March 17, 2006 10:31

The Smiths offered millions to reform

Morrissey reveals big money offer for festival appearance

Photo Gallery: Morrissey

Morrissey revealed that The Smiths were offered $5 million to play last year's Coachella festival – and turned it down.

Speaking at a press conference before his show at this year's South by South West music festival (March 16), the singer explained that "money doesn't come into it”.

He added: “It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am."

He also attacked 'Pop Idol', calling the contestants 'imbeciles' and complained that Arctic Monkeys hadn't paid their dues.

He said: "For them it's happening too quickly. They haven't proven anything and they haven't had to work too hard. It's all a bit unnatural. Yes, they've sold 700,000 albums but it can't be gratifying. They haven't been driving up and down the M1 in a van for 15 years."

The last time that Morrissey was scheduled to play Austin, in 2004, the gig was cancelled due to illness.

This year his fans were treated to a 17-song set that mixed material from his new album with four Smiths classics.

Explaining his decision include Smiths songs in his recent sets the singer said: "I didn't play Smiths songs for a long time. But then I realised that those songs don't belong to somebody else – nobody will sing them as with as much feeling as me and no-one will make them more meaningful than I will".