than the stuff he did with the Smiths, and Marr is just a session guitarist, proves that it was Morrissey and Morrissey only all along...



The Beatles!?
No...but I still think that Joyce does not deserve 1/4 of songs that are completely written by Morrissey and Marr. If Joyce actually wrote the melody of the songs, then that'd be different. From what I know, it was Morrissey and Marr putting the songs together alone, going to the guys and showing them what they've come up with, and asking them to play "this and that" for the songs. Which doesn't really make them the songwriters. But then again, I was never there so I can't 100% confidently say that was so. However, I fully believe Morrissey because if there's one thing that he's always given us it's full honesty.

I know what you're saying though...it's a weird situation. I don't want to seem like a blind Morrissey follower, but Joyce seems like a serious dick...so I hate the fact that he upset so many people just because of his greed.

As I said there are Songwriting Royalites and Performance Royalities...Joyce is not entitled to Songwriting Royalties and therefore doesn't get EXACTLY 1/4....Songwriting royalites are split amongst the writers...Perfomance royalites are split amongst the musicians..Unless specified otherwise in contract...like session players etc...

As stated in the Severed Alliance...Morrissey went on record saying "Mike Joyce is Demanding 1/4 of EVERYTHING The Smiths ever earned"..which is not true because he was not entitled to Songwriting royaltites...Johnny Rogan makes that perfectly clear

As I said...Morrissey And Marr should have been up front with Joyce and Rourke from the beginning...the Band definitely should have had better management to ensure that they were not any shortcomings...and Morrissey should have just complied with the court ruling from the beginning...instead of dragging his heels and turning Mike Joyce into Dracula

I do think Morrissey is partly to blame for what has transpired...

And I do think The Smiths would not reform regardless of The Joyce Situation

 

[Dan133269]

what about the prospect of Moz and Marr performing again as opposed to the whole group? That would be momentous even if it wouldn't be a full reunion

 

[SNS22]

what about the prospect of Moz and Marr performing again as opposed to the whole group? That would be momentous even if it wouldn't be a full reunion

More likely than the later...but Morrissey would have to be really depressed..and Marr would have to be really bored

 

[SNS22]

it's really very simple. someone posted a transcript of the court case here a while ago. all that morrissey and marr had needed to win this case was a written contract where the other two accepted only getting 10 percent. hard to believe that they had never signed anything at all, but aparently they didn't. which sounds quite unprofessional, if I dare say so.

Because nobody in their right mind joins an UPSTART band and agrees to accept 10%..unless that Band Is Earth, Wind, And Fire

 

[SNS22]

I love Morrissey's remarks on the court case:

"The court case was a potted history of the life of The Smiths. Mike, talking constantly and saying nothing. Andy, unable to remember his own name. Johnny, trying to please everyone and consequently pleasing no one. And Morrissey under the scorching spotlight in the dock, being drilled. 'How dare you be successful?' 'How dare you move on?' To me, The Smiths were a beautiful thing and Johnny left it, and Mike has destroyed it."

 

[HIM]

Mike has destroyed it."

go, mike!

 

[SNS22]

Didn't Johnny comply with the court order already?