Rights

Morrissey shut down an email to solicit offers for his rights to the Smiths’ music and other connected intellectual property, according to a post on his official website.

“The ‘eaves’ business email address has been switched off due to the colossal response to Morrissey’s announcement of his wish to pass his ‘Smiths’ interests over to an investor,” the post from Friday stated. “Although Morrisseys’ love for the songs of the Smiths era will never waver, he is tired of the disagreeable and vexatious characters involved in ‘The Smiths’ business.”

The post continued: “After thirty-eight years of insults and abuse, Morrissey has had enough. All (or most) of the ‘eaves’ emails will be answered in time.”

Last week, Morrissey Central and the singer’s official Instagram accounts posted an announcement that he was selling the entirety of his business interests in the Smiths. It is unclear if Morrissey created the posts. Reps for Morrissey did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s requests for comment. The posts, titled “A Soul for Sale,” included a quote attributed to the former Smiths frontman that said he was “burnt out by any and all connections” with his former bandmates, and wanted to “live disassociated” from them. He cited that it led him to put his rights to Smiths intellectual property up for sale. The announcement included an email address, which bounced back when Rolling Stone reached out for comment.

Up for grabs, per the announcement, are the “full and exclusive rights” to the name “The Smiths” created by Morrissey, all of the Smiths’ artwork created by him, All Smiths merchandising rights, all Smiths songs lyrically and musically, all synchronization rights, all Smiths recordings, and all contractual rights for Smiths publishing.

“I am burnt out by any and all connections to [Former Smiths members Johnny] Marr, [Andy] Rourke, [Mike] Joyce. I have had enough of malicious associations. With my entire life I have paid my rightful dues to these songs and these images,” he said per the quote attributed to him. “I would now like to live disassociated from those who wish me nothing but ill-will and destruction, and this is the only resolution.”

Morrissey continued: “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 rep for Marr did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment regarding the sale announcement. A rep for Joyce said he does not comment on what his former bandmates say or do.

The Smiths broke up in 1987 and Morrissey and Marr have had a tenuous relationship ever since. Last year, Marr revealed he said “no” to an offer Morrissey said he received from AEG Entertainment Group to reform the band alongside Marr.

Though in 2008, they met at a pub to discuss a possible Smiths reunion. “In that moment it seemed that with the right intention it could actually be done and might even be great,” Marr wrote in his 2016 memoir Set the Boy Free. “For four days it was a very real prospect.” The potential reunion was fleeting, however, after Marr left to Mexico to tour with the Cribs. “And then suddenly there was radio silence,” Marr wrote. “Our communication ended, and things went back to how they were and how I expect they always will be.”

Drummer Joyce has been estranged from Morrissey and Marr following a 1996 lawsuit over the Smiths royalties that was contentious. After bassist Rourke died in 2023, a proper reunion was no longer possible.