David Bowie has asked Emi Uk bosses not to use a photograph of him with Morrissey as the cover art for the reissue of The Smiths' The Last Of The Famous International Playboys single.

The 1989 track will be re-released in April (13) as part of a new Morrissey retrospective package, but it won't feature an iconic Linder Sterling shot of the Panic singer with his hero.

Bowie has demanded that Emi chiefs pull plans to use the photo.

A statement from on Morrissey's official fan website reads: "David Bowie has ordered Emi Uk not to run the proposed artwork for Morrissey's April 8th issue of the re-mastered The Last of the Famous International Playboys single and Cd. Although Bowie has no legal rights to the photograph, most of his back catalogue is presently licensed to Emi."

It is not clear why Bowie and his management team have asked for the photo to be removed from the cover.