Johnny Marr Quashes Smiths Reunion Rumor

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mojo-photo-oldsmiths.jpgOr, “William, It Was Really Nothing.” Ahem. Reports emerged late last week that The Smiths were possibly maybe “on the verge” of a reunion, after lead singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr “settled their differences.” The UK Telegraph was reporting that “industry sources believe that a comeback could be imminent.” While just about every other band who ever broke up has already reunited, long-suffering Smiths fans likely didn’t get their hopes up (mostly because Smiths fans don’t really have any hopes to get up) and our abject cynicism and unfettered pessimism was proven right once again, as Marr has forcefully denied the rumors of a reunion to NME:

Marr issued a statement to NME.COM saying that rumours floating around that the band were reuniting were “untrue”. He declared: “The stories circulating about a Smiths reunion are, as usual, untrue.” Marr added he was committed to his current band The Cribs. “I’m currently very excited about writing and recording with The Cribs for a new album to be released next summer and we’re playing shows in February, so going back in time isn’t in my plans,” he said.

Considering your musical promiscuousness post-Smiths, I’m sure The Cribs totally believe you.

If you remember back to mid-2007, Morrissey reportedly turned down a £40 million (about $900 quadrillion US) (not really) offer to reunite for a Smiths tour, the only requirement being the presence of both himself and Marr on the same stage at the same time. Jeez, guys, you’d think it would be Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke who would hold the biggest grudges, but I guess Moz wanting to do Cilla Black covers really, really pissed Johnny off. Well, I’d say something like “heaven knows I’m miserable now,” but we all know I was already miserable.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

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