Johnny Marr discusses relationship with Morrissey, circa.2002

[Amy]

At the risk of sounding silly...I must say that I am very impressed with your feelings about Johnny. In my experience it is rare enough to come across someone like you that I am still pleasantly surprised when it occurs. I have felt admiration for him as well since I started listening in '86. I believe that your words "as a person" are key. So often, people see performers as not real and as commodity (and in many cases they are), but it was always the earnestness and sweetness of Johnny that made up the heart of the Smiths and caused me to realize early on that there was more to him than what I had always percieved about the typical 'rock musician'. It seems that it is only recently that the rest of the world has begun to notice, too.

Well, there are a lot of people who don't really rate Marr's post-Smiths career (what there is of it), but I've never really come across someone who didn't like Marr as a person. He's a gent to the fans, at least, and he must have the patience of Mother Teresa to continue tolerating the endless "Smiths reunion" questions. I'm sure Moz (and a fair few others) would have told the Press where to go on that subject some time ago.

 

[swift eclipse]

Well, there are a lot of people who don't really rate Marr's post-Smiths career (what there is of it), but I've never really come across someone who didn't like Marr as a person. He's a gent to the fans, at least, and he must have the patience of Mother Teresa to continue tolerating the endless "Smiths reunion" questions. I'm sure Moz (and a fair few others) would have told the Press where to go on that subject some time ago.

I've never met anyone who disliked him either. I just meant many people don't even bother to consider Johnny at all, instead focusing on Moz only. Which is easy to do and in many ways, by design, according to Marr himself. So it's nice when people notice the guy behind the guitar, too.

And for the record, I like everything Johnny has done in his career. I simply enjoy his style all around.

Speaking of being nice to his fans, you are right, as he was very gracious to me when I met him in '91.

 

[Amy]

I've never met anyone who disliked him either. I just meant many people don't even bother to consider Johnny at all, instead focusing on Moz only. Which is easy to do and in many ways, by design, according to Marr himself. So it's nice when people notice the guy behind the guitar, too.

And for the record, I like everything Johnny has done in his career. I simply enjoy his style all around.

Speaking of being nice to his fans, you are right, as he was very gracious to me when I met him in '91.

Everything he's done? Including The Cribs? Apart from his work on 'Dusk' and some odd gems from Electronic, I can't think of many post-Smiths songs that sounds distinctly Johnny. Maybe that was him trying to move away from his own sound, but it gets lost in the mix for me and I haven't sought out more than the odd track in a long while. I always keep an eye open for his new projects though - Modest Mouse was pretty good. I think Johnny is very lucky in a way; he has fame, wealth and respect ('first and greatest indie guitar hero' etc etc) but enough anonymity to be able to go about his daily business and raise his kids without much interference. I envy Morrissey his money and his talent but I'm not sure I'd like not being able to walk down the street or to the supermarket without stares. Marr has the best of both worlds.

 

[swift eclipse]

Everything he's done? Including The Cribs? Apart from his work on 'Dusk' and some odd gems from Electronic, I can't think of many post-Smiths songs that sounds distinctly Johnny. Maybe that was him trying to move away from his own sound, but it gets lost in the mix for me and I haven't sought out more than the odd track in a long while. I always keep an eye open for his new projects though - Modest Mouse was pretty good. I think Johnny is very lucky in a way; he has fame, wealth and respect ('first and greatest indie guitar hero' etc etc) but enough anonymity to be able to go about his daily business and raise his kids without much interference. I envy Morrissey his money and his talent but I'm not sure I'd like not being able to walk down the street or to the supermarket without stares. Marr has the best of both worlds.

Ok, I figured you'd bring up the Cribs. True, that particular moment is my least favorite to the point of not really even registering with me at all, but I can always hear a Marr riff no matter how buried or purposefully disguised by him. It's just so clear to me. And yes, the part he plays in any song is interesting even if the rest of the song is lackluster, this is what I specifically mean about liking everything he's done. I agree that the highlights would be his work with The The and the first Electronic album.

I think it goes without saying at this point that Johnny peaked early with his muse by his side and has since been trying to match those heights. He sometimes comes close, but something always seems to be missing.