Mojo: brief Johnny Marr interview (issue 350 "January, 2023")

(Dated January, 2023 - published November, 2022).
Regards,
FWD.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

He's talking about it in the context of his friendship with Andy, which pre-dates the Smiths and extends now several decades past it. It doesn't sound dismissive to me at all - just factual.

Exactly
shame people don't read in context

 

[Clyde Sankew]

What a shallow character. The smiths gave you your Carrier. That's why you are still around , please don't sing the Smiths songs if it is just a " thing that happened along the way"..... It's not a nightstand. !!!! As a Smiths fan Im offended. Let Morrissey to sing the smiths you just play your stupid guitar! .

But Morrissey won't play those songs is the problem. No "There Is a Light" or "This Charming Man" or now, "How Soon Is Now"

 

[Young And Alive]

He needs to get over the Blossoms thing.

They love the songs of The Smiths. So does Rick Astley. It was a laugh and, by all accounts, everyone who attended enjoyed it.

Maybe they should have asked him first, but it's hardly the crime of the century that they didn't.

I doubt they got in contact with Morrissey's people to run it by him, either.

 

[Mostly Harmless]

They must get bored rigid being constantly asked about The Smiths. Bit like being asked about your ex-wife, even though you divorced decades ago.

 

[marred]

I understand your point.

Obviously, Johnny wants to keep moving forward, just like Morrissey has done since '87. Of course Morrissey should be proud of his solo output (obviously not every song/album released was universally accepted as greatness). Johnny started his solo efforts a bit late - early 2000s w/the Healers, but he too is proud and plenty of artists who grew up idolizing The Smiths want Marr to perform/record/stand-in-photos with them - Marr seems to be obliging for the most part. On the other hand, Morrissey is mostly a loner. You won't see Morrissey 'guesting' on anybody else's record, even though that would be alright to do.

Neither Morrissey or Johnny want (or deserve) to be only remembered for The Smiths. Today, Johnny is really trying to get his name out there as much as possible.

In terms of 'along the way', obviously Johnny has been playing with Rourke since they were teens (and they both could play better than most their age) - so creating a successful band (like The Smiths) was probably something Johnny always saw as happening someday, if he stayed motivated.

Johnny Marr can pretend all he likes that The Smiths was a stepping stone but without that stepping stone no one and I mean no one would've heard of him at all. The voice of his guitar was unleashed upon the wings of Morrissey's words and voice. Conversely the same can be said of Morrissey that his lyrics and voice could've gone the way most artists go and that is into oblivion, never to be heard.

There are many talented people out there we will never hear of, but today here we are out from the carnage comes Morrissey's lyrics and voice soaring without the aid of Marr's music. With Marr we have one of the most talented guitarists known to pop music with absolutely nothing to say whatsoever through a voice no one needs to hear.

I've seen Marr twice live and he can definitely rock the house which I was worried he couldn't but you take his Smiths songs out of his concert and one is left wanting. Morrissey doesn't actually need Smiths songs in his live set whatever you think of his song choice.

Marr is a fool if he thinks The Smiths is a shadow he needs to step out from as if the band was a famous father denying him his spot on the stage.

 

[marred]

Although it does seem that Moz did some sort of 'guesting' on A$AP Rocky's still yet to be released album. Unclear though what exactly that guesting involved.

That never happened.

 

[Amy]

So an invisible presence asked him what he was going to say, and he responded with... what? The lyrics on Fever Dreams are bizarre, incoherent nonsense.

 

[Seymour Glass]

Oh Johnny, when will you realize that without the Smiths and the lyrics of Morrissey you would be nameless studio musician??

 

[klaus]

he did great not mentioning lord voldemort at all!

 

[Anonymous]

he did great not mentioning lord voldemort at all!

Seriously, Mozzer put the kibosh on the one person who could have helped rehabilitate his tarnished reputation.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh Johnny, when will you realize that without the Smiths and the lyrics of Morrissey you would be nameless studio musician??

I'm not sure Johnny would see a career as a session player as a bad thing.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I'm not sure Johnny would see a career as a session player as a bad thing.

Ah, but when young and ambitious and filled with all that music? I don’t think he would have liked to have been just a session musician his whole life.

 

[ThePoliticalRevolution]

Ah, but when young and ambitious and filled with all that music? I don’t think he would have liked to have been just a session musician his whole life.

I really don't understand how a man evolves from a curious scholarship of Madame Blavatsky to desiring a collaboration with famous non-singer Alicia Keys.

It's especially hard for me to accept this reality because I highly doubt I would have discovered Theosophy on my own. These two had a formidable influence on me.

Fwiw, I found Morrissey's duet with Thelma Houston intriguing. Sexy, even. Her voice is superb on the track. Great complement to M's vocals.

 

[Jr Samples]

Ah, but when young and ambitious and filled with all that music? I don’t think he would have liked to have been just a session musician his whole life.

And what would have happened to Morrissey? Sung with Durutti Column or maybe Ludus?

 

[AztecCameraLivesForever]

I reckon it’s always great to read interviews from the Portland Son. Marr will forever be superior to Jissie Tobeeus nnnnnnnnnit mate!

 

[mabuk]

The songs Johnny co-wrote with Kirsty MaColl on the Kite LP (1989) were wonderful. The entire LP is great, she was a beautiful writer and singer.

 

[gordyboy9]

now that he cant mention M in his interviews they are boring bland bullplop,does this guy ever crack a joke.

 

[Fancy Feast]

now that he cant mention M in his interviews they are boring bland bullplop,does this guy ever crack a joke.

You didn’t think the bit about him playing drums was funny? I thought it was.

 

[Redacted]

No personality at all. Still salty about Blossoms. Maybe they will ask him to open for them some time.

 

[Redacted]

Seriously, Mozzer put the kibosh on the one person who could have helped rehabilitate his tarnished reputation.

Morrissey is more than capable of rehabilitating himself, if he would only get out of his own way. There are loads of people like me who just want him to stay away from Marr and move on, like he has.