A while ago I had the chance to interview Johnny Marr after his show here for the synthiepop magazine. Just found this transcript on my computer and thought I could share it now. 

A bit embarrassing in parts but oh well... I was nervous!!!

 

So, how did you enjoy the show?

Good, it was good. yeah.

I enjoyed it, it was good, after without like a week off without shows because we were playing all the time in America Australia and Japan it seemed like we had a long time and really it was only 6 days or 7 days so when we started to play we really wanted to play.

 

Good!

Yes, I enjoyed it.

 

You once said that the audience in Europe could be a little bit colder, did you have this impression tonight?

Yeah.. it can be a little bit colder...but no, I didn't. I looked out in the audience.. (phone ringing break) I look out and our audience is... err... are people who genuinely who come out to the show because they like the music that I've made in the past and they are... I assume that they are intelligent people and I try to treat them as intelligent people which is why it took me a few songs until I start moving around because unless I really feel it, it would be something like patronizing and a bit showmanship to start kind of doing all these moves...so its only when I really feel it...because I don't want the audience to think that I', being a showman, I want them to think that I'm being like them.

Yes.. and its the first time that you're like the centre of attention, with your own band.. is it different for you to be on stage now?

I've done it a lot now, so I'm used to it. But when I first did it it felt good. it felt ok. I didn't think about it until I was working up the steps up the stage for the first time. I put it out of my mind, and then just as I was walking on stage I thought: "Shit, I hope this works, its better be good. And it felt right, it felt good, so yeah.."

 

So, this is a question that *I* really want to ask you... I don't play any instrument, and its such a miracle for me how it works to write a song. If you just play around and get a melody or if you have some influences that you've heard somewhere  and mix it together, or if it just comes to you at night. or...?

 

Its all of those things.

You have to have like your radio receivers on all the time if you want to write good song. and sometimes life is easier when you don't have those radio receivers on if you're not trying to be inspired, but then you don't have any success and connection with people and all the things that come with being a songwriter, you know? If you wanna be a songwriter you have to do some work sometimes when you would rather go and sit in the park or talk to your friends on the phone or watch some rubbish on television. because like anything you can't just turn on inspiration. so you have to let yourself open for ideas. because I work with some people who are really prolific and very very natural songwriters and that cuts in. you just cant turn it on. its like, its very much like doing a painting, you know. Some things you can do a painting when you think "Oh ok, I've seen this idea in a photograph or in an old painting or in a.. I don't know, say...building or something. And other times you just get a vision of something which comes right from the sky which is GREAT and other times you're just sketching, musical sketching, playing, and you go; "Oh this sounds really good" so its all those things but you have to work on it. for me its the best thing in the world

 

I just wanted to ask you if you have been creative any other artistic field, you mentioned painting. do you paint?

 

yeah, a little bit. If I get involved in something, if something takes my attention, I really get into it, you know? if I had to paint... I don't paint like say John Squire. Johnny paints and since I knew him and he was 15 he used to paint. I think he painted before he played guitar you know? and I think that's. I don't have the time...if I'm gonna do something creative....... I never wanted to paint or act or do anything else because.. maybe I should've done that. I'm always trying to play the right songs but so I suppose is no, I don't. The answer really is no I guess I'm too busy trying to make music and deal with business.

 

Would you say you have any current influences?

No. Or what do you mean, like new bands?

yeah...

no, but I like experimental electronic music the best, so like boards of Canada.  you know boards of Canada? They're on warp records with aphex twin. and we really like AT, so it doesn't come out of music (?) PJ Harvey (points to poster on the wall), though the electronics doesn't come out of this music, PJ Harvey I like a lot. and you know, I like, mellowdrone who was on before I really like, and this band called electric six  who do this song called remote control me and err..........

 

do you know any German bands?

no but I'd like to.

 

I think right now we have this kind of WAVE of German bands

well I'll tell you what I really LOVE funny enough I don't stop mentioning this band, pluramon, do you know pluramon from cologne?

*laughing* I have never heard of them.

 

Lemonjelly are kind of like ...

 

what German bands are there?

 

errm. we have 2raumwohnung, Klee... Klee?

do you know the popkomm, music convention? Klee did the opening song. Its always in august...lots of shows and also for records companies and bands to get together.

 

I've heard of that.

 

We have this kind of new wave movement with bands like mia or die raketen...

 

no I don't know those bands but I'd like to hear it! I like to hear new music.

 

I'll burn you a compilation.

 

yes that would be good if you give it to me cause I'd like to hear it cause I think new music is always... there's always gonna be good new music.

there is a band from Canada called Godspeed you black emperor, long songs, that are very long and slow and dramatic and I like what they do. and there is an artist called Donnacha Costello don't know where he/its I don't know anything about them but I just got a track, so that's kind of ambient, nor chill-out cause I hate chill-out and stuff. I like for music to put me in an interesting place and I like for rockmusic - at the moment - to give me some excitement, energy.. energy and excitement. yes, I think its good, so I'm looking to it.

I think he next album we make will be exciting, fast music I think.

 

looking forward to this! do you have any plans when you will start recording it?

I wanna start recording in September so that I can put it out as early as I can next year you know... I'm very very proud of this album, really proud of it but its been interesting making this record because it probably has made a connection to people who like what I do. I've been looking in their faces, play guitar, high volume, cause I was so obsessed with being the studio (I love being in he studio) I kind of knew that there were people who like what I do but its a different thing when you're actually seeing them and they talk to you and its really err.. give me a very incooked feedback, encouragement and I assumed that people who like me, who like what I do, are like me. and I was right. they are like me.

 

its a nice thing to say about your fans

 

oh yes totally.

cause I try to make music for people who are...when you try to make music for people who you think are like you, it makes things a lot easier, and I've always been like that, I think most musicians are. I think most creative people are naturally people who are like that.

 

so do you think of your audience when you write a song?

 

what is it. I think of myself. but subconsciously you think about your friends, your mates. I think most people are like that, your creative people. you just have to make sure that your mates are pretty cool, otherwise you're in trouble. and my mates are people who like to sit around and smoke a few joints and hang out with their bus or girlfriends. there's a lot of women in my house so I don't know why that is. they're not there for me! Its cause my wife is very interesting. and the like to sit around you know. the reason I notice these things is sometimes journalists, old fashioned journalists, say "what do you think of smiths-fans?" and they have this idea (I'm a smiths fan) they have this idea that people who like the smiths are kind of all dressed from head to toe in black, ready to jump of the bridge. (totally me! no I don't think so..) and don't enjoy life and when I was making music with the smiths I was still the same, I was making music for people who I felt are like me. who have a certain kind of sensitivity but also war looking for beauty. and just sit around and just be cool. and like ´my kind of music, you know what I mean?

 

definitely.

 

this idea -... people who like me and Morrissey...this idea that those people hate radiohead and hate synthesizers and cant handle with the world outside... (are not open-minded..) that's bullshit idea. maybe they've read too many interviews I don't know...

 

oohhh

I think I can say that.. I know many smiths fans, online friends from around the world, and I think they're very jealous that I can sit here with you now and speak to you and so I just want to say thank you for such great music. Really... you had such an impact on our lives. and they're also very interested in your current music.

 

well, its a privilege to be a musician. its nothing I could complain about.

not everybody gets the chance to do it. and I think I am aware that there are people out there who take what I've done very seriously and the music meant a lot to them. and I don't wanna abuse that.  sometimes when I answer a question on the website or when very rarely someone comes up to you and asks me a difficult question, that feels a bit personal, that. those times I try and make a joke and take the heat out of it. and they get a little bit annoyed.  causer they want me to be more intense and serious about it but some of those issues are very very personal and painful and I don't think its healthy - its not that its only private - I don't think its healthy to analyze your own personal feelings in public. it seems like a bit...not very gracious to talk about rockstar neurosis. I mean have plenty of it and I'm not an insensitive person, but I think it would be a little bit patronizing to talk about whatever conflicts I might may have and when there is so many people who don't wanna hear me complain, one person might wanna hear me talk about something negative but its ... for 5000. so I've tried and always assume that the audience are... just really intelligent and sensitive and cool.

 

when did you realize that making music was what you wanted to do for the rest of your life?

did it just happen? or did you have to make a decision?

 

(promoter enters to say time is over but he said "no its ok.. she is nice!" awww)

 

when I was very small my parents and relatives used to play and sing music and when they were doing that it was more interesting what the world was like before they started singing. Do you know what I mean? My uncles used to get up, normally drunk, and started singing at 2 o clock in the morning after a party. They'd been up dancing to... whatever.. rock'n roll. And before that party I was kind of...believe it or not... overly sensitive and then when the parties would happen and the parties would finish particularly with these really really sad songs, I was like.. I was more alive than the way I've been all day. And that was my first memory so its always been that way.

 

what age have you been then?

about 7 or 8 and then I did make a decision around about 14, 15. You know, I had to make it cause me and my father used to fight all the time and I made the decision that I was gonna - even if I was broke - I would be a musician. He challenged me and said that I would always be broke and I had to look at myself  and say "well, what if I am?" I mean he is a cool guy, I don't mind, he was right in a way you know.

All parents are like this...

yeah I mean he thought I was wild and he was right, I was. So I've made the decision to fight for it. and "what if I'm wrong?" If I'm wrong well then. .then you've tried at least.

Final question...

do you plan to produce again, or are you producing at the moment?

At the moment no... Haven are at my house recording songs...

Is Marion still around?

No Marion.. unfortunately, they were great but Jamie was too fond of drugs. He became more into drugs than he was into music which is a shame you know. But producing is really hard work. cause I put really everything I can into it, and I like it, but if I put that amount of effort into something, it may as well be my own music cause a lot of people have been waiting for me to do my own thing, you know? so that's what I do.

 

Do you still have your clothing line? Elk?

no I had to stop it because when I got busy, I couldn't run it.

Its a shame

Its been nice meeting you...