"Johnny Marr says The Smiths had a “blind spot” of being obsessed with media and notoriety" - NME (July 5, 2021)

shoplifterromo sends the link:

Johnny Marr says The Smiths had a "blind spot" of being obsessed with media and notoriety

Johnny Marr has reflected on his time in The Smiths, admitting the seminal band had a "blind spot" of being obsessed with media and notoriety

www.nme.com

"Particularly one certain member of the group"

Excerpt:

Speaking to Poet Laureate Simon Armitage for the new BBC Radio 4 series The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed, Marr said that the band could have done with “less” coverage at the height of their 1980s fame.

Discussing how it became their blind spot, Marr said: “I was in a very very big ‘music press’ band, which now I’m older I think we could’ve done with less of that.

“I wouldn’t say it was our downfall but I think it was a blind spot of The Smiths, being so occupied with the media and notoriety – particularly one certain member of the group. I think that could’ve been dialled down a bit and would’ve helped the group out.”

---

Related item:

• Radio 4: Johnny Marr to guest on 'The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed' (episode airs July 3, 2021)

 

[Surface]

was this before or after the court case? Curious as to how he feels about Andy after that, I’m pretty sure he hasn’t forgiven Mike for lying.

After and listen to Marr's intro for him, clearly still great mates.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

After and listen to Marr's intro for him, clearly still great mates.

I think Marr is laying it on a bit thick in his praise, not to say Andy doesn’t deserve some needed praise.

Still cool, but it’s not Mike on drums is it? Lol.

Forgave someone.

 

[Anonymous]

After and listen to Marr's intro for him, clearly still great mates.

No wonder.

"Cheers for never claiming your due, Andy! You're what I call a real mate!"

 

[Surface]

I think Marr is laying it on a bit thick in his praise, not to say Andy doesn’t deserve some needed praise.

Still cool, but it’s not Mike on drums is it? Lol.

Forgave someone.

Yes it's a bit over the top. They've played together a handful of times post Smiths, I think the first time was at The Manchester versus Cancer gig at the G - Mex.

This one is nice musically.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

Exactly. And he didn't just do it once. After Freak Party folded (because Marr quit) he broke contact with Rourke for about a year until he decided he needed him on bass for The Smiths. Then during The Smiths he sided with Morrissey over having Rourke fired from the group. And, for whatever reason, he has opted never to use Rourke on bass for any post-Smiths ventures, and they've only in fact played together once, to my knowledge.

ONLY ONCE???????? has only associated with DH Andy once and NEVER opted to use his skills
on his sucky ventures?????
werent they best mates>both being wigged?

is there an explanation for behavior towards
his 'best mate'????

 

[pandaproducts]

I think the certain member of the group he's referring to is likely Mike Joyce. All he's wanted in life was to be famous, he's tried for so long it's all gone wrong.

 

[Amy]

My point being that his career as a singer/songwriter has been a non-event, but he has pursued it doggedly because he is surrounded by yes-men telling his he's great, who pander to his ego. And that's what he always wanted. He portrayed himself as a 'journeyman guitarist for hire' in the late 80s/early 90s, and that is what he would have excelled at, but he wanted to be a pop star, and so we got the underwhelming 'Electronic' project and his duff solo records.

Fantastic post.

The change in Johnny's focus is interesting. In the beginning, he always said he couldn't sing - I remember a Smiths interview where he specifically said, "I never wanted to sing" and was adamant that he didn't want to be a frontman either. He didn't even like playing live! From what I understand, Moz encouraged him (in those early gigs) to try backing vocals but he didn't feel comfortable doing it, so they left it there.

Then, like you say, he spends all those years as a guitar-for-hire. Even with Electronic he was mostly in the background - he never did the kind of big 'band project' most Smiths fans wanted. It was all a bit disappointing and (lazy?) and criticised and then boom, he hits 50 and gets right behind the wheel again.

I don't know if it's a late-blooming desire to be a pop star that's driving Johnny, or just that he got fed up of being told he was 'wasting his talent' and wanted to prove something. Joining Modest Mouse put him back in the public eye from near-obscurity and when you see him live today, he's a different animal - strutting and swaggering and doing the whole 'frontman' thing. I still think he is a treasure but I cringe at the whole 'Johnny F***ing Marr', cultivated 'cool' image. It just makes him look like he is trying too hard.

 

[Anonymous]

I still think he is a treasure but I cringe at the whole 'Johnny F***ing Marr', cultivated 'cool' image. It just makes him look like he is trying too hard.

Yep - the clip that's just been posted above, of him and Andy, being a case in point.

 

[Sammy Denny]

After and listen to Marr's intro for him, clearly still great mates.

The best friend I shafted over money ...

 

[Sammy Denny]

Fantastic post.

The change in Johnny's focus is interesting. In the beginning, he always said he couldn't sing - I remember a Smiths interview where he specifically said, "I never wanted to sing" and was adamant that he didn't want to be a frontman either. He didn't even like playing live! From what I understand, Moz encouraged him (in those early gigs) to try backing vocals but he didn't feel comfortable doing it, so they left it there.

Then, like you say, he spends all those years as a guitar-for-hire. Even with Electronic he was mostly in the background - he never did the kind of big 'band project' most Smiths fans wanted. It was all a bit disappointing and (lazy?) and criticised and then boom, he hits 50 and gets right behind the wheel again.

I don't know if it's a late-blooming desire to be a pop star that's driving Johnny, or just that he got fed up of being told he was 'wasting his talent' and wanted to prove something. Joining Modest Mouse put him back in the public eye from near-obscurity and when you see him live today, he's a different animal - strutting and swaggering and doing the whole 'frontman' thing. I still think he is a treasure but I cringe at the whole 'Johnny F***ing Marr', cultivated 'cool' image. It just makes him look like he is trying too hard.

Nailed it. And totally agree, the whole 'Johnny f***ing Marr Man of The People' shtick is not endearing. It is desperate.

 

[Trans]

Andy has for sure joined marr on stage and they seem fine but Andy hasn’t always had flattering things to say about all of the ex smiths. To clarify I’m not trying to make any villains out of people but the idea that morrissey was the only ego centric person in the group or that Andy was the only drug user etc is just annoying. As annoying as people thinking marr is responsible for 100% of the music and morrissey 100% in the wrong in regard to the break up. As to press Johnny was clearly moving on to a more tough guy persona as his interviews for electronic would show and probably was angry that he was being defined in public by another person and that the definition included things like they’re fantastical love affair. I’m pretty sure he’s made comments about disliking the idea that they were a gay band from the very start. I could see him having an issue there with morrissey and press but the idea that Morrisseys engagement with the press fueled his ego and brought down the band is just silly. Morrissey put out another album almost immediately and was ready and marr wanted a break for lots of reasons and he wanted to work with others. Wasn’t it in fact marr himself who made comments about the split to the press trying to correct another erroneous story about there split killing any potential of getting back together

 

[Anonymous]

I cringe at the whole 'Johnny F***ing Marr', cultivated 'cool' image. It just makes him look like he is trying too hard.

And the irony is that there was a time when he really was cool - when he was in The Smiths and understood, or appeared to understand, his strengths and his limitations.

 

[Amy]

Andy has for sure joined marr on stage and they seem fine but Andy hasn’t always had flattering things to say about all of the ex smiths. To clarify I’m not trying to make any villains out of people but the idea that morrissey was the only ego centric person in the group or that Andy was the only drug user etc is just annoying. As annoying as people thinking marr is responsible for 100% of the music and morrissey 100% in the wrong in regard to the break up. As to press Johnny was clearly moving on to a more tough guy persona as his interviews for electronic would show and probably was angry that he was being defined in public by another person and that the definition included things like they’re fantastical love affair. I’m pretty sure he’s made comments about disliking the idea that they were a gay band from the very start. I could see him having an issue there with morrissey and press but the idea that Morrisseys engagement with the press fueled his ego and brought down the band is just silly. Morrissey put out another album almost immediately and was ready and marr wanted a break for lots of reasons and he wanted to work with others. Wasn’t it in fact marr himself who made comments about the split to the press trying to correct another erroneous story about there split killing any potential of getting back together

That's just Johnny though, he follows the lead of whoever he is around. With Moz, he was free to dig out the eyeliner, jewellery, blouses, Ronettes hairdo etc and do the whole New Romantic, metrosexual thing. Then 90s lad culture hit and he cuts his hair and starts dressing like Bernard. Chameleon-like.

 

[Musician]

We are entering fantasy-land here (not delusion-fantasy, like Vegan Cro and Aztec , just toying with some theories)... but I personally think what finally turned out to be Marr's first solo album was meant to be a Smiths or Morrissey/Marr or whatever album. Even in interviews at the time Johnny admitted he finally embraced his legacy as an 80s guitarist for The Smiths and meant to record music in that vein. So I guess as the reunion blew up he thought "sod it", wasn't in the mood forming yet another band with a singer so just took on the vocal duties. Then as time went by he grew accustomed to it, started to feel comfortable at the front. Don't think there's more to it really.

Fantastic post.

The change in Johnny's focus is interesting. In the beginning, he always said he couldn't sing - I remember a Smiths interview where he specifically said, "I never wanted to sing" and was adamant that he didn't want to be a frontman either. He didn't even like playing live! From what I understand, Moz encouraged him (in those early gigs) to try backing vocals but he didn't feel comfortable doing it, so they left it there.

Then, like you say, he spends all those years as a guitar-for-hire. Even with Electronic he was mostly in the background - he never did the kind of big 'band project' most Smiths fans wanted. It was all a bit disappointing and (lazy?) and criticised and then boom, he hits 50 and gets right behind the wheel again.

I don't know if it's a late-blooming desire to be a pop star that's driving Johnny, or just that he got fed up of being told he was 'wasting his talent' and wanted to prove something. Joining Modest Mouse put him back in the public eye from near-obscurity and when you see him live today, he's a different animal - strutting and swaggering and doing the whole 'frontman' thing. I still think he is a treasure but I cringe at the whole 'Johnny F***ing Marr', cultivated 'cool' image. It just makes him look like he is trying too hard.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Lots of folks on here trying to put down Marr.

Not cool, man.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .777]

We are entering fantasy-land here (not delusion-fantasy, like Vegan Cro and Aztec , just toying with some theories)... but I personally think what finally turned out to be Marr's first solo album was meant to be a Smiths or Morrissey/Marr or whatever album. Even in interviews at the time Johnny admitted he finally embraced his legacy as an 80s guitarist for The Smiths and meant to record music in that vein. So I guess as the reunion blew up he thought "sod it", wasn't in the mood forming yet another band with a singer so just took on the vocal duties. Then as time went by he grew accustomed to it, started to feel comfortable at the front. Don't think there's more to it really.

which sucky album was supposed to be a Smiths album?

>

 

[Amy]

We are entering fantasy-land here (not delusion-fantasy, like Vegan Cro and Aztec , just toying with some theories)... but I personally think what finally turned out to be Marr's first solo album was meant to be a Smiths or Morrissey/Marr or whatever album. Even in interviews at the time Johnny admitted he finally embraced his legacy as an 80s guitarist for The Smiths and meant to record music in that vein. So I guess as the reunion blew up he thought "sod it", wasn't in the mood forming yet another band with a singer so just took on the vocal duties. Then as time went by he grew accustomed to it, started to feel comfortable at the front. Don't think there's more to it really.

If you mean The Messenger, I agree. He told the Cribs he was leaving to go solo because it was 'now or never' - I am sure that some of that would have been intended for a reunion album if it had happened. Amazing to think what Moz could have done with this:

 

[Amy]

Lots of folks on here trying to put down Marr.

Not cool, man.

I love the guy but he's not a saint.

 

[Trans]

That's just Johnny though, he follows the lead of whoever he is around. With Moz, he was free to dig out the eyeliner, jewellery, blouses, Ronettes hairdo etc and do the whole New Romantic, metrosexual thing. Then 90s lad culture hit and he cuts his hair and starts dressing like Bernard. Chameleon-like.

yeah. Don’t want to come off to hard on Johnny here even if I think he’s being a bit of a jerk here. Both he and morrissey make great music at the end of the day and both he and morrissey have said some annoying things. I just don’t like the Johnny marr is super alright and it’s ok to like him. I feel like he’s starting to lean into it maybe for some of the reasons you’re mentioning and it’s a bummer

 

[Morrissey1959-2021]

Once again Marr proves to be superior to Morrissey.