Johnny Marr
Date of birth
31st October, 1963
Occupation
Musician
Sex
Male
Height
1.73
7 Times Politicians Tried To Use Pop Songs Without Permission
By Ed Biggs in Music / Festivals on 25 August 2018
When politicians try to get some reflected glory off pop anthems, it never ends well.
After Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler had to write a second cease-and-desist letter to Donald Trump asking him to stop playing their songs during his rallies this week – having already called him out for doing the same with ‘Dream On’ three years ago – we thought we’d compile some other famous moments when politicians got scolded by musicians for using their songs without permission.
Almost inevitably, such clashes come up when songs are used by right-wing or conservative parties and candidates. Musicians are a fairly liberal bunch, understandably, and they don’t want their messages and sentiments getting confused with those counter to their own beliefs and ideologies.
So, here’s seven other famous moments when politicians tried to get some credibility off pop stars.
Continue reading: 7 Times Politicians Tried To Use Pop Songs Without Permission
7 Stars That Swapped A Football Career For Music
By Holly Mosley in Music / Festivals on 09 August 2018
From Robbie Williams to Olly Murs, these musicians are still football mad.
As football fans all around the world buzz about Transfer Deadline Day, watching the flurry of activity online as clubs make the most of their last chance to transfer players, it got us thinking about how many big musicians transferred their careers from the pitch to the stage.
They may be the two major issues currently dividing Western society, but there's light at the end of the tunnel if we get an album out of it from The Smiths songwriter.
Continue reading: Johnny Marr Drops New Single 'The Tracers' And Album Release Date
Johnny Marr - Set The Boy Free Book Review
By Andy Peterson in Music Reviews on 19 December 2016
It was hardly anyone's finest hour, but 1987's South Bank Show on The Smiths - broadcast just after the band had messily imploded - was as memorable for New Musical Express journalist Nick Kent's hipster description of it's guitarist-lynchpin Johnny Marr as a "Kiddie" as for anything else. Marr of course at that point was both hero and villain, the man who'd split Britain's most lauded group since The Beatles; Kent's description still rankled though, portraying him as more calculating and self aware than a musician drained by the errant foursome's whims as was the received wisdom of the time.
Through post-adolescent scrapes (A pre-Smiths Johnny narrowly avoids a career limiting spell in prison for handling stolen goods) and the process of becoming a well-recognised local scenester, the casual impression is that of a life of benevolent fate and ruthless destiny: our hero both consciously chooses greatness and in turn is chosen by it. Typical of this is the chance encounter by which he meets wife Angie at a party and vows to a friend that he's found the one - before even speaking to her. In Set The Boy Free, this sort of thing just happens.
Continue reading: Johnny Marr - Set The Boy Free Book Review
Johnny Marr seen arriving at the 2016 StubHub Q Awards, London, United Kingdom - Wednesday 2nd November 2016
Modest Mouse Return After Eight Years With New Album 'Strangers To Ourselves'
By Holly Williams in Music / Festivals on 22 January 2015
'Strangers To Ourselves' marks the band's first album in eight years.
Modest Mouse are set to make a very welcome return with their first album in eight years 'Strangers To Ourselves'. It's been a long time coming for this Washington quartet but fans can now breathe a sigh of relief for their comeback.
After that nautical fun that was 2007's US number one album 'We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank', fans were no doubt eager to see what they brought up next. When Johnny Marr (formerly of The Smiths) was replaced by Grandaddy's Jim Fairchild a little before the album's release to join The Cribs, recording took a backseat for a while. While they continued to tour, play festivals and release 2009 EP 'No One's First and You're Next', it's only now that album seven has finally come to fruition.
Continue reading: Modest Mouse Return After Eight Years With New Album 'Strangers To Ourselves'
Musicians Succeed In Reversing Prison Guitar String Ban
By Ed Biggs in Music / Festivals on 30 July 2014
Steel guitar strings are available once again to British prison inmates
Musical campaigners have successfully reversed a ban that had prevented inmates of British prisons from being able to use steel strings on guitars.
Billy Bragg had led the campaign to reverse the steel guitar string ban in British prisons
The ban had meant that the only strings available to inmates were nylon ones, used primarily for classical and Spanish styles and largely unsuitable for steel-strung acoustic guitars due to the way that they’re attached. But now steel strings will be available again, to be paid for out of prisoners’ wages and earned on a privileges basis at the discretion of individual governors.
Continue reading: Musicians Succeed In Reversing Prison Guitar String Ban
Bigmouth Strikes Again: Morrissey To Publish Memoirs As 'Penguin Classic'
By Michael West in Movies / TV / Theatre on 04 October 2013
[Morrissey](https://www.contactmusic.com/Morrissey) The Smiths Johnny Marr
Morrissey is the author of a Penguin Classic.
Morrissey appears to have ended his dispute with publisher Penguin and will finally release his memoir, titled Autobiography, as part of the Penguin Classics range on October 17, 2013.
According to a statement from the publisher, the book will come out in the UK, Europe and the British Commonwealth, though there are no plans to release Autobiography in the US or any other territory.
This could have been the stumbling block that resulted in an initial delay in publication, with the fan-site True To You claiming that "a last-minute content disagreement . caused the [Penguin] venture to collapse," however it most likely hinged on Morrissey's desire for the book to be published as a classic.
Continue reading: Bigmouth Strikes Again: Morrissey To Publish Memoirs As 'Penguin Classic'
Isle Of Man Festival 2013 - Primal Scream, Paloma Faith, Wretch 32, Johnny Marr Plus Many More Announced
Posted on31 May 2013
Reading And Leeds Festivals Return With Green Day Headliner And More On 23rd-25th August 2013
Posted on12 March 2013
A Week In Music - Classic Blues From Ben Harper And Charlie Musselwhite, Raunchy Videos From The Weeknd, Jay Z And Justin Timberlake, Get Up Close And Personal With Rihanna In 'Stay'
By Hayley Avron in Music / Festivals on 18 February 2013
Albums Of Note... Get Up! pairs modern blues idol and expert slide guitarist Ben Harper with harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite. Aiming for blues authenticity, that’s exactly what Ben and Charlie achieve here. The pair of talented blues musicians fly in the face of modernity and instead strive to recreate the dusky glamour of a Chicago blues club.
“In general, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite have delivered a strong, yet candid and fun blues album. This album really does not care that it is 2013, and why should it? Each of the ten songs contains something of merit. Both musicians involved are fairly prolific but this collection will doubtlessly shoot to the high end of the fans favourites in no time at all.”