Paul Morley (left) with Chris Austin, in rehearsal for Morley's "Yet another example of the porousness of certain objects" at the Royal Academy of Music

Paul Morley (born 26 March 1957 in Stockport, Cheshire, England) is an English journalist, who wrote for the New Musical Express from 1977 to 1983, during one of its most successful periods, and has since written for a wide range of publications. He has also has been a band manager and promoter, as well as a television presenter.

Education[link]

Morley was educated at Stockport Grammar School, a co-educational from 1980 independent school (at the time of his education, a partly fee-paying direct grant grammar school), in the town of Stockport in Greater Manchester (at the time in Cheshire), followed by the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Career[link]

Morley is credited with steering the marketing and promotion of the phenomenal early success of ZTT's biggest act, Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Although it has never been confirmed, it is generally accepted that it was Morley who authored the provocative slogans on the band's T-shirts (e.g. "Frankie Say Arm The Unemployed", "Frankie Say War! Hide Yourself").

For a period of time, Morley produced and managed Manchester punk band The Drones.^[1] However, Morley first came to wider attention with a brief appearance in the video for ABC's "The Look of Love" (in which he mimes the words "what's that?" in a call-and-response routine with singer Martin Fry), but he achieved genuine notoriety as co-founder, with Trevor Horn, of ZTT Records, and electronic group Art of Noise.

He was the first presenter of BBC Two's The Late Show, and has appeared as a music pundit on a number of other programmes. For the short-lived Channel 4 arts strand Without Walls he wrote and presented a documentary on boredom. Morley still regularly appears on BBC 2's Newsnight Review programme.

He was the focus of BBC2's How To Be A Composer, in which he spent a year at the Royal Academy of Music attempting to learn to compose classical music, despite being unable to read music or play an instrument.

Morley is the author of Words and Music: the history of pop in the shape of a city. The book is a journey through the history of pop; it seeks to trace the connection between Alvin Lucier's experimental audio recording, "I am sitting in a room" and Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". A synthetic Kylie features as the central character of the book. The book was later turned into the hour-long epic musical track "Raiding the 20th Century" by DJ Food, which features Morley reading from his book and speculating on the cultural significance of the mashup, amidst the sounds of those very mashups.

His other books include Ask: The Chatter of Pop (a collection of his music journalism) and Nothing, a biographical book reflecting on his father's suicide and that of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, and unhappy parts of his teenage life such as the time he spent at Stockport Grammar School.

Morley has teamed up with The Auteurs' James Banbury to form the band Infantjoy and in 2005 released an album entitled Where The Night Goes on Sony BMG. An album, With, featuring collaborations with Tunng, Isan and Populous amongst others, was released in October 2006 on Morley and Banbury's own label ServiceAV.

Morley is a lifelong fan of the jazz musician John Surman and conducted an interview with the artist for The Guardian newspaper.^[2]

Personal life[link]

Morley was married to Claudia Brücken with whom he has a daughter.

He is the brother of filmmaker Carol Morley.^[3]

Cultural references[link]

The Cure played a version of their song "Grinding Halt", retitled for that performance as "Desperate Journalist In Ongoing Meaningful Review Situation", on the John Peel radio show, with new lyrics parodying Morley's writing style after an unfavourable review of their debut album Three Imaginary Boys.

Bibliography[link]

• Ask: The Chatter of Pop (1986)
• Nothing (2000)
• Words and Music: A History of Pop in the Shape of a City (2004)
• Joy Division: Piece by Piece: Writing About Joy Division 1977-2007 (2007)
• Joy Division: Fragments (with Christel Derenne) (2009)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Morley and Banbury's virtual record label
• Infantjoy official homepage
• Paul Morley on John Peel
• An extended review/meditation on Paul Morley's book 'Nothing'. [1]
• spikemagazine.com on Paul Morley
• Raiding The 20th Century featuring Paul Morley and a cast of thousands
• Zang Tuum Tumb and all that
• Paul Morley Interview 1999

Stephen Desmond "Steve" Brookstein^[1] (born 10 November 1968) is an English jazz and soul singer, who enjoyed a brief period of popular success in the UK in 2004 after winning the first series of The X Factor. He is originally from Mitcham, South London.^[2]

Career[link]

1997[link]

In 1997, seven years before his breakthrough on The X Factor, Brookstein was a finalist on the ITV series The Big Big Talent Show, hosted by Jonathan Ross.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2004: The X Factor

In early 2004, Brookstein auditioned for the first series of The X Factor, a new television talent show that aimed to discover a star recording artist in the UK (effectively replacing Pop Idol). His audition failed to impress two of the judges, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, who thought he lacked the motivation and confidence to succeed but the third, Simon Cowell, thought he was "that good" that he asked Brookstein to return the following day and sing again. At the second audition, Brookstein managed to impress the other judges and was put through to the next stage of the competition. He went on to reach the live shows, where contestants are put to the public vote, as one of three contestants in the Over 25s category mentored by Cowell. He reached the grand final on 11 December 2004 alongside G4, and won despite a controversial outburst against him from Osbourne. However, according to Sharon Osbourne's subsequent autobiography, he had gained the most votes in every single one of the live shows. For five years, he held the record for the greatest number of votes ever received in the final - 6 million, but this is now held by series 6 winner Joe McElderry, who received over 6.1 million votes.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2004–2006: Heart and Soul

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (November 2010)

After winning The X Factor, Brookstein was immediately signed to the Sony BMG record label through which he released his first single, a cover of "Against All Odds" on 20 December 2004. The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 2 and then climbed to number 1 on 2 January 2005, staying there for one week. In Ireland, the song peaked at number 11. The music video for the song was a montage of clips from his time on The X Factor, from his initial audition to his final performance after being declared the winner.

Brookstein released his debut album Heart and Soul on 9 May 2005 through Sony BMG. Although Brookstein continued to perform tracks from the album on television shows such as CD:UK, a second single failed to materialise. In August 2005 it was announced that Sony BMG had dropped him from their line-up only eight months after his X Factor victory and despite the success of his debut single and album. Brookstein maintains that the decision to drop him reportedly came after he was offered a second album and to come back on the show, which he declined as it was to be another album of covers and he preferred a mix of old and new.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2006: 40,000 Things

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (November 2010)

After being released from his contract by Sony BMG, Brookstein spent the next year writing his own material and forming his own record label. On 2 October 2006, he released his second single, "Fighting Butterflies", independently. Although accompanied and promoted by a music video, the song failed to chart in the UK Top 75. Undeterred, Brookstein released his second album, 40,000 Things, on 9 October 2006. However, the album also failed to chart. From September to November 2006, Brookstein embarked on a nationwide tour of small venues in order to promote 40,000 Things. Many of the shows were sold out, but several had to be cancelled due to low ticket sales.^{[citation needed]}

2007–present[link]

In June 2007, Brookstein appeared on the P&O Portsmouth to Bilbao ship for cruisers, alongside The X Factor series 2 alumni Chico Slimani and Journey South.^[3] In September 2007, Brookstein embarked on his Great American Soul Book tour,^{[citation needed]} and in October he recorded and contributed the track "Head Over Heels" for Ian Levine's Disco 2008 album.^{[citation needed]} He is currently^[when?] writing and recording new material.^{[citation needed]} Jack Massarik, reviewer for the Evening Standard, described Brookstein's performance at a show at the Soho Jazz Club thus: "His short-noted delivery, virile yet high-pitched and tremulous with barely contained passion, recalled the late Otis Redding".^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, he played 'the father' in a touring production of the award-winning musical Our House.^[4]

In 2009, he was working on producing his wife Eileen Hunter's jazz album and performing at smaller venues such as Jamie Cullum's favourite jazz club, The 606 in Chelsea. He also recorded a cover of Promised Land with the Boogie Pimps which was a best-seller for the label, Liberty Records, reaching number 6 in the club charts.^{[citation needed]}

In 2010 his wife released her self-titled debut album on Jazz Fm's new artist label, Clifford Street Records. Brookstein helped co-write and appeared as backing singer on some of the tracks.

Personal life[link]

Brookstein was born in Dulwich, London, England, the son of Malle, a council worker, and Errol Brookstein, a lorry driver.^[5][6] His father is South African and his mother is of Estonian descent.^[7]

Brookstein has been very vocal in his public feud with Simon Cowell and The X Factor, claiming "there is absolutely no way he would want me within 100 miles of him"^[8] and admitting spending years feeling bitter about the way he was treated on the show.^[9] In 2005, eight months after being dropped from his record label,^[10] Brookstein publicly attacked The X Factor, claiming the show was "one big theatre... turning music into the WWF" and that it was "killing music".^[11]

In December 2009, when a Facebook campaign was launched to stop The X Factor's winner from achieving the coveted Christmas number 1 spot, Brookstein backed the campaign to see Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" reach the top of the chart,^[12][13] blasting Cowell in an online rant.^[14] He further attacked Cowell, claiming the latter "ruined Christmas" and that he was dropped from his record label because he "wouldn't play the game".^[15] Brookstein also claimed the show was staged and the winner was fixed, and was subsequently removed from the official The X Factor website following those comments.^[16]

Despite Brookstein's bitterness towards The X Factor, he signed up to critique the show weekly on London 24 in 2010,^[17] where he labelled the judges "ridiculous" and questioned the standards of several of the finalists^[18] and the vocal coach.^[19]

Brookstein is married to jazz performer Eileen Hunter.^[20]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

Tours[link]

• The X Factor Live! Tour 2005
• The 40,000 Things Tour 2006
• The Great American Soul Book Tour 2007

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

Matthew Herbert
Herbert at Moers Festival 2006, Germany
Background information
Birth name	Matthew Herbert
Also known as	Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Wishmountain
Born	1972
Origin	United Kingdom
Genres	Electronic music Microhouse Techno Jazz Classical
Occupations	DJ, Producer, Composer
Instruments	Sampler
Years active	1995 to present
Labels	Accidental Records
Website	http://www.matthewherbert.com

Matthew Herbert (born 1972), also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician. He has pioneered the use of so-called 'real', 'ordinary' or 'found' sounds in modern electronic music.^[1]

Career[link]

Herbert began experimenting with aleatoric processes while studying drama at Exeter University in the early 1990s. He gave his first professional public performance in 1995 as Wishmountain, reportedly using a bag of crisps as an instrument. Two years of performing under this name followed before he retired Wishmountain in favor of Radio Boy. In addition to creating rhythmic musique concrete as Radio Boy, however, Herbert worked on more traditional, yet relatively experimental dance music.

In the mid 90s he traveled to San Francisco, where he met jazz singer Dani Siciliano. In 1998, Herbert issued Around the House, which successfully mixed dance beats, sounds generated by everyday kitchen objects, and Siciliano's wry vocals. By the late Nineties, Herbert was remixing tracks for dance artists like Moloko, Motorbass, Alter Ego, and others. (Many of these were later collected on Secondhand Sounds: Herbert Remixes.) He also recorded singles, EPs, and albums under a variety of aliases (Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, and Transformer) as well as his own name.

In 2001, Herbert issued Bodily Functions. Similar in structure to Around the House, it culled sounds generated by manipulating human hair and skin as well as internal bodily organs. Less severe than Matmos' work, its light and sinuous dance sound augured the rise of microhouse. Bodily Functions benefited from a deal Herbert signed with electronic imprint Studio !K7, making it his first full-length to receive worldwide distribution.

Goodbye Swingtime, a 2003 album issued as the Matthew Herbert Big Band, combined the political commentary of Radio Boy with the song structure of his Herbert albums. Recorded with sixteen musicians from the British jazz world, including saxophonists Dave O'Higgins and Nigel Hitchcock, pianist Phil Parnell, and bassist Dave Green, the band is complemented on stage by Siciliano, Arto Lindsay, Warp recording artist Jamie Lidell, and Mara Carlyle.

In 2005, he released a record entitled Plat Du Jour, a record made entirely from objects and situations in the food chain. He recorded beneath the sewers of Fleet Street, with Vietnamese coffee beans, inside industrial chicken farms, drove a tank over a recreation of the dinner that Nigella Lawson cooked for George Bush and Tony Blair, and recorded 3500 people biting an apple at the same time. The track entitled The Final Meal of Stacey Lawton was made in collaboration renowned chef Heston Blumenthal

On May 30, 2006, Herbert issued Scale, his most successful album to date. In the U.S., it reached number 20 on Billboard's electronic music album chart. Entertainment Weekly remarked, "Herbert sneakily subverts Scale's apocalyptic thematic thread into something warm and danceable."^[2] Online magazine Pitchfork Media noted, "Sophisticated and whimsical, joyful and yet tinged with sadness, Scale is one of this year's great albums."^[3]

In October 2008 Matthew Herbert released the second album by his Matthew Herbert Big Band project, entitled 'There's Me And There's You', fronted by vocalist Eska. On the record he recorded inside the houses of parliament, at a landfill site, and in the lobby of the British Museum with 70 volunteers.

In 2010 Matthew Herbert released two of a three part trilogy of albums. The first: One One, was entirely written and performed by Herbert alone, the seconds : One Club was made exclusively out of sounds recorded at the Robert Johnson nightclub in Offenbach in Germany on one night.

That same year he also released a reworking of Mahler's tenth symphony for the Deutsche Grammophon's Recomposed series. Much of the recording was made inside Mahler's composing hut in Toblach, by his graveside and in a crematorium.

In late 2011, the final part of the trilogy "One Pig" was be released. Herbert recorded the life cycle of a farmed pig from birth to the dinner plate. The animal rights organisation PETA condemned the album when it was announced without hearing it.^[1] Herbert, who is not a vegetarian, responded that their complaints were "utterly asburd" and that he wanted his music to encourage people to "listen to the world a little more carefully."^[1]

Theories and politics[link]

In 2000, Herbert wrote a manifesto titled "Personal Contract for the Composition of Music (Incorporating the Manifest of Mistakes)",^[4] which served as a theoretical guide for much of his ensuing work. Often referred to as PCCOM, some of its eleven goals includes a personal ban on using drum machines and pre-existing samples, and ensuring that anything created in the studio can be replicated in live performance.

Many of his less dance-oriented projects (chiefly those not recorded under the name Herbert) take on sundry political concerns, using specific objects to create a conceptual piece. His 2001 project as Radio Boy, The Mechanics of Destruction sampled objects from McDonald's & The Gap merchandise as a protest against corporate globalism. It was made available as a free MP3 download, via concerts and could be acquired by sending an addressed envelope to accidental records. It is still available to download for free.

In 2005 Herbert released the album Plat du Jour under his proper name, Matthew Herbert. The disc addresses commercial food production and marketing.

In February 2006, Herbert helped form the virtual community Country X.^[5] In an introduction posted on the website, he writes, "Why not start a country? only this time, a virtual one. free from the necessity to defend its borders physically, we can reduce the violence of exclusion. a new description of resistance."

Herbert shared some of his thoughts on the future in an article for UK music magazine, 'Clash', writing "we are facing a perfect storm of shit: global financial meltdown, massive climatic shifts and the end of oil."^[6]

Accidental Records[link]

By 2000 Herbert assembled several microlabels he initiated, including Soundslike (for his Herbert alias) and Lifelike (originally called Lowlife, begun in 1998 for his Doctor Rockit alias), under the umbrella Accidental Records. In addition to documenting Herbert's sundry projects, these imprints issued works from The Soft Pink Truth, Mara Carlyle, Mugison and Beckett & Taylor among others. Between 2008 and 2009, the label released 'Butterflies' by Finn Peters, the sophomore record of Matthew Herbert Big Band named 'There's Me And There's You', The Invisible's debut album, Setsubun Bean Unit, and Micachu's debut named 'Jewellery'.

2010/2011 sees the release of a trilogy concept album by Herbert, beginning with 'One One', followed by 'One Club' and 'One Pig'.

Additional projects[link]

Matthew Herbert has produced remixes for numerous artists, including Moloko, Ennio Morricone, Quincy Jones, Björk, R.E.M., Perry Farrell, Serge Gainsbourg, Yoko Ono, John Cale, The Avalanches and Cornelius. He programmed three tracks on Björk's Vespertine, and produced The Invisible's debut album, along with Moloko singer Róisín Murphy's album Ruby Blue'. He has also produced albums for Micachu, Merz and Finn Peters

He has contributed music to several films, including Human Traffic and Dogme 95 director Kristian Levring's The Intended, Agathe Clery, Le Defi, HBO's A Number, as well as UK television, theatrical and concert dance productions.

Herbert also wrote music for the YouTube documentary film Life in a Day along with prominent composer Harry Gregson-Williams.

In 2012 he is relaunching the museum of sound at www.museumofsound.com

Discography[link]

As Herbert[link]

• 100 lbs (1996)
• Parts One Two and Three (1996)
• Parts Remixed (1996)
• Around the House (1998)
• Bodily Functions (2001)
• Secondhand Sounds: Herbert Remixes (2002)
• Scale (2006)

As Matthew Herbert[link]

• Letsallmakemistakes (Globus Mix Vol. 5) (1995)
• Plat du Jour (2005)
• Score (2006)
• Recomposed: Mahler symphony X (2010)
• One One (2010)
• One Club (2010)
• One Pig (2011) ^[7]

As Doctor Rockit[link]

• The Music of Sound (1996)
• Indoor Fireworks (2000)
• Veselka's Diner (2003)
• The Unnecessary History of Doctor Rockit (2004)

As The Matthew Herbert Big Band[link]

• Goodbye Swingtime (2003)
• There's Me and There's You (2008)

As Radio Boy[link]

• Wishmountain Is Dead, Long Live Radio Boy (1997)
• The Mechanics of Destruction (2001)

As Wishmountain[link]

• Wishmountain (1998)
• Wishmountain is Dead (1998)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Matthew Herbert's own website
• The Matthew Herbert Big Band website
• 100lbs website
• Scale website
• The Mechanics of Destruction (site expired)
• Accidental Records website
• Matthew Herbert's PCCOM manifesto
• Matthew Herbert at Discogs
• Plat du Jour website
• Matthew Herbert and Accidental Records activity
• Cool Hunting Video on Herbert released jan. 2007

Jeremy David Hounsell "Jerry" Dammers^[1] (born 22 May 1955) is a British musician who is a founder, keyboard player and primary songwriter of the Coventry, England based ska revival band The Specials, The Special A.K.A. and The Spatial AKA Orchestra.

Biography[link]

Dammers was born in Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu, South India, the son of a clergyman who went on to become Dean of Bristol Cathedral, he attended King Henry VIII School, Coventry.

Dammers was a Mod in the 1960s, then became a hippie, before becoming a skinhead.^[2] He had been a member of The Cissy Stone Soul Band, and studied art at Coventry's Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University), where he met Horace Panter.^[2]

He contributed to the founding of 2 Tone Records, which helped develop the 1970s/1980s ska revival. He became an anti-Apartheid campaigner, helping to create Artists Against Apartheid in the U.S., and writing the song "Free Nelson Mandela" about the jailed African National Congress leader in South Africa. In 1985, in the wake of the Band Aid single, he organized the recording and release of the "Starvation" single, a version of The Pioneers' 1969 song, in aid of famine relief in Africa, featuring members of The Special AKA, UB40, Madness, The Pioneers, and The Beat.^[3] In early 1986, he took part Red Wedge tour that also featured The Style Council, The Communards, Junior Giscombe, Lorna Gee and other special guests. He also introduced Simple Minds to producer Tony Hollingsworth and they became the first major act to agree to perform at Hollingsworth's Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert, which was broadcast worldwide from London's Wembley Stadium, on 11 June 1988. That same year, he briefly played with the re-formed Madness on their single "I Pronounce You" and its attendant album, The Madness.

In October 2000 Dammers received Q Magazine's Q Merit Award at London's Park Lane Hotel.^[4]

Dammers has fallen out of the spotlight in recent years, but he still regularly DJs in English nightclubs, as well as performing with his band, The Spatial AKA Orchestra, playing his own compositions and tributes to Sun Ra and other experimental jazz artists. The band features established jazz musicians Zoe Rahman, Larry Stabbins and Denys Baptiste. They perform in elaborate Ancient Egyptian and outer space-themed costumes, and share the stage with bizarre props such as model alien heads and mummy Sarcophagi. Rico Rodriguez has also featured in a number of shows.

In November 2006, he celebrated being awarded an honorary degree from Coventry University by DJing at the launch party of the Coventry branch of the Love Music Hate Racism organisation. In the same month, he attended a private viewing of a Harry Pye curated art exhibition in east London that featured paintings of bands and singers that had once been championed by the late BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel. Dammers read out a four page poem, in which he thanked Peel for helping his own band, and for supporting black musicians.

Carl Barât of The Libertines included a Dammers composition, "Too Much Too Young", on his personal compilation album Under The Influence. Pete Doherty, former member of The Libertines, namechecked "What I Like Most About You is Your Girlfriend" on Down in Albion, the first Babyshambles album. The song "Merry Go Round" contains the lyrics "He says, 'What I like most about you, Pete/Is your girlfriend and your shoes.'" Those who have recorded a song written by Dammers include Tricky ("Ghost Town"), The Prodigy ("Ghost Town") and Elvis Costello ("What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend").

Dammers has produced singles for Robert Wyatt, The Untouchables, UB40 and Junior Delgado. He contributed "Riot City" to the soundtrack of the Julien Temple film, Absolute Beginners, and "Brightlights" to the compilation album Jamming: A New Optimism.

Dammers lives in London with his family.

Quotation[link]

This section is a candidate to be copied to Wikiquote using the Transwiki process.

The basic thing is Anglo-Jamaican music. It's trying to integrate those two.^[5]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Jerry Dammers' Spatial A.K.A. Orchestra
• Jerry Dammers discography at Discogs
• Jerry Dammers at the Internet Movie Database
• Jerry Dammers at Allmusic
• The Specials
• The Spatial AKA Orchestra at The Big Chill (music festival)

This article is about Johnny Marr, guitarist of The Smiths, The Cribs, and Modest Mouse, whose birth name was John Maher. For the former Buzzcocks drummer, see John Maher (Buzzcocks drummer).

Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr in 2010.
Background information
Birth name	John Martin Maher
Born	(1963-10-31) 31 October 1963 (age 48) Ardwick, Manchester, England
Genres	Alternative rock, indie pop, indie rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, guitarist
Instruments	Guitar, vocals, keyboards, piano, harmonica, mandolin, harmonium, Saxophone
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Various
Associated acts	The Smiths, Electronic, Johnny Marr and the Healers, Modest Mouse, The The, The Cribs, Pet Shop Boys, Oasis, John Frusciante, Talking Heads, Billy Bragg, Pretenders, Happy Mondays
Notable instruments
Rickenbacker 330 Fender Jazzmaster Gibson SG Fender Jaguar Fender Telecaster Gibson ES-355

Johnny Marr (born John Martin Maher; 31 October 1963) is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse. In 2008, he joined The Cribs after touring with them on 2008's NME Awards Tour, a group in which he would remain until 2011.

Marr's jangly Rickenbacker guitar-playing in The Smiths proved to be popular among other musicians and has influenced many guitarists that followed particularly in the Britpop era.

Marr was voted the fourth best guitarist of the last 30 years in a poll conducted by the BBC in 2010.^[1]

Childhood and personal life[link]

Marr was born in Ardwick, Manchester, the son of Irish immigrants.^[2] His parents came from Athy in County Kildare. In 1975^[3] he attended the Roman Catholic St Augustine's Grammar School, which in 1977^[4] merged with other schools to form a comprehensive school, St John Plessington High School. Marr had aspirations to be a professional football player, and was approached by Nottingham Forest and had trials with Manchester City (which he supports). In an interview with FourFourTwo magazine, Marr said "I was good enough for City, but they didn't follow up because I was probably the only player out there wearing eyeliner."^{[citation needed]} He currently resides in Manchester with his wife Angie and their children, daughter Sonny and son Nile. Johnny is an honorary board member of Rock For Kids. He is also teetotal and vegan, and runs regularly.

The Smiths[link]

The Smiths were formed in early 1982 by Marr and fellow Manchester resident Steven Patrick Morrissey (he had not yet abandoned his first and middle name), an unemployed writer. Marr's jangly Rickenbacker and Fender Telecaster guitar playing became synonymous with the Smiths' sound. Marr's friend Andy Rourke joined as bass player and Mike Joyce was recruited as drummer. Signing to indie label Rough Trade Records, they released their first single, "Hand in Glove", on 13 May 1983.

By February 1984, The Smiths fanbase was sufficiently large to launch the band's long-awaited eponymous debut album to number two in the UK chart. Early in 1985 the band released their second album, Meat Is Murder. This was more strident and political than its predecessor, and it was the band's only album (barring compilations) to reach number one in the UK charts. During 1985 the band completed lengthy tours of the UK and the US while recording the next studio record, The Queen Is Dead. In 1989 Spin magazine rated The Queen Is Dead as number one of "The Greatest Albums Ever Made". Spin was not alone in this designation—numerous periodicals rank The Smiths and their albums, especially 'The Queen Is Dead', high on their best ever lists. NME, for example, has dubbed the Smiths the most important rock band of all time.^{[citation needed]}

However, all was not well within the group. A legal dispute with Rough Trade had delayed the album by almost seven months (it had been completed in November 1985), and Marr was beginning to feel the stress of the band's exhausting touring and recording schedule. He later told NME, "'Worse for wear' wasn't the half of it: I was extremely ill. By the time the tour actually finished it was all getting a little bit... dangerous. I was just drinking more than I could handle."^[5] Meanwhile, Rourke was fired from the band in early 1986 due to his use of heroin (though he was reinstated in short order). In early 1987 the single "Shoplifters of the World Unite" was released to chart success, as well as mild controversy and concern from parents.^{[citation needed]}

Despite their continued success, personal differences within the band – including the increasingly strained relationship between Morrissey and Marr—saw them on the verge of splitting. In August 1987, Marr left the group, and auditions to find a replacement for him proved fruitless. By the time Strangeways, Here We Come (named after Strangeways Prison, Manchester) was released in September, the band had split up. The breakdown in the relationship has been primarily attributed to Morrissey's becoming annoyed by Marr's work with other artists and Marr's growing frustration with Morrissey's musical inflexibility.

Referring to the songs recorded in the band's last session together (B-sides for the "Girlfriend in a Coma" single, which preceded the album's release), Marr said "I wrote 'I Keep Mine Hidden', but 'Work Is a Four-Letter Word' I hated. That was the last straw, really. I didn't form a group to perform Cilla Black songs."^[6] In 1989, in an interview with young fan Tim Samuels (who later became a BBC journalist) Morrissey said that the lack of a managerial figure and business problems were to blame for the band's eventual split.^[7]

In 1996, Smiths' drummer Mike Joyce took Morrissey and Marr to court, claiming that he had not received his fair share of recording and performance royalties. Morrissey and Marr had claimed the lion's share of The Smiths' recording and performance royalties and allowed ten percent each to Joyce and Rourke. Composition royalties were not an issue, as Rourke and Joyce had never been credited as composers for the band. Morrissey and Marr claimed that the other two members of the band had always agreed to that split of the royalties, but the court found in favour of Joyce and ordered that he be paid over £1 million in back pay and receive 25% thenceforth. As Smiths' royalties had been frozen for two years, Rourke settled for a smaller lump sum to pay off his debts and continued to receive 10%. Morrissey was described by the judge as "devious, truculent and unreliable".^[8]

Both Marr and Morrissey have repeatedly said in interviews that they will not reunite the band. In 2005, VH1 attempted to get the band back together on its Bands Reunited show but abandoned its attempt after the show's host, Aamer Haleem, failed to corner Morrissey before a show. In December 2005 it was announced that Johnny Marr and the Healers would play at Manchester v Cancer, a benefit show for cancer research being organised by Andy Rourke and his production company, Great Northern Productions.^[9] Rumours suggested that a Smiths reunion would occur at this concert but were dispelled by Johnny Marr on his website.^[10] What did eventuate was Rourke joining Marr onstage for the first time since the Smiths broke up, performing "How Soon Is Now?".

In an October 2007 interview on BBC Radio Five Live, Marr hinted at a potential reformation in the future, saying that "stranger things have happened so, you know, who knows?" Marr went on to say that "It's no biggy. Maybe we will in 18 or 32 years' time when we all need to for whatever reasons, but right now Morrissey is doing his thing and I'm doing mine, so that's the answer really." This was the first indication of a possible Smiths reunion from Marr, who previously had said that reforming the band would be a bad idea.^[11]

Marr's guitar playing "was a huge building block" for more Manchester bands that followed The Smiths. The Stone Roses guitarist John Squire has stated that Marr was a major influence.^[12] Oasis lead guitarist Noel Gallagher has called The Smiths an influence, especially Marr whom he described as a "fucking wizard", also stating that "he's unique, you can't play what he plays."^[13] He also stated that "when The Jam split, The Smiths started, and I totally went for them."^[12] Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien has acknowledged that he idolised The Smiths in the 1980s; the band pays homage to The Smiths in their song "Knives Out". After O'Brien played with Johnny Marr in New Zealand in 2001, he acknowledged that Marr was the reason he had picked up a guitar as a teenager.^{[citation needed]}

Post-Smiths[link]

The Pretenders, The The, Electronic (1987–1999)[link]

After Marr left the Smiths in August 1987, he was very briefly an official member of the Pretenders. In late 1987, he toured with the band and appeared on the single "Windows of the World" b/w "1969". He then left the Pretenders, and recorded and toured with The The from 1988 through 1994, recording two albums with the group. He simultaneously formed Electronic with New Order's Bernard Sumner. Electronic were intermittently active throughout the 1990s, releasing their final album in 1999.

Session work (1987–2002)[link]

In 1992 he recorded a cover version of Ennio Morricone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for the NME compilation Ruby Trax together with Billy Duffy. Fellow Manchester band Happy Mondays also once tried to court him to be a member of their band, which did not work out.^[14]

He has also worked as a session musician and writing collaborator for artists including Pet Shop Boys, Billy Bragg, Black Grape, Jane Birkin, Talking Heads, and Beck. Marr played guitar on several Pet Shop Boys songs; he continues to have guest appearances on their albums, with his most significant contribution on Release (2002). The only remix that Johnny Marr has ever done was for the Pet Shop Boys—it was a mix of his favourite track from their 1987 album, Actually, called "I Want to Wake Up," and was released as the b-side to 1993's "Can You Forgive Her?" He later worked as a guest musician on the Oasis album Heathen Chemistry. He also joined Oasis on stage at a gig in 2001, playing "Champagne Supernova" and "I Am the Walrus".

Johnny Marr and the Healers (2000–Present)[link]

In 2000 Johnny recruited drummer Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr), Cavewaves guitarist Lee Spencer and ex-Kula Shaker bassist Alonza Bevan for his new project Johnny Marr and the Healers. The band had taken two years to come together as Marr had wanted members to be chosen "by chemistry". Their debut album Boomslang was released in 2003, with all lyrics and lead vocals by Marr. A second album was originally scheduled for release in April 2005, and a short tour was expected soon after, but Marr has since stated that the band is on the "side burner" for the time being (Manchester Evening News, May 2007). Drummer Starkey is currently involved with the Who, and Bevan has regrouped with Kula Shaker. In 2011, Johnny began performing with the Healers again. The new Healers line up consists of James Doviak on guitar, Max James on bass and Andy Knowles on drums.

Seven Worlds Collide (2001–2009)[link]

In 2001, Marr performed two Smiths songs and music by others with a supergroup called 7 Worlds Collide consisting of members from Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Split Enz and others, assembled by Neil Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House in 2001. A second set of concerts took place in December 2008/January 2009, and an album of new studio material titled The Sun Came Out was released in August 2009 to raise money for Oxfam.

Modest Mouse (2006–2009)[link]

In addition to his work as a recording artist, Marr has worked as a record producer. In 2006, he began work with Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock on songs that eventually were featured on the band's 2007 release, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The band subsequently announced that Marr was a fully fledged member, and the reformed line-up toured extensively throughout 2006–07.^[15] During 2008, when Modest Mouse opened for R.E.M. during their summer tour of the United States, Marr would come on stage during the encore of R.E.M.'s set, for "Fall on Me" and, toward the end of the tour, "Man on the Moon". Johnny Marr and R.E.M.'s guitarist Peter Buck have often been compared by alternative music fans as having a similar guitar style.^{[citation needed]}

While with Modest Mouse, Marr was named an Honorary Patron of the University Philosophical Society, Trinity College, Dublin.^{[citation needed]}

The new album reached number one on the American Billboard charts in late March 2007. For Marr this is the first time he has had a number one record in the US. The highest chart position before that was with Electronic, who made the Top 40 in the singles chart with "Getting Away With It".^[16]

In 2007 Marr was appointed as a Visiting Professor in Music at the University of Salford, where he delivered an inaugural lecture (on 4th November 2008), and a series of workshops and masterclasses to students on the BA (Hons) Popular Music and Recording programme.^[17]

The Cribs (2008–2011)[link]

Marr performs as part of the Cribs at Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club in 2010.

In January 2008, Marr was reported to have been contributing his skill and experience to a secret songwriting session with Wakefield indie group The Cribs. Sources revealed that they worked together for a week at Moolah Rouge recording studio in Stockport – a favourite haunt of Bolton's Badly Drawn Boy, Damon Gough and fellow northern indie heroes I Am Kloot – and had penned a number of new songs.^[18] He also played at the Glasgow Barrowlands, Manchester Academy, Oxford Academy, Bristol Carling Academy, Leeds University, Cardiff University and Brixton Carling Academy with the Cribs on the NME Awards Tour. On 23 February 2008, XFM reported that Marr was to become a full member of the Cribs. On 28 February 2008, he also played onstage with the Cribs at NME Big Gig at the O2. Marr also played along with the Cribs at the Reading & Leeds Festival 2008, singer Ryan Jarman introduced Johnny as the newest member of the band, "Johnny Jarman". In 2009 Marr recorded an album with the band titled Ignore the Ignorant, which was released on 7 September.^[19] On Soccer AM in 9 September he explained he met up with the Cribs' bass player in Portland and it has gone from strength to strength. He says the Cribs latest album, Ignore the Ignorant, which came out last year, is "as good as anything I've done".^[20]

On April 2011 it was confirmed that Marr would no longer be part of the band.^[21] Marr, who had been understood to officially leave the band in January, released a statement in which he affirmed that he would be working on solo material "over the next year or so."^[22]

Recent soundtrack and session work[link]

In the late 2007, Marr's daughter Sonny performed backing vocals on the track "Even a Child" on Crowded House's album Time on Earth, on which her father Johnny played guitars.

Marr played a large role in making the score for the 2010 science-fiction/drama film Inception, which was written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Using a 12-string-guitar, he produced repetitive, simple melancholic tones that became a character theme for the protagonist, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. "I kept coming up with this phrase ‘churned-up,'" Marr said, "You’ve got this character who all the way through the film has this underlying turmoil." Longtime composer Hans Zimmer penned soundtrack.^[23] On 13 July 2010, Marr performed with an orchestra for a live internet broadcast of the soundtrack.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, Marr worked on the Nuevo Noir movie The Big Bang.

Discography[link]

Albums (as band member)[link]

The Smiths[link]

• The Smiths (1984)
• Hatful of Hollow (1984)
• Meat Is Murder (1985)
• The Queen Is Dead (1986)
• The World Won't Listen (1987)
• Louder Than Bombs (1987)
• Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
• Rank (1988)