Johnny Marr arrives at NME Awards at Brixton Academy on February 29, 2012 in London, England.
Photo: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images
The Smiths broke up 25 years ago, and there are still some pockets of lingering bitterness — but not on Johnny Marr’s part. “I don’t have any negative thoughts about the times back then or the times now, or the people in [the band,]†Marr tells the AV Club. Sure, it’s “unfortunate that The Smiths don’t have the relationship where they can sit around and even get complaints out, or philosophize,†he says, but that doesn’t mean he heard acrimony when he listened back to their records while he was remastering the tracks for the Smiths’ boxed set. Marr says he heard “many feelings of love†during the process. “[That’s] why I sent an email to the members of the band saying I can hear the love in it, you know?â€