Following their latest war of words, Johnny Marr has vowed never to work with his former Smiths bandmate Morrissey again.
Marr, who has just released his new double album Fever Dreams Pts 1-4, told DJ Steve Wright on BBC Radio 2, that he could never have a personal or professional relationship with Morrissey again and that the last time they spoke was about "18 or maybe 15" years ago.
The news follows the latest spat between the two ex-friends.
Last January, Morrissey urged Marr to stop mentioning him in interviews, after the guitarist spoke about the singer in music magazine Uncut.
In a lengthy open letter, Morrissey said, "Would you please, instead, discuss your own career, your own unstoppable solo achievements and your own music? If you can, would you please just leave me out of it?"
In response, Marr said on Instagram: "An 'open letter' hasn’t really been a thing since 1953, It’s all ‘social media’ now. Even Donald J Trump had that one down. Also, this fake news business… a bit 2021 yeah?"
Marr was also questioned about the feud in a interview with The Times. "When you're attacked out of the blue, particularly in public, you have to defend yourself," he said.
"The letter was designed to be insulting, wasn’t it? That has to have been the idea. If it’s something that’s not based in fact, you have to react in kind, which is just with ridicule.
"Look, it was about [his wanting] attention…and I’m getting a lot of it. I’ve got my new record coming out, and that’s getting attention too," he added.
"All my solo records have. I just do what I do. I’ll just carry on being who I am."
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Marr, whose parents are both from Co, Kildare, was last in Ireland in 2018 to play Dublin’s National Stadium and to unveil a plaque commemorating his Irish roots in Athy.
