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Johnny Marr slams Donald Trump for playing The Smiths at a recent political rally
No, it wasn't 'Bigmouth Strikes Again'.
Legendary Manc musician Johnny Marr has gone viral on social media after he came out to condemn a recent Donald Trump rally after they chose to play The Smiths.
Nope, not having that — and neither is Johnny.
The Smiths guitarist and rock and roll icon was made aware of Trump’s campaign team using the band’s music after ABC political reporter Soorin Kimshar shared a video of the classic track, ‘Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want’, being played at a rally in Rapid City, South Dakota in September 2023.
Having replied to a post detailing that “the new addition to [Trump’s] pre-rally music is The Smiths” before he took the stage in Laconia, New Hampshire on Tuesday, 23 January, it turns out that Trump and his team have been using their music at political rallies for a while now.
Probably up there with one of the very last places on Earth you want to hear the art of Marr’s guitar lines, Morrissey‘s vocals, Andy Rourke’s bass and Mike Joyce’s drumming, the 60-year-old didn’t waste any time in flagging it.
Starting off by simply writing, “Ahh…right…OK.”, Marr went on to say: “I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass. Consider this sh*t shut right down right now.
It remains unclear how the Ardwick-born songwriter is going about preventing Trump and co. from using The Smiths’ music in the future, he is by no means the only artist to have found himself in a similar situation, with Adele, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and even The Beatles doing similarly protesting.
Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones went so far as to issue the former President with cease and desists in an effort to have their music pulled — Marr could do the same — but in the case of Prince, for instance, Trump has reportedly continued to use his tracks on occasion despite the demands of his estate.
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We can always trust social media to come up with witty responses, even if they did take up all The Smiths puns; ‘hang the DJ’ came to mind immediately but sadly I always ‘Want the One I Can’t Have’…
Although Morrisey continues to be a divisive figure, even managing to ruffle feathers when people were paying tribute to the late Sinéad O’Connor, Marr has remained equally outspoken against right-wing politicians, even telling David Cameron he was ‘forbidden’ to like The Smiths.
Safe to say we’re happy to limit playing the The Smiths in headphones, pubs and car radios in future.
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Featured Image — Man Alive! (via Flickr)/Michael Candelori (via Flickr)
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A big Christmas sing-along concert with Alexander Armstrong and Aled Jones is coming to Manchester
Emily Sergeant
We know it’s only April, but brace yourselves… we’re about to talk about Christmas.
You are reading today’s date correctly, but whether you can believe it or not, this isn’t an April Fool, as it’s time to get ready to lift your voices and celebrate the festive season because The Big Christmas Sing-a-Long starring much-loved performers and presenters, Aled Jones and Alexander Armstrong, is heading out on its debut UK tour later this year.
This heartwarming live experience is promising to be an ‘unforgettable’ evening of music, laughter, and Christmas cheer.
Performing in some of the most beautiful cathedrals and venues across the UK, when the concert arrives in Manchester in late November, it’ll be taking over the stunning Manchester Monastery.
On the night, Aled Jones – who is one of the UK’s most iconic voices – will perform some beloved highlights, including his signature rendition of ‘Walking in the Air’, alongside a selection of classic festive carols, and joining him on stage will be Alexander Armstrong, whose rich vocals and natural charm will bring ‘humour, warmth, and festive sparkle’ to every performance.
It may be Aled and Alexander’s show, but audiences are also being told to expect some special surprises along the way too.
As this is a sing-along event, audiences will be invited to put on their favourite Christmas jumper and join in with a joyful mix of traditional Christmas carols and modern festive favourites.
The Big Christmas Sing-a-Long – UK Tour Dates 2026
- Tuesday 24 November – Llandudno Venue Cymru Theatre
- Sunday 29 November – Manchester Monastery
- Tuesday 1 December – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
- Wednesday 2 December – Durham Cathedral
- Thursday 3 December – Bath Forum
- Friday 4 December – Guildford G Live
- Wednesday 9 December – Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
- Thursday 10 December – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
- Friday 11 December – York Barbican
- Sunday 13 December – Edinburgh Queens Hall
- Tuesday 15 December – Birmingham Town Hall
- Sunday 20 December – Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion
- Monday 21 December – London Union Chapel
The tour kicks off in Llandudno on 24 November and wraps up in London on 21 December – with a stop off here in Manchester on Sunday 29 November.
The Big Christmas Sing-a-Long is coming to Manchester Monastery on Sunday 29 November, and is expected to capture the true spirit of Christmas, offering a magical evening filled of festive cheer and uplifting songs that everyone can join in with.
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Tickets go on general sale tomorrow (Thursday 2 April) at 9:30am, and you can get your hands on them when they go live here.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Sara Cox tipped to replace Scott Mills for Eurovision 2026
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester’s very own Sara Cox is reportedly set to replace Scott Mills at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest following his sacking from the BBC.
Mills was axed by the news and entertainment corporation on Monday, 1 April, for ‘misconduct’, which has now been revealed to involve a historic relationship with a boy aged under 16.
The case was originally dropped back in 2019 after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had insufficient evidence to charge him; the BBC have also apologised for failing to properly investigate the broadcaster after allegations were raised last year.
While the fallout surrounding Scott Mills is only just beginning, the task of finding his replacement in multiple roles has already begun – though it looks like one may have already been decided.
Now reported by multiple outlets, it appears as though Bolton-born Sara Cox is first in line to pick up Mills’ co-hosting duties for this year’s Eurovision show.
Having already been involved with coverage of the event on multiple ocassions in the past, it now appears that she’ll be in post for the Grand Final too.
As a long-standing radio and TV staple, it only takes a quick look at social media to see how much backing she has already received in the past, with a post from last year reading, “Great to have Sara Cox back commentating on Eurovision“, and others from over a decade ago praising her past presenting.
In fact, it might not end just here either, as many are already calling for her to replace the 53-year-old breakfast show host.
From her days as a Radio 1 favourite to becoming a BBC mainstay across the board, her popularity only seems to have grown over the last decade, especially thanks to her charity fundraising efforts.
While an official announcement is yet to be made, the feeling is that it is all but confirmed for her to take over from Mills as part of the Eurovision commentary team.
As for the now vacant early morning slot on BBC Radio 2, the likes of Claudio Winkleman, Vernon Kay, fellow Manc Nick Grimshaw, the aforementioned Rylan, and several others have all been floated as potential stand-ins/future full-time hosts.
Do you think both should be given to Sara Cox, and if not, who would you like to see replace Scott Mills?
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Featured Images — Bryan Ledgard/ESC Discord (via Flickr)
Danny Jones -
24th January 2024 
