Morrissey Seeks to Sell His Rights to the Smiths’ Songs

Music|Morrissey Seeks to Sell His Rights to the Smiths’ Songs

Morrissey said on Wednesday that he was putting his financial stake in the Smiths up for sale because he had been “burned out by any and all connections” to his onetime bandmates.

The singer, whose full name is Steven Patrick Morrissey, wrote on his website that he had “no choice” but to offer his interests — including full and exclusive rights to the music and lyrics of all songs and recordings by the Smiths — to anyone who would buy them. The British rock band was known as one of the most influential of the 1980s before a bitter breakup in 1987.

“I have had enough of malicious associations,” Morrissey, 66, wrote in a post titled, “A Soul for Sale.” “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 Smiths split up over disagreements between Morrissey and Johnny Marr, the band’s guitarist and his co-composer. Morrissey went on to have a solo career and release 13 albums.

A year ago, Morrissey wrote on his website that he had agreed to a “lucrative” offer for him and Marr to embark on a global tour in 2025. He said Marr had ignored the offer.

In January, Morrissey wrote that there was “an obvious media shift to delete me from being the central essence of the Smiths.”

“This cannot work because I invented the group name, the song-titles, the album titles, the artwork, the vocal melodies, and all of the lyrical sentiments came from my heart,” he wrote, adding: “It’s a bit like saying Mick Jagger had nothing to do with the Stones.”