“Coming from a working-class background, where my father did manual labor, was a good grounding; I was obsessed with getting a job or getting out of the house at 15.” JobsFatherHouseClassLaborBackgroundsObsessedWorking ClassManualsGroundingManual Labor Author:Johnny Marr
“I met my manager when I was 17, when I didn't have enough money to buy a set of guitar strings. There are not very many people who are looking out for you and being in business with you when you're at that stage. And it's not in my nature to think that success as a musician makes you any different from anybody else.” PeopleThinkingDifferentEnoughStageMetsMusicianGuitarManagersStringsGuitar Strings Author:Johnny Marr
“Navigating with a partner makes it half as difficult. We keep each other in check. It's not like she [Angie Marr] was ever a quiet little wifey wife behind the scenes. She's exactly like me. She's very smart. We're very lucky that we've always wanted the same things. She loves guitar music, she loves important records, and our lives are about records and shows and great bands.” LittlesImportantShowsWantedDifficultBehindsHalfRecordsOur LivesWifeSceneLuckyQuietBandSmartGuitarPartnersChecksLike MeBehind The ScenesVery SmartGuitar Music Author:Johnny Marr
“Now, I'm a dad, I'm an adult. I've been solo for 25 years; I've been in other people's groups but I'm solo [in a broader sense]. I stopped comparing myself to other people's maps when I was maybe 24, really. The trajectory that I've gone on is not one that I can compare with anybody else.” PeopleYearsI CanGoneGroupsDadAdultsCompareMapsSoloTrajectory Author:Johnny Marr
“When you're young, you obviously have people you look up to. People like Andrew Oldham and Nile Rodgers inspired me then, and they inspire me now. But at some point, you start to try to be the best you can be and you're not copying anybody else. I'm just doing it in public, and my work needs to reflect that as well.” PeopleNeedsTryingWellsLooksYoungInspireInspiredLook UpBeing The BestAndrewCopyingNile Author:Johnny Marr
“I haven't been walking around for years with some burning desire to do a solo record. If I had, maybe I'd have made a record that was experimental. Usually, the idea of a solo record is to get some weird stuff out of your system, but I don't think like that. I wasn't interested in making something that was a hard listen - maybe I'll get around to that some other time. I wanted it to sound effortless, not like I was trying to reinvent the wheel.” IfsThinkingTryingYearsMadeIdeasHardWantedDesireStuffSoundRecordsHavensWalkingBurningWheelsSoloEffortlessBurning DesireWeird Stuff Author:Johnny Marr
“Earlier in my career, fans weren't a big consideration for me.” BigsCareersFansConsideration Author:Johnny Marr
“In the earlier part of the 90s, I was really hell-bent on discovering how new technology works and how to make records entirely without a producer, which isn't necessarily what fans wanted. But I had to do it because I felt it was in my destiny or whatever.” WantedFeltDestinyTechnologyHellRecordsFansProducersDiscoveringBentNew TechnologyMy Destiny Author:Johnny Marr
“I'm not interested in trying to have people who might like other kinds of music follow me. I don't want to please them.” PeopleWantTryingKindMightPleaseNot InterestedFollow Me Author:Johnny Marr