A closer look at the career of Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr is a musician, songwriter and singer. 

He first achieved fame as the guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths.

Author | Jamie P 

Early life and the start of his career

Born and raised in Manchester, England, Marr formed his first band as a teenager  He was part of several bands with Andy Rourke before forming the Smiths with Morrissey in 1982. 

An incredible journey with the Smiths. 

The Smiths attained commercial success and were critically acclaimed, with Marr's jangle pop guitar style becoming a distinctive part of the band's sound.

His tenure with The Smiths was a defining period in British music, shaping the sound of indie rock for generations. As the band’s lead guitarist and co-songwriter, Marr’s intricate, jangly guitar work became the backbone of their sound, blending melodic sophistication with raw emotional intensity. 

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Tracks such as This Charming Man and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out showcased his ability to craft intricate, expressive melodies that perfectly complemented Morrissey’s lyrics. 

After five years of touring and performing, the separated in 1987 due to personal differences between Marr and Morrissey. 

It has been said that Marr's guitar playing at this time was a huge building block for more Manchester bands that followed the Smiths. The Stone Roses guitarist John Squire has has suggested that Marr was a major influence on him. Oasis lead guitarist Noel Gallagher credited the Smiths as an influence, especially Marr, whom he described as a wizard. 

Post Smiths career 

Since leaving the Smiths, Marr has been a member of the Pretenders, the The, Electronic, Modest Mouse, and the Cribs. He has also become a prolific session musician, working with names such as Kirsty MacColl, Pet Shop Boys, Talking Heads, Bryan Ferry and Hans Zimmer.

Solo career

Having released an album titled Boomslang in 2003 under the name Johnny Marr and the Healers, Marr released his first solo album, The Messenger, in 2013. His second solo album, Playland, was released in 2014, followed by a third, Call the Comet, in 2018. Marr's autobiography, Set the Boy Free, was published in 2016.

A constantly evolving legacy

Whilst his time with The Smiths remains the foundation of his enduring and almost evolving legacy,  he has since enjoyed a diverse career that has seen a new generations of fans idolise him.

During a support slot for fellow legends in New Order, one attendee said: "He's that good still, he's almost underrated."

He was described by one journalist of as "the 1980s' most inventive and distinctive guitarist", Marr was voted the fourth-best guitarist of the last 30 years in a poll conducted by the BBC in 2010.