Morrissey claims Salford Lads Club photo was solely his idea, not The Smiths
He also refutes the story of the band getting signed
Morrissey has taken to his official website to claim that The Smiths’ fabled Salford Lads Club photo was solely his idea, not that of his bandmates.
The iconic image of Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Mike Joyce and the late-great Andy Rourke standing outside Salford Lads Club was captured by photographer Stephen Wright in December 1985.
It featured on the inside sleeve of The Smiths’ seminal 1986 album ‘The Queen is Dead’, and it’s undoubtedly the most famous photo of the influential Manchester band.
In October 2024, Morrissey donated a massive £50,000 to help save Salford Lads Club on Coronation Street in Ordsall from closure.
The Smiths' 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before' was also filmed at the youth club.
Taking to his Morrissey Central website on Sunday (12th April), Morrissey wrote of The Smiths photo: "For those who care about detail, being photographed outside of Salford Lads Club was not a Smiths idea or design, it was solely my idea, to which as usual the other three initially viewed as more unnecessary Morrissey lunacy.
“Now that millions of people come from all over the world to be photographed on that very spot, it is claimed as a Smiths idea. It wasn't, it isn't, and it never shall be. If I had suggested a photo outside Kellogg's the likelihood is that the other three would have done that instead."
Clearly on a roll, Morrissey also shared a separate post claiming that it was he and Johnny Marr who got The Smiths signed by Rough Trade Records, and Andy Rourke wasn’t present.
"To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Rough Trade Records, Marr gave an interview with a writer from The Guardian (but of course!) in which it was explained how both Marr and Andy Rourke had traveled to Rough Trade Records many icebergs ago to offer the Smiths first recording ("Hand in Glove") in consideration of a contract,” Morrissey wrote.
“Naturally, this is deliberately untrue. It was Morrissey and Marr who made that journey to Rough Trade - at a time when Andy Rourke would not yet commit to becoming a group member.
“Marr must be fully aware of this distortion, but he nonetheless approved the text which, being written by a Guardian-stasi functionary, mentioned Morrissey only as a footnote in the Smiths history, and not as a founding member who solely created the group name.
“What is true will always be true, despite the efforts of Marr and his Guardian to shift the narrative.”
Morrissey performed a sold-out show at London’s The O2 in February as part of his European tour.