Billy Bragg says he's 'heartbroken' for fans of The Smiths after latest Morrissey outburst
Singer-songwriter said he also feels sorry for Johnny Marr, because ‘he doesn’t deserve to have his legacy dragged through the dirt’
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Louise Thomas
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Billy Bragg has responded to Morrissey‘s latest string of inflammatory comments, by saying he feels sorry for the singer’s fans.
The former Smiths frontman caused yet another controversy in an interview with his nephew, which was posted on his own website.
During the conversation, Morrissey reaffirmed his support for the far-right, anti-Islam party For Britain, and claimed “everyone ultimately prefers their own race” when addressing the allegations of racism he has been face with.
Bragg has since responded, telling The Big Issue: “I think he’s decided that he wants to betray everything he ever said in the Smiths, and he’s broken the hearts of a lot of people…
“The Smiths expressed a lot of people’s own sense of disconnect with society and helped them to find their own identity, and he’s totally trashed that.
“I’m heartbroken for them because I’m a big Smiths fan, too. And I’m heartbroken for Johnny Marr because he’s genuine, a lovely guy, and he doesn’t deserve to have his legacy dragged through the dirt…
He added: “I have no sympathy for [Morrissey], no respect for him, but I have a lot of sympathy and respect for his audience.”
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