- Born
- Birth nameJohn Martin Maher
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Johnny Marr made his name as lead guitarist with the cult rock band The Smiths, widely regarded as the most influential British indie rock band of the 1980s. Along with Morrissey, Marr created some of the most memorable and acclaimed songs of that decade, with Morrissey's witty, satirical lyrics and plaintive vocals perfectly complemented by Marr's distinctive jangly guitar style. The band's catchy melodies and Morrissey's eccentric and charismatic stage presence ensured that The Smiths developed a large and devoted following in the UK. To this day, they are name-checked by most up-and-coming British guitar bands as an influence.
Personality clashes between Marr and Morrissey meant an acrimonious end for The Smiths in 1987. Morrissey forged a successful career as a solo artist, while Marr became a much sought-after session musician and "guitar for hire", working briefly with artists such as The Pretenders and Bryan Ferry, before more extensive and notable work with Electronic and The The in the early 90s. In the late 90s, he formed a new band, Johnny Marr's Healers.
- IMDb mini biography by: Rob Davies
- SpouseAngie Brown(1986 - present)
- Radiohead's Ed O'Brien claims Marr was the reason he picked up a guitar as a teenager.
- His favorite album is "Raw Power" by 'Iggy & the Stooges'.
- Voted the North West of England's best guitarist in Total Guitar Magazine's poll of the greatest 12 British guitarists.
- Supports Manchester City football club.
- Used to play football and was approached by Nottingham Forest but decided to concentrate on his music.
- No one has any respect for someone who can play a million notes per minute but can't put together a decent tune that someone can sing to or feel some sort of emotion from.
- I have a healthy respect for guitarists like Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen (Edward Van Halen), disciplined players who really know what they're doing - if you're going to be a virtuoso, you can't be hit-and-miss. But I think people like Yngwie Malmsteen should be forgotten as soon as possible.
- I'm interested in melody, lyrics and the overall song. I don't like to waste notes, not even one. I like to put the right note in the right place, and my influences have always been those kinds of players. Keith Richards comes to mind, and I really like Nils Lofgren's soloing, because he's so melodic. I love John Lennon's rhythm playing, and George Harrison was an incredible guitarist.
- It was good to be in a group that stood for and against certain things. We were against synthesizers, the Conservative government, groups with names like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, the English monarchy, cock-rock guitar solos and the American music scene at the time. We stood for the Englishness of The Kinks, T. Rex and Roxy Music, the arty quirks that kept those groups from being huge in the US.
- [on Radiohead's plan in 2007 to let fans choose how much to pay for their new album] We'll see if their good faith is going to be rewarded. I think it will work. I think people are fundamentally more decent than the corporate world would give them credit for. I think it's a really fantastic idea because it puts the responsibility back on people's own consciences and deals with people as grown ups. It's not hiding behind any corporate nonsense, it's just saying 'this is the way it is, let's get on with it'. Everyone knows you can get your music for free, so let's see if you really want to show the band your appreciation.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
