{"id":39604,"date":"2026-08-12T00:11:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T19:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=39604"},"modified":"2026-08-12T00:11:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T19:11:25","slug":"morrissey-and-johnny-marr-have-both-worked-on-new-rare-vinyl-release-from-the-smiths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=39604","title":{"rendered":"Morrissey and Johnny Marr have both worked on new rare vinyl release from The Smiths"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/morrissey\">Morrissey<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/johnny-marr\">Johnny Marr<\/a>\u00a0have\u00a0both helped to create a rare new seven-inch release from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-smiths\">The Smiths<\/a>, as part of an upcoming Rough Trade boxset.<\/p>\n<p>The legendary London independent label will release its second volume of newly printed classic singles, titled \u2018Rough Trade 45s: Volume 2\u2019, on October 30. It will comprise tracks from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-fall\">The Fall<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/aztec-camera\">Aztec Camera<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/mazzy-star\">Mazzy Star<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/scritti-politti\">Scritti Politti<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/robert-wyatt\">Robert Wyatt <\/a>and more, and the boxset will be\u00a0limited to just 1000 copes, released\u00a0on\u00a0October 30. Pre-order\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/roughtrade.ffm.to\/singlesboxset2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Among them is a new release from The Smiths, with \u2018The Headmaster Ritual\u2019 on the A-side, and \u2018I Want\u00a0The\u00a0One I Can\u2019t Have\u2019 on the\u00a0flip side. Both songs originally appeared on the band\u2019s second album \u2018Meat Is Murder\u2019 in 1985, but they were never released as a single\u00a0on Rough Trade.<\/p>\n<p>Now, they will\u00a0be available as a single for the first time, with Morrissey and Marr both requesting the two\u00a0tracks.<\/p>\n<p>Morrissey has also overseen the creation of the new artwork, choosing a 1939 image of the American actor Billy Halop. It follows in the tradition of The Smiths\u2019 artwork throughout their career, with Morrissey having previously selected the likes of Truman Capote, Candy Darling, Alain\u00a0Delon\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/elvis-presley\">Elvis Presley<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Db5XGi6oPIU\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Both Morrissey and Marr have\u00a0also both\u00a0contributed sleeve notes for the release, and the booklet will also include writing from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/elvis-costello\">Elvis Costello<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/stewart-lee\">Stewart Lee<\/a>, Green Gartside,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/jonathan-richman\">Jonathan Richman<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-go-betweens\">The Go-Betweens<\/a>\u2018 Robert Forster.<\/p>\n<p>The boxset will also boast a new interview with Rogh Trade co-directors Geoff Travis and Jeannette Lee and photography from Anton Corbijn and others.<\/p>\n<p>The full list of singles is:<\/p>\n<p>The Fall \u2013 \u2018Totally Wired\u2019<br \/>Scritti\u00a0Politti\u00a0\u2013 \u2018The Sweetest Girl\u2019<br \/>Robert Wyatt \u2013 \u2018Shipbuilding\u2019<br \/>Aztec Camera \u2013 \u2018Oblivious\u2019<br \/>The Go-Betweens \u2013 \u2018Cattle\u00a0And\u00a0Cane\u2019<br \/>Jonathan Richman \u2013 \u2018That Summer Feeling\u2019<br \/>The Smiths \u2013 \u2019The Headmaster Ritual\u2019<br \/>The Sundays \u2013 \u2018Can\u2019t Be Sure\u2019<br \/>Mazzy Star \u2013 \u2018Five String Serenade\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Rough Trade released The Smiths\u2019 debut single \u2018Hand\u00a0In\u00a0Glove\u2019 in\u00a01983\u00a0and the band signed with them later that year. They released all four studio albums on the label, before splitting in 1987.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Johnny Marr on his first ever solo best of &amp;apos;Spirit Power&amp;apos;, his book &amp;apos;Marrs Guitars&amp;apos; and more\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7S27KOzAABY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Morrissey and Marr have been publicly feuding in recent years, with the guitarist repeatedly distancing himself from Morrissey\u2019s politics. In 2019,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/features\/johnny-marr-2019-interview-new-music-conservatives-morrissey-smiths-2502976\">Marr told\u00a0<i>NME\u00a0<\/i>that \u201cI don\u2019t think you can change history\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and said the singer\u2019s support for the far-right party For Britain had \u201cnothing to do with my world or my life\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/morrissey-hits-out-at-johnny-marr-for-turning-down-lucrative-the-smiths-reunion-which-he-agreed-to-3788683\">Morrissey said Marr had \u201cignored\u201d a lucrative offer for a Smiths reunion tour in 2025<\/a>, which he himself had accepted.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/johnny-marr-responds-to-morrisseys-claims-he-ignored-a-reunion-tour-offer-i-didnt-ignore-the-offer-i-said-no-3794610\">Marr responded<\/a>: \u201cI didn\u2019t ignore the offer \u2013 I said no.\u201d He later said, \u201cI\u2019m not an idiot, the vibe\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Morrissey has also claimed that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/morrissey-says-the-smiths-greatest-hits-album-blocked-by-johnny-marr-3792940\">Marr blocked a greatest hits album and had taken sole control of The Smiths\u2019 name<\/a>, potentially allowing him to tour with another\u00a0frontman. Marr\u2019s team rejected the claims, saying\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/johnny-marr-responds-to-morrisseys-claims-he-ignored-a-reunion-tour-offer-i-didnt-ignore-the-offer-i-said-no-3794610\">he had registered the trademark to stop a third party from using it<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0stating\u00a0that Morrissey had not responded to his approach.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/morrissey-burnt-out-by-any-and-all-connections-to-marr-rourke-joyce-wants-to-sell-all-his-business-interests-in-the-smiths-3890019\">Morrissey also expressed his desire to sell his business interests in The Smiths last\u00a0year<\/a>, and\u00a0recently\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/morrissey-shares-lengthy-attack-on-johnny-marr-accusing-him-dividing-the-smiths-audience-into-factions-3953075\">accused Marr of intentionally dividing the band\u2019s fanbase<\/a>, claiming the guitarist had \u201cdevoted his entire life to killing Morrissey in whatever way available\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The singer\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/morrissey-cancels-las-vegas-residency-due-to-unforeseen-logistical-challenges-a-week-before-the-first-show-3961448\">cancelled a four-show Las Vegas residency last week<\/a>, citing \u201cunforeseen logistical challenges\u201d, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/riot-fest-2026-reveal-stage-times-with-morrissey-opening-for-tool-3961520\">is set to play Riot Fest in Chicago next month<\/a>. Marr, meanwhile, will\u00a0release his fifth solo album \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/johnny-marr-announces-new-album-the-age-of-everything-with-urgent-single-spin-3951162\">The Age\u00a0Of\u00a0Everything<\/a>\u2018\u00a0on\u00a0October 2.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('consent', 'revoke');\n  fbq('init', '370979561341328');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n<\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Morrissey\u00a0and\u00a0Johnny Marr\u00a0have\u00a0both helped to create a rare new seven-inch release from\u00a0The Smiths, as part of an upcoming Rough Trade boxset. The legendary London independent label will release its second volume of newly printed classic singles, titled \u2018Rough Trade 45s: Volume 2\u2019, on October 30. It will comprise tracks from The Fall,\u00a0Aztec Camera,\u00a0Mazzy Star,\u00a0Scritti Politti,\u00a0Robert Wyatt&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39605,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/morrissey_johnny_marr.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39604\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/39605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}