The Smiths nearly reunited in 2008

In his new autobiography, Johnny Marr reveals that The Smiths very nearly got back together back in 2008.

An excerpt from the book, shared via The Guardian, reveals that the reunion became “a very real prospect” after Marr began remastering the band’s discography in 2008. He “was struck by how good the band were, and how young,” he says. “I recalled the exact intention and emotion that went into every note and word, and I texted Morrissey and Andy Rourke and said, ‘You can really hear the love in it.’”

Later that year, he met up with Morrissey for the first time in a decade. “Suddenly we were talking about the possibility of the band re-forming,” Marr reveals. “And that moment it seemed that with the right intention it could actually be done and might even be great… For four days it was a very real prospect. We would have to get someone new on drums, but if the Smiths wanted to re-form it would make a hell of a lot of people very happy, and with all our experience we might even be better than before.”

Obviously, it all fell apart. Marr went off to Mexico with The Cribs, “Morrissey and I continued our dialogue and planned to meet up again…. and then suddenly there was radio silence. Our communication ended, and things went back to how they were and how I expect they always will be.”

Well, fuck. Still, we were close!