Ex-Smith's Guitarist Johnny Marr Returns With The Healers

excerpt:

Marr, who's shooting for a summer release, wrote and sings all the tracks on the as-yet-untitled album (Play Dumb is a possibility), which is still being shopped to labels on both sides of the pond. Marr describes the sound as "a space-age Santana without sounding anything like him" and his vocals -- a first for the guitarist -- as nothing short of genius. "Incredible," he says somewhat jokingly. "Absolutely incredible. It has to be heard to be believed. It's a bit strange when a guitar player starts to sing because of the nature of guitar heroism. It's almost like in a '50s movie when some kid is mute and then in the last scene he goes, 'Mama!' It's like, 'Oh my God! He can speak!'"

full article

update (Jan. 29) - Johnny Marr Discusses New Album: Part Two

From Pep:

At the end of this article in the Sunday, January 23, 2000 LA Times, there was a blurb on what Johnny Marr is up to.

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BACK TO WORK: Johnny Marr, the guitarist who was the architect of the Smiths' sound and therefore a key figure of '80s British rock, sat out much of the '90s. But now he's gearing up for a big return. Marr has just finished recording his debut solo album with his new band, the Healers, which in addition to him on guitar and vocals features drummer Zak Starkey (Ringo Starr's son, who filled the Keith Moon role in the recent Who reunion); and former Dub Pistols member and William Orbit collaborator Lee Spencer on synthesizers.

Jay Schatz, a marketing and sales executive at MCA-distributed Radioactive Records, is a longtime friend of Marr and is helping him shop the project. Schatz describes the music as "guitar-driven, high-tech rock with dance and glam influences," and notes that Marr is enthusiastic about returning to the concert touring world. The last time he toured was with Electronic, his sometimes-partnership with New Order's Bernard Sumner, in 1991. Plans are being made for a possible series of dates in L.A. clubs to get things going in spring.

Johnny Marr answers a lot of questions in the recent Q&A on his official site, from Bernard:

www.jmarr.com has been updated with news and lots of questions to your answers concerning The Smiths, Oasis, Beck, Morrissey, ...

Ticketmaster has Morrissey as #5 in ticket sales :)

wow :)

1. Korn
2. Britney Spears
3. Crosby Stills Nash And Young
4. Beck
5. Morrissey
6. Cher
7. Fiona Apple
8. Counting Crows
9. Allman Brothers
10. Powerman 5000

> I thought you might like to know what merchandising will be available on the forthcoming usa tour.

T-SHIRT OLIVE same as last tour
T-SHIRT BLACK moz pink shirt \ black jacket
T-SHIRT GREY small boxer ( size of a laminate) also available in girls skinny
PILLOW CASE same as last tour
BEANIE HAT west ham colours
SCARF west ham colours
FRIDGE MAGNET pink shirt
CONDOMS same as europe
POSTER pink shirt

With much excitement I write that Jeff Buckley's much-alluded to but rarely heard cover of "I Know It's Over" by our dear Smiths will be released as the last track of a live album planned for a Spring release. It is in a medley with a version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," which is heartbreaking in itself. I can't wait to hear Buckley's version of it. What a voice it was that left us...

According to Peter Krogh, it will be out May 9.

Luke, the lead singer of Stroke 9, cites The Smiths as one of his early influences on their site:
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Stroke 9 is a San Francisco-based rock band whose career thus far has followed the indie-rock work ethic to the letter. They formed in high school, released two albums themselves, booked their own national tour, and eventually made so much noise that they got signed.

..."The first thing with our music is always the song," Luke says. "In high school I was into a lot of English new wave - The Smiths, Love And Rockets, New Order - and then I had a big classic rock phase. I've just always been attracted to melodic music."

Continued...

The Mozza video "You're The One For Me Fatty" has a blonde actress in it that plays the part of "Fatty".

She is also currently appearing in a UK television advert for Pot Noodles at the moment!

Does anyone know her name??!